Enhancing Digital Literacy, Inclusivity, and Employability Skills through Digital Tools (including AI) in Higher Education

This submission explores the transformative potential of digital tools in fostering digital literacy, inclusivity, and employability skills within higher education. By integrating digital tools and platforms into pedagogical practices, this approach addresses key challenges in access, participation, and interdisciplinary learning. The interventions include innovative activities such as personal profile ice-breakers using Generative AI image generation to build community and engagement, the creation of infographics during reading week engagement projects to enhance comprehension and critical thinking, and embedding digital skills into core interdisciplinary modules to ensure foundational fluency. Students are encouraged to leverage these tools for practical applications, including digital pitches and recorded presentations as part of assessed client challenges, thereby simulating real-world professional scenarios and enhancing employability. This paper aligns with the conference themes of EdTech innovation and practice, equity and inclusion, and AI-enhanced pedagogy. It demonstrates how digital tools can be strategically employed to create inclusive learning environments, promote active participation, and prepare students for the demands of a digitally-driven workforce. The findings and methodologies presented aim to inspire educators and institutions to adopt similar practices, fostering a future-facing learning ecosystem that bridges the gap between academic learning and professional readiness. This submission contributes to the dialogue on reshaping higher education through technology, offering practical insights and case studies that highlight the benefits of integrating digital tools such as Adobe Express and Generative AI into teaching and learning strategies.