Training and Events

Use the Digital Skills Framework to Identify Learning Needs

Digital identity and wellbeing form one of the six digital capabilities that make up the University’s Digital Skills Framework. The framework is a tool to help you evaluate your current levels of digital capability, reflect on your development needs, plan your development path and find resources to help you develop your skills. It can be used by all staff and students at the University including learners, teachers, researchers and professional services staff.

Digital Skills Framework

The framework includes access to the Jisc Digital Discovery Tool, an online self-assessment questionnaire that helps you evaluate and reflect on your digital capabilities, including digital wellbeing, by identifying strengths and areas for development. Using this tool will also help you identify the gaps in your digital skillset that might leave you vulnerable to digital safety threats.

University of Edinburgh Training You Can Take

How to Protect Against Scams and Fraud

This short video is uploaded as part of the "How to" videos created to help you get started at University in 2024. It will give you a quick overview of common scams and frauds affecting university students, and how you can protect yourself. The video covers the common techniques used by fraudsters, what do you if you have been the victim of a scam, and where to seek support at the university.

How to Protect Against Scams and Fraud

Digital Identity 101

An introduction to the construction of a safe and authentic digital identity at the intersection of digital safety, wellbeing and citizenship. This 45-minute webinar covers the importance of authenticity and integrity in digital self-presentation, the ethical considerations of digital self-expression, safe and respectful online spaces, and managing digital footprints and personal information to protect privacy and reduce vulnerabilities.

Digital Identity 101: Student Booking

Digital Identity 101: Staff Booking

Information Security Training

The University's Information Security team frequently host awareness sessions open to all students and staff. You can find the complete schedule, including session descriptions and dates, at the link below.

Information Security Awareness Sessions Schedule

Training materials, from Information Security Essentials to secure coding and more, take you through the necessary steps for protecting your own data and safeguarding yourself against online threats. 

Training

23 Things

23 Things is a self-directed University of Edinburgh course that familiarises you with modern online technologies. The following "Things" specifically highlight Digital Safety, Wellbeing and Citizenship. You can do these modules independently, though we recommend completing the full course.

You can register for this course in Learn Ultra by emailing the Open Educational Resources team (opens in a new window)

23 Things - Thing 3: Digital Footprint

23 Things - Thing 4: Digital Safety

23 Things - Thing 7: Digital Citizenship

23 Things - Thing 19: AI and Ethical Considerations in Education

23 Things - Thing 20: Digital Wellbeing

Data Protection Training

Under the University's Data Protection Policy, all staff have responsibility for data protection compliance in their day-to-day work. This course, provided by the University's Data Protection Officer, is compulsory for all University staff and highly recommended for students.

Data Protection Training and Events

MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) You Can Take

The following MOOCs are available through the University’s web partners, Coursera and FutureLearn.

Digital Footprint

If somebody Googled you, what would they find? This course, developed by the University’s Institute for Academic Development, gives you the opportunity to explore and reflect on your own online tracks and traces and to understand why your digital footprint is important. 

Managing Your Digital Footprint (Coursera)

Digital Wellbeing

Developed by the University of York, this MOOC explores the ways digital technologies affect our wellbeing through the concepts of health, relationships and society in the digital age.

Digital Wellbeing (FutureLearn)

Digital Tools and Well-being

Part of the Digital Intelligence for Everyone Specialisation developed by Arizona State University, this course brings together the tools, knowledge and strategies of technological health, followed by hands-on application.

Digital Tools and Well-being (Coursera)

Becoming a Digital Citizen

Developed by the University of York, this MOOC enables you to become a more informed digital citizen and engage with debate about what is appropriate in the modern world of social media.

Becoming a Digital Citizen: An Introduction to Digital Society (FutureLearn)

Ethical Social Media

This course is developed by the University of Sydney and offers a deeper exploration of online identity, social media communities and their users.

Ethical Social Media (Coursera)

Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens

This is a six-week course from the University of Hong Kong, to help learners develop their critical thinking skills to enable them to better identify reliable information.

Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens (Coursera)

LinkedIn Learning Courses You Can Take

The following courses are available through LinkedIn Learning, which is available free for all students and staff at the University.

For information on how to create an account, please visit our LinkedIn Learning page below.

LinkedIn Learning Guidance (Digital Skills and Training)

Cybersecurity Awareness: Protect Your Privacy

This course covers techniques to make it harder for bad actors to find and use your personal information against you.

Protect your privacy | LinkedIn Learning

Cybersecurity Awareness: Phishing Attacks

This course covers everything you need to know about phishing and how to defend yourself against phishing attacks.

Can you spot a phish? | LinkedIn Learning

Internet Safety for Students

This course examines the nature of Internet-based threats and outlines essential internet safety skills for students. It comes highly recommended by the University Information Security directorate.

Internet Safety for Students

Building Better Digital Habits for Focus and Well-being

This course gives you an opportunity to audit your digital habits to determine what habits are serving you and what habits are leaving you feeling distracted and drained.

Your digital habits matter | LinkedIn Learning

Explore Resources from Past Training and Events

Reduce Digital Distractions (ReDD)

Are you easily distracted on your smartphone or laptop? Are there too many tabs open in your brain? ReDD provides actionable steps to take back control of your digital life. These workshops are developed by Dr Ulrik Lyngs (Human Centred Computing, University of Oxford), and brought to the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Student Counselling and Digital Skills. Keep an eye out for upcoming ReDD sessions on the following page.

Sign up for ReDD Workshops at University of Edinburgh

Explore strategies offered by the workshop to change your use of digital devices.

Strategies

How to be a Digital Citizen and Stay Safe Online

This webinar was delivered as part of the How-to series during student induction in August 2023. A recording of the webinar can be found on Media Hopper below.

How to... Be a Digital Citizen and Stay Safe Online

© Shivani Rao, Victoria Madden, University of Edinburgh, 2022, CC BY-SA 4.0, unless otherwise indicated.