Digital Liberal Arts (DLA) Fellows are Ursinus LIT student workers versed in using a variety of software. They provide technical training to faculty, staff, and students who are interested in learning how to use digital tools.
Fellows partner with faculty interested in adding or enhancing digital components to their current teaching. Fellows can support assignment design, suggest specific digital tools to integrate in the classroom dependent on the instructional goals, and support in-class technical workshops.
Fellows hold weekly resource hours, during which students currently taking courses that integrate these assignments and those interested in learning how to use digital tools can meet with Fellows for technical assistance.
In addition, DLA Fellows design and lead workshops, create training and marketing materials, and host events in the library.
DLA Fellows offer support in a range of digital tools, but they have particular strengths in:
Audio editing/podcasting (Audacity)
Digital curating tools (Omeka)
Digital storytelling tools (Powtoon, Sway, TimelineJS, StorymapJS)
They do not provide technical hardware support. If you are having issues with your computer, please contact Tech Support (610-409-3789; techsupport@ursinus.edu).
While DLA Fellows are eager to consult with students, they cannot teach a tool top-to-bottom in a one-hour session.
DLA Fellows do not complete the digital parts of a course or a digital project for faculty, staff, or students. Instead, they teach you how to use the tool and help you troubleshoot any issues that arise.
You can schedule a virtual meeting with a DLA Fellow using this Request Form.
View list of digital tools.
This list includes instructions and tutorials on how to use the software. If you need help using any of these digital tools, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a DLA Fellow.
DLA Fellows start out as DLA Apprentices. DLA Apprentices spend a semester completing an online training course that teaches them how to use over 15 different types of technology and how to consult with faculty and students on digital projects. They also shadow Fellows and professional staff and support curricular and co-curricular workshops as necessary.
Once trained, DLA Apprentices become DLA Fellows. DLA Fellows receive ongoing training and support from LIT and are encouraged to take initiative and develop their own digital skills, digital projects, and workshops.
Any Ursinus student can apply to become a DLA Apprentice. We welcome all majors. No technical experience is necessary. Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to apply.
As a DLA Apprentice, you will go through a semester-long training program. You will then be eligible to become a DLA Fellow the next semester, which comes with a pay raise and additional responsibilities (Note: Students who have taken the DIGS 200: Intro to Digital Studies course may be able to fast-track their training as an apprentice and become a DLA Fellow within the same semester). We encourage students working as DLA Fellows to continue with the position throughout their time at Ursinus.
You can search Handshake to see if there are any open DLA Apprentice positions open. Positions are added on a rolling basis so please check back often. If there are no positions available, you can contact Instructional Technology to indicate your interest.