Abstract
Notions of a digital future frame this chapter, and from this starting point the affordances of technology in a higher education environment are discussed. The tensions that limit or constrain technologies and their possible leverage for beneficial student outcomes are signposted through the lens of inequality, constraints and the student voice. The vital role that Learning Developers (LD) have in influencing the actualisation of the affordances and negating or minimising the potential challenges by using their knowledge, skills and behaviour forms the central tenet of the work. We argue Learning Developers populate a hybridity of spaces in universities, and draw across professional and academic staff in developing emancipatory practice to inform and enhance the student experience. By drawing upon and sharing best practices, they can be termed third space professionals and colonise these third spaces with fluidity and flexibility, and (co)-create new spaces and places to engage with students. Thus, LDs have a pivotal role to play in realising the affordances of technology.
Key words: Socio-digital inequity, Socio-digital inequity, digital futures, co-creation, third space
Holley, D and Biggins, D (2023) Empowering and enabling: leveraging technology for a student-centred future(chapter 9) in Syska, A and BuckleyC (eds) How to be a Learning Developer in Higher Education: Critical perspectives, community and practice Routledge
Book information
Find out more from these podcasts:
Kate Coulson discusses impact in Chapter 23. How do we know that what we do makes a difference, and why is it so important?
Carina Buckley talks all things leadership in Chapter 22. What does it look like in LD, and how can you develop as a leader?
Helen Webster places LD in its sectoral context in Chapter 25, and encourages us to raise the profile of LD.
Publication Information
Filled with practical guidance for those working in and interested in the emergent field of Learning Development, this must-read book encapsulates what it means to be a Learning Developer and how to thrive in this role.
With carefully constructed contributions which explore different aspects of the role, this edited collection is comprehensive in its approach. Alongside practical advice, it is underpinned by theoretical and epistemological insights to provide a bridge between theory and practice.
Organised into five key parts, it is arranged in a way that reflects the journey that practitioners take into and through Learning Development, from their initiation into the field, through professional development, to becoming an established expert. It covers key topics such as:
the basic principles of working in Learning Development
the theoretical and practical foundations of the field
how to engage more critically with the role
how to become an active contributor to the field through research and publication
the as-yet unrealised possibilities of Learning Development
Capturing a diverse array of voices, experiences, and perspectives, this book is an essential guide for both new and established practitioners concerned with student Learning and Development.
Chapters 15 and 21 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.
Link to discounted price for book launch here:
------------------------------------------------
Debbie Holley PhD FRSA PFHEA NTF
UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor
Senior CMALT
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Comments