Welcome to DICE, where innovation meets education!

Introduction

Prof. Edwina has been teaching Introduction to Psychology for 10 years now. They feel that their course would benefit from some improvements. They would like to introduce digital community engagement (DICE) into their lecture – a practice where students engage with different communities (for example, online groups, people living in the same area, hobby groups) using digital tools. After discussing this with colleagues, the Professor was recommended to use the DICE Accelerator.Prof. Edwina has been teaching Introduction to Psychology for 10 years now. They feel that their course would benefit from some improvements. They would like to introduce digital community engagement (DICE) into their lecture – a practice where students engage with different communities (for example, online groups, people living in the same area, hobby groups) using digital tools. After discussing this with colleagues, the Professor was recommended to use the DICE Accelerator.

Getting Familiar

After entering the Accelerator, they watch the Video Overview and DICE Manual videos to familiarize themselves with this platform. They then enter the Learning Area and start exploring the Value Maps. Once acquainted with the platform, they proceed to explore the six phases of the Accelerator.After entering the Accelerator, they watch the Video Overview and DICE Manual videos to familiarize themselves with this platform. They then enter the Learning Area and start exploring the Value Maps. Once acquainted with the platform, they proceed to explore the six phases of the Accelerator.

Phase I: Value Selection

This phase allows the Professor to clarify what social impact their course should have and, at the same time, what skills to focus on to further enhance this impact. They useThis phase allows the Professor to clarify what social impact their course should have and, at the same time, what skills to focus on to further enhance this impact. They use:

• the Social Impact Value Finder to determine social impact, andthe Social Impact Value Finder to determine social impact, and
• the Student Learning Value Finder to narrow down the student’s skills.the Student Learning Value Finder to narrow down the student’s skills.

Based on their responses, community resilience (social impact) and understanding community issues (student learning) were selected.

Phase II: Learning Objectives

As per usual, they then need to specify the learning objectives of their course, but this time with digital elements. The explanatory video in the Learning Objectives phase will help them out.

Phases III and IV: Methodology and Content Development

The Professor then proceeds to Methodology and Content Development and can explore videos and resources to get some inspiration for their course. Based on the various DICE resources and tools, the Professor decides to include a new assignment in their course in the form of a group project. Students will use online mapping tools to create a map of the current issues of their community. They will use digital tools (such as WhatsApp) to communicate and brainstorm with each other, but also to approach members of the communities. Each group will then try to propose a solution to the community issue, based on what they have learned throughout the semester. It can be a crowdfunding campaign, online consultations provided by students pro bono, or giving access to online lectures for working mothers, etc.

Phase V: Assessment

For the assessment of assignments, they decide to tap into digital solutions again. They choose Miro to show students how they followed their plan, how much they understood the community issues, and how impactful their digital solutions were.

Phase VI: Feedback

To gather feedback on their digital community engagement course, the Professor yet again uses digital feedback mechanisms (such as Moodle or Google Forms) to capture the experiences, challenges, and suggestions regarding the course and digital community engagement projects. Based on the answers, they then implement necessary changes.

SOLUTION to a Digital Community Engagement Course

Students first choose the community they would like to explore – it can be people living in the same neighborhood, people with a similar background (e.g., expats, migrants), people with the same interests (e.g., poetry club), or challenges (mothers trying to return to work after parental leave). Then they engage with the selected communities and identify the issue using digital tools (online mapping, using online tools to communicate with community members). After that, they propose a specific solution that could have a positive impact on the community (e.g., crowdfunding campaign, pro bono online consultations, online lectures for working mothers).