Level up and become a digital superhero

Description

The archetypical journey of the hero follows a similar pattern, the character begins as a naïve innocent, unaware of their potential for greatness. They embark on an important quest, during which they grow and develop their abilities and powers, gathering a band of colleagues and a wise mentor who helps guide them in their journey. They overcome a series of obstacles and carry out a series of complex and challenging tasks, until they finally confront the main enemy, who they defeat as a result of the transformation they have undergone and finally become a superhero. The digital student often undergoes a similar process, where they have to develop their skills and understanding of the potential of the digital realm, which can often appear threatening and problematic.

Timetable

The workshop will involve an interactive presentation and individual and group activities that will explore a variety of strategies of skill and personal development such as levelling up, greasing the groove, the grind, the ten thousand hour rule, and the white belt mentality, as well as experiment with several personal assessment tools including performance wheels and strength and weakness matrices.

Interaction

This workshop will collaboratively explore a range of learning strategies used on the innovative practice based Masters course on Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, and in work with PhD students and early career researchers at the University of the Arts London. It draws on a variety of approaches drawn from computer role playing gaming, experiential learning, Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of the psychology of flow (1990), sports coaching, performance management and personal development to break down the process of learning and developing new skills and refining and improving existing ones. The workshop emphasises how to assess current levels of ability, identify strengths and weaknesses, and then close ability gaps that limit performance. The approach is based around combining a community of practice approach with the concepts of flow states to provide a deep learning experience that is eclectic yet robust.

Takeaway

The workshop emphasises how to assess current levels of ability, identify strengths and weaknesses, and then close ability gaps that limit performance. The approach is based around combining a community of practice approach with the concepts of flow states to provide a deep learning experience that is eclectic yet robust.

Outcomes

The workshop has been given at other events and is a continuous work in progress so it will be adapted in light of this session for future presentations