Beyond description: in search of disciplinary digital capabilities through signature pedagogies

Abstract

The development of digital capabilities has received significant attention in higher education (HE) in recent years, with various attempts made to develop digital frameworks to support curriculum design. However, few studies have articulated these generic capabilities in terms of specific disciplines. This paper addresses the gap by exploring how digital capabilities are planned in HE curricula in two professional disciplines, engineering and management, at the two UK universities. Originality of the study is achieved in part through a newly proposed conceptual framework that weaves Shulman's notion of signature pedagogies together with Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)'s Digital Capability Framework (DigiCap). This study employed a multiple-case study methodology, drawing on documentary sources and academic, professional and student perspectives via interviews and focus groups. This study offers insight into the digital capabilities in engineering and management education, as well as the digital practices of engineers and managers. Findings report on which DigiCap elements are prioritised, and how, in the two professions, followed by a discussion of their most distinct 'signature digital capabilities'. These indicate that the development of digital capabilities is aligned with the respective discipline's signature pedagogies. This study argues that, simply just using a descriptive, typological framework is not sufficient to identify signature digital capabilities of a subject without tending to their disciplinary aspects. It is the combination of a typological DigiCap framework through the lens of signature pedagogies, which can be effective in identifying disciplinary digital capabilities. This approach is one of the major outcomes of this study.

Az oktatási szektor alkalmazkodása a digitális transzformáció kihívásaihoz

“…Ebből a megfigyelésből kiindulva érdemes lehet megvizsgálni ezeket a diszcipli¬ náris sajátosságokat, amelyhez jó keretet nyújthat az emblematikus pedagógiák (signature pedagogy) azonosítása (lásd pl. Shulman, 2005;Varga-Atkins, 2020).…”

A cross‐sectional study of discipline‐based self‐perceived digital literacy competencies of nursing students

“…There is a need for further research that explores students' digital skills development needs as digital learners and future health professionals in relation to their awareness and use of digital tools for healthcare, as well as around their professional digital behaviour and attitudes. Current focus remains on the development of functional digital skills; only a few digital literacy empirical studies in HE have attempted to articulate digital skills relevant to specific disciplines or professional groups (Martzoukou et al, 2021; Varga‐Atkins, 2020).…”

Learning, Student Digital Capabilities and Academic Performance over the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The later processes allow students and teachers to develop themselves and support the development of others through collaborative learning interactions. Thus, for example, students' learning processes could be influenced by the integration of technology into a course and the support they receive regarding the digital resources, collaborative interactions among students or between students and teachers and the creation of digital learning resources [17,18]. The aforementioned frameworks mainly discuss the digital literacy concept in an "instrumental" way that provides information about the way individuals work and behave through the use technology to accomplish tasks and enhance their everyday lives [19].…”