1.3 Digital Explorations

A key aspect of the first stages of the project was supporting co-researchers to develop their digital skills, furthering their exploration of the digital realm. Co-researcher Jeanne Ellin said: “I gained new skills and confidence. I became brave enough to tackle Zoom, which opened up a world of wonder.” She has described how she now goes to numerous classes, workshops and groups online, which she had not been able to access before CTC. Jeanne, a writer, communicated her joy at at discovering new possibilities for creativity and connection, early on in the project, creating a presentation for a Knowledge Exchange meeting called ‘Alice’s adventures down the digital rabbit hole’. In 2022, Jeanne created a fable about her relationships with members of the research team, reflecting not just on the ‘world of wonder’ but how she got there. This is an audio extract from Jeanne’s writings. You can download the whole fable, including research team members’ written responses, here. There are ongoing discussions with Sociological Research Online about publishing the fable in their fiction stream, with an introduction by Prof. Helen Manchester.  

Press play to hear Jeanne’s fable