Digital Capability is often described as the skills, knowledge and attitude required to work and live in an increasingly digital world, but what does that actually mean? Although the ability to do things using digital tools is an important part of it, it’s equally important to focus on being prepared for the kinds of things you’ll be doing in 5, 10, 15 year’s time. So this means that it is important for everyone, whether you are comfortable and confident using technology or not.

We know it’s a challenge, each of our digital and sets of experience are unique, for some it’s easier to think this way than for others, but as it is so important for us as individuals and the university as a whole, LEAD have created an online Digital Capability course for all staff, regardless of role. The course covers topics that provide both a good foundation of knowledge to build on, as well as skills that you can put to use immediately, and is designed to be approachable and suitable for all. It can be treated as a course to undertake at your own pace or as a resource of materials to refer to as necessary. There are also quizzes to check your understanding, with your results being entirely private (though you can collect digital badges to evidence your understanding should you wish).

The nature of Digital Capability and the speed of change means that the course isn’t intended to be comprehensive or be the end point in your development in this area. Instead, it is intended to help get you to the point where you are comfortable in exploring your own digital practice and investigating how new and existing technologies might benefit your work and life.

You can find the course by logging into Blackboard through MyHallam and clicking on the ‘DIGITAL ESSENTIALS – DIGITAL CAPABILITY COURSE FOR STAFF‘ link in the list of modules to the left of the page. The following video provides an overview of what to expect on the course and shows how to access it:

In addition, if your confidence regarding digital technology is so low that you feel the need for some facilitated guidance to get you started, we are also running 2 courses in late February and through March. As with the online course, these are also intended for all staff, both academic and professional services.