# data[].attributes.headline
Taking Design Thinking and Making into the Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Taking Design Thinking and Making into the Classroom

# data[].attributes.body
Series of toolkits, handouts design challenges at grade and curricular LO's and resources to take up the promise of design thinking and making - all are creative commons licensed. Enjoy!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to the Taking Making into Learning Contexts Resource Site! This page hosts resources and learning materials developed by the Innovative Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, and curated by Dr. Susan Crichton & Dr. Elizabeth Childs at Royal Roads University.

The Japanese proverb, None of us is as smart as well of us, guides our work. We graciously acknowledge the collaborations with educators associated with Aga Khan University - Institute of Educational Development, East Africa as well as over 6000 educators across British Columbia, Alberta and the Atlantic Maritime provinces.

Our work is made better because of the partnerships and support of the Industry Training Authority (ITA - https://www.itabc.ca/events/maker-day), Skills Canada Alberta ( https://skillsalberta.com/skills-exploration-days), and the British Columbia Ministry of Education ( https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/pdf/applied-skills.pdf).

Royal Roads University - School of Education and Technology is pleased to host this resource, and we welcome all creative and constructive feedback. Please don't hesitate to reach out and contact us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to the Taking Making into Learning Contexts Resource Site! This page hosts resources and learning materials developed by the Innovative Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, and curated by Dr. Susan Crichton & Dr. Elizabeth Childs at Royal Roads University.

# data[].attributes.body
One week - open to all online symposium. See the schedule here and come join in.

# data[].attributes.headline
Thriving in a Connected Age: Digital Capabilities and Digital Well Being

# data[].attributes.subject
Thriving in a Connected Age: Digital Capabilities and Digital Well Being

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These days, delivering an enhanced student experience is only one of the challenges that universities and colleges are facing.

Podcast

In this accompanying podcast, Helen Beetham discusses the importance of digital capabilities and wellbeing.

A range of other issues including internationalisation, inclusion, developing online and work-based offers, big data, security and analytics all require staff with specialist skills.

In addition to addressing these challenges, staff with digital expertise are the key to unlocking institutions' investments in IT infrastructure and systems.

Digital capabilities

I've had a busy few months leading on a project called framing staff digital capabilities as part of the Jisc building digital capabilities co-design challenge.

With my colleague and fellow e-learning consultant Lou McGill, I have looked at the different frameworks, standards and specifications for describing what people do with digital technology. These range from generic information computer technology (ICT) frameworks, such as the new modular European Computer Driving Licence, to professional standards, such as the certified membership association of learning technology (CMALT) and the UK professional standards framework (PSF).

The project has included a detailed consultation process with professional bodies and experts, and with providers across the higher education () and further education () landscape that are investing in the digital capabilities of their staff.

To date the project has resulted in three key outcomes:

A new digital capability model (pictured above), building on Jisc's historic seven elements of digital literacy framework, which will enable leaders and change agents to take a strategic approach to building digital capability;

A short review of upcoming changes in the technological and organisational landscape within and - to give universities and colleges a reference point when reflecting on the staff skills they will need to respond to these.

A mapping of our new model of digital capability against the other frameworks we reviewed, showing links to other valuable work in this space

Digital wellbeing

One of the most exciting issues to emerge from the interviews I've undertaken has been a new area of interest: digital wellbeing.

Wellbeing addresses some of the concerns raised by staff who find their working life saturated with digital technologies. These include stress and information overload, the changed quality of relationships, and work-life balance. In line with this is the responsibility staff take for the wellbeing of others (especially students) in digital settings.

Wellbeing addresses some of the concerns raised by staff who find their working life saturated with digital technologies

While these are organisation-wide issues, individuals are still responsible for promoting respectful behaviour online, promoting ensuring equality and inclusiveness, and checking the impact of digital technologies on human and natural environments.

Meanwhile students express different but parallel concerns. Our digital student co-design work found that learners' fears range from exposure, to loss of face-to-face contact with teaching staff, as well as issues of distraction and concentration.

Of course technologies can be used in ways that enhance wellbeing: to provide social support, to help learners reflect and understand their learning process better, and to break down barriers of understanding.

But when considering what it means to be 'capable' in a digital age it's important to include personal awareness and responsibility for these more negative outcomes. To ask not only 'who am I?' and 'what personal goals can I meet through my engagement with digital technologies?' but 'how can I thrive and help others to do the same?'

This is very much in the spirit of the 2009 project study learning literacies in a digital age, which looked at learners' capabilities in a holistic way and summarised them in a report called Thriving in the 21st century: Learning Literacies for the Digital Age.

Get involved

There is still time to comment and influence the final form of these outcomes and - more importantly - the ways they are applied in practice.

You can comment directly via the digital capabilities blog post that summarises the outcomes to date. We are also working with a number of colleges and universities and with professional bodies to validate the framework and develop examples of it in use.

We're taking the concept of digital wellbeing on the road to spread the message further and ensure it's taken seriously

We're also taking the concept of digital wellbeing on the road to spread the message further and ensure it's taken seriously. This aspect of the project has already excited a lot of interest when presented at conferences, including spotlight on digital capabilities and EdTech15, as well as a recent meeting of project stakeholders to plan our next steps.

I have just gathered an armful of feedback from the Jisc learning and teaching experts' meeting in Birmingham, and you can check out the Twitter debate on digital wellbeing yesterday using #LTHEchat.

So please, get in touch with your thoughts on the digital capabilities blog before the end of July or get in touch with Sarah Davies, head of change implementation support - education/student.

Tags:

Digital literacy

About the author

Helen Beetham

Helen is co-leading the Jisc digital student study and compiling outcomes from the Jisc developing digital literacies programme. Helen has led on a number of influential reports and funded programmes, from learners' experiences of e-learning to e-portfolios, and from open content to curriculum design.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Thriving in a connected age: digital capability and digital wellbeing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These days, delivering an enhanced student experience is only one of the challenges that universities and colleges are facing. In this accompanying podcast, Helen Beetham discusses the importance of digital capabilities and wellbeing. A range of other issues including internationalisation, inclusion, developing online and work-based offers, big data, security and analytics all require staff with specialist skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Great resources here from our students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this course, you will explore the implementation of digital learning in organizations. You will examine foundational theories of leadership and change, and assess their validity in the context of a digital learning environment. Building on these theoretical foundations you will explore how successful projects are initiated and managed and how leaders can incorporate data and learning analytics in their decision making. You will then create a planning tool and develop a project plan for the implementation of educational technology(ies) and/or changes to a learning program or organizational policy.

Ethical Review

You may need to inteview or correspond with other professional colleagues to gather information in order to complete some of the activities and assignments in this course. On your behalf, your instructors have applied for and received blanket ethical approval for LRNT 525. This means that you will not have to apply to RRU on an individual basis before conducting your assignment research.

You will need to read and become familiar with the Research Ethics Guidelines for this course. You will also need to fill in the Consent Form and provide it to any external participants in your research assignment.

If you have any questions about the ethical review, please ask the instructors by posting in the general discussion in Moodle. You may also contact the Office of Research Ethics at ethicalreview@royalroads.ca; 250.391.2600 ext. 4425. Further information is available on the RRU Ethics page.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify leadership strategies required to effectively manage digital learning initiatives

2. Examine change as it relates to people, context and financial resources in the design of digital learning environments

3. Create an implementation plan for a digital learning initiative that recognizes and responds to the complexity of change

Stay Connected

To the class via the general discussion forum in Moodle (use this forum to ask course-related questions of the instructors)

To each other via the course blog and your own WordPress blogs

#RRUMALAT on twitter.

Your teams for this course:

Team A

Katie Brown, Andrea Livingstone, Angie Maksymetz, Todd Pezer

Team B

Darin Faber, Adam Romano, Gavin Sturgeon, George Tam

Team C

May Bahador, Stuart Reed, Dugg Steary, Lorri Weaver

Team D

Bobbi Charles, Karen Maeers, Amber Marechal, Klaus Rimke

Team E

Terra Aartsen, Mary Ellis, Steve Minten, Michael Murray

Team F

Sean Doyle, Marshall Hartlen, Alfonso MacGregor, Nicolette Young

Team G

Krista Frate, Jason Keddie, Fiona Prince, Laura Stevenson

Introductions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LRNT525 [EDUTECH 2017-2 OL] Jan 29 2018 | Leading Change in Digital Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this course, you will explore the implementation of digital learning in organizations. You will examine foundational theories of leadership and change, and assess their validity in the context of a digital learning environment. Building on these theoretical foundations you will explore how successful projects are initiated and managed and how leaders can incorporate data and learning analytics in their decision making.

# data[].attributes.headline
Curriculum for Digital Educational Leadership: Commonwealth of Learning concept paper

# data[].attributes.subject
Curriculum for Digital Educational Leadership: Commonwealth of Learning concept paper

# data[].attributes.body
What are some of the best strategies to encourage staff to take risks and try something new that is potentially out of their comfort zone?

what are some strategies that can be used with those who are resistant to change?

how do you encourage institution-wide buy-in?

# data[].attributes.body
What is one of the most significant challenges facing leaders in K-12 education? What are some proposed solutions to address this challenge?

# data[].attributes.body
What kind of leader are you? A transformational leader, a transactional leader, a charismatic leader, an autocratic leader, a bureaucratic leader or a laissez-faire leader?

What is the most important characteristic a 21st century leader should have?

# data[].attributes.body
Are there effective ways or appropriate situations to give praise where needed without making others feel inadequate but also reinforcing a high level of expectations to all. Too often I have heard Administrators saying how amazing everyone is, when this is truly not the case and most people know it. Any suggestions?