Student Perspectives on Digital Skills: Emergent findings from a research study of digital skills conducted at DCU as part of the Enhancing Digital Teaching & Learning Project 2020-2022

The Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning in Irish Universities Project (EDTL) ran from January 2019 to November 2022, funded through the Irish Higher Education Authority’s Innovation and Transformation Programme and co-ordinated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA). The project aimed to enhance the digital attributes and educational experiences of Irish university students through enabling the mainstream and integrated use of digital technologies across curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment.

The focus of the EDTL project at Dublin City University (DCU) during this period was largely around the topic of digital assessment. A key aspect of the project was to conduct research relating to student experiences of digital technologies and assessment over the lifetime of the project. Focus group interviews were conducted with students from across a range of programmes of study to explore their experiences. This concise report shares the emergent findings from this research study. The report organises the findings into three main themes and is followed by a high-level discussion of each of these themes.