Abstract
As noted in the 2017 Horizon Report on Higher Education, it is no longer enough to simply graduate with a degree in a particular discipline; the Hart Research Associates Report also emphasizes the point that employers are requesting that colleges and universities place more emphasis on practical and real-world skills rather than focusing on competencies in broader disciplinary theories that may never be applied practically in the daily workplace setting. In this chapter, the authors look at two specific examples: preservice teacher training and the training of graduate students in epidemiology (STEM). The purpose of this qualitative analysis is to examine and compare the literature related to two primary concepts: (1) access to technology and digital literacy of minority college students and (2) minority serving institution (MSI) response to promoting digital literacy among faculty and students enrolled in clinically based programs.
TopIntroduction
University programs are undergoing a significant paradigm shift in terms of reimagining how the traditional face-to-face training of students in various disciplines will take shape in the 21st century (Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health Blue Ribbon Task Force, 2013; Bastian & Marks, 2017). As noted in the 2017 Horizon Report on Higher Education, it is no longer enough to simply graduate with a degree in a particular discipline (New Media Consortium, 2017); the Hart Research Associates Report also emphasizes the point that employers are requesting that colleges and universities place more emphasis on practical and real-world skills rather than focusing on competencies in broader disciplinary theories that may never be applied practically in the daily workplace setting (Hart Research Associates, 2015). In this chapter, we will look at two specific examples: preservice teacher training and the training of graduate students in epidemiology (STEM).
Preservice teacher preparation programs are exploring the effectiveness of reconceptualizing programs around more individualized learning needs as filtered through blended learning environments (Englund, Olofsson, & Price, 2017). Modern public health epidemiology courses have regularly trained students in the use of digital technologies to find answers about health and share that information with other professionals and the public. Further, teacher education programs are increasingly turning to clinical-based training models, such as those found in health-related fields, to scaffold realistic teaching experiences prior to entering the practicing classroom.
To better reach traditional student populations and the needs of working professionals, programs are now being redesigned and expanded to accommodate a variety of diverse learning populations (Frenk, Hunter, & Lapp, 2015; Hemans-Henry, Greene, & Koppaka, 2012; Sullivan & Galea, 2017). Of course, this presents a particular challenge especially when considering the adaptation of existing face-to-face curricula into a digital environment (Tondeur, van Braak, Ertmer, & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2017). Scholarly definitions of digital literacy vary as well creating challenges for higher education programs in redesigning programs to meet the demands of contemporary education for the following reasons: (1) the rapid emergence and variety of technologies; (2) the ability of university infrastructure to adapt/merge existing to new platforms; (3) the challenge of choosing the most appropriate technology to best suit student/program needs; (4) preexisting experience and exposure of students to different technologies; and (5) the level of digital literacy among university faculty and staff. While each of these challenges can present a broader subset of issues, they pose a particular challenge when considering the unique needs of higher education programs serving minority populations (Chaplin et al., 2017; Mincey & Gross, 2017).
The purpose of this qualitative meta-analysis is to examine and compare the literature related to two primary concepts: (1) access to technology and digital literacy of minority college students; and (2) Minority Serving Institution (MSI) response to promoting digital literacy among faculty and students enrolled in clinically based programs. Principally, the following predominant issues will be compared between the literature on technology access and digital agency: (1) a student’s prior access to/experience with emerging technologies; and (2) faculty experience integrating and adapting said technologies to personalize learning and address identified student learning outcomes. The results of this meta-analysis are meant to provide scholarship that will help explain how minority students develop digital agency by attempting to identify the definitional parameters of digital agency in this developing area of educational research.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Teacher Education (TE): Defined as the mechanisms through which teachers are professionally trained and equipped with a discrete set of pedagogic competencies that enables them to effectively deliver instruction while effectively communicating with all stakeholders in the educational process.
Minority College Students: Students who represent populations no represented by majority enrollment.
Digital Agency: The virtual identity created by an end-user when interacting in different on-line and mobile venues.
Student Digital Literacy: The ability of students to use different, emerging, and engaging technologies and information resources to facilitate knowledge acquisition requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
Stem Education: Education focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Higher Education: Education beyond high school, particularly at the college or university level.
Faculty Digital Literacy: The ability of faculty to use different, emerging, and engaging technologies and information resources to facilitate teaching and learning requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
Minority Serving Institutions (MSI): Higher education institutions whose specific mission is to provide services that address the needs of minority student populations.