About the Digital Skills Lab

 Our workshop programme

Our main offer is an open programme of workshops covering a wide range of digital technologies. Any LSE student can take part. Topics include:

• Data analysis and visualisation with Excel or Power BI
• Coding with Python or R
• Statistical analysis with Stata
• Enhancing your studies with responsible and effective use of generative AI

Workshops run throughout the year, in person. You can start from scratch or build on what you already know, and come to as many or as few as you like. You work at your own pace in the session, alongside other students and with our team on hand. If you would rather learn from home in your own time, we also have a number of self-study courses.

• Dissertation support: From Spring Term through the summer, join our dissertation masterclass workshops and in person or online drop-in sessions. Bring your questions, work through them with our experts, and learn alongside your peers.
• Events and challenges: We run hackathons, coding challenges and other events throughout the year, often partnering with industry partners, alumni and other areas across the School such as LSE Careers. They are a great way to try something new and build skills.
• Digital assistive technology: We can point you towards tools that support how you study, research, organise and plan your work.
• Tailored support with departments: We also work directly with academic departments and deliver digital skills training to support specific courses.
  

How we teach matters as much as what we teach. Our aim is not just to show you how a tool works, but to help you become a confident, independent learner. Our sessions are built around real problems and tasks, and a few ideas shape everything we do:

• You learn by doing. We help you get started, then coach you through problem solving rather than handing you every answer. Getting stuck and finding your way through is how learning happens.
• We are there when you need us. Although problem solving is key to learning, getting lost and frustrated is counterproductive. Our tutors are not only technically skilled, but are effective tutors and coaches who keep an eye out and help you when things go too far wrong or you are really stuck.
• Learning is a social activity. Much of the learning happens when different ideas and techniques are shared between people. Alongside the support and interaction with our tutors, you will often work with your peers and pick up new approaches from how others tackle a problem. If you prefer to work alone, check out our independent learning options on Moodle.
• Our approach futureproofs your learning. New tools appear all the time, so alongside specific skills we help you build the confidence and techniques to pick up new tools on your own.

Our team brings together specialists who design, deliver and support everything we offer.

The Digital Skills Lab is led by our Head of Digital Skills Lab, Jeni Brown. Our Senior Service Delivery Manager, Aaron Trevitt, leads the day-to-day running of our services, with three teams supporting this work:

• Core Programme. Andrew and his team oversee our open programme of workshops, Andrew making sure there is a strong, varied offer available to all students throughout the year.

  • Andrew Moles – Learning Development Service Lead, Core Programme
  • Our Core Programme is also supported by digital skills tutors.

• Partnerships. Michael and his team oversee the work we do directly with academic departments, designing tailored digital training around the needs of their students.

  • Michael Wiemers – Learning Development Service Lead, Partnerships
  • Sue Morton – Training Specialist: Assistive Technologies
  • Vacant – Training Specialist: Emerging Technologies
  • Kehara Warnakulasuriya – Training Specialist
  • Izzy Simonet – Training Specialist

• Operations. Nedelin and his team keep the service running smoothly and support everything we do behind the scenes, from booking to day-to-day coordination.

  • Nedelin Velikov – Learning Development Service Lead, Operations
  • Mark Njoroge – Digital Skills Programme Officer
  • Muriel Desaulles Clark – Marketing Communications Manager
  • Olivia Chen – Digital Skills Coordinator

Alongside these teams, we have a number of specialist roles. This includes Learning Consultants (Izzy Simonet, Rachel Dickenson and Charley Servis), who support change programmes across the School, and colleagues (Jamie Hayward and Steven Williams) who focus specifically on AI, helping us keep our offer current as technology evolves.