What is Digital Wellbeing?

WordPress User [urv1] Digital Identity and Wellbeing, LinkedIn Learning, Student Digital Champions Leave a comment

Blog post by Urvashi Verma (Student Digital Champion)

Digital wellbeing, in layman’s terms is the impact of technology on the overall human wellbeing. In more sophisticated terms, it is the capacity to look after personal safety, relationships, health and work-life balance in digital settings. In today’s world, we have become dependant on technology for our every need. While it is a good thing to utilise technology and its efficient utilisation does solve many problems, any kind of misuse or overuse will have consequences. According to some research, our overall wellbeing is impacted with issues of stress, comparison with others and time management. It leads to worsening of mental wellbeing, mainly in the youth aged 15-24. There are higher chances of mental health issues surfacing in the form of, ranging from but not limited to, loneliness, anxiety and depression.

Read More

Training for Staff: Digital Capabilities

Shân Saunders Digital Discovery Tool, Training Leave a comment

Getting started with your digital capabilities!

We’re offering staff training with the Jisc Digital Discovery Tool to help improve your digital skills and capabilities. We will be providing an overview of digital capabilities, working through the Digital Discovery Tool self-assessment and discussing what resources are available to you as well as the importance of digital capabilities for Aberystwyth University staff.

Sessions will be available in Welsh and English on the following dates:

  • 12 October 2022 (14:00 – 14:45): Getting started with your digital capabilities.
  • 18 October 2022 (10:00 – 10:45): Cychwyn arni gyda’ch galluoedd digidol.
  • 20 October 2022 (15:00 – 15:45): Getting started with your digital capabilities.

Please visit the Staff Training Webpage for further details and to register your place. For all enquiries, please contact the Digital Capabilities Team (digi@aber.ac.uk).

Come and visit our LinkedIn Learning stall during Welcome Week!

Laurie Stevenson [las60] LinkedIn Learning, Student Digital Champions Leave a comment

Blog post by Laurie Stevenson (Student Digital Champion)

Banner with Student Digital Champion

LinkedIn Learning, which is a free online learning platform, is available to all students. Our stand has information about the platform and shows examples of the sort of short videos, courses and skills you can find on it.

What’s more, if you sign up to LinkedIn Learning by the end of Welcome Week, either online or by using the QR code on our stand, you will be entered into a raffle where you will have the opportunity to win one of three £20 vouchers!

You will find the stand on the ground floor of the Hugh Owen Library (Level D) at the back near the stairs.

Welcome to our new Student Digital Champions!

WordPress User [sil12] Student Digital Champions Leave a comment

A warm welcome to our new Student Digital Champions who joined the Digital Capabilities Team at the start of September! They will be working with us this semester to encourage students across the university to develop their digital capabilities and to provide valuable insights into what support students want.

Laurie Stevenson (Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences)

“Hello, I am Laurie Stevenson and I study Wildlife Conservation. I am currently undertaking a yearlong research placement focusing on the growth of duckweed as future sustainable protein source and agent for cleaning agriculture wastewaters. My specific interests lie within sustainable and environmental food production and solutions to feed a growing global population under the challenges of global poverty and climate change.

I chose to be a Student Digital Champion because I was looking for something creative to do outside of the lab and I really enjoy creating online content and communicating with other students. I really engaged with and appreciated a lot of the digital content and communication put out by the university in my second year and so I would love to pay that back and make a positive difference to student experiences through this role. I really love Aberystwyth University and I am passionate about helping others to feel the same! In my spare time I enjoy cold-water swimming all year round, I am learning Welsh and I also enjoy road tripping and visiting new places in my car that I have converted into a mini campervan.” 

Read More

Training for Academic Staff: Using LinkedIn Learning to Support your Teaching

Shân Saunders LinkedIn Learning, Training Leave a comment

LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform with an extensive digital library of expert-led courses and short videos. We will be delivering training sessions in October 2022 and January 2023 for academic staff who are interested in using LinkedIn Learning to support their teaching.

Sessions will be available in Welsh and English on the following dates:

  • 11 October 2022 (11:00-12:00): Defnyddio LinkedIn Learning i Gefnogi eich Addysgu
  • 13 October 2022 (14:00-15:00): Using LinkedIn Learning to Support your Teaching
  • 17 January 2023 (12:00-13:00): Using LinkedIn Learning to Support your Teaching
  • 18 January 2023 (14:00-15:00): Defnyddio LinkedIn Learning i Gefnogi eich Addysgu

Please visit the Staff Training Webpage for further details and to register your place. For all enquiries, please contact Sioned Llywelyn, Digital Capabilities Officer (digi@aber.ac.uk).

Develop your Digital Communication Skills

WordPress User [sil12] Digital communication, collaboration and participation, Training Leave a comment

Want to learn how to improve your digital communication skills and especially how to use Instagram to promote your Business or Social Enterprise?

AberPreneurs, part of the University’s Careers Service, are running an exciting online event, Use Instagram for your Business/Social Enterprise – with Kacie Morgan, on 5 September (18:00-19:00). This session will be delivered online on MS Teams.

To book or your place or for any queries, please contact aberpreneurs@aber.ac.uk.

Training for Academic Staff: Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool

WordPress User [sil12] Digital Discovery Tool, Training Leave a comment

The Jisc Digital Discovery Tool will be available to all Foundation Year and First Year students from the start of academic year 2022/23. We will be delivering training sessions in September and October for academic staff who will be supporting their students to review their individual Digital Discovery Tool reports, and facilitating conversations with students about digital capabilities in general.

Sessions will be available in Welsh and English on the following dates:

  • 15 Sep 2022 (11:00-12:00): Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool
  • 15 Sep 2022 (15:00-16:00): Cyflwyniad i’r Offeryn Darganfod Digidol
  • 19 Sep 2022 (10:00-11:00): Cyflwyniad i’r Offeryn Darganfod Digidol
  • 21 Sep 2022 (14:00-15:00): Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool
  • 4 October 2022 (11:00-12:00): Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool
  • 7 October 2022 (14:00-15:00): Cyflwyniad i’r Offeryn Darganfod Digidol

Please visit the Staff Training Webpage for further details and to register your place. For all enquiries, please contact Sioned Llywelyn, Digital Capabilities Officer (digi@aber.ac.uk).

1 August: Deadline for downloading existing Digital Discovery Tool Reports

WordPress User [sil12] Digital Discovery Tool Leave a comment

The current platform for the Digital Discovery Tool is being updated on 1 August 2022. If you have used the Digital Discovery Tool previously and have obtained a report, this must be downloaded before 1 August 2022 if you wish to retain a copy of it. 

Please follow these instructions: How do I access my Digital Discovery Tool report and download it as a PDF file? 

If you have any queries about downloading your report, please contact digi@aber.ac.uk.  

LinkedIn Learning Curator Training in June

WordPress User [sil12] LinkedIn Learning, Training Leave a comment

Are you interested in learning more about becoming a curator in LinkedIn Learning? With curator access, you can upload and arrange content into an intuitive and engaging format, in addition to receiving insights into how your audience is engaging with your content.  

Simon Lee, Senior Customer Success Manager for Higher Education at LinkedIn, will deliver two training sessions for Aberystwyth University staff in June to demonstrate how to make the best use of the curator functionality in LinkedIn Learning. This training has been split into two parts, and staff are welcome to attend either session but are encouraged to attend both.

  • Tuesday 14 June (14:30-15:30) – LinkedIn Learning: Content and Curation (Part 1)* 
  • Tuesday 21 June (10:00-11:00) – LinkedIn Learning: Content and Curation – Learning in discussion (Part 2)*

*Please note that both sessions will be delivered in English. 

Please visit the Staff Training Webpage for further details and to register your place. For all enquiries, please contact Sioned Llywelyn, Digital Capabilities Officer (digi@aber.ac.uk). 

Earth Day 2022: Invest in our Planet

WordPress User [sil12] LinkedIn Learning Leave a comment

Today we are celebrating Earth Day, and this year’s theme is #InvestInOurPlanet.

We as individuals can invest our time and effort into learning more about sustainability and the changes that we can make to our daily habits to live a more sustainable life. Remember, small changes can make a big difference to our planet.

Here is a selection of videos and courses taken from LinkedIn Learning which explain more about sustainability and the increase in demand for green skills.

  1. Understanding the basics of sustainability (4m 20s) 
  2. Calculating your carbon footprint (2m 48s)
  3. Explore the lifecycle of things (3m 3s)
  4. Sustainability Strategies (56m)
  5. Navigating Environmental Sustainability: A Guide for Leaders (16m 57s)
  6. What are green skills (2m 43s)
  7. Closing the green skills gap to power a greener economy (23m)
  8. Smart Cities: Solving urban problems using technology (14m)

We have also created a campaign on LinkedIn Learning for Earth Day and you can access this from the main LinkedIn Learning dashboard.