Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

 ‘Visitors and Residents’ is a continuum of modes of engagement which has been well established as a valuable way to understand how individuals engage online. This paper discusses how the original metaphor of Visitors and Residents has been developed into a mapping process which helps individuals to visualise, and reflect on, the digital tools and1 places they use or spend time in. The paper explores ways that the Visitors and Resident work has developed and proposes a method of analysing a body of maps through ‘engagement genres’ to discover broader trends in behaviour across groups.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Mapping ways of engaging with the Web in different contexts
3. Piloting the mapping process: A form of qualitative research
4. Discussion and conclusions

While a virtual learning environment (VLE) is a vital resource for all students, it can also be an effective assistive technology for disabled students allowing them to be more independent learners.