‘Digital wellbeing’ is one of the fast emerging ‘hot topics’ for HE institutions, evident in its new prominence in Jisc’s DigCap (digital capabilities) and the EU’s digital competencies framework (DigComp). Work undertaken by Biggins et al (2017) points to gaps around digital wellbeing and future CPD. Current commercially created resources on digital wellbeing tend to be a series of apps and webpages, (often using images of white, female, middle aged women holding cups of tea (cf https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/course/digital-wellbeing ) that typically (and paradoxically) suggest ways of digital detox, as if disconnection somehow magically produces ‘digital wellbeing’. Such resources typically do not address, what an EU project on wellbeing describes as “peer pressure, cyber-bullying, oversharing of personal information [which] can all cause significant problems, inhibiting a young person’s development as a confident online learner and citizen.” (EU Digital Wellbeing 2019) The question for us then becomes: How do and how should HE providers of digital technologies for enhancing learning address, respond to, and mitigate these problems, and how can we ensure that our digital practices are inclusive and equitable?

1. The mechanics of digital wellbeing in
HE: Beyond Google Garage
Ben Goldsmith, Debbie Holley and Anne Quinney,
Bournemouth University
Contact: bgoldsmith@bournemouth.ac.uk
Photo by Kent Pilcher on Unsplash

2. https://tinyurl.com/vouqlse
EU DigicompJisc Digital Insights
The UK (JISC) and EU
(DigiComp) frameworks have
both been updated to include
digital wellbeing …

3. Image credits:
DIGITAL WELLBEING MAN https://tinyurl.com/s7y46q6
Google Garage https://tinyurl.com/vazxtz4
Uniwellbeing Uniwellbeing https://www.uniwellbeing.com
Images of ‘digital wellbeing’

4. https://www.flowerweb.com/en/article/191194/12-most-beautiful-trees-in-the-world
2. What do staff need
to support our
students in Covid-19?
1. In the chat, identify the
challenges our students can face
in becoming confident online
learners and citizens
Creative Ideas for Wellbeing
3. We will collate your
ideas, identify existing
resources and write an
FMC blog post to share
with you
We are happy to offer an interactive workshop
for staff interested in developing these ideas
further

5. Resources
Biggins, D., Holley, D. and Zezulkova, M., 2017. Digital Competence and Capability Frameworks in Higher Education:
Importance of Life-long Learning, Self-Development and Well-being. EAI Endorsed Transactions on e-Learning, 4 (13).
Digital Wellbeing Educators Promoting the Digital Wellbeing of Students (2019) EU Erasmus Plus available online
https://www.digital-wellbeing.eu/ [accessed 10/11/2019]
EU DigComp 2.0: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens.
jrc101254_digcomp 2.0 the digital competence framework for citizens. update phase 1.pdf
Intro to digital wellbeing: learn how to develop and maintain healthy tech habits Free course from Google Digital
Garage:
https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/course/digital-wellbeing
JISC Digital Wellbeing https://digitalcapability.jisc.ac.uk/what-is-digital-capability/digital-wellbeing/
McKenney, S., and Reeves, T., 2012. Conducting Educational Design Research New York: Routledge
Nordmann E, Horlin C, Hutchison J, Murray J-A, Robson L, Seery MK, and MacKay JRD. 2020
10 simple rules for supporting a temporary online pivot in higher education. PsyArXiv
Preprints. https://psyarxiv.com/qdh25
University of Edinburgh. 23 Things. (Online resource to develop digital skills and awareness)
https://www.23things.ed.ac.uk