Registration opens - exhibition open to explore

Start your day in our community hub, with an orientation of Digifest for first-time participants and a chance to meet others.

An introduction to Digifest for first-time delegates

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, chief executive of Jisc, welcomes you to Digifest 2024.

Welcome to Digifest 2024

Speaker: Tessa Cramer, professor of designing the future, 
Fontys Applied University

In a world evolving at a breakneck speed, Tessa guides you to discern between the important and the urgent. She sheds light on how, amidst our hectic schedules, it's easy to lose sight of long-term goals. She will challenge you to identify what truly matters and live up to it. Working under the mantra 'things can be done differently, and that takes courage', Tessa will encourage you to become familiar with the heart and mind of a futurist to bring this motto into practice. She promises to expand your thinking and provide practical tools to start imagining the future today. 

To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Tessa on Digifest TV.

Imagine the future today

Morning break

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Dan Hughes, digital leadership and culture programme lead, Jisc</li>
<li>Allen Crawford-Thomas, strategic alignment lead, Jisc</li></ul>
Be a part of the conversation with our new digital leadership and culture forum (founded in 2022), and ponder together: 'What five traits do you imagine digital leaders will need in five years?'

Community meet-up - Digital leaders of the future

Drop in and visit this art installation taking place in the immersive classroom in Hall 3. You will also have a chance to meet the artist, Georgia Tucker. 

The modern world is fast paced, relentless and often exhausting. Lente offers viewers the rare chance to take a step back and appreciate a slower approach to life. Inspired by the 72 micro-seasons in a Japanese Calendar and a meditative approach to life, the multi-sensory display explores the benefits of mindfulness and reconnecting with every element of nature. According to the Mental Health Foundation, spending time in nature and the arts both have valuable roles in mental health, helping to boost confidence and alleviate anxiety, depression and stress.

Immersive classroom demonstration - Lente; art, nature and wellbeing

This session is sponsored by Clevertouch.
Speaker: Nick Barker, further/higher education manager, Clevertouch
A brief introduction to the various collaborative and engaging technology solutions available from Clevertouch. The session will inspire institutions as to how technology can be used in teaching/collaborative spaces, and as campus-wide communication solutions.

Lightning talk - Interactive technology for enhanced teaching and learning

This session is sponsored by Cradlepoint.
Speaker: Ross Hockey, service provider sales director, Cradlepoint
Learn how education has broken free from the confines of the classroom, thanks to mobile connectivity solutions like extending eduroam. Cradlepoint, Jisc and Sky together offer a cost-effective new way to extend connectivity and improve digital equity for UK education and research. Extending eduroam gives learners safe, authenticated access to digital learning off-campus by making seamless wifi connectivity available in locations such as public libraries, on school buses or in student accommodation. Through the power of 4G and 5G cellular, eduroam now delivers connectivity beyond the existing fibre infrastructure, allowing users to access learning resources remotely from home, in sports facilities or hospitals, and even on public transportation – bringing greater adaptability in the ways that students can learn.

Lightning talk - Taking learning out of the classroom using 5G

This session is sponsored by Curio Group.
Speakers:<ul>
<li>Michael Frantzis, principal - digital experiences, Curio </li>
<li>Julia Leongson, associate director: product innovation and academic engagement, University of London</li>
<li>Neil Stapleton, digital learning platforms and services manager, University of Cambridge</li>
<li>David White, dean of academic strategy, University of the Arts London </li></ul>

Effective online education brings together tools, pedagogy, processes and systems around the student to enable the process of learning. But often that complexity gets in the way, leaving students frustrated by user experiences that don’t work for them. In this panel, we will explore how we can improve the VLE user experience and set our students up for success. We will discuss:<ul>

<li>What opportunities exist to create frictionless learning experiences that enable learners to focus on learning?</li>

<li>How can institutions differentiate their offerings and create a high quality look and feel?</li> 

<li>What can we do to adapt our platforms and processes to meet the needs and expectations of different learners?</li>

<li>What are institutions doing to stand out from the crowd?</li></ul>

Frictionless learning: creating learner-centred user experiences

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Alyson Hwang, researcher, Policy Connect</li>
<li>Charles Knight, assistant director (knowledge and innovation),
Advance HE</li>
<li>James Hodgkin, head of analytics, Jisc</li>
<li>Conor Naughton, educational developer, Nottingham Trent University </li>
<li>Charlotte Baker, president of Winchester Student Union, University of Winchester</li>
</ul>
Key takeaway: You'll gain a greater insight into what it means for students to be engaged in their learning to inform your own teaching and learning provision. 
No one can refute the pandemic had an irrevocable impact on the student learning experience. Post-pandemic, amid the cost-of-living crisis and moral panic over generative AI, levels of student engagement are seen as problematic, with as many different views on what engaged students look like as ways to engage them. To help us gain some clarity, a panel of sector experts will discuss the current challenges. We will look at what it means for students to be 'engaged' in learning, how engagement can meaningfully be measured, and how students might be expected to engage with their learning in the future. This discussion will explore:<ul><li>Modes of learning themes</li><li>Place and pace</li><li>How digital facilitates, measures and disrupts student engagement</li></ul>

Post-pandemic challenges to student engagement

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Phil Richards, CTO data, Jisc</li>
<li>Carolyn Fearn, head of operations (teaching and learning), Sheffield Hallam University</li>
<li>Nick Moore, director of IT and digital, Birmingham City University</li></ul>
We'll paint a picture of what the future looks like in the post-generative AI tertiary education world with a short ‘fly on the wall’ animated video (produced by the latest visual GenAI tools) of a future executive team meeting. Then we'll hear about the experiences of two data leaders and their institutions, including how their exciting vision was complemented by their realism on the importance of data maturity. Their stories will share how Jisc could guide them on their own data journeys.

Data maturity: the compass guiding your data and AI odyssey

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Joel Samuels, learning technologist, Greater Brighton Metropolitan College</li>
<li>Emily Cossey, learning technologist, Solihull College and University Centre</li></ul>
Key takeaway: Practical ways of using virtual reality (VR) to improve student employability outcomes across FE.
As competency-based training and assessment become more important, VR offers an exciting platform for educators. It can be used to deliver legacy training and enables them to keep up with industry changes and challenges. Using virtual reality can help students imagine their future careers and develop skills that they need for the workplace. It can also reduce training costs and risks because users can explore and make critical judgments in a safe and dynamic immersive environment, even if they are dispersed or displaced. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Joel and Emily on Digifest TV.

How virtual reality can help prepare FE students for their future careers

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Paul Bailey, head of codesign, Jisc</li>
<li>Lawrie Phipps, senior research lead, Jisc</li>
<li>Emma Beatson, product lead, Jisc</li>
<li>Dominique Walker, IT graduate, Jisc</li></ul>
Predicting the future is tricky, but we can start to imagine what it could be like. The educational landscape is increasingly changing with socio-political shifts, an emphasis on employability skills, and developing technologies such as generative AI, edge computing, and immersive learning platforms. This workshop will get you thinking about the future by collaborating in small groups to identify specific challenges and assess their potential long-term repercussions. By gathering and sifting through the most promising concepts, we will collaboratively construct a vision for our future institutions.

Imagined futures workshop

Speakers: <ul>
<li>Owen Crawford, DigEd manager, Cardiff University</li>
<li>Chris Rees, executive head of digital and creative learning, University of Wales Trinity Saint David </li></ul>
This collaborative session between Cardiff University and University of Wales Trinity Saint David will cover:<ul>
<li>The affordances that an immersive room brings to learning and teaching activities compared to other types of immersive learning</li>
<li>A demonstration of the various learning and teaching activities taking place in immersive rooms (disciplines including medicine, healthcare, anatomy, construction, language, art and design)</li>
<li>Opportunities for questions and further discussion around learning activities, content development, management of the space, and the different approaches taken by the two Universities</li></ul>

Learning and teaching in immersive rooms

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Paulette Makepeace, head of digital capability, Jisc</li>
<li>Becki Vickerstaff, higher education senior consultant, Jisc</li>
<li>Clare Killen, senior consultant HE, Jisc</li>
<li>Andrew McFayden, further education and skills senior consultant, Jisc</li>
<li>Mike Cameron, senior consultant - digital capabilities, Jisc</li></ul>
Join the building digital capability and digital experience insights communities to share your experience of the challenges in supporting digital transformation. Small groups will each explore a different theme:<ul>
<li>Biggest challenges in your organisation - a match with your data insights? </li> 
<li>Overcoming barriers to engagement - starting and sustaining engagement </li>
<li>Developing digital skills in the rapidly evolving AI world</li></ul>

Community workshop - Riding the roller-coaster of digital change

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Dan Pearson, CEO, USP College (Unified Seevic Palmer's College)</li>
<li>Andrew Martin, Xtend digital company manager, USP College (Unified Seevic Palmer's College)</li></ul>
Dan and Andrew will discuss the VR Campus project, formed to aid the integration of pedagogically sound virtual reality learning experiences. This collaborative and network-based model will strengthen understanding, increase digital skills and allow practitioners to step into a world where textbooks are replaced by immersive experiences, and classrooms expand beyond walls, with the aim for the VR Campus to become the ultimate educational virtual learning environment. 

To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Dan Pearson on Digifest TV.

Lightning talk - VR Campus - cross college collaboration project

Speaker: Scott Hayden, head of teaching, learning and digital, Basingstoke College of TechnologyBasingstoke College of Technology is helping staff and students use technology, including AI, ethically and deliberately to improve student outcomes. You will learn about the college's approach to digital wellbeing and how you can use technology mindfully and intentionally to enhance teaching and learning, as well as examples of how teachers and students are using AI to improve their work.
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Scott on Digifest TV.

AI and empathy

Speaker: Ed Foster, head of student engagement and analytics, Nottingham Trent UniversityFor around 10 years, the UK HE sector has been using big data and analytics to identify students at risk of early departure. The hard part of the puzzle is always the intervention. This session will encourage you to think about how to use data to systematise successful support interventions.

Helping the COVID generation navigate their way to success

Speaker: Andrew Dewhurst, vice principal, sales and partnerships/chief information officer, Nelson & Colne College GroupThe Nelson & Colne College Group is embarking on the development and launch of an exciting new gamified software solution experience, which advocates the best practice behaviours of successful learners of all descriptions and stages. This new approach to learner engagement and experience uses extensive FE student research to offer a unique virtual reality software environment. Within this environment, learners can earn rewards and prizes including improved access to employers, job and career opportunities, and inspiring destinations.

Improving learner experience and engagement through gamified behaviours

This session is sponsored by Feedback Fruits
Speaker: Grace Wachter, pilot success specialist and business development representative, FeedbackFruits
Key takeaway: Best practices and case studies from institutions that have successfully developed learner-centred ecosystems and nurtured student success
Traditional education often fails to meet the unique needs and aspirations of each student, leading to a standardised and sometimes disengaged learning experience. To empower students to take charge of their educational journey, institutions need to create adaptable, flexible, and learner-centred ecosystems. Personalised learning pathways can increase student engagement and foster key skills and competencies that guarantee career readiness.

Creating learner-centred ecosystems to boost learning outcomes

Speaker: Alice Jones, senior learning technologist, University of Chester
The University of Chester has created recipe book to help make learning design digestible and easy to follow. The book contains a series of recipe cards intended to make learning design more accessible and embed key digital skills and essential skills, capabilities and competencies their future educators and students will need. They give staff evidence-based, activity-rich ideas to easily implement with their students. These recipes are based on research into what works to help students learn in a blended or online learning environment using the conversational framework and the six learning activities. The recipes can be adapted to suit your own ‘taste’ as an educator.

Cooking up interactive learning opportunities with recipe cards

Lunch - with time to network and browse the exhibition

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>James Hodgkin, head of analytics, Jisc</li>
<li>Rachel Glynn, senior analytics consultant, Jisc</li>
<li>Kerr Gardiner, senior consultant - analytics, Jisc </li>
<li>Jim Keane, data engineering solutions manager and senior technical consultant, Jisc
 </li>
<li>Carolyn Fearn (community champion), head of operations, teaching and learning, Sheffield Hallam University</li></ul>
Drop in to chat with peers and specialists about learning analytics. From student wellbeing and their perception of engagement data to your institution's cultural and data readiness. Bring your questions and talking points, or join in with peer-led discussions.

Community meet-up - Learning analytics community

This session is sponsored by Verbit.
Speakers:<ul>
<li>Dan Breen, strategic account executive, Verbit</li>
<li>Ben Watson, head of digital accessibility, University College London </li></ul>
We'll discuss how universities can leverage Jisc to ensure course content is accessible for students and lecturers.

Lightning talk - Digital accessibility and higher education

This session is sponsored by Portflow by Drieam.
Speaker: Pieter Smits, product manager, Portflow by Drieam
Key takeaway: Inspiration for the evolution of education into a truly student-centric experience.
With an increasingly unpredictable future for our students, the need for adequate employability and a focus on skill development is higher than ever before. Explore the pivotal role of modern student-owned development portfolios in fostering student ownership and control over learning. From showcasing accomplishments to tracking progress, these learning experience portfolios become a reflective mirror, encouraging students to actively engage in shaping their education.We'll uncover strategies to cultivate self-directed learning, where students not only navigate, but also curate their academic paths. With a deep synergy with your existing VLE as the cornerstone of their digital learning journey, you can offer a fully integrated and accessible experience.

Lightning talk - Ready to take the next step in learner agency?

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Asha Taak, early careers partner, Jisc</li>
<li>Peter Caney, head of early careers and skills, BAE Systems PLC </li>
<li>Nicola Millard, principal innovation partner, BT</li>
<li>Jason Holt, CEO, Metaverse Learning Ltd</li>
<li>Karen Green, chief people and skills officer, High Value Manufacturing Catapult </li>
<li>Susanna Lawson, founder, One File</li>
<li>Heather Thomson, director of skills and education, The Data Lab </li>
<li>Robin Ghurbhurun, managing director, further education and skills, Jisc</li></ul>
This employer-led panel discussion will:<ul> 
<li>Highlight the technological changes taking place in the workplace today and the employee skills employers are looking for</li>
<li>Imagine how advances in AI might impact on employees' working practice</li>
<li>Share insight on what their employee expectations are of the workplace</li>
<li>Share insight on what education can do to prepare learners to successfully progress into a rapidly changing (technological) world of work</li></ul>

Future skills and the role of education

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Kathryn Woodhead, subject specialist, Jisc</li>
<li>Catherine Evans, Subject Specialist, Jisc</li>
<li>Mike Darch, Relationship Manager, Jisc</li></ul>
Discuss the future of education in our extended reality (XR) community workshop, where we will explore considerations when getting ready to use XR technologies for teaching and learning. Connect with peers, exchange ideas, and enhance your XR knowledge in this collaborative learning experience.

Community workshop - Planning your extended reality (XR) journey

Speaker: Leanne Fitton, senior digital education specialist, Manchester Metropolitan University
With the pace of digital transformation, how can educators ensure they are developing relevant and sustainable skills? The Digital Me project at Manchester Metropolitan University is bringing academic and professional services colleagues from across the university to address this issue collaboratively. In this lightning talk, you will hear about some of the things that have worked well, as well as how the project has evolved.

Lightning talk - Digital Me - collaborating to develop digital capabilities for the future

Speaker: Jim Turner, e-learning officer, Liverpool John Moores University 
This lightning talk will cover the aims of a Liverpool John Moores University project evaluating modular assessment technologies, the use of the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, and passive) learning framework, and early findings. The project aims are to evaluate these tools' capabilities in large cohorts, understand educators' abilities to innovate assessment design and provide recommendations.

Lightning talk - Modular assessments - building blocks for the future

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Sharon Perera, head of academic and digital skills, University of Greenwich</li>
<li>Tom Wright, director of digital experience, University of Lincoln </li>
<li>Vartika Khandelwal, UKCISA student ambassador</li>
<li>Elizabeth Newall, senior sector specialist (digital transformation), Jisc </li></ul>
Key takeaway: How Jisc’s research into international students’ digital experience might inform your own organisational policy and practice. With 680,000 international students studying in UK HE from over 200 different countries and territories, and the use of digital technologies now embedded throughout the student lifecycle from application to graduation, what do we know about international students' digital experience? By sharing the findings from the latest phase of Jisc's research exploring the digital experiences of over 2,000 international students, we will invite you to consider your own engagement with, and support of, international students. You will hear from two HE providers who have used the research findings to make institutional changes, as well as the reflections of a UKCISA international student ambassador on the impact of this research. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Sharon and Tom on Digifest TV.

Culture shock to digital shock: understanding international students' digital experience

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Robin Chandler, stakeholder experience coordinator, West College Scotland</li>
<li>Raymond Moir, innovative learning manager, West College Scotland</li>
<li>Phil Whitehead, director of academic services and digital learning, DN Colleges Group</li></ul>
Digital tools can help educators and students of the future to perform better and attain more through building skills and confidence. Targeted and personalised guides, tools and evaluations direct individuals towards the skills and platforms they need to improve their performance.This session will outline practical steps and detailed case studies to demonstrate simple steps you can use to make the most of these tools today. It will demonstrate how to use blended learning techniques, incorporating varied digital platforms, and how to roll out simple rewards systems.

Boosting attainment and job satisfaction by building students' and teachers' skills

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Kirsty Ingleson, teaching, learning and digital innovation, Kirklees College</li>
<li>Rob Wraith, head of learning technologies, Newcastle College Group</li></ul>
Newcastle College Group and Kirklees College have been on a journey with the adoption of edtech and the upskilling of staff to enhance learner outcomes. We'll explore the challenges they have faced to provide teachers with the skills, tools and resources they need, whilst providing a solution to reduce the number of teachers leaving the profession.
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Kirsty on Digifest TV.

Innovation, edTech and AI - divide or unite

Speakers:<ul>
<li>David Pike, head of digital learning, University of Bedfordshire</li>
<li>Alina Bajgrowicz, digital learning officer, University of Bedfordshire</li></ul>
Generative AI is here to stay, and there is a need to help students and staff understand each others' perspectives when we consider the responsible and ethical uses of AI. David and Alina will share the results of six easy-to-follow and implement scenarios involving different ethical dilemmas: high and low achievement, peer-reviewing, and group work.The scenarios have been tested with students and staff using physical and virtual ping-pong balls (for randomisation purposes). During the session, we will ask the audience to pick a random virtual ping pong ball to test the scenarios and compare their responses to the results we have collected from students. You will be able to adapt our methodology to their context, and have the opportunity to hear how we will expand the scheme into a more formal teaching tool for academic colleagues and students in the University.

Engaging students and staff with generative AI ethical dilemmas

Speakers: 
<li>Susan Lee, senior research fellow, Staffordshire University</li>
<li>Kate Cuthbert, pedagogic projects development manager, Staffordshire University </li></ul>
This workshop will share learning from a QAA-funded project testing phenomenon-based learning approaches within subject areas and across programme areas at different academic levels. Coproducing with students has highlighted the numerous digital imperatives to ensure a quality learning experience. You will engage in a “live” mapping exercise identifying possibilities for technology within the phenomenon-based learning cycle. We'll consider the following about what a quality phenomenon-based learning
experience enables:<ul>
<li>Makes the phenomenon observable to the learner</li>
<li>Immerses students within the lived experience</li>
<li>Brings live data, knowledge from diverse sources and evidence to the learner</li>
<li>Connects the learner with beneficiaries and stakeholders of the phenomenon</li>
<li>The learners negotiate the pace of engagement and content</li></ul>

To PhBL and beyond! Using technology to drive phenomenon-based learning

Afternoon break

Speaker: Chris Andrews, commercial director, Metaverse Learning
Metaverse Learning is a leading provider of immersive learning experiences. Its extensive catalogue of virtual reality (VR), virtual environments (VE) and augmented reality (AR) programmes spans multiple industries, including health and social care, early years, electric vehicle, construction, engineering, renewable energy, functional skills, and hospitality. Traditionally, these mixed reality courses have been experienced using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or VR headset. But now, Metaverse Learning is on the verge of launching a new feature that allows educators and training providers to share this content with an entire class inside a shared immersive space.

Immersive classroom demonstration - Transforming education and training with immersive learning experiences

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Jacinta Jolly, deputy head of library services (North)</li>
<li>Lis Parcell, subject specialist and community facilitator, Jisc </li>
<li>Angela Combe, relationship manager and community facilitator, 
Jisc </li>
<li>Olivia Sass, customer support officer and community facilitator, Jisc </li></ul>
Drop in for a cuppa and meet members of our friendly and thriving FE Library LRC community. We’ll be chatting about what’s inspired us so far at Digifest and what we’re looking forward to most. How can we imagine our community growing stronger to support future digital learning and teaching? And if you’re new, we’d love you to drop by for a chat and find out about what we do and how we can help you.

Community meet-up - FE library learning resource centre community and the FE library regional groups

Speaker: Michael Webb, director of technology and analytics, Jisc 
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already having a significant impact on education, and there is much more to come. What will it look like in 2030? Understandably, much attention has been devoted to the immediate challenges and opportunities of AI. However, in this session, we’ll look a little further ahead. Will we have prepared our students for an AI-enabled workplace, used AI wisely to enhance human interaction and creativity, or found ourselves struggling to manage the vast quantities of AI-generated material, processes, and misinformation? We will examine some of the key areas for consideration and the actions we should be taking to ensure we meet these challenges and maximise the opportunities presented. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Michael on Digifest TV.

AI 2030

Join us for our drinks reception in Hall 3.

Drinks reception

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Natasha Veenendaal, head of community and engagement, Jisc</li>
<li>Carolina Barnes, community specialist, Jisc</li></ul>
Meet the community champions for 2024 and our alumni champions from previous years. We'll talk about what opportunities we can create to keep collaborating, and how we make our communities engaged and productive spaces.

Community meet-up - Celebrating our community champions

Day one closes

Registration and exhibition open

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Natasha Veenendaal, head of community and engagement, Jisc</li>
<li>Carolina Barnes, community specialist, Jisc</li></ul>
Our community champions will be exploring the state of our education and research communities. They will be talking about what is working well, what needs improving and finding ways we can connect institutions to support our peers and students.

Community workshop - How can we shape a community-focused future?

Robin Ghurbhurun, Jisc's managing director of further education and skills, welcomes you to day two of Digifest 2024.

Welcome to day two of Digifest 2024

Speaker: Dr Moriba Jah, director of the Computational Astronautical Sciences and Technology, University of Texas
Humanity has witnessed an unprecedented expansion into outer space in the past two decades. As we venture further into the cosmos, we must confront the environmental challenges that arise from our activities beyond Earth's atmosphere. Moriba will present a case for 'Space Environmentalism' to address the need for responsible stewardship of the space environment.

A case for space environmentalism

Hosted by:<ul>
<li>Hazel Bone, UK head of relationship management (South England), Jisc </li>
<li>Helen Nicholson, AI specialist, Jisc</li>
<li>Paddy Shepperd, senior AI specialist, Jisc</li></ul>
 We’ll be chatting about how AI is being used in FE teaching and learning. Drop by to share experiences and meet others working in similar roles.

Community meet-up: AI in FE teaching and learning

This session is sponsored by Purlos.
Speaker: David Bartlett, CEO, Purlos
The world of student destinations is changing. With potential policy shifts and increased focus on outcomes for Ofsted, understanding where your learners go and how they succeed is becoming critical. In this session we will explore:<ul>

<li>The evolving landscape of student destinations and its impact on colleges and training providers</li>

<li>Why destinations and outcomes will become more important than ever</li>

<li>Actionable insights to prepare your institution for the future</li>
</ul>

The shifting landscape of student destinations

Speaker: Fiona Steel, graduate teaching assistant, Leeds Beckett University
Key takeaway: How to demonstrate a different pedagogical approach to the curriculum to improve engagement, participation, and confidence in computer science.
Even though there has been a huge drive to encourage more women to pursue STEM in education and future careers, it remains a male-dominated area. According to HESA, only 23% of computer science enrolments in UK Universities are female or non-binary. In this session we will explore why there is still a disparity, and discover whether using digital pedagogical approaches, such as virtual reality and game-based learning, has the potential to close the gap and increase engagement and participation in STEM subjects.

Lightning talk - Using virtual reality to tackle the gender disparity in STEM education

Hosted by:
<ul><li>Sarah Knight, head of learning and teaching transformation, Jisc</li>
<li>Suzanne Hardy, senior consultant, Jisc</li>
<li>Lindsey Gullick, head of consulting, Jisc</li>
<li>Simon Birkett, senior sector specialist (digital transformation), Jisc</li></ul>
Come along to share what digital transformation looks like in your organisation and what current challenges you face. You will be able to discuss what support the community needs in driving change and share approaches with others on a similar journey.

Community workshop - Exploring the reality of digital transformation

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Tim Fellows, product manager, Jisc</li>
<li>Anja Harrison, CEO, The Collaborative Library</li></ul>
Research must be communicated in different ways for different audiences. The findings of a paper are of interest to the general public, whilst those working within the field need a detailed record of who did what and when in order to inform and enhance their own research. These two forms of dissemination each require very different content compared to a traditional paper, and therefore dedicated platforms are needed to provide clear explanations of research for the general public, and a detailed account of research for specialists.This lightning talk will discuss Octopus and The Collaborative Library, and how these two platforms aim to improve scholarly communications by sitting alongside journals, leaving them to be the primary dissemination outlet for the academic community. The Collaborative Library provides a place for communications with the general public, and Octopus provides a place for recording the full detail of research for specialists.

Lightning talk - Specialist platforms to improve scholarly communications - Octopus and The Collaborative Library

Panel:<ul>
<li>Chair: Sue Attewell, head of AI and codesign, Jisc</li>
<li>Hannah Pryor, student, Queen's University Belfast</li>
<li>Calum Upton, postgraduate researcher, Aston University </li>
<li>Saurav Harsh, student, University of the Arts London</li>
<li>Calum McCallion, student, Ulster University</li>
<li>Nalina Brahim-Said, student, University of Bolton</li></ul>
This session will explore how students are currently using generative AI. It will delve into their concerns and aspirations regarding AI in their academic lives and investigate what they expect from their institutions in adapting to this technological evolution. The discussion aims to provide insights into the practical, ethical, and educational impacts of AI in learning environments, offering a glimpse into the future of education in the AI era.

Generative AI: a student panel

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Carmen Miles, head of digital education/VLE project director, De Montfort University</li>
<li>Richard Floyd, content management lead/digital learning facilitator, Lancaster University</li>
<li>Ben Gill, head of strategic projects, Lancaster University</li></ul>
Key takeaway: Discover how to use student data and digital platforms, and apply new approaches to curriculum design to create a personalised student digital experience.
Personalised learning and the ability to use data to target resources and support can transform a student's comprehension, experience, and long-term outcomes. Future student experiences can be built using digital tools, dynamic data, and a focus on optimising teaching and learning performance. Using examples from Lancaster and DeMontfort universities, this session will show practical steps towards building personalised, digital learning for students.

Building better student experiences and personalised learning with dynamic data

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Penny Langford, executive head of digital learning, Milton Keynes College</li>
<li>Valerie Brown, senior digital learning specialist, Milton Keynes College </li>
<li>Marc Challans, group learning environments manager, Activate Learning</li>
<li>James Kieft, learning and development manager, Activate Learning</li></ul>
Key takeaway: Develop a better understanding of how to use technology to rethink learning spaces, learning practice in person, and combine online and in person experiences.
Digital technologies can be used to augment existing spaces, reimagine the teaching environment, or take students to new places and experiences. In this interactive session, two experts use real-world examples to show how VR and new technologies can help educators build new routes into learning, experience, and collaboration, and transform the idea of a ‘learning space’.

Changing teaching places and learning experiences with new technologies

This session is sponsored by LearnWise AI.Speakers:<ul>
<li>Greg Marschall, co-founder and CEO, LearnWise AI </li>
<li>Nic Earle, strategic academic project manager, University of Gloucestershire</li></ul>
The University of Gloucestershire is collaborating with LearnWise.ai to implement a simple yet powerful digital assistant to resolve the majority of student enquiries, at the point of need. Reducing the high volume of enquiries support staff receive should free up time, which can be redirected to more complex tasks. This session will include a live demonstration of an AI assistant. It will show how easily such an AI assistant can be built and trained by pointing it at an organisation’s existing web-based support resources. We'll also discuss the invaluable insights the assistant’s enquiry analytics can provide an organisation. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Greg on Digifest TV.

Using a generative AI assistant to support students

Hosted by:
<ul><li>Chris Thomson, programme lead – teaching, learning and assessment, Jisc </li>
<li>Richard Beggs, community champion, Ulster University</li>
<li> Zac Gribble, subject specialist, Jisc</li>
<li>Teti Dragas, Durham University</li></ul>
Discover tried and tested techniques to encourage reluctant or inexperienced learners to find and share their stories. One of the hardest parts of using storytelling in your teaching and assessment is bringing learners to a place where they feel free to be creative and can identify which stories to tell and how to tell them. Come along to learn more about the digital storytelling community and try out some activities.

Community workshop - Helping learners become storytellers

Speaker: John MacMillan, digital learning project and programme manager, Glasgow Caledonian University
Key takeaway: How to apply proven design principles to create an engaging and relevant online learning experience.Online staff training and development courses often have a bad reputation. Too often associated with generic, mandatory training rather than an opportunity for development. This poses a problem for our online microlearning units on digital pedagogy, and learning and teaching. We are integrating elements of 'choose your own adventure' to create an environment where learners focus on their needs. Learners choose the path or topics they need, with options to come back later to explore other paths.

Lightning talk - Choose your own microlearning - adaptive adventures in staff development

This session is sponsored by Cradlepoint
Speaker: Ross Hockey, service provider sales director, Cradlepoint
With the cost of living increasing and students living further away from education centres, a collaboration between Jisc, Sky and Cradlepoint is leading the fight to help more remote areas have reliable and secure learning experiences through the power of 4G and 5G cellular technology.

In locations where internet connections are unavailable, unreliable or unauthenticated, extending eduroam is transforming the student learning experience. For students who struggle with expensive data roaming charges, it delivers free access to educational resources, bringing digital equity a step closer.

Join this session to learn more about our commitment to overcoming future accessibility challenges, this will open doors for countless bright minds across the nation, regardless of their background.

Lightning talk - Combating digital poverty

Speaker: Chris Temple-Murray, advanced teaching practitioner (digital), Exeter College
Key takeaway: How to implement AI effectively in your classroom for the benefit of staff and students alike.
As educators we strive to create a learning environment that is inclusive and caters to the needs of all learners. By leveraging AI, educators can personalise learning experiences, provide intelligent tutoring, automate tailored content creation, and make use of powerful analytics. Through a series of real examples, live demonstrations and case studies, Chris will examine the possibilities of AI in education. By the end of the session, you will have a better understanding of how AI can help us all work smarter and help us foster learner-centric approaches enabling the best possible outcomes for all.

Harnessing AI to develop a fully inclusive learning environment

Speaker: Gary Burnett, professor of digital creativity, Loughborough University
In this session, Gary will give you a glimpse into a potential future in which we engage with students increasingly as avatars in fantastical and engaging virtual worlds. Having taught almost 300 university students over the last three years about virtual reality, Gary has investigated the capabilities of emerging technologies to immerse students in physically and psychologically safe spaces where they have heightened agency to imagine the impossible. This talk will focus on the positive (and negative) experiences of students as avatars across a semester, including key themes of identity, anonymity, interaction, usability, accessibility, and so on.

Ready student one: understanding the experiences of students as avatars

Speaker: Piers Wilkinson, senior policy and campaigns lead, Diversity and Ability
Key takeaway: Understanding the Disabled Student Commitment and its impact, and the next steps for institutions and organisations. 
Ensuring disabled students can access and thrive in education has never become more important than today, especially with the highest number ever of UCAS applicants sharing a disability in 2023 (an increase of 33.8% from 2022). We must understand and engage with the recent sector developments around disability, such as the Disabled Student Commitment (DSC) and its 42 recommendations that calls on every part of the education sector.We’ll look at the principles that the Commitment and other policy changes have been built on, what weight is behind these developments, and how student voices are at the heart. We’ll also explore the continuing developments and their next steps, as well as their impact on the future of education and research. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Piers on Digifest TV.

Change is a commitment: exploring the future of accessible education

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Alison Gibson, head of HEFi digital, University of Birmingham</li>
<li>Helen Greetham, digital education developer, University of Birmingham</li>
<li>Gemma Westwood, senior digital education developer, University of Birmingham</li>
<li>Tristan Gower, graduate management trainee, University of Birmingham</li></ul>
Key takeaway: How creating a standalone digital assessment team that works collaboratively across the institution can result in positive change. 
The digital assessment team at the University of Birmingham was created in 2023 to address the challenges shared by our colleagues across the sector: a need to improve student experience of assessment and feedback, and deal with academic integrity challenges in the face of generative AI. In this presentation, Alison, Helen and Gemma will discuss the breadth of work they have covered, and the positive change this work has had on the student and academic experience of assessment. They will discuss the lengths they have gone to incorporate the student voice in their work and how they have ensured engagement from academics experiencing change fatigue. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Alison and Gemma on Digifest TV.

Entering the Matrix: a digital team's guide to supporting assessments

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Rosie Jones, director, student and library services, Teesside University</li>
<li>Jackie Oliver, assistant director, Teesside University</li></ul>
A workshop approach to consider embedding digital to enable key skills that enhance student life, whole wellbeing and foster communities. You will build upon ideas using a digital discussion board/Padlet to explore key themes.

Building belonging: digital beyond the curriculum

Hosted by:
<ul><li>Kellie Mote, subject specialist accessibility, Jisc</li>
<li>Laura Hutton, subject specialist accessibility, Jisc</li>
<li>John Kelly, subject specialist regulatory and compliance, Jisc</li>
<li>Fil McIntyre, manager and assistive technology lead, TechAbility</li>
<li>Neil Harrod-Beck, assitive technology projects lead, TechAbility</li>
<li>Hannah Lawrence, junior Software licensing manager, Jisc</li></ul>Drop in to discuss all things accessibility and assistive technology. You'll be able to chat with peers and specialists about current developments and issues in your settings. Bring your questions and talking points, or join in with peer-led discussions.

Community meet-up: Accessibility and assistive tech

This session is sponsored by Honeywell.
Speakers:<ul>
<li>Michael Malderle, enterprise sales leader, Honeywell</li>
<li>Daniel Sullivan, service consultant, Honeywell</li></ul>
Attracting and retaining students is influenced by many things. Some highlights from recent studies:<ul>
<li>As college costs continue to rise, 51% of admitted students say value for the cost of their education was the top factor in their college decision</li>
<li>Sustainability matters: 45% of college students consider a school’s environmental sustainability commitment in their enrollment decision</li>
<li>65% of current and prospective students are concerned with their safety on campus</li></ul>
University and college leaders can address these concerns by reimagining the operational efficiency of their campuses, turning student’s concerns into a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining both students and staff. Universities can do more with their existing resources and better manage energy use while taking real steps towards a more sustainable campus.

Lightning talk - Reimagining operational efficiency to improve the campus experience

This session is sponsored by EDINA.
Speaker: James Stix, notable service manager, EDINA
This session introduces Noteable, a cutting-edge platform designed to revolutionise the way computational and generative AI is taught. The platform stands out by offering an integrated suite of tools that facilitate an interactive and engaging learning experience for students. It enables educators to seamlessly create, manage, and distribute AI-focused coursework, including real-time coding exercises, interactive simulations, and project-based learning activities. With its user-friendly interface, Noteable aims to lower the barrier to entry for students and educators alike, making advanced AI concepts accessible to a broader audience. We'll cover the platform's key features, its potential to enhance educational outcomes, and its role in preparing students for the rapidly evolving tech-driven future.

Lightning talk - Noteable: a platform solution for computational and generative AI teaching

Speaker: James Hodgkin, head of analytics, Jisc
Find out what makes Jisc’s learning analytics service different, how we have been working with the community to redevelop our products and where we want to go in the future.

Lightning talk - The next chapter of Jisc's learning analytics

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Helen Nicholson, AI specialist, Jisc</li>
<li>Penny Langford, executive head of digital learning, Milton Keynes College</li>
<li>Jacqui Hughes, edtech development lead, Northampton College</li>
<li>Kirsty Tate, e-learning practitioner, East Durham College</li></ul>
Key takeaway: In the wake of fast-paced AI innovations, this session will explore how institutions can leverage artificial intelligence (AI).
Hear how Milton Keynes College is taking an institutional approach to AI to reduce workload and support wellbeing. We’ll also hear examples from East Durham College and Northampton College who have recently taken part in AI pilots in collaboration with Jisc. They will reflect on their pilot experience and share the knowledge and insights they have gained from the innovative tools: TeacherMatic and AnyWyse. Whether your organisation has fully embraced AI or you're looking at how it can be used, hear first-hand experiences from experts. 

To find out more about TeacherMatic, you can watch an interview with Peter Kilcoyne, digital learning consultant, Teachermatic on Digifest TV.

AI for good: an institutional approach to artificial intelligence

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Liam Earney, managing director, higher education and research, Jisc</li>
<li>Professor Helen O'Sullivan, provost and deputy vice chancellor, University of Chester</li>
<li>Professor Raheel Nawaz, pro vice chancellor - digital transformation, Staffordshire University</li>
<li>Professor Monique Mackenzie, vice-principal (digital education, research and environment), University of St Andrews</li>
<li>Sarah Knight, head of learning and teaching transformation, Jisc</li></ul>
UK universities are facing significant disruption due to the economic crisis, limited resources and changing student demographics, along with the lasting impact of the pandemic on staff and student wellbeing. One of the ways the sector is responding to these challenges and disruption is by revisiting their digital strategies. Successful digital transformation requires effective digital leadership, appropriate investment, robust secure infrastructure, stakeholder engagement, and digitally capable staff and students.Jisc is working with 26 higher education providers to pilot our framework and maturity model for digital transformation to support local baselining and sector benchmarking of their digital developments. In this panel session, we will hear from senior leaders on how they are using these resources to drive forward digital transformation within their universities working with staff and students to effect change and to improve the experience of all students.

Critical factors for successful digital transformation

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Leif Isaksen, professor in digital humanities, University of Exeter </li>
<li>Huw Jones, head of digital library, University of Cambridge</li>
<li>Jane Winters, professor of digital humanities, University of London</li>
<li>Mia Ridge, digital curator, British Library</li>
<li>Peter Findlay, subject matter expert digital scholarship (content and discovery), Jisc</li></ul>
We hear a lot about the transformative power of artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and the opportunities this offers for education, research, and innovation. But what happens when the underlying data that underpins such computational approaches is full of complexities, presents unevenness, is partial and highly diverse, in substance, very “messy”? This is often the situation for humanities researchers when attempting to use AI approaches to interpret the record of human history we find in the rich multimedia collections held by libraries, archives and cultural heritage organisations. This panel conversation between research practitioners and collection specialists will focus on:<ul><li>What academics need from libraries and collection providers</li><li>The impact of working with this kind of data on digital research practices</li><li>The role of libraries, archives and collection holding institutions in enabling digital research processes</li></ul>

Messy data in the age of “intelligent” machines

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Louise Lee, senior consultant, Times Higher Education </li>
<li>Angeline Chenu, vertical market manager - higher education, Siemens </li>
<li>Lee Taylor, sustainability manager, University of East London </li></ul>
Universities are increasingly recognised as pivotal actors in addressing climate change. Beyond research and education, they are now expected to lead by example in achieving net zero. In this panel hosted by Times Higher Education, Lee and Angeline will share their experiences on co-designing a smart campus. They will explore how integrating smart technologies as supported by data democratisation and governance strategies can drive positive change, and how university-industry partnerships can pave the way for a greener future.

Creating a smart, connected, and sustainable campus

Speakers:<ul>
<li>Tiberiu Dancovici, digital learning and innovation manager, Coleg y Cymoedd</li>
<li>Zak Smith, TEL technician, Coleg Y Cymoedd </li>
<li>Joss Daye, TEL technician, Coleg Y Cymoedd </li></ul>
Key takeaways: How to create a ‘digital first’, low cost, technology-enhanced approach to storyboarding and previsualisation that aligns with the emerging skills needed in creative industries.
In the rapidly evolving film and television industry, the challenge of visualising and planning creative concepts effectively is paramount. Traditional methods often fall short of providing an immersive and interactive experience for aspiring filmmakers. We will explore the innovative uses of Cine Tracer software in TV and film courses at Coleg y Cymoedd.Cine Tracer, a real time cinematography simulator, transforms how students and professionals who are working on high end music videos, commercials, television, and feature films can achieve their artistic goals and overcome technical challenges. You will be cinematographers on the day, making editorial decisions in a live storyboarding session.

From paper to pixels: virtual previsualisation and live storyboarding

Speaker: Kate Royse, centre director, UKRI (UK Research and Innovation)
Kate will reflect on her first two years as director of the Hartree Centre. The impact of emerging digital technologies such as AI - Quantum and exascale are changing all aspects of society especially within academia and business. The Hartree Centre's role in enabling the responsible uptake of novel digital technologies by UK organisations and upskilling our workforce has never been more important. Kate will discuss how the Hartree Centre is addressing these challenges and her future vision for the centre. 
To explore this topic further, you can watch an interview with Kate on Digifest TV.

The future of compute: a perspective from the Hartree Centre

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Digifest&#x27;s programme featured over 40 sessions including keynote speakers, panels, workshops and breakout sessions looking at the future landscape of the education sector.