Miss Sam Crowley

In the UWE Learning and Development Centre I was responsible for the UWE digital skills programme, I enjoy helping people develop, whilst constantly learning myself. I am also interested in how to embed digital skills in all aspects of the staff journey.

I love helping our staff and students get the very best out of our digital environment, operating on the principle that successful digital transformation is really 10% technology and 90% culture.

My Approach

Through my work and my ongoing Improvement Leader apprenticeship, I bring a strategic and detail-oriented approach to change management. I’m naturally curious and I like to ask the right questions, double-check the facts, and look closely at data—like the Jisc Digital Insights metrics—before making decisions.

My goal is to bridge the gap between our big-picture university strategy and the everyday digital reality for staff and students. I believe in balancing quick wins with detailed planning, ensuring we build sustainable systems through iterative validation.

Recent Projects & Passions

• The Blackboard Ultra Migration: I recently led the university's move to the Blackboard Ultra environment. Instead of treating this as just an IT upgrade, we approached it as a chance to refresh our teaching practices and boost accessibility. By using a cautious "pilot-first" approach and listening closely to staff feedback to manage concerns, we delivered a smooth transition with zero critical downtime.

• Students as Partners: I am a huge advocate for co-designing digital services alongside the people who actually use them. I  launched our Maker Space and developed the "Student Navigators" and Student Digital Leaders programmes. By hiring, managing, and training students to be peer-trainers, we completely shifted our support culture and empowered them as true digital experts.

• Strategic Resource Management: I enjoy building realtionships with vendors, making sure the technology and services we invest in are genuinely working hard to enable our long-term institutional goals.

I am always happy to chat with colleagues across the university who share a passion for continuous improvement. If you'd like to explore how we can move from basic digital competence to digital confidence and curiosity—or if you just want to discuss a new idea to improve student or staff digital kowledge - just drop me a message!

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