Youth Engagement through Technology
FYA, Australian Flexible Learning Framework and Inspire Foundation have finished their research on the role of technology in engaging disengaged youth, and have published The role of technology in engaging disengaged youth: final report.
The research project comprised a detailed review of literature; the identification of case studies illustrating the innovative and effective use of technology for young people’s learning; and consultation with key vocational education and training (VET) stakeholders.
The final report identifies some of the barriers and critical success factors in using information and communication technology (ICT) in training, including:
- While some practitioners are using technology in confident and inventive ways, many others are using it in limited or tokenistic ways that underutilise its potential
- While there is a strong pattern of unequal access to ICT amongst young learners, broad assumptions and generalisations about young people’s technological access and ease of use must be avoided
- Even those young people who are typically most at risk of disengagement expect ICT to play an integral role in their learning
- There is a significant gap between young people’s digital literacy and technological proficiency and that of their teachers and trainers
- Technology in itself is not sufficient to ensure the engagement of young learners.
The following recommendations arose from the research:
- In order to be effective in the VET sector, ICT should be used to promote a tailored and learner-centred pedagogy based upon the current use of technology by young people
- Effective implementation of ICT in the VET sector relies upon strong endorsement from organisational leaders
- Substantial investment is required to build the capacity of VET practitioners to use ICT with confidence
- Organisational and system VET policies cannot assume equality of access, nor can they assume uniform levels of competency in ICT
- Further research is required and must be undertaken collaboratively with policymakers, practitioners and young people.
