By Klaudia Lukaszewska – Digital Learning Assistant
From student to supporting digital learning
When I joined the University of Derby in 2020 to study BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy, our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard, quickly became part of my everyday university life. It was where I accessed lecture materials, submitted assignments, and communicated with my lecturers. At the time, the university was using the original version of Blackboard, before the transition to the improved Blackboard Ultra version took place.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I went on to study MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science (Psychology), and I am now continuing my academic journey as a PhD student. Having studied at Derby for several years, I have experienced first-hand how the university’s digital learning environment has evolved.
Joining the university’s Digital Learning team as their new Digital Learning Assistant gave me the opportunity to move from being a student using Blackboard and the university’s other digital learning platforms every day to working behind the scenes to help improve them. It has been fascinating to see how much thought, collaboration and continuous development goes into creating a positive digital learning experience for students.
Looking behind the Blackboard
One of the most rewarding aspects of the role has been seeing digital learning from an entirely different perspective.
As students, we expect our modules to be intuitive, accessible and easy to navigate, perhaps without thinking about the work required to make that happen. Working within the Digital Learning team has shown me the amount of planning, testing and collaboration involved in creating high-quality online learning environments.
Throughout the role, I have been involved in a wide variety of projects. Initially, I supported the Digital Learning Baseline Assurance process by reviewing Blackboard modules to ensure they were consistent, accessible and aligned with university standards. This involved looking at modules through the eyes of a student while also considering best practice in digital learning design. I also contributed to the review of Blackboard module template, providing feedback on its structure, usability and overall student experience to help ensure it supported both staff creating modules and students navigating them.
I also contributed to reviewing and suggested enhancements to the student Develop@Derby Digital Skills and the academic Digital Learning Induction courses, providing feedback on content, navigation and overall user experience. It was interesting to consider how students interact with online resources from their very first day at university and identify opportunities to improve their experience.
I also had the opportunity to support Leaning Technologists with a range of academic queries, helping to explore digital solutions that could enhance teaching and learning. This included attending meetings with academic staff, discussing different tools such as Panopto, WordPress and Padlet, and contributing to conversations about how these technologies could best support different teaching approaches.
Another particularly interesting project involved collaborating with a Learning Technologist to research the accessibility of mathematical equations content. This highlighted some of the unique accessibility challenges associated with technical subjects and reinforced how important it is to ensure learning materials are accessible to all students. This research culminated in the production of a staff user guide to support the creation of accessible maths content.
Alongside these projects, I had the opportunity to explore emerging technologies, including Nebula ONE, by testing artificial intelligence (AI) agents, experimenting with prompts and reviewing the university’s new AI Baselines. It was exciting to contribute to projects exploring how AI can support teaching and learning while ensuring these tools remain reliable and user-focused.
What I have learned
Perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned is that effective digital learning is about far more than technology. Accessibility, consistency and user experience all play a significant role in helping students engage with their learning. Even relatively small changes such as clearer navigation, better organised content or more accessible documents can have a meaningful impact on the overall student experience.
The role has also strengthened my ability to provide constructive feedback, collaborate with colleagues from different professional backgrounds, and communicate ideas clearly. Working closely with Learning Technologists as well as academic staff and professional services colleagues has shown me how collaborative digital education really is.
Having experienced both the original Blackboard platform and Blackboard Ultra as a student, I can genuinely appreciate how much the University’s digital learning environment has developed over the past few years. Being part of the team responsible for continually improving that experience has made me value the work that often goes unnoticed by students.
Looking ahead
Working as a Digital Learning Assistant has been one of the most valuable experiences during my time at the University of Derby. It has allowed me to combine my background in psychology with my growing interest in digital education, accessibility and emerging technologies.
As I continue my PhD, I know the skills I have developed, from evaluating user experience and reviewing digital learning resources to exploring AI and supporting accessibility, will continue to influence both my research and my future career.
Most importantly, this role has shown me that digital learning is never static. It continues to evolve alongside technology and student needs, and I am proud to have contributed, even in a small way, to helping create a more accessible, engaging and supportive learning experience for future Derby students.