Investigating the efficacy of the AMEP Digital Literacies Framework and Guide for adult EAL settings

Abstract

The importance of digital literacies for adult language learners from migrant and refugee backgrounds has been widely recognized. However, there is relatively limited conceptual and practical guidance for practitioners. To address this concern, we developed a pedagogical framework and a practical guide for teachers in the Adult Migrant English Program in Australia. The conceptual framework brought together four well-established bodies of scholarly work and formed the four principles for teaching digital literacies: (1) authentic learning contexts, (2) problem-based learning, (2) strengths-based approaches, and (4) multidimensional practices. To unpack the framework for practical use, we then developed a guide, which reflected these principles and offered teaching ideas. This paper describes the conceptualization of the pedagogical framework and reports on a multiple case study which sought to gain insight from five English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers on the efficacy of the framework and guide. The findings suggest that while there was a reasonable level of understanding of the framework and guide and many rich learning experiences were created , in practice some teachers experienced challenges in actuating some principles of the framework. The article concludes with implications for teachers' self-directed learning with the help of this resource and future research.