18 th November 15 How do you engage your learners in discussions about technology? #digitalstudent digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org

Activity 1. How do you gather your learners expectations of technology? 2. How do you gather your learners experiences of technology? 3. How do you engage your learners in the development of your digital strategy, digital environment? Write down your answers on 3 post-it notes! 13/07/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

» Phase 1 study reviewed students’ expectations and experiences of the digital environment at university and we spoke to 500 staff and students during our consultation ( ) » We conducted a review of practice in schools to identify likely incoming expectations (2014) » In phase 2 we focused on FE speaking to 220 learners and 300 staff from colleges across the UK ( ) » Phase 3 Skills study, speaking to adult & community learners, work based learners including apprentices and offender learners ( ) » Prototyping a digital student data service to support providers & universities to gather their learners experiences of technology (2015-) 09/09/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

The digital experience matters » Learners' first experiences of colleges are often online: » Learners compare their digital experiences and provision » Many course experiences are now hybrid/blended » Learners want to use their own devices and services to access, organise and record their learning » Learners expect college/university to prepare them for employment in digital workplaces and life in a digital society » Learners' sense of wellbeing and belonging are tied up with the quality of their digital access

Learners want a say Enhancing your learners’ digital experience » Learners in our studies saw the digital experience as an opportunity to contribute and get involved » Digital engagement methods such as social media, padlets, twitter walls, vox pops etc are popular... » … and once established can be used for other issues too » Digital students are different – it is important that the experience of different groups is represented » Learners can get involved in different ways e.g. advocate, researcher, representative, intern, change agent, project lead, buddy, mentor, designer... » This is an issue which can help change relationships between staff and students

Colleges want to do this better Enhancing your learners’ digital experience » The digital experience is a complex and emerging issue – it's hard to ask the right questions » Information about it is held by different people in different roles and places – it's hard to get a joined up picture » Longitudinal, qualitative and comparative data are essential – but difficult to collect, manage and interpret » Engagement should be part of a change agenda: students get cynical if their opinion is sought but not acted on » Lack of resources to do the research » Is the digital experience really a separate issue or should it be investigated alongside other learner data?

Card sort activity and learner profile 13/07/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

» Card sort – for FE and one for Skills » Learner profile forms – for capturing learners’ technology use » Guidance on how to run focus groups with learners » Digital students are different posters » Enhancing the digital student experience postcards » Benchmarking the student digital experience » Learner voice video clips – FE and Skills learners speaking about their expectations of technology 13/07/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

Digital students are different posters

Enhancing the digital student experience postcards

Benchmarking the student digital experience Jisc, NUS and TSEP bit.ly/digistudentexp 09/09/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

Enhancing the student digital experience /guides/enhancing- the-digital-student- experience Now with findings from FE Digital Student project and 50 snapshots of current practice from colleges cinvolve.org/wp/exem plars/fe-snapshot- case-studies/ Updated online guide available from: 09/09/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

Student-staff partnership working #JiscCAN

Current drivers for partnership working » “FELTAG’s research and conversations consistently referred to the under-exploitation of learners’ skills, devices and technical knowledge when it came to the use of learning technology » The greatest resource available to FE and Skills providers in this domain is their learners » More effort needs to be made to engage and empower learners’ use of digital technology - and the use of their own devices – in the learning process.” » The digital literacy agenda in Wales is a key driver for change 29/06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership Image used under cc license bryanmmathers

Where are you now? 29/06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership Consultation » Opportunities are provided for students to express individual opinions, perspectives, experiences, ideas and concerns Involvement » Opportunities are provided for students as individuals to take a more active role Participation » Decisions are taken by students to take part or to take a more active role in a defined activity Partnership » There is a collaboration between an institution or department or faculty and student, involving joint ownership and decision making over both the process and the outcome NUS Student Engagement toolkit – bit.ly/NUStoolkit

Ways of engaging students in the digital environment » Gathering information › Surveys, interviews, focus groups to find out about student expectations › Participative / observational methods to explore practices and attitudes › Social media – with students' consent – to collect information › Analyse existing data e.g. NSS/Learner voice/local surveys/SPOCs » Stimulating, gathering and responding to ideas › Interactive and fun e.g. crowdsourcing, hashtags, ideas tree, padlet… › Make sure students can share ideas and see how they are acted on 29/06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership » Partnership projects › Champions, change agents, digital leaders, digital ambassadors, student fellows, student ambassadors, student partners, student researchers, co- designers, co-creators, co-developers

Benefits of working in partnership » Gain an experience of leadership and influencing change » Gain experience of using research to shape change » Students can gain recognition through awards such as leadership awards, academic credit, extra-curricular awards and awards accredited through external bodies » Increases confidence and skills (e.g. communication, team-working, management, research skills) » Enhances networking with e.g. employers, community » Improved employability and job prospects Benefits for students: 29/06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership

» The Change agents’ network supports students working as change agents, digital pioneers, student fellows and students working in partnership with staff on technology related change projects » Over 350 members subscribed to the CAN community mailing list » Facilitates the sharing of best practice through › Support for face to face networking events › CAN webinars › CAN case studies – 10 institutional case studies now available » Developing successful student staff partnerships online guide » Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change » SEDA accredited Jisc Institutional Change Leader online course running in October 15 What is the Change agents’ network (CAN)? 10/09/2015 From pilot to embedded practice: Scaling up and embedding learner as change agent initiatives

DigiPals at Blackburn College » Blackburn College has 10 DigiPals who champion the use of e-learning in 3 different ways: › Student Scholarship DigiPals › Learning Futures Students › Trainee teacher DigiPals › Case study /06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership “It has been really useful to have DigiPals in class. If you run into any technical issues they are always there to help and they are all very good.” Student, Blackburn College

Apple ambassadors at Portsmouth College » All new students receive an iPad mini » 70 student Apple ambassadors » Most curriculum areas covered » Training provided by Apple » Advise and help staff (and students) to make the most of the iPad minis » Learners = more independent? Better engaged? » Case study /06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership Kayleigh and George, Apple ambassadors

DigiDesk and Barnet and Southgate College » The DigiDesk initiative at Barnet and Southgate College was established in 2013 » The DigiDesk provides first-line support for both students and staff with their digital literacy or ‘e-basics’ needs and technical queries. » It is staffed by volunteer DigiDesk advisors, typically level 3 students with good interpersonal and IT skills and an interest in careers in computing, IT, animation and training. » /07/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

Prospects College for Advanced Technology » Digital learning fellow leads the development & implementation of a digital learning strategy that focuses on vocational training and work- based learning » Students are actively involved in producing materials as part of their learning and assessment and for the VLE » Appointment of student digital learning ambassadors to support staff & learners develop new skills, gain confidence, trial new approaches to using technology » Those selected will receive scholarship funding of £1,200 » Case study: 13/07/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

Student Digital Leaders at Sussex Downs College » Students will be given access to research and debate › About TL&A › About Learning Technology » Participate in whole staff development days » Run student focus groups » Advise on Learning Technology strategy and implementation » Contribute to induction of both new students and new staff » and more that they will tell us! For further 29/06/2015 Driving institutional change through staff-student partnership

Developing successful student staff partnerships » New online guide available from: » Benefits of student-staff partnerships » Quick start » Viewpoints implementation framework, resources and guidance › Partnership setup › Partnership implementation › Capabilities, development and accreditation › Sustaining and embedding partnerships based on evaluation of impact » Case studies » Webinars » Other agency initiatives

Making it happen – key recommendations » Develop a digital strategy with key stakeholders and engage learners in its development » Support staff to use digital technology in a more innovative way by developing partnerships with students » Develop a continual process of evaluation - understand how current services meet the needs of learners and encourage staff to evaluate technology use in the classroom with an ongoing dialogue with learners » Ensure there are rewards and recognition for both staff and learners Enhancing your learners’ digital experience Learners’ digital experiences are strongly dependent on the confidence and capabilities of their teachers, but currently staff workload and career pathways are hindering staff development

What one thing? » Send a text to starting with digi NOTE - if you don’t start the text with digi, it won’t go to our inbox » What one thing will you do to engage your learners in active dialogue around their digital expectations and experiences 09/09/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience

jisc.ac.uk Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND Get in involved 09/09/15 Enhancing your learners’ digital experience digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org #digitalstudent can.jiscinvolve.org Join CAN mailing list: Follow #jiscCAN