Before the COVID-19 pandemic there was as increasing use of digital media and technologies for learning in HE. Almost all staff engaged in teaching and learning in HE used some form of digital technology. Some of these technologies such as PowerPoint and online learning platforms including Moodle were used extensively, with HE Staff feeling they had a high level of competence. However, the range of digital technologies used was very narrow. Since the pandemic, HE staff have been required to use a much broader range of technologies as they have continued their teaching through blended or online approaches. Now almost all HEI staff are required to use video conference-based classrooms and most will produce voiceovers or video presentations. These changes have been made in an ad-hoc way with limited training and thought about the design and pedagogic implications of the way technology is introduced. In addition, there is pressure to use technologies in ways that were not anticipated by HEIs, with concurrent (e.g. in class teaching that is at the same time streamed to students at home and recorded for others) rather than blended use of approaches being used in prototype forms, as HEIs innovate to meet students’ changing and differing needs. There is a need to expand HE Staff competence in using a wider range of digital media and technologies and the ability to embed them in the design of their programmes so that they have the greatest impact. The PRUDMET project will address the need to support HE Staff in becoming competent in a wider range of digital media and technologies, and to embed them in their teaching and learning programmes. Building on the work of other projects that address digital media competence and using workshops, mentoring, and online video guides, it will develop interventions that support HE Staff. The objectives of the project are to: develop a competency matrix for Digital Media for HE Staff; produce workshops and handbooks for Trainers of HE Staff to support them in training; develop and implement a series of workshops, mentoring, and video guides to train HE Staff on digital media and technologies. Led by the University of Gloucestershire (UK), the project will involve three further Partners from three countries: ISSBS (Slovenia), University of Alicante, (Spain); Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). The PRUDMET Consortium brings together Higher Education Institutions with expertise in the development of workshops on digital media and technologies, mentoring, and course design for HE. The Partners have experience of creating positive outcomes for individuals through building their skills in a range of sectors. Together, they are experts in the development of HEI diagnosis tools, learning materials, and leading learning interventions that facilitate growth, and the project will use workshops, supplemented by mentoring, and video guides. The outputs of the project will have a positive impact on the skills for digital media and technologies held by HE Staff, and will increase the performance of HE Staff and their impact on students, by embedding the outcomes in the day-to-day activities of HEIs. The project adopts a practical approach that will result in HEIs adopting and embedding workshops and outputs in a way that will ensure their impact is sustained. In the long term, the project results will remain available through a publicly accessible website. The project Partners also expect the materials to be reused and modified by HEIs, providing the platform for long term development of digital media and technology competence across HEIs.
This project builds on existing programmes developed through other E+ projects (e.g. DigiVET, CoDiClust & AISAB) to develop workshops, mentoring, and video guide interventions specifically tailored to raising HE Staff competence to help them improve and develop the content and delivery of their programmes. Harnessing the expertise of leaders in the application of digital technologies in HEIs, the project enabled those staff to improve their programmes and enhance the impact of their teaching and learning with technology to the benefit of students in Higher Education Institutions. In delivering on those objectives the project progressed through three stages: creation of a matrix of competences for teaching through technology, trainer support workshops, and development and delivery of a programme of workshops and mentoring for staff working in HEIS.
Since the pandemic, HE Staff have been required to use a much broader range of technologies as they have continued their teaching through blended or online approaches. Now almost all HEI staff are required to use video conference-based classrooms and most will produce voiceovers or video presentations. These changes have been made in an ad-hoc way with limited training and thought about the design and pedagogic implications of the way technology is introduced. In addition, there is pressure to use technologies in ways that were not anticipated by HEIs (JISC, Mar 2020). In addition. during January 2020, a survey covering 4 EU countries with responses from 82 staff and 161 students, led by UOG, was conducted to identify the extent to which HE Staff used and felt confident with specific digital technologies. The results showed that some of the technologies that students found most useful were not available to them. The staff results showed that they did not use digital media and technologies where they lacked competence in their use. There was a need to expand HE Staff competence in using a wider range of digital media and technologies and the ability to embed them in the design of their programmes to ensure impact.