Advancing Education Through Technology: Enhancing Evening Degree Learning Experiences

Description

In this short talk, we will discuss our approach to enhancing the teaching of an IT module within the School of Computer Science for the lifelong learning programme. The lifelong learning programme attracts diverse students of different ages, backgrounds, and abilities. The modules are offered in a hybrid teaching format, with some students being physically in the classroom and others attending online. Catering to an extensive range of technical capabilities can be particularly challenging when teaching IT, especially while ensuring students all get a sense of belonging despite physical separation. We have taken several approaches to help everyone feel included.
We will first cover our hybrid teaching setup using several cameras and software to provide a more immersive learning experience. By leveraging these technologies, we aim to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that fosters active participation, a high level of teaching environment awareness, and student engagement. Initial feedback from students has been highly positive, motivating us to refine further and expand our technological initiatives.
We will also discuss how adding a reflective element to coursework can help tackle students' vast differences in technical knowledge and skills at the beginning.
Additionally, we will explore how teaching an IT module for the lifelong learning programme provided invaluable insight into the technical challenges faced by UK students of all ages, particularly mature learners. Through interactions with industry guest speakers on our module, such as the Head of Policy and Communications at the Digital Poverty Alliance, we gained a deeper understanding of national-level issues, particularly digital poverty.
This first-hand experience prompted a purposeful shift in some of our MSc and SH student project proposals towards addressing societal challenges, specifically tackling digital poverty. Through these initiatives, we aim to not only enrich our student's educational experiences but also contribute to meaningful societal change by addressing pressing issues such as digital poverty.
In conclusion, we extend an invitation to fellow educators and researchers who share our passion for addressing the pressing social issue of digital inclusion, where technology, education, and social impact intersect. Towards the end of our talk, we will present possible ways forward and open the floor for suggestions to help address the challenges in evening degree teaching.

Period	8 Jun 2024
Event title	Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship Conference: What Comes Next For Higher Education?
Event type	Conference
Conference number	7
Location	St Andrews, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National