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Getting digital with the next generation

06 April 2017

 

Over 100 young people from schools and colleges across the region visited Teesside University to sample the very latest digital technology offered by the BBC.

The University hosted the BBC’s Digital Taster Day – two days of creative workshops designed to raise students’ aspirations and awareness of the creative digital industry, as well as engage and educate teachers in the latest technologies.

Pupils were able to sample the latest in virtual reality and voice recognition technology, explore the latest digital ideas for reporting news and learn about creating content for social media.

Among the workshops was the BBC Blue Room, a consumer technology lab with an expert demonstration team who showcased new and exciting ways in which audiences are consuming and creating content. They brought along the latest virtual reality gear with new content from the BBC for the pupils to sample.

BBC News Labs provided a fun, interactive workshop programming digital content for BBC News and BBC Academy was on hand to give advice on social media, content and personal branding.

Finally, BBC Make It Digital were inspiring the next generation to get creative with a tool for personality profiling.

A spokesperson for BBC Blue Room said: 'It’s been an inspiring two days meeting students from various schools around the North East. Their enthusiasm, creativity and ideas around digital content and storytelling have been wonderful.'

The King’s Academy in Coulby Newham brought ten pupils along to the Digital Taster Day and the virtual reality technology certainly proved popular.

Matthew Richardson, 14, said: 'The virtual reality was really immersive and overall just a brilliant experience. The whole day has definitely encouraged us to think more about technology.'

It has been a great partnership and the feedback from students and teachers on the whole has been fantastic.

Abbie English, Student Recruitment and Admissions Manager

Bailey Walters, also 14, added: 'The virtual reality was so much fun – it was interesting and enjoyable and I have learnt a lot. It has given me a couple of ideas about what I would like to do in the future.'

Peter Fox, Head of Computer Science at Kings Academy, said: 'All the pupils have really enjoyed themselves and have been given the opportunity to embrace some of the latest digital technology. Coming to the University for an event like this is fantastic and certainly gives the pupils fresh enthusiasm.'

Abbie English, Student Recruitment and Admissions Manager at Teesside University, said: 'We were delighted to welcome the BBC teams to Teesside to inspire our young people and have been really pleased with the response from local schools and colleges who have really embraced this opportunity.

'Our current students and graduates have also been able to get involved in raising young people’s aspirations in relation to careers in the creative and digital sector.

'Our graduates were actively involved in initial focus groups with the BBC to ensure that the Digital Taster Day was planned to meet the demands of what young people need.

'It has been a great partnership and the feedback from students and teachers on the whole has been fantastic.'


 
 
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