A couple of weeks ago I was asked by two lecturers within the business school of the University of the West of Scotland if I could deliver a two day workshop of web media - in particular, help develop their web skills where they could feel comfortable to update and teach basic web design in their e-marketing course. They wanted to be able to prepare students with the ability to not only understand the theory of online marketing - but also to be able to construct websites and use social media during placements or on projects where they would be working with commercial clients (such as local businesses.) 

Essentially I was asked to teach them, not only how to build a website using a content management system, but also how they might teach it to their students. So my workshop was to be treated as a two day career and professional development (CPD) course. Bit a unique case, as I needed to make sure that whatever I did prepare was going to firstly ensure they could actually do what they were to ask the student - and secondly, make sure that the current wave of outsourcing digital media training/research could be nipped in the bud - and we could actually trust that there is people who work for the university that actually have the ability to deliver such courses (and that includes the students!)

For some reason (perhaps it is just the accepted method) there is a real desire to call in somebody from a digital marketing agency - or external company to run training events for lecturers and students in digital media. I've always found this strange, especially when we advertise degree courses in this area - and there are many people who work for the university who could do this sort of stuff in-house. Furthermore, there is no critique. Just training. In the sense that 'by the end of this session, you can tick your CPD social media box and get back to doing things like you were doing before.' Of course, the level in which I'm dealing with can vary. You never know what people know already, or are using already - or are comfortable to use - or the narrative they've picked up from talking about the internet with other people. All are fine, but it makes delivering sessions on social media quite complicated. Especially what you deliver may go on to influence the course delivery and course content. 

Amongst the internet (that's you guys) it's a constant barrage of blog posts and videos and tutorials and opinion and expertise and technical ability - so anything I prepare is trying to unpick that, keep it relevant and up to date - but also aware that a workshop participant only engagement with this may be only those two days they spend on official career development duties. The system they are situated within is not designed to accomodate the constant influx of information outside of the official day job. The system is designed to limit access to those things that 'may not be relevant', may cause 'harm' or make take up 'space'. The system is a self-foreseeing prophecy, maintained and supported by the work force around it. Therefore, I try and emphasis that the time spend listening to me is only the start of rethinking about how you might consider the technology you are using. I can't really say what I really want to say. I feel trapped between expectation and the reality of it all. I resent training courses where one or two ideas are presented as fact - and that is finalised through accreditation. But I also can't intercept the privatisation of 'training' without complying to formats that allow for to be there in the first place. It's frightening that only the big changes or challenges come when investment is made in system, not in the people. 

Nevertheless, it is small steps in intervention. Something more important than developing the web media is the process of debunking the myths of the web. Social media is a trojan horse, something that can used as a spring board to ask biggest questions about large processes. For instance, by showing them posterous- and how a website content can be appear as simply as sending an email, raised questions about those who approach others to manage 'web presences' at a high cost with limited access. Breaking down recent media stories that have focussed on facebook & twitter, I'm able to explain the governance structures and cultural significance of end-user interfaces - where I could have done a step by step description of how to set up a facebook page for business. 

The jury is out - and the outcomes from a workshop from me is going to be very different from a workshop from a commercial web business. I'd like to think that by the end of tomorrow, we'll in a position where they have created a wordpress blog for their forthcoming module in september and together we have updated the module handbook to introduce some pragmatic ideas to encourage students to develop their own web presences (and to ask critical questions about why they might do that). Although not as 'sellable' as say, "social media for business" workshops which have ran in the past, I am concerned that any career development 'training' that I have a part of offers more than simple explaining a bunch of brands at an inflated price. Of course, it is easier to attract interest with the buzzwords, especially when the world is desperately teaming with it, but I can't help but feel that might be more value in being subtly critical about the whole thing. Who knows...

The prezi is below: