PowerPoint Presentation
Is there an app for embedding Digital Literacies into the
curriculum? Chris OReillyI will outline a brief history of our
project where it is now and from this experience suggest what needs
to be done...Quality Enhancement Network event Embedding digital
literacies in higher education1
This project was initiated as a collaborative project within
London Met to foster increased awareness and understanding of
digital literacies among both staff and students in the university.
Phase 1Record students understanding of digital technologies and to
establish a team of student Digital Ambassadors to help co-create
an online resource
Phase 2Pilot a process of engaging staff in partnership with the
Digital Ambassadors to create bespoke digital literacy resources
that could be embedded into their subject specific areas. Clued
Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student2
This project was started by myself (Chris OReilly ISS) and Jim
Pettiward (CELT) at the start of 2013*
Year 1: With some minor income generated finance I commissioned
Jim to write the Content and main idea of the resource. After
interviewing students (videos and questionnaires) we created an
informative online resource Clued Up! Clued Up!Digital skills for
the 21st Century Student
http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/digital-literacies/3
Year 2: With income from my UTF award I funded the cost of
recruiting the Student Digital Ambassadors (SDAs). Jim was now
being funded for 3 hours a week by his department own CELT.Clued
Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student4
Year 2: Once recruited we facilitated workshops for our SDAs.
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student5
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student6
Year 2: We invited the Digital Ambassadors to design the Posters
and banners. We also created flip cards with the aim to get other
students engaged.
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student7Year 2: We
targeted fresher's fair and other student functions to enable us to
enrol students onto various Digital Literacy workshops.
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student8Year 2: We
ran a number of workshops for students across all faculties. The
SDAs were a key factor to the success of the workshops. However we
had a mixed response from the student body regarding
attendance.
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student9Year 2:
Along side this we also created and developed new online resources
presented by our SDAs that were embedded into the online
resource.
Helen talking about Google DriveMarina talking about MendeleyJim
talking about RefME
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student10Year 2: We
also created a number of other promotional videos with the aim to
gain interest from other academic staff Short History and aims of
the projectMaybe this wasnt a good idea?
Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century Student11Year 2:
Earlier this year Jim and one of our SDAs Helen participated in the
Change Agents Network Webinar series. We also attended the event in
Birmingham in March.
Year 3: At this stage we needed more funding and more support
from the university.There was funding available from our 2020
funding scheme. We applied Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st
Century Student12Investment at this stage of the project would
provide the impetus to take the project on to the next stage which
would involve creating small-scale student-staff partnerships to
investigate changing digital practices in specific subject areas
and to look at how digital literacy development for students could
be embedded into curriculum and combined with developing staff
capacity to use technology more effectively in their teaching
practice. Initially we applied for 30k over next two years.
Our proposal was not accepted. However we were asked to send in
another bid as it was suggested the second one would
acceptedMet2020 Investment Application
Year 3: Sadly again our bid was not accepted. My colleague and
good friend Jim then decided to have a break from day-today life
and volunteered to teach local people about sustainable fishing in
Madagascar! Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century
Student13
Year 3: With our SDAs leaving and the momentum of the project
fading I stood alone waving the DL banner.I managed another
Fresher's fair and tried to engage with new students, and made some
more videos for the website Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st
Century Student14
Year 3: So what is happening now. Clued Up!Digital skills for
the 21st Century Student15
I am doing this presentation2. I am going to the London Digital
Student Meet-up Making Change Happen 25th November initiated by UCL
and LSE
3. I have been asked to run Digital literacy workshops for the
Careers department regarding the London Met Employability Award
Scheme.
4. I have been asked to participate in a working group for
delivering information to new students prior to enrolment. PISO
(Programme for Improved Student Outcomes)
5. ?
16So is there an App?
Well a few.Directorate supportMoneyStakeholders (SU SS Lib
IT)Key academic staffSDAs Curriculum frameworkWhat is it we want to
embed?
17CautionThere was a recent article form the BBC by Sean
Coughlan (Education correspondent 30th Sept 2015) regarding the
rising numbers of stressed students seeking help. Meredith Leston,
a student at St Anne's College, Oxford, suffered from anorexia and
depression in her first year.
"People talk about 'snapping' and that is what happened to me. I
just couldn't take the pressure and the whole new realm of
expectations."She says part of the problem is the ever-present role
of social media, fuelling a culture of constant comparison and a
sense of inadequacy."As well as being a first class student, you
have to be a first class person, you have to be performing
socially, academically. It's a nightmare. You're constantly
on."
The other constant thorn is the expectation to be seen to be
having a good time, with social media turning social lives into a
place of competition rather than relaxation.
18Lastly:Clued Up!Digital skills for the 21st Century StudentI
feel we must let the students engage with the technology and not
just produce show and tell workshops for them.
Students should be given specific tasks creating an active
learning environment for all digital literacy products and
processes. (Blogs, group discussions)
We must empower the students with the knowledge and control of
Digital literacies.
QuestionsQuality Enhancement Network event Embedding digital
literacies in higher education19
Chris OReilly