Last Autumn, our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for Digital Literacy learners in Swansea were invited by our partner organisation, Swansea MAD, to attend their Centre to explore different ways to enhance their digital skills class. The group embarked on a “digital taster workshop” that proved technology is not just a tool for communication, but a gateway to building confidence.

The learners, along with their tutor Chris, tried out new virtual reality headsets that let them step into immersive 360-degree environments. They also got involved with a number of DJing and Coding activities, allowing the learners to experiment with logic and rhythms.

The digital taster workshop was held as part of Get Online Week, a week that helps tens of thousands of people across the UK to discover the benefits of being online and build their confidence in using the internet – helping more people cross the digital divide. 2025 saw over 1,000 free community events across the UK, helping thousands learn new skills and confidently get online to do things like safely navigate the web or try out AI.

For ALW tutor Chris, the workshop added another element to the learners’ digital skillset:

“The visit to Swansea MAD was an excellent opportunity for our ESOL learners to explore digital skills in a creative and hands-on way. Using VR and coding activities helped build confidence and curiosity, showing learners that technology can be engaging and accessible. The experiences beyond the classroom were highly enjoyable for all, and they continued to speak about their visit in future classes.”

Now well into its third year, Swansea MAD and Adult Learning Wales have a strong working partnership that provides Swansea MAD with equipment to support the scalability of their innovative digital provision and to explore collaborative development opportunities to further VR & AR in teaching & learning. The reciprocal opportunities offered by Swansea MAD include workshops like this one that help enhance learners’ digital skills.

Rhydian Williams, Digital Development Manager for ALW, added:

“Get Online Week provided a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world digital experiences. Visiting Swansea MAD allowed a group of our learners the opportunity to engage with emerging technologies in a supportive community setting, reinforcing that digital skills development can be creative, confidence-building and inclusive. I’d like to thank Swansea MAD and our Regional team for making the visit such a success.”

The feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive. For the learners, the experience with innovative technologies made this an approachable and fun way to learn digital skills beyond the classroom.