The Innovation and Digital Literacies Champions (iChamps) are a network of students from across the University who support the development of skills through the use of technology. They work alongside academic teams on education and research activities as required. The aim is to support the adoption of technology for active learning in the classroom and they focus on online skills to:
Collaborate
Communicate
Develop critical thinking (information literacy)
Citizenship - online safety and security
Create content - using tools on the web

Work with academic teams to support change - specifically the development of digital literacies skills

The iChamps are responsible for developing skills. So their role isn't to be an assistant to an academic but to work alongside as a communicator and facilitator of ideas. The focus is on the relationship between the academic and the student. The role of ILIaD (Fiona Harvey) is to meet with the team and to talk through options to enhance the module and to then support the student in developing their own skills to enable the outcomes to be achieved.

The student does not make decisions about course design.

Part of being an iChamp means that they have a responsibility to demonstrate how they have knowledge and understanding of the issues under which they consult.

To that end each iChamp should attend and eventually (if appropriate) run workshops with Fiona Harvey on a range of digital literacies skills.

All the iChamps should have a profile online that is well managed and demonstrates the principles of digital literacies.

Being an iChamp is a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of being at the University of Southampton in a managed and productive way. Throughout their time as iChamps, students create and manage an online profile using a portfolio tool to evidence their activities. The students work with members of university staff and really become part of the fabric of education development at the University. This genuine partnership is develops highly valued skills for employers, including, creativity, leadership and community engagement.

Having Students as Champions (now we have other champions as well as iChamps) means that the University engages with students in a meaniful and proactive way. Allowing the students to take an active role in their discipline is empowering for the students and the academics and shows how we are really using feedback to best effect. The skills that they develop for themselves and for academic staff means that the use of engaging educational technology is becoming more widespread and relevant.

Our profile is raised as an innovative and engaging University, and builds on existing relationships that we have with our Student Union (SUSU) for engagement and education.

The skills we are interested in developing are essentially:

Collaboration
Connecting (communication)
Citizenship - eSafety, awareness of privacy issues, responsible use of technology and issues around pack behaviour online (trolling, etc)
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Working across platforms to create content

"Digital Literacies are the skills needed to live, learn, work,
collaborate, influence and lead in the virtual and digital world" - Hugh Davis, Director of ILIaD

https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/ab2ebea4-f676-46e2-8f2b-8675cb673226
All of the iChamps take a test to evaluate their own use of technology and their digital literacies compentences.

The idea is to give them the test to identify areas for development.

The test is based on the Digital Literacies Framework from JISC>

iAnnotate
Storify
Evernote
Camscanner
Explain everything
iMovie
Twitter
- Digichamps
-your account

Creative Book Builder
Inspiration
Rebelmouse
Animoto
Linkedin
Skype
Haikudeck
Prezi

Socrative
Nearpod
Book Creator
Scoop.it
Dropbox

Support is through sessions with Fiona Harvey (ILIaD) and via workshops. Fiona is always on hand to meet with and discuss issues around their work. Availability is through social media.

The iChamps have their own blog

www.diglit.soton.ac.uk

Currently being redeveloped.