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