WEBVTT Kind: captions; Language: en

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.490
Hello.

2
00:00:01.490 --> 00:00:07.340
Greetings from Jyväskylä, Finland. We work in the digital services

3
00:00:07.340 --> 00:00:12.060
of the university of Jyväskylä. My name is Merja Laamanen

4
00:00:12.060 --> 00:00:17.780
and I'm the Digital Transformation Lead. And this is my colleague Liisa Kallio

5
00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:22.380
who works as a coordinator in the area of learning and teaching.

6
00:00:22.380 --> 00:00:29.360
We both have worked in the FORTHEM project for more than 1,5 years now.

7
00:00:29.360 --> 00:00:35.050
We have different roles. I'm the Scientific Manager of the Digital Academy

8
00:00:35.050 --> 00:00:39.160
and have participated in creating the digital strategy

9
00:00:39.160 --> 00:00:44.250
for the project. Liisa trains and supportd staff in online

10
00:00:44.250 --> 00:00:48.720
pedagogy and creating courses for the Digital Academy.

11
00:00:48.720 --> 00:00:53.070
In this presentation we introduce the challenges and

12
00:00:53.070 --> 00:00:57.830
lessons learned of a European Union funded project that focuses on

13
00:00:57.830 --> 00:01:01.540
on different ways of internationalization.

14
00:01:01.540 --> 00:01:06.460
We will discuss how the plans were affected by the lock down caused by the COVID-19

15
00:01:06.460 --> 00:01:11.550
pandemic around Europe and how we eventually managed to create a successful 

16
00:01:11.550 --> 00:01:16.270
interdisciplinary online training for 7 partner universities.

17
00:01:16.270 --> 00:01:21.710
To begin with, FORTHEM project

18
00:01:21.710 --> 00:01:26.370
offers university students and staff new opportunities for internationalization.

19
00:01:26.370 --> 00:01:31.520
It aims to share good practices and build networks of cooperation

20
00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:36.320
that the partners are committed to and which endure 

21
00:01:36.320 --> 00:01:41.380
also beyond the duration of the project. As you can see, the seven partner universities 

22
00:01:41.380 --> 00:01:46.040
are located all around Europe. 

23
00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:50.730
Here you can see

24
00:01:50.730 --> 00:01:55.260
the four main actions of the FORTHEM project.

25
00:01:55.260 --> 00:01:59.770
Please visit the project web page for more information. 

26
00:01:59.770 --> 00:02:04.210
I will shortly introduce you the Digital Academy which offers 

27
00:02:04.210 --> 00:02:08.520
international cross-studying for students and staff.

28
00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:13.090
Students from all seven partner universities are offered selected 

29
00:02:13.090 --> 00:02:17.700
multidisciplinary high-quality MOOCs, online courses

30
00:02:17.700 --> 00:02:22.450
and hybrid teaching course contents in different languages in the Digital Academy.

31
00:02:22.450 --> 00:02:26.700
In addition, teachers are offered a training 

32
00:02:26.700 --> 00:02:31.150
on integrating digital competencies in course design. 

33
00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:36.800
So as part of

34
00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:42.490
the Digital Academy, we in Jyväskylä University 

35
00:02:42.490 --> 00:02:48.080
organized a course on digital competences for the alliance teachers. 

36
00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:53.650
Considering learning design, an unfamiliar 

37
00:02:53.650 --> 00:02:57.920
and very diverse group of participants from seven universities 

38
00:02:57.920 --> 00:03:02.470
offers both opportunities and challenges. 

39
00:03:02.470 --> 00:03:07.810
We had different nationalities, cultural backgrounds, 

40
00:03:07.810 --> 00:03:12.760
language skills, disciplines, skills and knowledge of digital competences, 

41
00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:17.400
various professions and roles. 

42
00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:22.620
For example, there was a Spanish professor in law, 

43
00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:27.940
Italian researcher in chemistry, German language teacher 

44
00:03:27.940 --> 00:03:32.930
and a French it support person. 

45
00:03:32.930 --> 00:03:39.100
So we had to provide something new and useful for all these participants.

46
00:03:39.100 --> 00:03:43.180
Also educational cultures are different. 

47
00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:46.830
In some universities teachers have more freedom on how they
48
00:03:46.830 --> 00:03:51.990
organize their teaching. Not to forget the different technical infrastructures

49
00:03:51.990 --> 00:03:55.980
in all seven partner universities.

50
00:03:55.980 --> 00:04:02.050
And actually we even had many different time zones. One of our course participants was located

51
00:04:02.050 --> 00:04:07.580
in Brazil and there the session started at 5 am. And there he was 

52
00:04:07.580 --> 00:04:13.380
with a big cup of coffee. Every time, well in time.

53
00:04:13.380 --> 00:04:19.970
So, here are the learning goals of the training.

54
00:04:19.970 --> 00:04:24.490
In general, we wanted to offer tools and knowledge for pedagogical 

55
00:04:24.490 --> 00:04:28.950
design of their online or blended courses,
56
00:04:28.950 --> 00:04:33.090
including ABC model for the course design.

57
00:04:33.090 --> 00:04:38.700
And our participants were developing their own courses during the training. 

58
00:04:38.700 --> 00:04:46.020
We also offered different perspectives, valuable feedback and tips from European colleagues. 

59
00:04:46.020 --> 00:04:51.340
Our training was based on the European 

60
00:04:51.340 --> 00:04:56.700
Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) 

61
00:04:56.700 --> 00:05:00.510
which is a scientifically sound framework 

62
00:05:00.510 --> 00:05:05.820
describing what it means for educators to be digitally competent.

63
00:05:05.820 --> 00:05:10.220
It provides a general reference frame to support the development of educator-specific 
64
00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:14.630
digital competences in Europe.

65
00:05:14.630 --> 00:05:18.890
Now I will hand over to my colleague Liisa who will

66
00:05:18.890 --> 00:05:22.900
go more in details of the training.

67
00:05:22.900 --> 00:05:28.180
Thank you Merja.

68
00:05:28.180 --> 00:05:33.310
So the covid pandemic had

69
00:05:33.310 --> 00:05:37.990
a very heavy impact on our training. The training was

70
00:05:37.990 --> 00:05:43.370
originally scheduled to be organized face to face here in Jyväskylä in september 2020

71
00:05:43.370 --> 00:05:48.200
but because of the pandemic it was decided

72
00:05:48.200 --> 00:05:52.840
to be postponed to spring 2021.

73
00:05:52.840 --> 00:05:57.800
There would be a pre task in Moodle before an intensive week in Jyväskylä

74
00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:02.720
and then a final assignment after the intensive week. So when we

75
00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:07.690
were planning the contents and schedule we didn't really know if it

76
00:06:07.690 --> 00:06:12.540
is possible to travel or not or do we have to keep the training

77
00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:17.970
fully online. So when we were planning the course contents

78
00:06:17.970 --> 00:06:22.290
we had to have a plan A and a plan B.

79
00:06:22.290 --> 00:06:27.160
It had been decided that each university

80
00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:32.170
could have two participants in this training and we had planned

81
00:06:32.170 --> 00:06:36.520
the schedule according to that number. But in the middle of

82
00:06:36.520 --> 00:06:41.210
the process it was decided that each university would have

83
00:06:41.210 --> 00:06:46.000
three participants. So instead of planning for fourteen participants

84
00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.660
we had to plan the schedule and contents for twenty one.

85
00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:56.810
Organizing the training fully online also affected

86
00:06:56.810 --> 00:07:01.590
the pedagogical designs as well as the learning environment

87
00:07:01.590 --> 00:07:07.070
that we were going to use. We had already decided to use Moodle

88
00:07:07.070 --> 00:07:12.610
for the activities and for the materials but now we had to also bring in

89
00:07:12.610 --> 00:07:17.980
Zoom for the online meetings. So basically everything

90
00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:23.020
else changed except us the instructors.

91
00:07:23.020 --> 00:07:29.770

92
00:07:29.770 --> 00:07:35.040
So the main concern was the uncertainty on how and when

93
00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:39.900
we are going to have the training. Another concern

94
00:07:39.900 --> 00:07:44.920
was that at first it seemed a bit difficult to find participants for

95
00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:50.120
a fully online training. The schedule of the training had been agreed on

96
00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:55.150
with the partner organisations, but still it didn't seem

97
00:07:55.150 --> 00:08:00.340
so attractive choice

98
00:08:00.340 --> 00:08:05.410
to participate in a fully online training when

99
00:08:05.410 --> 00:08:10.110
you didn't have the possibility to travel.

100
00:08:10.110 --> 00:08:15.360
But finally we had fifteen participants joining the training

101
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:20.980
but still we were a bit concerned about their motivation and commitment

102
00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:25.640
to the training. We all know how easy it is to join an

103
00:08:25.640 --> 00:08:30.750
online meeting but multitask at the same time.

104
00:08:30.750 --> 00:08:35.930
But our concerns

105
00:08:35.930 --> 00:08:41.050
where unnecessary. All the participants where very motivated

106
00:08:41.050 --> 00:08:46.640
and participated actively in the online sessions.

107
00:08:46.640 --> 00:08:51.000
And as Merja already mentioned especially this one professor

108
00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:56.110
in Brazil early in the morning. Here you can see

109
00:08:56.110 --> 00:09:01.280
some quotes from the feedback that we got from the participants and

110
00:09:01.280 --> 00:09:06.190
we were very pleased to hear that they got a lot of new ideas and

111
00:09:06.190 --> 00:09:11.320
new views on how to organize their courses

112
00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:16.290
and how to design their courses.

113
00:09:16.290 --> 00:09:21.170
And what was especially valuable was the

114
00:09:21.170 --> 00:09:25.440
possibility to share ideas with 

115
00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:29.870
experts from other universities.

116
00:09:29.870 --> 00:09:34.710
This was the first round of

117
00:09:34.710 --> 00:09:39.480
the training and the second round will be organized this autumn

118
00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:43.940
and it will be organized by the university of Palermo.

119
00:09:43.940 --> 00:09:48.500
Here are some points that we gathered from our

120
00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:52.710
planning process and we find that are important

121
00:09:52.710 --> 00:09:56.980
when you are planning this type of training.

122
00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:02.620
You need to be flexible but at the same time be well prepared.

123
00:10:02.620 --> 00:10:06.190
As I already said we had to have

124
00:10:06.190 --> 00:10:10.610
a plan A and a plan B and preferably 

125
00:10:10.610 --> 00:10:14.840
also to have a plan C, anything can happen.

126
00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:19.920
It is very important to activate the participants

127
00:10:19.920 --> 00:10:24.340
especially with an online training. 

128
00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:29.040
So that they are not just listening to a talking head or watching

129
00:10:29.040 --> 00:10:33.880
power point slides but they have the chance to

130
00:10:33.880 --> 00:10:38.300
actively participate and to discuss with each other

131
00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:42.970
and this way you also 

132
00:10:42.970 --> 00:10:47.540
avoid the multitaskig that is so easily possible.

133
00:10:47.540 --> 00:10:52.610
We had a lot of instructions in the Moodle

134
00:10:52.610 --> 00:10:57.450
course space and we also communicated with the participants before the training

135
00:10:57.450 --> 00:11:01.990
started and sent messages and instructions on what to do.

136
00:11:01.990 --> 00:11:06.890
But still it is important always to double check everything.

137
00:11:06.890 --> 00:11:11.680
Although with the written instructions and explanations there can always

138
00:11:11.680 --> 00:11:16.190
be misunderstandings on what they are expected to do and when and

139
00:11:16.190 --> 00:11:20.770
what's the dead line and and stuff like that.

140
00:11:20.770 --> 00:11:27.090
Also have enough breaks during the online session.

141
00:11:27.090 --> 00:11:32.500
And most importantly create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere

142
00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:38.760
so that everybody feels safe to share their experiences.

143
00:11:38.760 --> 00:11:42.490
As Merja already said we had very 

144
00:11:42.490 --> 00:11:47.440
versatile group of participants from professors to

145
00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:52.430
IT support and what was very good in this training was

146
00:11:52.430 --> 00:11:57.600
thet they all got along very well although they

147
00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:02.750
didn't know each other, they came from the different universities, they came from different

148
00:12:02.750 --> 00:12:07.830
organizational cultures but everybody's opinions and ideas 

149
00:12:07.830 --> 00:12:12.700
and participation was as valuable.

150
00:12:12.700 --> 00:12:17.750
Thank you! Now I think we have

151
00:12:17.750 --> 00:12:18.830
a few minutes for your questions.