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What do you think HE will be like?
What do you think Higher Education will be like, in terms of digital skills? We ask some future HE students for their views.
What do you think Higher Education will be like? We hear from some future HE students Ava-Lily David Siân and Mia What digital skills are you using now? I’ve gotten quite used to learning online and using technology over the past year as school has been almost all online. Using things like Google Drive and Google Docs to help write my essays, but also to centralise my notes and anything else I decide to write alongside PowerPoint and other programmes like that to make presentations whenever I need to. For technology, I’ll definitely be using my computer the most. That’s where I do all my work currently, and it will be the same.
I’ve been using Google Docs and other Google applications like Google Slides and Google Classroom and we used those before we went into home learning. What digital skills do you think you’ll need? Knowing how to use the different video conferencing software. And also, knowing how to do online presentations as I think I’ll probably be having to do a lot of presentations to tutors and other students too. I’d also need to know how to make notes electronically and also how to use shared documents and folders because I’ll probably be needing to do a lot of group work with other students. Being able to adjust well to using new technological software, such as Excel or Microsoft Word.
I’m using emails far more as a means of communication with my teachers and people I need to get in contact with, and I think it would be a really useful skill to have to know with which tone you approach different members of staff at the university. I think I’ll need a laptop or some sort of PC, but I’m quite lucky that I already have one. I’ve been using my own laptop throughout this pandemic and home learning, so that’s been easy. Do you have any concerns? So my worry is that they’ll set me tasks on a platform that I’ve not seen before, and I won’t know how to use it.
One question that I do have, would be, I’d want to know what are the best ways to make concise notes electronically? Perhaps, are there any apps that would allow me to make sure that my notes are organised? As I’m hoping to study Philosophy at university, I don’t know whether there are any subject-specific or quite niche programmes that I need to use to help with my degree. Time management is very important - being able to balance a lot of things on your plate. That’s the most important thing for “uni” - university because you get assigned a lot of things, and it’s going to be overwhelming. I’m just worried about the transition. It’s going to be a really big change.
In our video, we asked some future HE students for their views. Now, you have a chance to share yours.
Discussion point:
What do you expect your life as an HE/university student to be like on a day-to-day basis?
Start by thinking about things like:
- How will you attend classes/lectures?
- How will you interact with other students?
- How will you interact with teaching staff?
- How will you access learning materials?
- Where will you revise and study?
Also, think about:
- How were these things done in the 20th century? How different is it today?
- How much will your devices and computers be a part of your life as a student?
- How might your Higher Education experience differ from your previous educational experience?
Choose one or two of these ideas and write your post in the space below.
Then read what other students have said and have a conversation.
This article is from the online course:
Digital Skills Awareness for Starting Higher Education
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This article is from the free online
Digital Skills Awareness for Starting Higher Education
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