My first week as an open content curator intern -Alysha
Hello, I am Alysha, one of two Open Content Curator Interns for the summer of 2021! I have just finished my fourth year studying Geography with Social Anthropology where I studied a broad range of topics focused around all things people and their interactions with the world. I am eager to get started uploading content as Open Educational Resources for more people to enjoy and I am loving looking through the stuff we will be putting on the website, learning about areas outside of my degree subject.
I have just completed my first week of the internship, which has been mainly focused on training to familiarise myself with the University’s digital content policies. Learning about the digital customs the University uses has been really interesting (although it might not sound like it!). Particularly how we can create content that is engaging and accessible for all. I have also been looking at copyright, which has been fascinating, especially having discussions with my team about examples like: Are University reading lists copyright protected? Spoiler: yes. In my eyes the theme for my first week has been seeing behind the slick student experience of university, getting to know the huge amount of work that lecturers but also a whole variety of other staff put into things as students we routinely use and don’t often think about. I am not particularly technically skilled with computers so it has been really interesting to find out more about how the University works online in a way I can understand without knowing anything about coding.
From this internship I want to gain skills in putting content online, specifically by making knowledge accessible through using simple words that anyone can understand. I also want to get more experience in communications, so understanding how we can get people to use to content we are going to upload!
I am really enjoying getting to know the team I am working in and the other intern for OER Amy as well as connecting with the other interns online! It has been great, even this early on, to work for the University with their depth of experience and the expertise of the team I am working within. They have been really helpful in answering all my questions and even working from home I have been made to truly feel part of the team. I can’t wait for you all to enjoy our resources when they’re uploaded!