Creativity, Problem Solving, and Wellbeing

6.3 Digital content creation

"To incorporate learning activities, assignments and assessments which require learners to express themselves through digital means, and to modify and create digital content in different formats. To teach learners how copyright and licenses apply to digital content, how to reference sources and attribute licenses." Mirroring what we as teachers have had to learn in other areas of DigCompEdu, we can surely see the potential of facilitating our students in the creative and productive use of technologies to design and produce multimedia content for assignments, creative outputs, and their own learning materials for self-study and peer-learning.

As we've noted before, devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops all have relatively high computational power and multimedia capabilities. Simply reading online materials and typing up an essay, or taking a multiple choice quiz, hardly push these devices to their limits. If you think about this potential, these affordances, then we can help students get a lot more value from their investment and enhance their learning experience, our teaching and assessment, as well as nurture creativity and employment skills. We can connect a lot of the concepts, competencies, and ideas we've discussed before by imaginative approaches to teaching and assessment using multimedia and other digital content creation:
- Allowing students to submit video assignments or audio podcasts instead of a standard essay.
- Encouraging the use of e-portfolios for students to collate and showcase their work.
- Supporting the use of approaches such as 'A Domain of One's Own Links to an external site.' where students have and configure their own personal websites and blogs.
- Encouraging students to run an online digital journal or e-book, collecting their essays and submissions in an artefact that has a life beyond the course/semester.
In each of these cases, we could provide students with dedicated technical training, or simply provide guidelines or links to online training materials (e.g. for those institutions which have licenses, LinkedIn Learning Links to an external site.). There are many sources of training materials online and one example from a number of years ago is the All Aboard initiative Links to an external site. developed in Irish higher education. But, we could also remember the idea of assessment driving learning - that students could be driven to self-study, or peer-collaboration to develop the skills they need to meet the requirements of the assignment. We know that this can be a powerful means of learning and motivating for students.

Of course we can also use these kinds of activities to increase students' understandings of copyright, open source, creative commons, licensing, as well as reinforce media literacy, how to construct persuasive and well argued cases.

'Co-creation' is a concept that is of growing interest in educational circles. This where staff and students can work in partnership to help co-create learning materials and/or curriculum. For those new to the idea it can seem radical and challenge accepted power structures. However, there are many different ways in which this can be put into practice and by working in such partnerships we strengthen the idea of the scholarly community, and a sense of belonging as well as responsibility. The CUTIE Project Links to an external site. has undertaken a literature review and facilitated a number of activities on this topic and you can access one of their main reports here. Download one of their main reports here.

6.4 Responsible use

"To take measures to ensure learners’ physical, psychological and social wellbeing while using digital technologies. To empower learners to manage risks and use digital technologies safely and responsibly." Wellbeing is an issue that confronts us all, students and staff alike. Digital technologies have their downsides and we need to remain mindful of the impact they might have on our sense of self, our physical as well as mental health Links to an external site.. From things as simple as addiction, poor posture and lack of exercise, 'fear of missing out', overwork, all the way through to bullying and abuse, we live in a world that of almost perpetual online demands and noise. We should seek to help our students manage their use of technologies and keep a sense of balance and perspective, being aware of potential and actual risks.

Thinking about integrity and empathy as virtues central to a higher education, can help us frame how we work with our students and how they work and learn with each other. It is crucially important for them to understand and practice ethical behaviour in how they deal not just with their courses, but with each other and the wider community.

We should ensure that we do not put students at risk through learning tasks or assignments. Just as we need to consider risks and safety in the context of laboratory teaching, so should we also with online engagements and expectations.

Other risks include those of criminal activity such as identity theft Links to an external site., phishing Links to an external site. for banking or other information, stalking, fraud, as well as succumbing to engaging in misconduct such as contract cheating (essay mills, coursework sites, etc).

Data and identity protection Links to an external site. are crucial and universities, their staff and students are subject to legal protection under laws such as GDPR. Links to an external site. Just as we need to learn how to avoid leaking personal information by accident, so should students also be aware of what they can do to protect themselves, to maintain appropriate levels of privacy and security Links to an external site., and how they should treat information about each other.

6.5 Digital problem solving

"To incorporate learning activities, assignments and assessments which require learners to identify and solve technical problems, or to transfer technological knowledge creatively to new situations." In DigCompEdu's terms this actually encompasses a couple of different dimensions: having the confidence to solve (or attempt to solve) technical problems with technologies and software; and also to be able to identify how digital technologies might be appropriate in addressing other problems or challenges.

The human brain is a remarkable problem-solver, seeking patterns, looking from different perspectives, trying to grasp a situation in context, seeking information, formulating ideas. So what better way to promote learning in our courses and programmes than to provide students with challenging tasks, and why not add some authenticity by requiring improvising of new solutions, making the best use of limited resources and tools, and overcoming difficulties - the trick of course is not to make things impossible! But Vygotsky's idea of the Zone of Proximal Development Links to an external site. reminds us that we can be stretched to achieve more, albeit with the guidance and steering of others.

We can use technologies to help make sense of things and plan a strategy to solve problems. Things like concept/mind mapping tools, shared whiteboards/canvases, flowchart and diagramming software, mapping tools, specialist tools such as CAD (Computer Aided Design), drawing tablets, and even electronic components, 3D printers, Raspberry Pi or Arduino processors, programming languages and tools, project management software - mixtures of hardware, software, and our own individual and collective 'know how' can be roped in to meet our needs. But of course, this needs us to feel confident, to have experience and lots of opportunities to experiment, even to play. Can we make sure that our students have this as part of their overall learning experience?

In terms of problem solving technical matters (eg problems with software, hardware, knowing how to upgrade systems, etc) there are many online training resources (again, LinkedIn Learning Links to an external site. can be a valuable resource, as can other providers such as FutureLearn Links to an external site.) but much of this can evolve through experience and the building of confidence. Some basic training on how systems work, programmes supported by Makerspaces, or IT centres are worth sharing with students so that they are fully aware of how they can build such confidence. Knowing how the technology you are using works, even just the basic principles, is empowering in its own right, and of course many programmes have programming (coding) as part of their discipline but there is scope for students of any discipline to have an opportunity to learn these skills (using generally used languages such as Python, Javascript, or R for statistics).

Combined with access to training materials, or learning how to find them, and encouragement to use trial and error and other more sophisticated problem solving strategies, we can help empower our students and develop capable graduates unfazed by challenge.

Reflection

How much experience do your students get in designing and producing digital content of various types? Is there scope for them to submit assignments and assessments using different types of media?

Is 'co-creation' an aspect of your context, or not? Is there scope for working in partnership with students in your programmes?

Are your students taught the basics of data protection, privacy, and digital wellbeing? Is there scope for this within your programmes or as co-curricular experiences?

Similarly, are there places, courses, clubs, or other opportunities for students to develop their digital technical skills?

References and further information

Carretero SG, Vuorikari R, Punie Y (2017) 'DigComp 2.1. The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with Eight Proficiency Levels and Examples of Use.' EUR 28558 EN. Luxembourg, UK: Publications Office of the European Union.

Gutiérrez-Ángel N, Sánchez-García J-N, Mercader-Rubio I, García-Martín J and Brito-Costa S (2022) 'Digital literacy in the university setting: A literature review of empirical studies between 2010 and 2021'. Front. Psychol. 13:896800. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896800

Holm, P. (2024). 'Impact of digital literacy on academic achievement: Evidence from an online anatomy and physiology course.' E-Learning and Digital Media, https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530241232489 Links to an external site.

JISC (UK), Digital Capability Case Studies. https://digitalcapability.jisc.ac.uk/case-studies/ Links to an external site.

Photos from Mimi Thian Links to an external site., Links to an external site. Links to an external site.Karla Hernandez, Links to an external site. Kenny Eliason, Links to an external site. David Emrich, Links to an external site. Videodeck .co Links to an external site. Links to an external site.Luke Chesser, Links to an external site. Brooke Cagle, Goran Ivos Links to an external site. on Unsplash Links to an external site.