{"id":9816,"date":"2024-02-08T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/?p=9816"},"modified":"2024-02-07T23:56:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T23:56:41","slug":"digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Superpowers: A Tale of Tech Guardians and Code Suppressors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>by Rachael Thomas, Learning Technologist, University of Sussex<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-02-08-Digital-Superpowers-_-Educational-Enhancement.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-100x75.png 100w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-150x113.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-200x150.png 200w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-450x338.png 450w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-600x450.png 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes-900x675.png 900w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2024\/02\/2024-01-26-Rachael-blog-DRAFT-Digital-Skills-Superheroes.png 1666w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the heart of Sussex something extraordinary is happening. A few times each term a unique assembly occurs. Learning technologists and digital team members from various educational establishments across the region gather not just to meet but to embark on a mission. Their quest? To harness technology&#8217;s full potential in supporting teaching and learning in higher education.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a recent Christmas meetup hosted by Brighton Metropolitan College, I had the privilege of leading a discussion unlike any other. Our topic: how to elevate digital skills among academic staff. In the dynamic landscape of higher education this isn&#8217;t merely a nice-to-have. It&#8217;s the lifeline of modern academia, ensuring its vibrancy and relevance in the digital age. As online and blended learning become more prevalent, mastering digital skills is akin to wielding a compass in uncharted territories.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>Mastering digital tools is akin<br>to wielding a compass in uncharted territories<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than opting for the usual panel discussion, I decided to add a twist. Imagine a world where digital skills are the beacon of progress and empowerment, now threatened by a sinister plot. <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/lfuzO0hgCZA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enter our narrative<\/a>: The Code Suppressors, supervillains whose diabolical plan involves eradicating digital literacy, leaving humanity at their mercy through a device called the Mind Matrix Inhibitor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Opposing them are the Tech Guardians: superheroes with unique digital skill superpowers, embarking on a quest to reverse the Inhibitors&#8217; effects. The fate of humanity lies in this epic struggle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the group gathered, each participant chose a superhero mask. Those donning red, yellow, or white masks became Tech Guardians; the rest, adorned in black, green, blue, or pink, transformed into Code Suppressors. Each team had 15 minutes to identify their superpowers &#8211; for the Tech Guardians, it meant skills, tools, and knowledge to develop digital skills; for the Code Suppressors, it involved identifying barriers to digital skills enhancement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Tech Guardians boasted powers like the Digital Accessibility Wand and the Cloak of Simplicity, which grants its wearer the ability to craft simple, easy-to-understand instructions. They also wielded the Good Practice Generator, inspiring others with effective use cases.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the Code Suppressors had their own arsenal: The Lurgy Laser inducing staff illness, the Time-sucker Black Hole representing the ever-present challenge of insufficient time, and The Habitual Cyclone, symbolising resistance to change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>What ensued was an epic battle&#8230;<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What ensued was an epic battle. Each time the Code Suppressors attacked with a barrier, the Tech Guardians countered with a digital skill solution. Of course, this interactive duel wasn&#8217;t just about winning; it was a creative way to foster discussion, share experiences and seek solutions collaboratively to enhance digital skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through this engaging and imaginative approach, we not only identified strategies to overcome common obstacles but also realised that we were all facing similar challenges. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants found it a fun and engaging way to promote discussion, felt more connected to the community, and left with actionable suggestions to enhance digital skills in their respective institutions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, our gathering was more than just a meeting; it was a vivid illustration of how creativity and collaboration can make the journey of learning and adapting to new technologies in higher education not just <em>necessary<\/em>, but exciting and deeply rewarding too. As we continue to navigate the evolving digital landscape of higher education, let&#8217;s remember the lessons learned from our superhero journey: with the right mindset, tools, and collaborative spirit, we can transform challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you would like support to improve your Digital Skills, please contact <a href=\"mailto:EducationalEnhancement@sussex.ac.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EducationalEnhancement@sussex.ac.uk<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>We acknowledge the use of ChatGPT https:\/\/chat.openai.com\/ on 26\/01\/2024 to generate materials that were included in this post in modified form. The prompts used include expanding and enhancing provided text. The output from these prompts was used to improve the language of the article.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-twitter-9816\" class=\"share-twitter sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Twitter\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-9816\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-tumblr sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=tumblr\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Tumblr\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to print (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-pinterest-9816\" class=\"share-pinterest sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=pinterest\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pinterest\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pocket\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-pocket sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=pocket\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pocket\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Rachael Thomas, Learning Technologist, University of Sussex In the heart of Sussex something extraordinary is happening. A few times each term a unique assembly occurs. Learning technologists and digital team members from various educational establishments across the region gather<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-twitter-9816\" class=\"share-twitter sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Twitter\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-9816\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-tumblr sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=tumblr\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Tumblr\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to print (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-pinterest-9816\" class=\"share-pinterest sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=pinterest\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pinterest\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pocket\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-pocket sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2024\/02\/08\/digital-superpowers-a-tale-of-tech-guardians-and-code-suppressors\/?share=pocket\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pocket\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":389,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[153438,193241,157016],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4IWEK-2yk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9277,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/09\/06\/educational-enhancement-ee-a-fresh-start-for-tel\/","url_meta":{"origin":9816,"position":0},"title":"Educational Enhancement (EE): a fresh start for TEL","date":"6th September 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Members of EE at a workshop. To better reflect the activities of our department, Technology Enhanced Learning has been renamed Educational Enhancement (EE). In recent years the team, which was originally focussed on Learning Technologies, has grown to also include Academic Development and Online Distance Learning. What does Educational Enhancement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology Enhanced Learning&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/09\/MicrosoftTeams-image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10417,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2026\/03\/01\/spotlight-on-ai-in-education-january-and-february-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":9816,"position":1},"title":"Spotlight on AI in Education: January and February 2026","date":"1st March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to this Spotlight on AI in Education bulletin. 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AI Generated ImageImage generated by HM\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AI&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"AI Generated Image of a small robot walking between clumps of snowdrops.","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5028,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2016\/10\/18\/learn-learning-technology-sussex\/","url_meta":{"origin":9816,"position":2},"title":"Learn about Learning Technology at Sussex","date":"18th October 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning and sharing information with others is an effective way to contribute and further personal and collective knowledge in any given field of study. 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The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology Enhanced Learning&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":608,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2014\/08\/19\/digital-interactive-and-inclusive\/","url_meta":{"origin":9816,"position":4},"title":"Digital, interactive and inclusive?","date":"19th August 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Digital media and associated technologies afford many new opportunities to enhance and innovate in teaching and similarly to support and enrich student learning. Used positively, these technologies can facilitate interaction and active engagement (both within the classroom and beyond), and support the development of learner\u2019s reflective and self-regulatory capabilities. Digital\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology Enhanced Learning&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2014\/08\/Image-for-MELSIG-300x224.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10387,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2025\/12\/17\/spotlight-on-ai-in-education-december-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":9816,"position":5},"title":"Spotlight on AI in Education: December 2025","date":"17th December 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"December 2025 round-up of AI events and news and upcoming events.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AI&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2025\/12\/Firefly_some-robots-at-a-christmas-office-party-eating-a-mince-pie-with-their-work-friends-360717.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9816"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9816"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9820,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9816\/revisions\/9820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}