Deconstruct the Digital Paradigm to Physical
i wrote this talk a few months ago and
in light of the current
global climate i feel the content is
even more poignant
to the learning environment of the 21st
century student learner
the dreaded c word might have forced
some of you watching
into brand new ways of working from zoom
calls
electronic diary reminders whatsapp
group chats virtual tours
morning and afternoon conferences and an
endless feeling of being connected to
each other
i know within a matter of 24 hours i
went from delivering a practical based
subject
in a classroom to being sat in front of
my pc
delivering online conferences every day
it’s been a bit of a shock to the system
however
i’m here today to inspire the way in
which we build purposeful relationships
with our learners through the use of
digital technology
a relationship that is becoming much
more compulsory
in some education settings digital
technology
is constantly evolving and can transform
the student experience
however there is an urgency for us to
challenge our own misconceptions
misuses or never uses of technology in
the classroom
to really help convey this i would like
you all to cast your minds back
to the last time you had a bad date
that’s right a bad date
bear with me on this one there comes a
time in everyone’s life
when you find yourself on a date that is
so terribly cringe-worthy
even the flashbacks send immediate
chills down your spine
the awkward silences the uneasy feeling
in the pit of your stomach
sat desperately trying not to zone out
wishing the floor would swallow you
whole
sat trying to concentrate on your date
wondering
why did he decide to wear ankle socks
with probes
sounds painful right not to mention
having to relive the ordeal
over and over and over
while sharing with friends in the
compulsory post-date debrief
where you find yourself saying i just
want to find someone and have that
connection now i’m sorry if i’ve
unearthed the painful experience for
some of you watching
however i know in some way you can all
relate to that
innate tension an awkward date can bring
on the other hand a good date just feels
right
and can be an unforgettable experience
where the conversation free flows
to the point where you forget to check
the time or even send a text to friends
to confirm you haven’t been catfished
a great date just feels right and the
same should be said
for any experience with our student
culture
we should have to seek to create rich
and memorable experiences
to create a great educational date
whether it’s a two-hour lecture or a
random tutorial
we should strive to connect with our
students at every opportunity
so why do we as educators battle
students habitual relationship with
technology
why do we create classroom tensions when
trying so hard to stop this natural
digital partnership
the truth is
it’s a result of our own digital
insecurities
and the thought of trying something new
with technology creates those very
feelings i mentioned a moment ago no one
wants to take on a blind date with
technology
for many reasons one there is a fear of
the unknown
two it’s hard to break personal habits
three
you question your abilities causing
self-doubt
four you’re afraid of losing control and
five
poor connection i hate to admit it but
we are out of touch with our students
and their digital capabilities
and even more out of touch with our own
if we apply this dating concept to
educational experiences
it’s not to say we should shy away from
the tension the bad
experiences create we should however
harness this energy and use it to
nurture better levels of connectedness
we should seek to tackle our individual
skills
and finding engaging ways to better
prepare ourselves
for the tech savvy audiences we are now
faced with
as a millennial i see this tension with
technology regularly
not only in my own practice but from
those around me
i’ve experienced training sessions with
the classic talk and chalk
and i’ve even witnessed death by
powerpoint i’ve also seen teachers
shy away from harnessing the power of
digital technology
through fear of failure but worst of all
i’ve seen the teacher
who feels the need to use powerpoint
just because
and overuses the fade zoom or floating
function
on every single slide emphasizing every
single word sound familiar i hate to say
it
but we have knowingly created an
unbalanced relationship with technology
as a teaching culture we need to shift
our insecurities
and tackle this we have to start to
shift the balance in power
and see the point of view of our
students
this i know can be difficult we
naturally feel we know best
however the desire for a constant state
of connectivity
is being sought more and more and in
particular by generation z learners
to best meet their needs we have to let
go and explore the unexpected in digital
technology
the use of technology is instinctive and
we should generate
meaningful social experiences
as the sophistication of digital
technology evolves
there is a need to redesign practices in
education
collaborative practice is needed to
transform the 21st century
student experiences and we can do this
using unorthodox practices to spark
ideas
and create rich experiences students
choose to swipe left or swipe right
in search of meaningful relationships
and we must use the natural social
environment
to examine their digital desires to help
an alternative
more collaborative approach in education
the impact of technology is driving
change and we should ensure the student
experience
is organic valuable and their learning
needs are better met
the recent completion of my master’s
thesis saw an investigation
into the digital landscape through the
perspective of the uk makeup artist
makeup is a creative and specialized
subject area
where limited research currently exists
which is why i was so passionate to
explore the industry
my aim within the research was to assess
the shift in learning cultures
tailored to the needs of the student
makeup artist
as the creative industries in the uk
progress there is a need to adopt a
responsive approach in curriculum
design for long-term sustainability
now you may think students are driven by
social media likes
and sharing content however the research
indicated
the rise of social influences and
self-taught artists
were undermining the industry the
over-saturation of social platforms
was deemed to devalue the professional
status of the trained makeup artist
findings also confirmed students desires
for further exploratory talk
and shared inquiry overall
findings saw students question the
progression of the makeup industry
however confirm the need for both
practical and digital skills
to work as a mutual partnership
this creative conversation led to
discussions of an online space
dedicated to the growth of the industry
and future talent
as opposed to the amateur findings also
indicated
students are inspired by contact with
industry professionals
and the use of dialogic exchange should
be cultivated
to foster meaningful learning
experiences
students want to have direct digital
contact with inspiring individuals
within their subject area however away
from social platforms
findings really reinforce the need for
creative conversation
at educational level to enable change
involving students in predictive
dialogue is a necessity
if we break this down into dating terms
our students want to feel connected to
each other
and us as educators also
students are actively finding that
connection i mentioned earlier
with like-minded individuals from their
subject area
when i say meaningful dialogue i mean
that our students want to be part of
important
future focused conversations and they
want to feel heard
we must ensure to design our student
experiences with a collective approach
and remember it takes two to tango and
for once
i mean that as a positive transferring
dialogue into tangible experiences
was found to balance the relationship
triangle between the student
teacher and technology that we have
created
teaching staff must engage in
multi-level dialogue
to constantly refine and develop their
own digital capacities
to provide students with the most
up-to-date and forward-looking skills
understanding students perceptions could
further develop the curriculum
an educational responsibility that
should enable currency to flourish
ultimately ensuring a visionary
curriculum is delivered
another significant finding was the
generation divide
highlighted by student participants it
reinforced the need to pay closer
attention
to cohorts and their preferred methods
of engagement
data indicated the digital knowledge of
students
was in line with those of industry
professionals however
concerningly was surpassing those of the
subject educator
whilst this was a small portion of the
research this indicates a further
analysis
of industry practice when designing
creative curriculums
is needed we need to accept
the traditional university model is
diminishing
and there is an urgency to create
synergies and ensure technology
is on our curriculum agenda
as generations divide and tech abilities
become broader
we must be confident to embed technology
within the student experience
in dating terms we need to pay more
attention to our students
and their tech abilities whether you’re
on date one or further into the
honeymoon period
we are very quick to find faults and
actually
we do need to actively take more notice
of our students
and ourselves we need to pick up on the
red flags in our work life
just as much as we naturally do in our
personal lives
we also need to hold our hands up and
admit it if we can’t keep up with our
tech
tuned students
any digital device can transform and
absorb with its sheer connecting
potential
therefore increasing virtual opportunity
and creative conversation
are vital to shift the power from the
individual to the collective
instead of saying can you put your phone
away time
and time again we must positively
immerse students
digitally we must shift our perspective
and encourage students to disconnect
from social media
and evolve the physical mechanisms a
mobile device holds
let’s turn a phone into a compass a
musical instrument
or even a performance platform let’s
empower students to work collectively
in the physical and the digital
i know you are probably thinking it’s
easier said than done
and you may have attempted to try
something different in the classroom
and it failed miserably however use
those mistakes to reframe your ideas
and try again adopt a positive mindset
and develop creative solutions to evolve
your original idea
i know you might be thinking well laura
hasn’t really shown us a fancy piece of
new technology
so she doesn’t really know how to apply
this but when i was planning for my talk
today
i really thought about the purpose and i
really didn’t want to be that person
who used technology for the sake of it
if i rewind to eight months ago at the
time of writing this talk
it was already clear at that point that
the education sector required further
investment
in digital delivery methods to engage
and connect with students
to stay relevant reviewing today
covert 19 has forced many industry
sectors to adapt
and a fortunate and welcome byproduct of
the pandemic
has meant that the education sector is
now heavily reliant on technology
to deliver the student experience i know
in my practice i now face struggles in
keeping students connected
and whilst we have perhaps shifted from
one extreme to another
overnight in our uses of digital
technology
when the balance is finally restored
within the education sector
it’s safe to say that the digital
foundations will have improved
it really will be the definition of
evolution
all healthy relationships are under a
constant state of evolution
we must consciously find a balance to
form strong partnerships
with this in mind it really is important
we begin to embrace the fear of the
digital unknown
and craft existing curriculums that
evolve with the students knowledge
this should be an obligation and
commitment to the development of digital
education
to those of you watching who might have
sat through an awkward lecture
or training session where technology
went horribly wrong
we are sorry and even more sorry that we
can’t promise it won’t happen again
however we are all human and we all get
those first date nerves
especially when all eyes are on us
to the students watching please don’t
ghost us
you wouldn’t give up on love so easily
so unblock and don’t be afraid to
reconnect
i’m asking you to reboot and give
technology a second chance
in dating terms the second date is your
opportunity
to show who you really are without the
awkward silences
the distractions and the overthinking
and if you find yourself in a moment of
awkward silence
think about our date today and my advice
ignite purposeful student dialogue
anticipate the future of education
explore meaningful uses of technology
and involve with the student culture
thank you
you