The urgent need to address the national language skills' shortage has been highlighted in numerous arenas (National Skills Bulletin 2015, National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 and RIA National Languages Strategy 2011). However, the needs of language learners have also changed along with the range of digital language learning opportunities available to them. Of increasing importance is a competency in digital literacies, defined by Hockney et al. (2014) as ‘the individual and social skills needed to effectively interpret, manage, share and create meaning in the growing range of digital communication channels.’ Against this backdrop, the Enhancing Digital Literacies for Language Learning and Teaching project (funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) aims to develop a national framework for digital literacies for language learning and teaching in an Irish HE context.
This paper will outline the key benefits, characteristics and stages of developing a cross-institutional digital and open language learning resource which we have named DigilLanguages.ie. At present, no such resource for language learners exists. The findings presented are part of an 18-month funded project. The project team comprises language lecturers and language teacher education lecturers from six Irish HE institutions (UL, NUIG, DCU, MIC, DIT, LIT). The languages include French, Italian, German, Spanish, Irish and English for Speakers of Other Languages. Our target groups include first year, study abroad students, and language lecturers.
In order to best cater for our target groups, we first endeavoured to define their needs through a pilot study conducted with language students in our HEIs. Interviews and focus groups revealed that their top three challenges were transitioning from second level to third level education, acquiring language skills (grammar in particular) and becoming more autonomous. Students stated they would welcome and use digital resources to support them in overcoming these challenges. As a result of the findings, we developed a design framework consisting of three interrelated strands:
- Digital literacies for language teaching and learning
- Digital language teaching and learning strategies and practices
- Using digital resources to support transition to new language learning environments
We then administered an online survey with language students (over 360 responses) and language lecturers (over 70 responses) in our HEIs. Dudney et al.’s (2014) framework for digital literacies informed the investigated areas, namely language-related literacies, information-related literacies, connections-related literacies and (re) design literacies. The findings show that the majority of lecturers and students would like to see a greater inclusion of digital literacies in their language learning and teaching.
The collaboration between the six institutions will continue to be leveraged in the next phase of the project. It will involve the sharing, design and curation of resources that aim to build skills around digital literacies, language learning strategies and transitions to new language learning environments.
DigiLanguages.ie will underpin the integration of digital skills into the language curricula, equipping both language graduates and lecturers with the language and the digital literacy skills to enhance their life-long learning capabilities in the 21st century.
Hockly, N., Dudeney, G., and Pegrum, M. (2014). Digital Literacies (Research and Resources in Language Teaching) (p. 2). Taylor and Francis, Kindle Edition.
National Skills Bulletin (2015)
Royal Irish Academy (2011) National Languages Strategy
Department of Education and Skills (2011) National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030
Online Education (teaching, learning & assessment) , Digital identities, competencies & literacies
