Key Finding from the 'Changing the Learning Landscape' - Online Identities Project

• There is a need for more information on how to build your own website. The communities felt they needed more information on subjects such as coding, HTML, buying your domain name, google analytics, online etiquette, website building software.

•  The communities felt that information about how to establish your online identity, in relation to both your student work and your work as a professional was needed from the first year of your course, and should be integrated throughout your time at university. 

• More industry input was needed, so that students knew what was expected of their online presence. It was also felt that this should be discipline specific. 

• The communities felt they would like a mix of both face-to-face tutorials and online forums. The face-to-face tutorials may a drop in facilitate where you can explore issues that may have arisen or presence online platforms you have developed. Online forums could take the form of videos or webinars that are available 24/7 to help students, staff and graduates to set up their online presence, help with any issues that arise doing so, and develop their skills. 

• The communities also felt that more staff awareness and knowledge was needed on online identities and professional presence. It was felt that if the staff had a strong and comprehensive knowledge online professional identities and how to set yourself up as a professional online, then they would be able to pass this information onto the students, and tailor their courses to have more integration of online issues. 

•  Industry and discipline specific learning is important, as the different creative industries across UAL have such different expectations and ethos’.

Key findings from specific communities:

CCW ON POINT:

• Interconnectivity between college projects through online forums would help build a more comprehensive UAL community and aid in collaborations.

• Understanding of copyright relating to social media is needed for students, especially as this is the most commonly used online tool

• Panel events and hubs for discussion would aid students to learn and develop their online professional presence.

CSM: Press Play

• Students feel that the online world is inaccessible

•  Facebook is a key forum for discussion and networking, so more training in social media would be helpful

• Discipline specific information relating to online identifies is vital. This could relate to the staff awareness point above, by combine tutors vast knowledge of their subject with a comprehensive knowledge of the online world and how to establish oneself as a online professional , you would be able to create integrated and personable hubs of knowledge for students. 

LCF SENCE

•  It was felt by the community that it was important to set up an online platform, but there was a general fear of doing it wrong, or not in keeping with the industry standard for their specific course (as above this could be aided by discipline specific information)

• The community was unsure what platforms were best to use to set themselves up online.

LCC COPYourself

•  Activities to build social and team skill online would aid students and staff to set up an online community of practice. 

•  Projects linked to external companies involving an online network or presence would be useful in order to establish how to develop you online identity in relation to your industry.

Statics:

The total face-to-face ‘changing the learning landscape’ online identities community was 29 students and staff across UAL, with an additional 112 participants taking part in the online environment. 

Community meeting attendees:

CSM: Press Play; 4

CCW ON POINT: 14

LCF SENCE: 7

LCC COPYouself: 4

Online Participants:

CSM: Press Play: 25

CCW ON POINT: 43

LCF SENCE: 11

LCC COPYourself: 33