Tag Archives: workshops

Linking higher education skills to everyday life through the ‘Fake or Real News?’ workshop 

Anna Hetherton, Access Officer for the Adult and Community strand of Birkbeck’s Access and Engagement department, shares details of the ‘Fake or Real News?’ Digital Information Skills Workshop that Access and Engagement have developed 

As the Adult & Community team in the Access and Engagement department of Birkbeck, it is our role to foster relationships with community partners and adult learning groups to provide relevant and fulfilling learning opportunities to those in the boroughs of Camden and Newham. By collaborating closely with these partners, we are able to combine key priorities of residents to create a useful and novel outreach project. 

A common theme identified across the adult learning sector was the number of adults who had been digitally upskilled, out of necessity, over the lockdown period. Many people were using smart phones and the internet for longer periods of time and in a different way than they had expected. Although many organisations had successfully stepped up to support people by providing technology and tutorials, there was still a gap in learning how to navigate information once people gained access to the online world.  

As the public moved life online, so did scammers, news outlets, retailers and businesses. With the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine there was an influx of information sharing, news, and of course – fake news. Partners identified that low vaccine uptake was a key priority within both target boroughs and was directly impacted by fake news.  

In response, the ‘Fake or Real News’ workshops were created. These workshops are light touch, drop-in sessions that address these themes, relate higher education to everyday life and give people tangible tools to help them navigate information online.  

A screenshot of a virtual meeting showing a slide asking the question 'Where do we get information from'

Participants discuss where we receive information in an online session.

 The importance of conversation
As with all our work, we take a holistic, strengths-based approach. The session does not aim to “give” participants a skill they are lacking, but to bring focus to a skill they use every day and give that skill recognition and a space to put it into practice.  

Using real life case studies and videos, participants practice the tangible steps to analysing a piece of information outlined the workshop. This always brings about thought provoking and fruitful discussions. Since September, we have run this workshop over ten times for different audiences, and no two discussions have been the same. Participants bring stories from their own lives to the table – perhaps a scam they came across or two conflicting articles on their newsfeed. This process sees participants complicate the world of online information, cultivating nuance. Personal anecdotes are valued and woven into the discussion as evidence and a key part of the workshop, showing attendees they are already critical thinkers. Even shy participants become involved with interactive elements like a quiz involving an online dating orangutan. As the workshop evolves, we have found new ways to spark conversation and debate in these sessions. 

A table on which lots of paper is spread. People sit around the table.

Is this misinformation or disinformation? Participants explore the different types of fake news.

One activity uses real life case studies of fake news and challenges the participants to think about the intention and impact of the pieces. Did they mean to cause harm? Were they trying to sell us something? The debate and the conflicting opinions urge participants to inadvertently think critically, challenge their own perceptions and put across their opinions in a logical structured way. 

Realising classroom skills
Ultimately, the goal of the Access and Engagement team is to break down the barriers people face to higher education. Through our Fake or Real News? workshops participants: 

  • Realise and practice their critical thinking skills 
  • Increase confidence in a classroom setting and group discussion 
  • Witness how lived experience belongs in classrooms, and in turn understand that learning is for everyone 
  • Consider next steps in learning and skill development 
  • (In some cases) engage with an online learning environment 
Four workshop participants smiling and holding their certificates of completion.

Participants receive their certificate of completion at the end of a workshop in Newham. 

During one workshop, a participant looked at the opening slides and stated, “I think this might be a bit beyond me”. They approached the content cautiously, but once the conversations and activities began, they realised that they could engage thoroughly, because their own experience and skillset was everything they needed. It is this shift in mindset that these workshops aim to achieve. By the end, this same participant said “brilliant… everyone should do this”. 

 

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How to fulfil your academic potential at Birkbeck

With the 2022-23 academic year commencing in October, Dr Deborah Grange, Learning Development Manager, highlights a range of study skills services available to all students.

At Birkbeck, we do everything we can to assist our students in fulfilling their academic potential. We are here to support students with various channels of study skills support and assistance, including live workshops, extensive online resources and 24/7 academic writing support 365 days a year.

24/7 academic writing and study skills support

We were one of the first universities in the UK to adopt a 24/7 service to assist students with academic writing, and we remain pioneers in this area. All undergraduate students and those who are on MA or MSc programmes can upload their assignment drafts to our Studiosity service and receive feedback within 24 hours in terms of the grammar, punctuation, spelling, structure, and academic referencing. Some of our students have not written formal academic English for a long time so this service has proved to be remarkably successful, with 96% rating it 4 out of 5 or above.

We also have an extensive range of online resources, including interactive activities, handouts and videos. We know that Birkbeck students tend to be juggling other time commitments, so we have designed our online resources in such a way that they can benefit, whether they have five minutes or an hour to spare.

Live workshops

Throughout the academic year, live workshops run every week on topics like essay and assignment writing, critical thinking for university, and exam revision. All workshops are free, and students can sign up for as many as they wish. Recordings of workshops are available if they are running at a time that isn’t convenient. Student feedback from the last month includes:

“Having access to a tutor who really understands the process and can answer questions immediately was brilliant. It was also good to see other students have the same problems as me.”

“Finally, it all makes sense! I have never attended a workshop so comprehensive before – it has really helped me understand the nuances of different dissertation and writing styles, and the expectations.”

Have your skills in place for the start of the academic year

Our intensive series of live online workshops – ‘Get Ahead Stay Ahead’ – run throughout September so that students are primed to engage with their courses right from the start of the academic year. Workshops run every Monday to Thursday evening, lunchtimes throughout the week, and on Saturdays. Topics cover key academic skills like notetaking for lectures and academic reading; academic writing conventions; and apps and software for study. All workshops are offered completely free of charge. Sign up for as many as you like via our Events page.

Support for neurodiversity

Some of our study skills staff have additional qualifications and specialisms, such as working with students who have dyslexia and inclusive technologies. We also offer live workshops and resources on time management, organisation, and the development and support of concentration skills.

Further information

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