Building digital capability for inclusive higher education: a scoping review of staff development and unequal digital capital.
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| Title: | Building digital capability for inclusive higher education: a scoping review of staff development and unequal digital capital. |
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| Authors: | Burns, Diane1 d.burns@greatermanchester.ac.uk, Freeman, Sean1 |
| Source: | Widening Participation & Lifelong Learning. Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p185-209. 25p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Digital literacy, *Educational equalization, *Higher education, *Electronic information resources, Capacity building |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| People: | Bourdieu, Pierre, 1930-2002 |
| Abstract: | Digital literacy and digital capability have become institutional necessities in higher education rather than desirable add-ons, particularly in universities with increasingly diverse student cohorts. In these contexts, equitable participation is shaped not only by students' access to devices and connectivity, but also by the digital capability of academic staff and the extent to which institutions enable staff to develop effective digital teaching practices. Using Bourdieu's concept of capital as a framing lens, this scoping review examines how inequalities in staff digital competence and professional development contribute to uneven distributions of digital capital and influence inclusive learning opportunities. The review was conducted in line with established scoping review guidance, with searches across multiple databases, supported by grey literature retrieval and citation chasing. Studies were screened against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with selection reported through a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) flow diagram. Thematic analysis identified four recurring themes: uneven staff digital confidence and competence, fragmented integration of digital literacy within curricula, variation in student digital readiness, and limited institutional consistency in staff development approaches. Importantly, these challenges have clear implications for equity and inclusive practice, particularly in widening participation and lifelong learning settings where disparities in digital readiness and support may contribute to unequal student engagement and outcomes. While structured training programmes and institutionwide strategies were associated with more sustained improvements, many initiatives remained locally driven and dependent on variable organisational support. Overall, the evidence suggests that staff digital capability functions as a form of capital that requires long-term institutional investment, rather than reliance on individual initiative. Within the UK higher education context, future research should strengthen UK-based evidence on effective staff development models and explore how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are reshaping expectations of digital competence in academic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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