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![DREAMING / BELIEVING / ACHIEVING
A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY
Focussing on ‘use’ as a metric of digital engagement
is not all that useful (especially see Helsper, 2012 &
Helsper & Reisdorf, 2016)
Better to look at ‘whether the nature of their use [of
ICT] enhances their life’ (Helsper, 2012:13)
It can’t be assumed that once ICT use has been
begun it will be maintained unproblematically (Olphert
& Damordan, 2013)
Bach et al (2013) propose a ‘digital human capital
approach’ which links the digital with local community
and culture
What we know](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/digirensept2018-180905194200/75/DigiRen-10-2048.jpg)
Uploaded byIrene Mackintosh
DigiRen
The document discusses barriers to digital inclusion and participation. It notes that while internet usage is high, many people still lack basic digital skills. Older adults, low-income individuals, and those with disabilities are especially at risk of digital exclusion. Effective interventions require a multifaceted approach including peer support, home internet access, and collaboration between organizations. Digital inclusion efforts must be meaningful to individuals' lives and provide ongoing support to build digital skills and understanding.
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DigiRen
- 2. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Digital participation: Notes from the field Professor David McGillivray & Irene Warner-Mackintosh School of Media, Culture Society, University of the West of Scotland @dgmcgillivray @irenewarnermack #digiren #onedigital
- 3. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY 8 out of 10 people use the internet daily, but these statistics hide a deeper digital divide 8% of adults have zero digital skills Older people, low income households and people with disabilities are amongst the most likely to be excluded It’s easy to forget…
- 4. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Have all those that… • want to be connected; • can get a connection; and • can afford the cost done so? Internet uptake has stalled
- 5. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Confidence and motivation Access and affordability Essential digital skills What are the barriers?
- 6. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Handling InformationCommunicating Transacting Problem Solving 21% lack essential digital skills
- 7. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Why it matters Source: Just Economics (2017), Digital Inclusion Evaluation Toolkit
- 8. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Having access is no guarantee that people are able to accrue the associated social and economic benefits: “digital skills are important. But skills are not enough; they don’t necessarily equip people to adapt to change, and certainly not to question it. For the internet to be fair, people need to be able to bring about the changes they want in the digital world. To do that they need to know and use their power as individuals, consumers, workers and citizens. This requires digital understanding” (doteveryone, 2017) People end up being doubly disadvantaged by being offline and/or without skills – contributes towards the ‘poverty premium’ Online households save up to £744 per year (around £200 for the lowest income households) What we know
- 9. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Ambitions to deliver more public services online, particularly welfare, risks further disenfranchising people who already face multiple forms of social exclusion Those most in need of support from public services – are amongst the least likely to be online Access to support is least available where it’s needed most – and taken up by those who are more proficient (e.g. CAB reports) What we know
- 10. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Focussing on ‘use’ as a metric of digital engagement is not all that useful (especially see Helsper, 2012 & Helsper & Reisdorf, 2016) Better to look at ‘whether the nature of their use [of ICT] enhances their life’ (Helsper, 2012:13) It can’t be assumed that once ICT use has been begun it will be maintained unproblematically (Olphert & Damordan, 2013) Bach et al (2013) propose a ‘digital human capital approach’ which links the digital with local community and culture What we know
- 11. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY What works in tackling exclusion Piercy (2016) suggests 3 avenues for successful interventions: • Peer support: a wide variety of approaches but tutor/mentee relationship is common to all • Home access: a potential response to clear evidence that home-based internet access improves skills and builds confidence. • Shared practice: focusing on cross- organizational collaboration to foster informal environments for skills learning and exchange within specialist service settings
- 12. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY What works in tackling exclusion Interventions need to be considered as part of a broader approach to tackling social exclusion Motivation is unique to each individual – need to find the ‘hook’ and facilitate repeated, informal face-to-face & one-to-one support Smartphones are not a silver bullet: though many access services using them! ‘Hyper-local’ and embedded approaches to skills development are critical
- 13. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY The digital champion model
- 14. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY What we’re hearing
- 15. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Third sector as experts
- 16. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Those who can, and those who can’t
- 17. DREAMING / BELIEVING/ ACHIEVING A 21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY Conclusions Promoting digital inclusion requires a multi-faceted approach Digital inclusion needs to be meaningful and consistent with users’ overall needs, motivations & lifestyles Digital participation requires development of digital ‘capital’, understanding and wisdom Leadership and mentorship are important Greater understanding of the long-term impacts of digital inclusion/exclusion is needed.
Editor's Notes
- #3 Introduction to the research and the role of the practitioner, and why we think PAR might be useful.
- #5 DMcN People that lack confidence or are unable to afford connectivity are being left behind.
- #6 DMcN
- #7 DMcN
- #8 DMcN Social and economic benefits 90% of jobs require basic digital skills People required to access ‘digital first’ public services Making the most of your money – average net savings of £200 (low income households) to £744
- #9 DMcG
- #10 DMcG Need to be careful about marching towards online only provision as that can affect those most vulnerable and lacking skills/confidence most. Those least likely to be online include older adults, persons with disabilities and those on low incomes
- #11 DMcG It’s about what people do online, not just that they ‘are online’. There is already evidence that those from lower socio-demographics groups use the internet differently – whether for entertainment rather than, for example, searching for information, education or career purposes. This is not just about getting people online – though that’s important – rather it’s about ensuring that they are motivated, skilled and realise the benefits so that participation can be sustained. Bach et al ‘calls for a more rigorous and grounded response to the digital divide, making sure communities have quality access but also that they possess the tools and skills to use the Internet for social change’ (2013:253). Digital skills development and usage must have relevance for those who are to use of it. Thus, a digital human capital approach foregrounds the notion that ‘ICT training initiatives must shift towards critical social and cultural practices that encourage full participation in community affairs, cultural life and official institutions’ (ibid: 263). To this end, it is the operationalization of ICT knowledge – and provision of the concomitant support to learn to be able to do so – on social media and related platforms for individual and community benefit which is central to the success of this approach (ibid: 259/263).
- #12 DMcG Like the digital human capital approach, there needs to be the holistic support to ensure people are supported to ‘change behaviour’ as they move from pre-contemplation, to contemplation, action and maintenance. Immediate motivation may soon wane if not sustained by a peer network. Home access is important because ‘access [to the internet] at home facilitates the development of digital skills. It also broadens internet use by giving more time to explore and access a variety of digital opportunities: informal, exploratory use of the internet feeds other types of more formal use’ (Piercy) Partnerships clearly important, involving all of those that have a stake in supporting digital inclusion. But this is difficult to manage and coordinate.
- #13 DMcG Smartphones by circumstance can be an issue that further exacerbates exclusion. So, it may be great for those that decide to use and have the right device, data plan etc. However, many have smartphone by circumstance and can’t afford the plan they require to ensure effective access. Furthermore, specific groups particularly affected – e.g. homeless people. Challenge of using smartphone for complex transactional stuff e.g. UC
- #14 IWM Explaining the digital champion model- and that it is a response to research, and being developed by SCVO What it is: working with key frontline staff across third sector organisations who work with people on a day to day basis, helping those staff to understand the importance of digital inclusion Feedback from the field is that The digital champion model makes sense to frontline staff who already offer patient, reflective, person centred support, and who are familiar with unique pathways. Reflects the hyper local, community based approach
- #15 Looking at training feedback… gathered through asking four central questions What are our challenges in supporting folk with digital? What are our opportunities to help folk with digital? What will those we seek to support find a challenge? What brilliant solutions do we have? We are able to highlight certain commonalties across agencies- That confidence and motivation often an issue for staff as well as those they support- staff’s own lack of confidence and ‘soft skills’ an issue- and that there is a need for in-house upskilling That organisational structure and the relationship with digital is important- organisations need to be ‘ready’ to move forward with digital which requires a level of open-ness and organisational self reflection The staff need access to wifi ‘in the field’ The policies are more popular than you’d think! That ‘access’ is a complex issue: practitioners reflect that for many of those supported, access limited by issues such as data plans, limits on public Wifi, or restrictions caused by circumstance (eg offenders and, conversely, victims) Reflected in literature esp. homelessness studies That the third sector is informing research around digital exclusion by highlighting additional complexities facing individuals with specific social exclusions and that there may be common learning to share
- #16 An aim of the research is to reflect on a deeper understanding of link between social and digital exclusion – and third sector are experts in the field of social exclusion, and their involvement in research allows us to reflect on how best to meet the needs of those most vulnerable (and to see if the Scottish context matches other researched contexts) Examples of local projects: Enable, Turning Point, C-Change, SACRO, Victim Support Disability – ‘capacity’ a recurring theme and research also highlights challenges in this regard- also impacts on digital understanding and ability to access benefits of digital Issues specifically related to the justice system being thrown up (both from the point of view of offender and victim) – such as access both in prison and on leaving Homelessness – Glasgow initiative to have worker on the street with digital access etc
- #17 And so the role of our research with SCVO, and UWS remains focussed on addressing inequalities – and evidencing those inequalities through quantative work. Latest Carnegie report- highlights that those in poorly paid jobs, or struggling with unemployment are also struggle more than those with more secure employment to manage their online data and take appropriate measures to keep themselves safe online As always, the third sector is likely to understand why this is the case and to come up with innovative solutions we are able to learn from.
- #18 DMcG