What to expect at the ALT conference, 6-8 September
Jisc will be sharing a number of new developments in teaching and learning with technology that will support colleges and universities in their journey towards digital transformation.
I’m very much looking forward to being part of the upcoming Association for Learning Technology (ALT) annual conference, where we will be sharing a number of new developments from Jisc that will support colleges and universities in their journey towards digital transformation.
Taking place in Manchester, this hybrid event brings together different perspectives from across the education community to examine the challenges ahead and question the shape of things to come - so it’s a perfect fit for Jisc.
Here’s a quick preview of the new research we’ll be sharing at the conference.
Improving the digital experience of our students
On the first day of the conference, Clare Killen will be launching the findings from Jisc’s new digital experience insights (DEI) surveys.
Every year we ask students and staff how they are using the technology that’s on offer, what is making a difference to their learning experiences, and where improvements can be made.
Last year’s surveys focused, of course, on the experience of online learning during the pandemic, so it will be interesting to see just how students’ digital experience has evolved since then.
Turning a digital strategy into achievable plans and actions
Digital transformation is right at the heart of what Jisc is all about: using digital tools wisely to enable people to work more efficiently and effectively.
On day two of the conference Nick Skelton and I will be sharing how we are working with universities to put in place the critical foundations for successfully driving forward their digital strategies.
Drawing on a recent review of digital strategies at UK universities and the outcomes of the 49th meeting of the Jisc student experience experts group, we will share our findings and practical guidance on how to make digital transformation achievable. We’ll discuss how to establish the essential building blocks, which include a shared digital vision, working collaboratively across professional and academic departments, and ensuring that staff and students have the right level of digital capabilities.
Developing digital fluency
Keeping up with the changing requirements of digital capability can be problematic, especially given the growing emphasis on digital citizenship and ethical considerations.
To help UK colleges and universities develop digital fluency, Jisc has refreshed the digital capability framework which provides a starting point for dialogue with staff and students on what it means to be digitally capable.
In light of the impact of the pandemic, we carried out a survey of staff working in UK further and higher education and an extensive consultation with sector representatives and professional associations to understand how the framework and role profiles are being used.
On day three, Helen Beetham will be presenting the results and detailing the new digital capability framework together with a selection of role profiles for discussion with participants.
And more....
We will also be running a session on how further education colleges can improve their digital maturity through collaboration, and reviewing the sector’s current approaches to learning and curriculum design. In addition, we will be presenting the inaugural ALT/Jisc award for digital transformation to an institution that has demonstrated notable progress in this challenging area.
I am looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues across further and higher education and hearing how the sector is continuing to drive forward digital transformation in their organisations.
This promises to be a conference packed with practical advice and guidance for the education sector, and I’m delighted that Jisc will be there to contribute to the discussion.
About the author
I am head of learning and teaching transformation in higher education and research. My team and I support universities with their digital transformation agenda. This includes the supporting the use of the framework for digital transformation in higher education and the development of a maturity model for digital transformation. Other activities in my portfolio include projects exploring future trends for assessment and feedback, researching international students' digital experiences and supporting staff with designing learning for beyond blended.