Digacy – an integrated approach to digital literacy

We often think of education in terms of numeracy and literacy, but digital literacy has a vital role as well, which is why we have set up the ‘Digacy’ programme at Northampton High. Through Digacy, we aim to bring together the various strands of digital learning to ensure that our students have a healthy and holistic understanding of their digital personas and are ready for the changing world of work, where excellent digital skills are taken for granted.

There is a temptation to see digital learning through the lens of computer science, or IT functions like spreadsheets and databases, or even simply in terms of digital devices themselves. However, we cannot afford to compartmentalise in this way in a world where technology impacts on nearly everything we do. Digacy, therefore, is not a lesson that pupils go to like Maths, Languages or Computing. Rather it is witnessed throughout the curriculum in areas like science, humanities, the arts and sport. We believe that no matter what students are aiming for individually, we have a responsibility to ensure we are scattering their paths with digital ‘nuggets’ alongside the subject-specific skills they require.

Beyond learning linked to the ‘traditional’ curriculum areas mentioned above, Digacy also aims to support teachers and students as they engage with some of the more intangible aspects of the changing digital world. Online awareness and safety concerns weigh on parents and carers’ minds and questions about social media, screen time and emotional wellbeing are common at events we hold at school. There is no easy answer to these problems, but with a focused approach under the umbrella of Digacy, we can ensure that no stone is left unturned in our preparations.

We have built the Digacy programme around the Digital Competence Framework (link below) to cover the following four main areas:

  • Citizenship – identity, wellbeing, online safety, digital rights;
  • Interaction and collaboration – sharing, showcasing experience;
  • Creation – coding, presenting, setting up websites, researching, evaluating;
  • Data and computational thinking – critical thinking, how data and information link in the digital world.

Through the concepts above, Digacy is seen in both the academic curriculum and in cocurricular areas, such as PSHE and our bespoke Transferrable Skills lessons in Years 7 and 8. In addition, we have pupil digital leaders in both junior and senior schools, looking at practical approaches to highlight online safety issues, in partnership with teachers.

As a unifying element, we have introduced an eportfolio programme to all year groups from Year 6 onward. The eportfolio is effectively a personal website designed and curated by the pupils, showcasing the best and most representative examples of their learning journeys. It also allows them to track their progress through the Digacy programme via an online log and is linked to pupils’ personal pages on our VLE, firefly. At the heart of the eportfolio is a belief that harnessing the power of technology will enable students to enhance their wider lives. By actively managing their digital footprints in this way, we believe they are better placed to avoid some of the negative issues associated with social media, as well as developing a ‘Brand Me’ awareness and website building skills that showcase their interests and aptitudes for future professional audiences.

We believe this integrated approach to technology in learning through the Digacy programme will be an important tool to help our students come to a 360-degree understanding of themselves, their ideals and ambitions.

https://hwb.gov.wales/curriculum-for-wales-2008/digital-competence-framework/framework/