‘Whatever it means, you should have it’: Exploring digital literacies in arts education

Abstract

This paper examines both staff and students perspectives of using learning technologies within arts education in developing flexible, longitudinal support for digital literacies. Based on data collected at a small, specialist arts institution in the UK, the paper explores ways in which staff may consider students' use of technology in learning as well as how students themselves use technology in creative practices. In so doing, the paper considers the digital natives/ immigrants debate through a social constructionist lens to underscore how pervading assumptions about students' use of technology may influence ongoing support and ambiguous institutional culture.