When creating this web guide, it was my intention to build an information source that allowed an individual to build their digital citizenship and digital literacy for the vocational education workplace, whilst also establishing their own position on the digital literacy and citizenship continuum. This is significant as, Hämäläinen & Cattaneo (2015) argue, vocational educators will increasingly confront different and conflicting contexts, cultures, attitudes, and perspectives, where they will need to adapt activities according to learner need, the evolving digital technologies (p. 155). Low digital literacy levels in teachers have been highlighted as an issue relating to the development of innovative practice and digital technology integration at the institute and, building digital literacy and raising awareness of digital citizenship in the educator workforce will inevitably have a positive influence on learner outcomes.
It was a primary focus to ensure that the web guide was accessible for all users across the digital literacy continuum and, it is this premise that has governed my approach to the creation of my web guide – digital literacy and digital citizenship for the workplace. Ribble (2015) said ‘Technology should not get in the way of learning; it should enhance it’ (p. 2). It is this notion that allowed me to implement a navigation system that can accommodate those with high-level literacy or those with a more fundamental or basic skill level. As a visual communication educator, well versed in various digital applications, the challenge with the development of the web guide was simply working around the set limitations of the Thinkspace/WordPress platform in creating an accessible, user-friendly, and multi-device compatible site. To enhance the limited functionality available on the Thinkspace platform, I utilised H5P, Canva, YouTube, Photoshop, Illustrator, premier pro, adobe spark to create the resources, infographics, artefact 1 and artefact 2, as well as the navigation within the web guide.
Having obtained feedback from my target audience, they have advised that the layout and information to be relevant, easy to navigate, and raises awareness as to their own digital development needs, which is, of course, very positive. The integration or at the very least an adapted version of the web guide – digital literacy and digital citizenship for the workplace – will assist in firstly, building digital awareness in teachers. Secondly, when utilised as a foundation for professional learning, the web guide will provide a platform to begin conversations with leadership teams to establish training models for the building of digital capability in the wider vocational teacher workforce. I look forward to implementing this webguide in my learning environment.
References
Hämäläinen, R., & Cattaneo, A. (2015). New TEL Environments for Vocational Education – Teacher’s Instructional Perspective. Vocations and Learning, 8, 135-157. doi:10.1007/s12186-015-9128-1
Ribble, M. (2015). Digital Citizenship in Schools : Nine Elements All Students Should Know (Vol. Third Edition). Oregon: ISTE.
