Blankets, Art and Spies - Final day in Tampere

The final day began with a visit to Tampere University library. This is the nearest University to town, with 25,000 students, it is the oldest. All University libraries in Finland are freely open to the public, this includes borrowing and walk-in access to some of the electronic resources. The colleagues showing us around today were proud of their openness, Finnish are big library users. The library conveyed an observance of the needs of students who prefer the more traditional aspects of a library services, such as quiet study, and desk space for printed books, as well as those with progressive tastes, large armchairs with window views, networked online bookable group study rooms and areas punctuated with gym balls, quite common in libraries here. 

The library regularly canvasses online and printed feedback, via the still popular post-its on library services. This has resulted in providing blankets in the cooler parts of the library and larger separate silent study areas for those with laptops from those that find the sound of typing distracting. Signage around the library clearly articulates noise levels. Like Staffordshire, TUT is moving towards more electronic access to resources. They also use the libguides software to deliver online resources and Summon for discovery, and like ourselves are trying to address the challenge of the increasing demand for textbooks by students.

 

During the afternoon there was another opportunity to see more of Tampere's cultural highlights. This included a visit to the Art Museum which currently has an exhibition celebrating Finnish women artists in early twentieth century modernism. The  Here We Come!  exhibition asks why we know only a few Finnish women artists of the early 20th century, such as Helene Schjerfbeck, Ellen Thesleff, Ester Helenius and Sigrid Schauman, when the majority of art students, were women, many of them becoming professionals in the arts. 

This was followed by a trip up Näsinneula observation the tower. Overseeing Lake Näsijärvi. It was built in 1970–1971 and was designed by Pekka Ilveskoski. It is the tallest free-standing structure in Finland and the tallest observation tower in the Nordic countries at a height of 168 metres (551 ft). It provides excellent panoramic views of Tampere and its two lakes, and as far as the infamous town of Nokia. 

The afternoon concluded with a visit to the Spy museum the world's first public museum of international espionage. Although fascinating with some real curiosities. it appears slightly culturally disconnected from Tampere and it was refreshing to leave this basement museum to take a walk along Tampere's rapids and look out on the industrial highlights of the Manchester of Finland.

Plans are underway to join Tampere University,  Tampere University of Applied Sciences, and Tampere University of Technology the project is called T3, although the 3 Universities are still working out the details of the merger. Details can be found at
https://www.tampere3.fi/en/.  I wish the colleagues at all 3 Universities that have given us such a warm welcome on our Erasmus exchange trip the very best with their future plans.

Closer to Home Day 3 Visit to Tampere University of Applied Sciences

Today the focus of our visit was on the Student Counselling, Open Science and Research and Information Literacy and eResources.  Many aspects of these services closely relate to the services provided by Staffordshire University.

Library and Information Services and Student Counselling Services are based in Higher Education Services, along with International Services, Study Services, Communication Services, Administration and Event Services and Sports Services.  Digitisation of Education, the Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences and Vocational Training are based in Development and Quality Management.

The first service we met in our schedule was Student Counselling.  Student Counselling provides signposting to online and face-to-face resources and support for students for the duration of their studies,  rather than the provision of academic skills, which we thought was initially the purpose of this service. Students' relationship with counselling begins before they start their course, where they are directed to online information providing overviews of course content and how they will study. Student engagement with the service carries on through induction to the completion of the course, and links with student and teacher tutors. Academic skills development is integrated in the curriculum in the first year. Students with disabilities have learning plans similar to Staffordshire's Learning Support Agreements, these plans provide up to 20 hrs of extra help during every academic year.

The second half of the day focused Library and Information Services. Firstly Open Science and Research , where we were given an overview of Finland's strategic approach to encouraging open access publishing. Finland is endeavouring to articulate the benefits of engaging in an Open Culture and each year a questionnaire is circulate to institutions to feedback on their open access activities. The responses are used to situate Universities on the nation's open access hierarchy. The framework and open science activities can be found on Finland's Open Science and Research web site http://openscience.fi. This useful overview of Finland's approach to open access and the challenges of engagement reflects much of the work being undertaken internationally including that at Staffordshire, I said I would send our workflows and links to the guidance and support we are developing.

In the afternoon we met with TAMK Information Specialists responsible for information literacy and electronic resource access and discovery. Again the similarities between services provided at Staffordshire and those at TAMK were apparent, there is definitely a common professional practice language. The University offers up to 6hrs of information literacy workshops a year, for each level, for which uptake varies from subject to subject, nursing courses make the most use of this, which includes development in systematic review skills. The library is working towards improving electronic access to resources, although there are fewer ebooks in Finnish TAMK provides English ebooks and also makes use of open access publications.  Details of their services can be found at http://www.tamk.fi/en/web/lib/home. Colleagues at TAMK were particularly interested in our Assigment Survival Kit and our online guides.

The day was concluded with a visit to the Amuri Museum of Workers Houses in Tampere. Blocks of wooden houses which, like the terraced house in Stoke-on-Trent, were built for factory workers. Eventually, again like many of our terraced houses, theser were replaced by newer homes, in Tampere these new homes were low rise apartment buildings. An apt conclusion to a day of sharing more common experiences with our colleagues at TAMK.

Sun Sport and Lenin Day 2 in Tampere

It has been another glorious sunny day in Tampere and today we were also honoured with an increase in temperature. The weather was fully embraced by the Tampere residents evidenced by the busy streets tonight as they basked outside the bars and cafes.

Day 2 of Erasmus began with a tour on TAMK's new sports facilities. Sport is very much integrated into student wellbeing at the University, students can choose from a range of activities, from, wall climbing to spinning, and can also get taster sessions of sports they have not tried before. TAMK is now also looking into why some students are not engaged in sports and incentives to improve their participation.

During the latter half of the morning we were given an overview on TAMK's digital strategy. With a focus on, flexible learning, research and development, analytics and skills development, I could see commonalities with the digital transformation work currently being undertaken at Staffordshire. A progressive strategic initiative is students working on authentic digital projects for the University. One of the projects is the development of the Smart Campus, using data and narratives illustrating how students expect the campus to develop in the future. All student project outputs become an integrated part of the University infrastructure and students receive accreditation for this. The intention of these projects is not only to develop students' creative skills but to also enable students to become change agents. The University also has a network of staff digital mentors who have volunteered to work with other staff to develop their digital skills, similar to the digital champions network that is about to be established at Staffordshire.

In the afternoon we visited Tamper University of Technology, known as TUT and their new library. TUT is Finland's second-largest university in engineering sciences. The sleek light rearrangeable furniture was similar to that in TAMK's library, together with the glass engraved door panels.  The descent to the library from the refectory is a Lloyd Wright-esque nod to MOMA. With open learning spaces, bean bagged group study rooms, mobile phone booths, 3 D printers and a virtual reality suite, the library is a combination of practical facilities to suit student needs and innovative experimentation, evidencing its ambition to make the library an adaptable space to enhance the student learning experience.

We concluded the afternoon with a visit to a museum dedicated to someone who some may argue was a contributing architect of modern politics, Lenin, although the museum provides a lot to reflect upon regarding this.  Established in 1946 by the Finland–Soviet Union Society, today it is run by the The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas, it was the first museum dedicated to Lenin outside the Soviet Union. Located in the Tampere Workers' Hall. Built in 1900, the building hosted underground meetings of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1905 and 1906. At the 1906 meeting, Lenin met Josef Stalin in person for the first time. It has a permanent exhibition with material related to Lenin's life and the history of the Soviet Union.  A highly recommended cultural stop for anybody visiting the city and a satisfying conclusion to our 2nd day, in the city where the sun is still setting at 11pm.

Attractive Simplicity that's TAMK

This week I am on an Erasmus exchange trip with a colleague, to TAMK, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, the sun has just set and its 11 o'clock at night, that's Finland. Colleagues from TAMK visited Staffordshire University last year to share experiences, and it is great to have the opportunity to do likewise. TAMK is a multidisciplinary university focusing on promoting wellbeing and health,  business and production, together with learning and creativity, so to some extent there are some similarities with Staffordshire. Like Stoke-on-Trent, Tampere is also redefining itself culturally after overcoming the decline of a heavy industrial past. The University's mission, like Staffordshire, is working for the best of their student and for their working life. With such common ground pooling experiences and sharing challenges has been both reassuring and rewarding.

For somebody like myself, who loves modernist architecture and design, visiting Finland and TAMK is a wonderful experience. From the Marimekko napkins on Finnair to the mesmerising low hanging lampshades, it is difficult to resist taking photographs at every opportunity. As expected TAMK is the picture of elegant modern simplicity, complete with innovative design features. Clean straight corridors, furniture that is more than a nod to Alvar Aalto's timeless creativity and room purposes engraved in the glass panels of the doors.  Well thought out details such as table hooks to hang chairs on in the refectory to make cleaning easier, height adjustable desks for staff and students and Service Street, an internal walkway that is home to all student services, including an IT fix shop,  campus shop, admissions, library and study skills.

As the amber glow continues in the sky at 11.30 and I look out at the double decker resting train from Helsinki, I am very much looking forward to day 2, I am just hoping my phone can cope with my weighty album of modernist fascination.

Be bold for change in elearning: being culturally innovative

Emptech TV.McK cc by: nc-a-sa

Hopefully you will know that last Wednesday, 8th March was International Women's Day, the theme for this year is be bold for change. I am a member of the Stoke and North Staffs Women Network, and last weekend I was involved in the running of a celebratory event to mark International Women's Day. The event included workshops, lightning talks and a chaired session on local women inspired by education. As I write this post the Million Rise March is taking place in London, to end male violence against women. With the women's march in January, which I referred to in my blog, Digital Communication Contemporaneity and the Women's March, it has been a great start of the year for feeling solidarity with my active sisters across the globe. However, sadly it is not all good. Last week I attended an event focusing on digital transformation in HE, it was a very good programme on digital paper. Sadly when I arrived I was dismayed to see the dominance of older white male attendees. Increasingly as the day progressed I realised that this was also a feature of the programme speakers and the panel discussion. It is nearly 4 years since I left elearning management, although I have an active role in promoting digital and supporting staff development in this area within my current post, but it seemed as if little progress has been made to address the balance.  After the event I raised my concerns with female colleagues involved in elearning,  and it appears despite active female involvement in the management and leadership of elearning,  white male governance is still a dominant feature.

My dad was in the audience at the education discussion I chaired last week, and he said that this was the first time he had seen an all woman chaired panel. The panel composition was deliberate given we were celebrating IWD but my dad said how refreshing it was to see this, and questioned why you do not see this more in the media. It should be acknowledged, Channel 4 news had a mostly all female programme last Wednesday, with journalists, politicians, interviewees, I say mostly as Jon Snow was still the main anchor, so they lose a point on that detail and I fear it may be an annual one off.

I know there are excellent organisations supporting women in STEM such as:

• Women in STEM: UK
• STEM women net
• WISE campaign

The eLearning Guild has just produced a White Paper "Women in eLearning: Continuing the Conversation". This is sadly behind a pay wall (I could rant about open access but I'll save that for another time), however this article in the Learning Solutions magazine, Research Spotlight: Women in eLearning: Continuing the Conversation, gives a good overview, with some useful embedded links. With respect to organisations, it emphasises the importance of having diversity on your board, developing an inclusive culture, making gender equality a priority and building up a critical mass. I would also add that women should also have the opportunity to make a major contribution at large elearning public events, such as, conferences and symposiums, as presenters and panellists. Furthermore, this movement from exclusivity to inclusivity goes beyond gender, it also includes ethnicity, age, disability and social class, The activities identified in the eLearning Guild's paper, with respect to gender equality, can also be applied to these group too, and its not proverbial rocket science.  

So come on people, I know what a challenge it is arranging events and setting up committees for organisations, but rather than focusing purely on the task at hand, devote some of your time to diversity and inclusivity. I know you can do better, innovation is at the heart of what you do, if you can be technologically innovative, being culturally innovative is surely not too much of a stretch.

Still MOOC-ing around with MOOCs: too much or not enough

Too Much or Not Enough? TV.McKin cc: a-nc-sa

A couple of years ago I did a post on MOOCs Seeing the wood for the trees - eLearning Design can we learn from MOOCS? - my highest viewing blog post to date. (By the way this is not an attempt to get another high viewing blog post in case you were wondering) I am still MOOCing around although my completion rate has been low my information acquisition rate I think has been high. The last MOOC I completed was Research Data Management and Sharing on Coursera. It was jointly ran by the University of North Carolina and the University of Edinburgh, and I actually paid for the certificate to get it on to my Linked-in profile. I am currently dabbling into neuroscience, courtesy of the University of Chicago, with a bit of international leadership from the University of Bocconi in Milan, also both via Coursera.

MOOCs have not only entered into my own personal development world but they are having an influence on my thoughts and practice with respect to online learning. At the moment I am writing an online course for librarians on "Digital Leadership and Collection Management" which I want to turn into a MOOC, I am also designing a course on digital leadership skills for students, which I also want to MOOCise. This has entailed me not only pulling out my eLearning design skills out their digital box, but also reflecting on the things I like about MOOCs and what puts me off. So here we go.

What I like

• Simplicity of the MOOC platforms, they tend to clearly designed with clear about learning expectations
• Courses are free and open access
• There is the possibility to link up with people all over the world (even if you do not always do this)
• You can do as much and as little as you want 
• The combination of text and video material 
• Notifications of what I need to do

What I don't like

• They are addictive, so many to do so little time 
• Overly long videos, 20 minute videos, overly short videos, 2 minute videos
• Completion rate very low 
• Too long 10 weeks, overly short 2 weeks 
• Not enough written material to consolidate the video material
• Notifications they make me feel guilty  

In my previous professional life, when I was involved in eLearning design, I regularly said to academic colleagues if you are putting together an online course you need to have a go at being an online student yourself. Before MOOCs this was a bit of a challenge now there is no excuse. As a result of me being MOOCer all my above observations can be added to my eLearning design toolkit.

The difference between the MOOC and the traditional online course according to Jeff Hayward (2016), at the University Edinburgh, whose research has focused on MOOC engagement, is the scale. On a medium sized MOOC there are about 30,000 students. There are not the norms of having to complete the course, and participate in all the activities and assessments, as learners can start and leave whenever. Research has also found that individuals enroll onto MOOCs not only to learn new things but also to experience what it is like to be an online learner. For those involved in teaching, Haywood claims that MOOCs "offer a testbed for experiments in teaching at large scale through technology", discovering, for example, that video is an efficient teaching tool and there are opportunities for peer review assessment, rather than just reverting to multiple choice tests.

Furthermore, the University of Edinburgh's involvement in MOOCs has influenced their mainstream education provision and they have extended their ambitions with respect to student engagement with online learning. Their aim, now, is to provide all their students with one fully online course to choose in their degree by 2025. This will give students the graduate skills for the future, as the University has observed that once students have completed their degree they often return to learning in an online format.  

Haywood, J., 2016. Learning from MOOCs: Lessons for the future. Engwall, L., Corte E. D., & Teichler U.(dir.), From books to MOOCs? Emerging models of learning and teaching in higher education, pp.69-79.

Digital Communication Contemporaneity and the Women's March

P-Hat TV.McKin cc-a-sa

A week has gone by since the #TheWomensMarch. I spent last Saturday watching the live stream from DC, first via Periscope then Buzzfeed. This was accompanied by me tweeting my observations and staying in touch with my sister who was marching with my niece in Asheville NC.

That night I went to see the the excellent film Arrival. The plot of the film is the attempt by Dr Louise Banks, a linguist enlisted by the US military, to try and communicate with an alien landing and find out their purpose for landing on earth.  One of the theme's of the film is non-linear communication,  specifically the Hetapod's (alien) gift of a language that affects the perception of time, allowing Dr Banks to see into the future.

This got me thinking about contemporaneity and digital communication. Horologically, the rally in DC took place 5 hours behind my time but the ability to access a live stream meant that I could see all of the speakers in the present. Despite it being daylight on the broadcast and dark outside here in the UK it still felt like I was watching the present not the past. Pretty much the same sensation I have when I Skype my sister. In this context, time may be inconsequential, those of us, who wanted to, were able to participate in some way in an activity that was taking place in a different time and thousands of miles away. Of course since the invention of telecommunications that can stretch long distances, like the telegraph, we have been able to communicate with people in different time zones, but does the medium or communication tools have an impact on our perception of the present. Did the combination of the real time broadcast and the synchronous communication, with my fellow women marching activists, as I stood cooking in my P-Hat in the kitchen, have an impact of my perception of the present.

I have recently become interested in Neuroscience, as a way of trying to explain some of my perceptions of the world that cannot be explained sociologically. Closely linked to this are philosophical studies of temporality.  For example, I cannot seem explain sociolgically. my feelings of being in the present with my fellow women marching across the world last Saturday.

Tim Barker's paper Media In and Out of Time: Multi-temporality and the Technical Conditions of Comeporaneity (what an excellent title!) - investigates how contemporary media culture creates a "phenomological experience of being in multiple times, in the present but also in the past and future". Barker goes on to say that "media technologies put their users in contact with events of the world, allowing us to engage in events closer to real time, but drawing us out of this time into other technically produced times". Referring to the aftermath of current events such as September 11, and this could possibly be applied to the in Women's March, he introduces the condition of living in a repeatable present, with contemporary culture no longer living within history but in the aftermath of repeatable large scale events.

Yvonne Förster-Beuthan's paper Conscious experience of time: its significance and interpretation in
neuroscience and philosophy.  investigates the body's role in the perception of time, in the same way it does with colour. She refers to by A.D. (Bud) Craig's article  Emotional moments across time: a possible neural basis for time perception in the anterior insula. Craig's explanation is that time gains its unity by proprioception.

"The insular cortex which is involved in motor control, perception, emotion, self awareness and other important cognitive processes seems to be connected to the unity of time perception. Proprioception, the constant and unthematic awareness of ones own body posture and state seems to facilitate the integration of time perception, of the flux of time. The constant feeling of being alive and being in situations." (Förster-Beuthan referring to Craig)

So simply, and I say simply as this is not a research article, just me trying to find some reason for my perception of the present last Saturday, which I could not explain by observing human behaviour. It could possibly have been the combination of the media technologies delivery of the event and my insular cortex that were influential in my feeling of being in the present with 1000s of women marching all over the globe.