AlphaPlus

This week I thought I would look at a paper we released back in September, 2011. In  What is in a Technology Competency? we describe how we set about working on developing the competency, including research, task collection and identification, task scaling and analysis and what we came to understand about the integrated nature of the curriculum framework and the implications of that integration.

If it sounds a bit dry…well… yes, it is quite technical – although the paper is written as clearly as possible – but I think that the actual description of the process and discussion of how the Use Digital Technology Competency was developed and how it works with the other competencies in the curriculum framework should be quite helpful to practitioners as they, examine and work with complexity levels across all the competencies, develop integrated tasks and lesson plans and set about the job of using the curriculum framework in their daily practice.

So here’s a brief overview… In the first place we asked ourselves and did some research to try to understand, as fully as possible just what digital skills are and how they relate to the way adults live, work and learn.  We believe that all adults need these skills to participate and succeed  in the workplace and in their communities.  We see digital skills as a set of discrete skills, but these skills are a means to an end and we were very conscious of the need to keep the discrete nature of digital skills  related to occupational skills, n mind ( such skills need to be taught on a granular level) while, at the same time, bearing in mind that digital skills are foundational or enabling skills  to perform tasks within other competencies using digital technology as a medium.

Sound a bit complicated?  well… it was… but I think that it would actually be very helpful to take a look at a few of  the integrated task examples in the little chart below – in it you can see some of the connections across the competencies – it’s only a glimpse and a beginning – we would very much like to know what practitioners think… so do send us your comments and feedback…