Empowering the Digital Future
of Nursing Education
and wellbeing.
AIMS
The DigiCONS project (Digital Co-Creation with Nursing Students: Enhancing Digital Competencies) offers an empirical exploration of self-assessed digital competencies of nursing, using a discipline-based self-assessment survey tool Digital Competencies Survey – DCS. The project explores a range of digital competencies: information and communication technology proficiency and productivity, information literacy, digital creation, digital research, digital communication, digital learning and development, digital innovation, digital identity management and digital well-being. The Digital Competencies Toolkit (DCT) was designed based on previous empirical research using the Digital Competencies Survey (DCS) which identified self-assessed digital competencies gaps in nursing students for learning and future practice.
The aim of this work is to help academics and support staff, who work directly with students in HE, to identify pockets of digital skills inequalities and support planning for the enhancement and enrichment of digital capacities of students as learners, citizens and future professionals.
Background
The online interconnected environment of work, education and everyday life demands the continuous development of information and digital literacies, which are necessary for learning, communication, civic participation and engagement, informed citizenship, employability, health and well-being. New challenges and opportunities are created by misinformation, disinformation, fake news phenomena and technological innovations, such as generative artificial intelligence, that are changing how we live in a digital world. These place emphasis on supporting information and digital literacy skills development in education.
DigiCONS has been developed based on a holistic approach that emphasises an evidence-based understanding of information and digital literacies, developing initiatives on discipline-based interventions that meet the unique needs of nursing education. The project aims to foster inclusivity and continuous improvement in students’ digital competencies and has initiated long lasting partnerships and collaboration with other educational institutions nationally and internationally. It places a focus on education-based and professional readiness but also on addressing the development of information and digital skills that are essential for everyday life.
We follow an innovative co-creation student-centred approach to teaching, learning and research, involving students directly in the design of solutions that are practical and relevant to their experiences, empowering them to become the leaders of tomorrow. The project has built and continuously grows a sustainable record of influential publications, with a commitment to making an impact across the academic community.
The DigiCONS Tools
Digital Competencies Survey (DCS)
A discipline-based self-assessment tool mapping nursing students’ digital literacy across 13 domains.
Used internationally by universities in Brazil, Germany, and Slovenia.
Digital Competencies Toolkit (DCT)
A practical guide for developing digital skills and wellbeing among nursing students.
Includes self-learning recommendations, case studies, and critical insights.
Publications
Contact Us
School of Law and Social Sciences - The Robert Gordon University University
Riverside Building Robert Gordon University
Garthdee Rd Aberdeen AB10 7QE (GB)