Digital Academic Literacy (DAL) - 4004 students engage [only 91 students pass exemption test]: Digital natives still require basic skills

Digital Academic Literacy (DAL) - 4004 students engage [only 91 students pass exemption test]: Digital natives still require basic skills

Friday, March 31, 2023

 

The CIECT Team has designed and developed the Digital Academic Literacy (DAL) Programme. This basic computer literacy programme is offered to 1^st year students (novice users).  The CIECT Team collaborates with the Faculties to identify student needs. The programme is integrated into accredited modules across the various faculties. Students who claim to have competencies already are not able to pass the exemption Test.

Facilitate - 62 classes per week (face-to-face)

The CIECT team (DAL facilitators and tutors) - facilitate 62 classes per week (face-to-face) to 1st year students. The team is making use of the following Labs for teaching and student support:

•  Thintana Training Lab
•  CAMS Student Lab
•  BOE Lab
•  CIECT Lab
•  Cassinga Staff Lab
•  B18 Lab
•  B20 Lab
•  Arts Post-grad Lab-L108

SAM Platform supplements face-to-face training [blended approach]

The team implemented the Skills Assessment Manager (SAM) platform (interactive online training) to complement the face-to-face teaching. The use of SAM aims to strengthen a blended teaching, learning and support approach.  Hence the DAL Programme consists of face-to-face training; the use of simulations (SAM platform); and the Learning Management System, iKamva.

Departments sign SLAs

To date the following Faculties/Departments signed SLAs with CIECT in advance (2022).

Exemption Test for students who claim to be competent

CIECT has developed an Exemption test, as a courtesy to those students who may claim that they have some competencies with regards to the programme, including various packages (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Computer Basics). The grade of the Exemption test is taken as the final DAL grade. Hence the exempted student will not engage in any classes and assessment for the semester.

The CIECT team (DAL Facilitators) regularly communicates with the registered students regarding the Exemption test and requirements. The table below indicates the number of students who applied to engage in the Exemption test; and those who actually wrote and passed.