1. Expanding DigiLink through Mobile Social Media, NT228 Henk Huijser (Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education) and Alicia Boyle (The Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University) Melbourne, 30th May 2013

2. The initial plan…: Build on an earlier successful project called DigiLink (in Maningrida and Alice Springs) Integrate social media tools to share videos and photo stories with families and communities Specific cohort of CDEP students in Alice Springs

3. What really happened…: DigiLink only part of the overall project Links established to other projects that make innovative use of mobile tools (in particular iPads) and social media tools 4-6 projects in total

4. Qualification/CourseDelivery Location Faciltator Tools/Media Used Certificate I, II & III in Conservation Land Management Wadeye & Batchelor Jaemie Page iPads (in particular iMovie), YouTube Workshop on the use of iPadsAlice Springs Jaemie Page iPads (in particular iMovie) Certificate 1 Education and Skills Development 2 different groups Alice Springs Kirsty Robinson and Emily Hayes iPads (in particular iMovie & iAnimate); Facebook; Tumblr Certificate II, III & IV in Screen and Media; Diploma in Screen and Media Batchelor and Coen (QLD) Karen Borger and Lyn Hope iPads (in particular Garageband and iMovie); Vimeo, Facebook Projects

5. Project spaces

6. https://vimeo.com/66871673

7. Project outputs 1.Wordpress site (with full length interviews ) http://expandingdigilink.wordpress.com/ 2.Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Expanding-Digilink-Project/307868042679984?fref=ts 2.Wiki page 3.Detailed report

8. What have we learned…? (key points): Mobile media (especially tactile media like iPads) engage Indigenous learners (our target group) – especially the pre-vocational cohort, where the emphasis is on ‘learning to learn’ Use of iPads (and a variety of apps) removes the emphasis on English literacy, and by extension the ‘deficit’ approach… BUT…literacy and numeracy can be incorporated

9. What have we learned…? (key points), continued: Mobile and Social media together – fit with Indigenous approaches to learning: experiential (learning ‘in context’ and ‘on location’), constructivist, social (‘group work’ & sharing learning ‘products’ with family and community) Social media are already widely used by many Indigenous learners – familiarity with ‘learning spaces’ and direct links to existing networks (as opposed to a ‘formal’ LMS) Mobile media (in particular iPads) are very intuitive, but…let them play, don’t make it too formal.

10. Contact information: For further information about this business activity, please contact the Business Manager: Adam West Phone: (02) 9244 5509 Mobile: 0439 486635 Email: adam.west@det.nsw.edu.auadam.west@det.nsw.edu.au Website: flexiblelearning.net.au For further information on the National VET E-learning Strategy, please contact the FLAG Secretariat: Phone: (03) 9954 2700 Email: flag_enquiries@natese.gov.au Website: flexiblelearning.net.au

11. This project was made possible through funding from the 2012- 2015 National VET E-learning Strategy (‘the Strategy’). The Strategy is a joint initiative of the Australian and state and territory governments aimed at strengthening the Australian training sector’s use of new learning technologies; stimulating innovative approaches to increasing participation in training and employment, and improving the skill levels of the Australian workforce (http://flexiblelearning.net.au).http://flexiblelearning.net.au