Students as digital change agents

This chapter traces the embryology of students as change agents in relation to digital practices, including their experiences of operating in different disciplines and contexts. It outlines benefits, issues and challenges of employing students as digital change agents and proposes a model for implementing cultural change. Mini case studies include first-year students operating as ‘e-champions’ within a university module, the second considers the impact of student-led projects in evaluating and innovating technology provision in a business school and the third examines recruitment to a student-led interdisciplinary research group. The ‘e-champions’ reflect on their experiences of using Facebook at Wolverhampton and consider the impact of their role on peers and staff and on their own social and digital identities. Lessons learnt at Exeter reveal that institutions who embrace the passion, creativity and energy of their most talented students gain positive, tangible and lasting benefits. Reflecting on a novel recruitment process at Greenwich, the student research group were found to be enterprising and dynamic and the mini case study proposes a series of recommendations. Throughout this chapter the experiences and ‘voice’of the students provide unique insights alongside practical guidance to those wishing to employ the concept of student digital change agents within their institution.