student expectations and experiences of the digital environment: consultation event

http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org

Digital Student - Students' expectations and experiences of learning in a digital environment

04/03/2014

#digitalstudent

Welcome and introductions

04/03/2014 Jisc Digital Student http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org.uk 2

Dave White, Co-manager of TALL, University of Oxford@daveowhite

Helen Beetham, Consultant in Higher Education@helenbeetham

Paul Bailey, Senior Co-Design Manager, Jisc

Sarah Knight, Senior Co-Design Manager, Jisc@sarahknight

http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org.uk/

Digital Student Project


» Digital Student phase 1 study conducted a review into students’ expectations and experiences of the digital environment at university

» The study reviewed existing research and survey evidence from institutions, as well as conducting original interviews and focus groups

» Jisc and its co-design partners (UCISA, SCONUL, RLUK and RUGIT) are now supporting a consultation phase across the higher education sector which will inform the final guidance to institutions and further actions by Jisc and its partners

» Parallel study in FE and Skills with consultation events will shortly get underway

» Review of current practice in secondary schools is also underway


Digital Student - Phase 1


» An initial study reviewed existing evidence about students' expectations and experiences of study in a digital environment. This includes both:› digital environment generally e.g. wifi, IT support, access to

devices and printers› the study environment in its digital aspects e.g. how digital

resources and media are used; what software students access, how they use their own devices and services to support learning

› The study also looked at how universities collect, manage and analyse such information locally, and how they engage students in a productive dialogue about their digital experience.


Welcome to the launch consultation event

Aims of today: » To have early sight of findings and

resources from the Jisc Digital Student project

» Sharing experiences and approaches with other delegates

» A chance to influence the form of guidance to institutions

» A chance to shape conclusions and inform the next phase of activities

» http://padlet.com/wall/digistudent


http://padlet.com/wall/digistudent


Food for thought

digital know-how --- academic practice

personal/social --- institutional

expectations --- requirements

ICT in schools --- HE/FE use


05/03/2014 Developing digital literacies 6

So what?

How should institutions respond?



The student digital experience in 2020

» The year is 2020.

» How will studentsexperience the digital environment of university...

» ... in a number of different future scenarios?



The process

» Introduction - some common ground for all the scenarios

» Groupwork (at tables of 5-8): elaborate one future scenario

» Ideas captured and shared on posters

» Groupwork (same table): identify problems/issues for institutions and students today



Principles to remember

» Scenarios are ‘tools forthinking with’, not predictions.

» 2020 is not that far ahead so think continuous rather thandiscontinuous change

» Much of the common ground can be ignored...

» ...what matters is how things are different for students and institutions in the four scenarios.



Common ground

Ideas about HE2020 (mainly) from students» Ubiquitous connectivity and data exchange» Blend of institutional and personal devices, services,

licenses, networks (PLE).» Digitally-enhanced lectures, seminars» Virtual classrooms but also offline community hubs» All potentially useful content ‘a blink away’» Libraries as service hubs: micro-subs and licenses» Continuous digital recording of experience



Common ground

Ideas about HE2020 (mainly) from students» More choice, flexibility, looser ties to institutions

(but also) face to face as gold standard» ‘Authentic’ curriculum not all based on campus: wider range of people in ‘teaching’ roles

» Formal/informal learning becoming blended» Faster, more personal/adaptive feedback» Open content, open accreditation» Students needing more family/community support



Common ground

Ideas about HE2020 (mainly) from students

» More stratification and deeper digital divide

» More competition/new providers in the HE sector

» More international, distance, work-based students

» Universities’ use of student data key to success

» Data privacy and digital rights are key issues

» New pressures on institutions – environmental, financial, energy-related



Common ground

» You can read more about students’ ideas for HE 2020 on the blog




Different scenarios

example: Beyond Current Horizons (2010)



Different scenarios

example: HE Futures (2014)



Our four scenarios



Our four scenarios

» Expectations› Responding to what students’ want based on their

experiences before/outside of university

» Experiences › Providing what students need to succeed at university

and in the digital world beyond



Session 1 poster


What is it like in your scenario?» What are institutions providing for students?» What are students providing for themselves?» What is the experience like for students?

library services

learning content

accreditation

relevant experiences

feedbackcurriculum

teaching and learning support

networks

data services

digital know-how

devices


Time to share ideas…

» Put up your poster on the relevant scenario quadrant

» Look at what the other group(s) have said about the ‘same’ scenario

» Collect coffee and return to your groups!



Session 2: Post-it notesHow did we get here?

Consider...» In the ‘successful’ scenarios:

What went right? Which internal strategies worked? How were external problems addressed?

» In the ‘failing’ scenarios: What went wrong? Which internal decisions were badly taken? How did external problems prove intractable?

» In all scenarios record on post-it notes the key issues that were/were not addressed




» Put your post-it notes on the relevant posters as before

» Be ready to report verbally (no deviation or repetition!):

what issue must universities address now to ensure success / avoid failure?



Problems from our study» students unclear how personal technologies can legitimately

be used in university setting» students poorly prepared to study with digital technologies» curriculum slow to change» teaching staff often lack confidence with digital tech» lack of joined-up provision or clear responsibility for

students’ digital experience » BYOD creating new uncertainties and risks» tension between seamless access and awareness of digital

boundaries e.g. paid for/open content and services» digital know-how poorly recognised and rewarded



Challenges from this morning › Invest sufficiently & continuously in digital environment (leading to) robust fit-for-

purpose infrastructure: parity across sites› Seamless access to and effective signposting of information › Bring every student up to speed with using digital tech for their course of study –

integrated with subject know-how – communicate value› Bring every member of staff up to speed with using digital tech for their role› Use digital tech/media to: build links beyond course, produce digital footprint/identity,

be involved in authentic learning› Integrated digital strategy with

– champion and budget– devolved/shared responsibility/planning – capacity to respond to emerging open landscape for data, knowledge and learning

› Ask students – listen – involve them in the response› Engage external stakeholders including employers, alumni, community› Agile decision making and course (re)design, supported by…

– Big data and analytics– Qualitative and longitudinal evidence



Stakeholder groups

A = Library and learning resources

B = IT environment

C = Learning and teaching

D = TEL/e-Learning

E = Student experience



What are the key problems?

1. Identify up to three critical problems that your stakeholder group can help

to address

2. Write down each problem on a separate poster

3. Add in your ideas, suggestions, approaches

4. Consider in practical terms what could be done and who could do it

You can also add ideas, suggestions etc to the padlet at:

padlet.com/wall/digistudent



Challenges from this morning 1. Invest sufficiently & continuously in digital environment (leading to) robust fit-for-

purpose infrastructure: parity across sites2. Seamless access to and effective signposting of information 3. Bring every student up to speed with using digital tech for their course of study –

integrated with subject know-how – communicate value4. Bring every member of staff up to speed with using digital tech for their role5. Use digital tech/media to: build links beyond course, produce digital

footprint/identity, be involved in authentic learning6. Integrated digital strategy with

– champion and budget– devolved/shared responsibility/planning – capacity to respond to emerging open landscape for data, knowledge and learning

7. Ask students – listen – involve them in the response8. Engage external stakeholders including employers, alumni, community9. Agile decision making and course (re)design, supported by…

– Big data and analytics– Qualitative and longitudinal evidence



Responses from this afternoon


» C. 3 students developing digital capability for their course› Pre-induction and extended induction thru first year introducing key tech, services, attitudes and behaviours› Critical input must be relevant, just-in-time, at the point of use› Close links between ICT skills professionals and subject team› Digital capabilities must be assessed to emphasise value› Put digital capabilities into context of whole course/career› Self-reflective approach to identifying skills gaps

» E. 3+7 students developing digital capability/becoming engaged› Bring informal and formal/academic uses closer› while keeping boundary between personal/academic spaces› Give students feedback, not by email e.g. course reps giving info f2f› Consult with students but give feedback on how uni has responded› Library training compulsory and assessed› Communicate to students the costs of their learning and the benefits of engaging (via an app!)› Why are students not engaged? We need to know more.


Responses from this afternoon› D. 9 – big data and metrics

– What do we need to know? Level of engagement with LT but in conjunction with other data about retention, qualitative etc

– What do we have? Much of this data already resident in systems– Gap? Bring this data together and use it/make it readily available– How? Need coordinated reporting process and ways of giving access to staff/students

involved.– Who needs to know? Academic staff, central staff and management? May be

coordinated by a new role – information manager/learning analyst? Cross-disciplinary expertise needed.

– Who owns the data – programme teams? How is it made meaningful at the right level?› B. 7 – student engagement and feedback

– Are surveys a good way to engage students? Focus groups? How else to involve them?– Use students to help beta testing.– Incorporate requirements of IT service into curriculum – students learn by improving

service quality.– Build feedback into services – use what we have more effectively



Responses from this afternoon› A. 7 and 9 – engaging with students

– Call it a library: students do!– Unified info and digital literacy support where separate– Do more research alongside ed dev/acad practice and communicate

effectively– Library 7-up – longitudinal study following effects of different information

skills/practices/approaches on student outcomes– Help staff manage their assets effectively in open publishing environment:

value assets of the uni as learning assets› E. 7 and 9 – involving students and agile response

– Have a tech rep on each course to enhance feedback and respond to student ideas – and advise students on IT issues

– (SLA for all technology issues – needs to be a person)› C. 4 and 7 Enhance staff digital skills

– Look at working hours model so tech becomes part of the job not extra– Look at recognition for staff who develop digital expertise



Responses from this afternoon› D. 3 and 5 (authentic learning experiences, connecting students to others)

– Student digital champions e.g. working with academics in faculties to showcase digital practices– Embedding digital literacies into academic programmes – but how is it to be fitted in? Map existing

activities and enhance opportunities for digital practice.– Involve professional staff in partnerships with academics.– Bring alumni and employers into the curriculum– Change modes of assessment to include digital artefacts, online peer review, natural (authentic)

group work

› B. 6 digital strategy– Involve IT at strategic level with senior management– Define problem – what is DL for and who does it benefit? Students must be engaged as stakeholders– Requirements analysis,roadmap– Architectural strategy for integration and interoperability -> seamless experience for students– Roadmap– People, organisation, processes, stakeholders– Analytics will have a role to play



Student app/service

› Customisable by each student e.g. with photos› Select information channels› Select features› Support live updates and messaging› More of a social media approach to interacting with the

uni – not broadcast information




» Leave your posters for others to browse – we’ll put it online after the event

» Be ready to feed back verbally:

what is the one critical thing your stakeholder group should do now?



For more on problems and approaches

» try, use and comment on the cards provided in our pack

» continue the discussion on the blog: http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org




What is next - join the conversation

» 12th March – Jisc DigiFest Birmingham» 26th March – ELESIG meeting, Bristol» 26th March – UCISA Conference, Brighton» 1st April –ALT Webinar» 2nd April – HEA Wales Conference» 21st May – Final event, London» HELF» UCISA, SCHOMS, AUDE» SCONUL» …..

35

CC

philcampbellon Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clanlife/

Jisc Summer of Student Innovation 2014

How it works:

» Create – Make a video to explain your idea

» Share – Upload your video and encourage people to vote

» Vote - If you hit the voting target we will consider it for funding

So if you have a brainwave, come and join us for a Summer of Student Innovation:

jisc.ac.uk/student-innovation

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/student-innovation

Change Agents’ Network

37

» Enhance student change agents’ understanding of effective practice and change issues.

» Identify and share effective practice in the area of students/student groups as change agents.

» Provide a forum for support and sharing of ideas.

» Create and link to resources to support staff and students promoting the use of student change agents sector wide.

» Develop a framework to support possible accreditation through SEDA.

» Develop a Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change.

» http://www.changeagentsnetwork.co.uk and [email protected]

http://www.changeagentsnetwork.co.uk/

mailto:[email protected]

Supporting staff and student partnerships

38

» A series of resources to support staff and students in instituting student partnerships:

› Practice points› Viewpoints for student partnerships› Case studies› List of benefits› Useful links› Educational agency initiatives

http://tiny.cc/can001

http://tiny.cc/can001

Developing digital literacies infokit

» Practical guidance, tools and approaches from the JiscDeveloping digital literacies programme and beyond

» ‘Top-down’ strategic considerations involved in developing digital literacies across an institution

» ‘on the ground’ view of what this means in practice for many different role groups

» Available from 10 March (not now!) at www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/digital-literacies

» Give us feedback at www.surveymonkey.com/s/digital-literacies

26/11/2013 Jisc Co-design 39

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/digital-literacies

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/digital-literacies

Find out more…


Digital Student #digitalstudent

Sarah [email protected]

Paul [email protected]

Helen [email protected]

Dave [email protected]


Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND





http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org/