(copy) Presence & Belonging in UAL Digital Education

CONTENTS:

Introduction

Presentations:

1. Reimagining conversations with multilingual international students: encouraging participation in digital spaces
2. The Positive Student Experiences of Digital Learning during Covid-19
3. Relational Reflections: How do we nurture belonging in creative Higher Education?
4. Critical Approaches to Online Learning

Case studies:

5. ‘Bringing your whole self to Assessment’ Belonging and assessment in 6. Digital spaces
7. New Waves : Livestream technology and innovations in peer to peer learning
8. Physical Digital
9. Approaching your Learning: online student module pilot
10. Home Sweet Home
11. Digital literacy or delicacy? Nurturing the ethic of ‘telepresence’ – in the case of ‘Synchronic Theatre’ in Global Art Joint Project 2021 ‘SOIL’
12. Tips, tricks and tools for and by FE tutors

Contributors

Introduction.

On December 15, 2021, the Digital Education Team at UAL hosted Presence and belonging in Digital Education, a day conference for UAL colleagues to share their experiences.

The event brought together academics/technicians/support staff from all colleges at UAL to present and discuss current and emerging digital education practices within the theme of presence and belonging.

The presentations and case studies explored the following types of questions:
* How do we define presence and belonging? What impact do they have on student learning?
* In what ways can we foster and maintain a sense of presence and belonging online?
* How can digital tools, spaces and practices help support and maintain equality, diversity, and inclusion?

Reimagining conversations with multilingual international students: encouraging participation in digital spaces

Dr.Victoria Odeniyi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Reimagining Conversations with Multilingual Students.

This project is concerned with understanding the complexity of language and communication practices in classrooms. This talk aims to open up critical discussion around boundaries and responsibilities for colleagues seeking change. Victoria shares insights and classroom episodes from five months of fieldwork examining online classroom practices. She suggest that new ways of thinking and working are needed which may demand more from universities in order to increase participation amongst ethno-linguistically diverse groups.

Play recording: Reimagining conversations with multilingual students

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The Positive Student Experiences of Digital Learning during Covid-19

Chiron Hooson, Community Manager at Arts SU

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This presentation provides an overview and insights into the positive experiences students identified in their online learning and teaching last academic year. This has been gathered from the nominations submitted by students in the Arts Awards which is an annual awards initiative ran by the SU in partnership with UAL.

Play recording: The positive Student Experiences of Digital Learning

Relational Reflections: How do we nurture belonging in creative Higher Education?

Liz Bunting (Educational Developer: Academic Enhancement) and Vikki Hill (Educational Developer: Attainment – Identity and Cultural Experience).

Vikki and Liz reflect on how we can create belonging in creative educational spaces. They introduce the concept of 'belonging', explore some myths about educational belonging and the implications for creative educators.

Play recording: Relational Reflections

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Bunting, L. & Hill, V. (2021) Relational Reflections: How do we nurture belonging in creative Higher Education? Innovative Practice in Higher Education. GLAD-HE Special Edition. Available at: http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/224 (Accessed: 26th May 2022).

Critical Approaches to Online Learning

Julian McDougall, Professor of Media and Education, Bournemouth University.

Online learning has become an increasing presence in higher education course design, particularly since Covid-19, with most courses combining physical real time engagement with asynchronous learning activity. Julian provides a critical and contemporary ‘deep dive’ into the socio-material, technological and pedagogical practices at work in virtual and digital higher education. Critical approaches to online learning are urgently needed, as the ‘new normal’ post-covid will almost certainly involve a rethink of the role of online/digital in the social practices of university learning and teaching.

Play recording: Critical Approaches to Online Learning

Critical Approaches to Online Learning *Book contents & description*.

‘Bringing your whole self to Assessment’ Belonging and assessment in Digital spaces'

Dr Janine Francois, Course Leader BA Culture Criticism and Curation at CSM

Janine shares practical examples of curricula and assessment changes made by the BA CCC team under UAL’s minor modification process. The team introduced more practical forms of assessment  which aim to challenge traditional modes of knowledge production by aligning assessment to social justice practices.

Play recording: ‘Bringing your whole self to Assessment’ Belonging and assessment in Digital spaces

New Waves : Livestream technology and innovations in peer to peer learning

Derek Wiafe, Lecturer in Photography at LCC.

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Play recording: New Waves : Livestream technology and innovations in peer to peer learning

This presentation revolves around an online initiative called New Waves and how it explores the role undergraduates can play in producing teaching content that meets their own urgencies and those they find left out of curriculum. In 2021, the series became student-led, and a weekly programme was started that trained students from the BA Photography programme to plan, produce, host, and deliver the livestream.