Charting the evolution of the Student Digital Champions at the University of Plymouth

Abstract

The University of Plymouth Digital Education team supports staff and student partnerships through the employment of student workers who act as Student Digital Champions. During the evolution of the SDC programme, it has helped to complement our community of peer support services and continues to improve the digital wellbeing of our campus by working in partnership with existing student facing staff support teams. The student workers act as advocates for the development of their peers' digital skills, as well as informing Digital Education and the wider University on how to optimise emerging technologies and digital trends for greater student engagement. The SDCs themselves are also regularly members of strategic projects and genuinely seen as partners in the wider work of the Academic Development department.

This case study aims to reflect upon the successes and growth of the SDC programme, charting its journey from the 2020 academic year to now, in 2023. The study will explore how the creation of a Senior student worker role has enabled an element of self-management, where the peer-support scheme is now largely student led and is continually fielding requests from across the institution for its service.