Paper presentation

Lifelong learning, micro-credentials and neoliberal imaginaries

Marita Ljungqvist, Department of Educational Sciences/AHU
Anders Sonesson, Department of Educational Sciences/AHU

The political imaginaries around lifelong learning have fluctuated over time. Whereas in the 70s, the concept of lifelong learning was largely associated with state-governed activities aimed at providing already employed citizens with recurrent education and primarily a question for national education politics, since the 90s the emphasis is on individualization, market-orientation and flexibility in a rapidly changing global setting (Askling et al., 2001). Presently, we are witnessing a renewed focus on lifelong learning by governments within the EU, as it is materialized in the form of micro-credentials: CXD“the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning” (European Commission 2021, p. 14). In our presentation, we will give examples of how micro-credentials are constructed in EU-policy as well as in a Swedish higher education (HE) context. We suggest that the discourses around micro-credentials demonstrate a financialized construction of the purposes of HE and of citizens’ life choices. Micro-credentials provide the means for governments to further orient HE and the concept of lifelong learning towards the presupposed needs of a marketized world. This creates a strong impetus for HE institutions to create short, documentable and stackable “learning experiences” aimed at “re-skilling” and “up-skilling” the entrepreneurial citizens, for whom micro-credentials function as a currency demonstrating the size of their human capital. With our presentation, we want to invite to a critical discussion around how we as academic teachers can approach the “common-sense” interpretation of lifelong learning in the form of micro-credentials and micro-credential provision “that learning is about work, that the purpose of learning is to prepare individuals for the labour market, and that this can be achieved in small bite-sized chunks” (Wheelahan and Moodie 2021, p. 215).

References
Askling, B., Christiansson, U. & Foss-Fridlizius, R. (2001). Livslångt lärande som idé och praktik i högskolan. (Högskoleverkets rapportserie 2001: I R). Högskoleverket. https://www.uka.se/download/18.6b3261a315a296ca0f3da641/1487841851266/0101R+Livsl%C3%A5ngt+l%C3%A4rande+som+id%C3%A9+och+praktik+i+h%C3%B6gskolan.pdf 

European Commission. (2021). Proposal for a council recommendation on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0770 

Wheelahan, L. & Moodie, G. (2021). Analysing micro-credentials in higher education: a Bernsteinian analysis. Journal of Curriculum Studies 53(2), 212-228, DOI:10.1080/00220272.2021.1887358

Paper presentation

Diversity in multicultural teams as a resource for achieving educational goals

Leysan Storie, Department of Strategic Communication
Mozhgan Zachrison, Department of Strategic Communication
Marlene Wiggill, Department of Strategic Communication
Camilla Nothhaft, Department of Strategic Communication

This paper is the first stage of a project that focuses on how diversity in the classroom may help students achieve educational goals. Intercultural differences are often perceived as a barrier in effective group work and students tend to avoid working in multicultural teams (see Moore & Hampton, 2015). This project takes a different approach, looking at intercultural capital (e.g., personal knowledge gained from experience of interacting with people of different backgrounds and in different settings) as a resource, that may contribute to deep learning, and more innovative results in multicultural teams than teams with little diversity.

But how can diversity contribute to better learning? Previous research suggested that the mere exposure to different cultures was not necessarily associated with intercultural competence. In fact, some research showed that students were more negative about intercultural group work after having similar experiences (see Moore & Hampton, 2015). In other words, the mere presence of international students in education does not naturally or automatically lead to intercultural competence and intercultural communication skills (see De Vita, 2005).

Guided by previous literature, this study explores the roles of language competence, emotional management, cultural identity, non-verbal communication, and leadership in multicultural teams. In September of 2022 we will conduct a pilot study with a cohort of 39 students, coming from more than 10 countries. In their first course, students receive training on working in multicultural teams. After students take their first course and participate in their first team project (teams consisting of students from different countries), they will be invited to participate in the research by writing a 2-4 page reflection on working in multicultural teams, focusing on both advantages and disadvantages of their experience. Results will be analyzed and presented as a pilot study. Subsequent research will focus on the results identified in this study.

References:

De Vita, G. (2005). Fostering intercultural learning through multicultural group work. In J. Carroll and J. Ryan (Eds.), Teaching International Students, pp. 75-83. Routledge.

Moore, P., & Hampton, G. (2015). 'It's a bit of a generelasation, but...': participant perspectives on interculutral gorup assessment in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 40(3), 390-406.

Paper presentation

Increasing competency in artificial Intelligence and its applications in medicine and life sciences – experiences and lessons from developing a broad portfolio of educational activities for students, professionals and laypersons who lack computational background

Sonja Aits, Experimental Medical Science
Salma Kazemi Rashed, Experimental Medical Science
Rafsan Ahmed, Experimental Medical Science

Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering medicine and life science research as well as pharmaceutical industry and health care. It is therefore essential to equip students, and researchers with competency in this area. It is equally important to educate health care, public sector and industry professionals, patients and the general public so that they can take part in the necessary public discourse that accompanies this enormous transformation, spread knowledge in their respective environments, and make informed decisions. For this purpose, we have developed a broad range of educational activities that are meant to increase competency in artificial intelligence and its application in life science research and clinical care in a large variety of target audiences, including undergraduate and PhD students, researchers, health care, life science industry and teaching professionals and laypersons.

These educational activities have varied in goal, teaching approach, duration, content, prerequisites and language to accommodate the needs and prior skills of different target audiences. They include the PhD program "Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Life Science", various types of lectures, seminars and workshops, journal clubs and other peer-learning activities, self-training material and guidance, public outreach and citizen science activities, and individual supervision and counseling. Our activities have covered four main areas of competency, which were included in individual educational activities to various degrees: 1. basic concepts of artificial intelligence, 2. applications in medicine and life sciences, 3. ethical, societal and legislative aspects and 4. practical skills for programming and project development. Here, we will give details on these activities and the experiences we have had with them, and provide guidance to other teachers based on the lessons we have learnt. Even though our focus has been on medical and life science-related aspects of artificial intelligence, teachers in other non-computational fields will be able to easily adopt our approaches.

Paper presentation

Inkluderande undervisning – utmaningar och möjligheter

Emma Severinsson, Kulturvetenskaper
Lisa Engström, Kulturvetenskaper
Cecilia Andersson, Kulturvetenskaper
Sara Tanderup Linkis. Kulturvetenskaper

De senaste decenniernas arbete med breddad rekrytering till högre utbildning har beskrivits som ett paradigm (Haj Brade 2014, s. 99). Genom arbetet med breddad rekrytering skapas en idé om att de som tidigare inte valt att utbilda sig ska ges positionen som potentiella akademiker och ”inkorporeras i den rådande dominanta eller hegemoniska ordningen” (Martinsson 2009, s. 47). När nya studentgrupper rekryteras ställer det krav på undervisningen där vi argumenterar för att kunskapsutjämning är en viktig grund.
Lunds universitet framhåller inkluderande undervisning som ett viktigt mål och Institutionen för Kulturvetenskaper ska under de kommande åren utveckla undervisningen i linje med detta. För att bidra till att undervisningen ska bli mer tillgänglig formades Gruppen för inkluderande undervisning 2022. Gruppen består av lärare från olika ämnen och program på både kandidat- och masternivå på institutionen.

Detta paper beskriver de åtgärder som syftar till att alla studenter ska få mer likvärdiga möjligheter som gruppens arbete resulterat i. Åtgärderna består bland annat av; 1) utveckling av kurs- och programintroduktion, 2) nya undervisningsinslag, samt 3) undervisning i akademiskt skrivande. Förhoppningen är att studenternas mångfald på så vis bättre kan tas tillvara genom att universitetets ofta förgivettagna strukturer synliggörs, förklaras och diskuteras och läraren betonar sin vilja till flexibla lösningar i undervisningen (Elmgren & Henriksson 2016). Viljan att skapa transparens har också genomsyrat hur undervisningen presenteras i lärplattformen Canvas, där begreppen tydlighet, begriplighet och manövrerbarhet varit vägledande (Gronseth 2018). För att undersöka studenternas upplevelser av upplägget har semi-strukturerade intervjuer gjorts med studenter från två program där förändringarna genomförts. Intervjuerna analyseras med innehållsanalys i vilken teman skapas (Drisko & Maschi, 2015).
De insatser som hittills har genomförts är utforskande, och de ska ses som de första stegen framåt snarare än slutmålet. Förhoppningsvis kan detta paper och den efterföljande diskussionen bidra till ett erfarenhetsutbyte som främjar gruppens arbete och andras lärandeprocesser i dessa frågor.

Referenser

Drisko, J.W. and Maschi, T. (2015) Content analysis. Oxford University Press.
Elmgren, M. & Henriksson, A. (2016). Universitetspedagogik. (3., [uppdaterade och omarb.] uppl.) Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Gronseth, S. (2018). “Inclusive Design for Online and Blended Courses: Connecting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Universal Design for Learning”. Educational Renaissance, 7, 14–22.
Haj Brade, Lovisa (2014). ”När rekryteringen ska breddas. Om klass och inkludering i akademiska rum” i Att bryta innanförskapet: kritiska perspektiv på jämställdhet och mångfald i akademin, Kerstin Sandell (red.), Göteborg: Makadam.
Martinsson, Lena (2009) ”Social mångfald? Om förutsägbar bildning och om demokrati som sätter värden på spel”. Tidskrift för genusvetenskap, 1, 43–60.

Paper presentation

Anonymiserade examinationer. Dags för en problematiserande diskussion med utgångspunkt i senare års forskning

Johanna Bergqvist Rydén, Avdelningen för högskolepedagogisk utveckling, AHU

För- och nackdelar med anonymisering av examinationer har diskuterats i decennier. Det är inte svårt att förstå varför ämnet har varit brännande och att det varit så under lång tid. Frågan har i hög grad varit studentdriven, både i Sverige och internationellt, och har sin grund i oro för bias vid bedömning och betygsättning. I Sverige infördes anonymisering av examinationer vid många lärosäten för omkring 10 år sedan. Detta föregicks dock sällan av diskussioner om eventuella pedagogiska konsekvenser. Senare års studier av effekterna av anonymisering, tillsammans med kunskaper om hur examination och bedömning påverkar studenters lärande (eg. Carless, 2007), gör emellertid att en sådan diskussion bör föras. Forskning har inte kunnat finna tydliga belägg för att anonymisering har positiva konsekvenser i form av minskad bias vid betygsättning (Birch et al., 2016; Hinton & Higson, 2017; Krawczyk, 2018; Bygren, 2020). Samtidigt finns risk att centrala kvaliteter som framåtsyftande återkoppling, bedömning av progression, utvecklandet av lärandeorienterade examinationsformer samt en relationsrik högre utbildning riskerar att motverkas av en examinationskultur som styrs av anonymiseringskrav (Birch et al., 2016; Bergqvist Rydén, 2022). Kanske finns det även anledning att fundera över vilken typ av signaler vi vill sända våra studenter och hur det rustar dem för framtiden. Ska det handla om kontroll och anonymisering, där oro för fördomar, fusk och plagiat genomsyrar. Eller ska det handla om förståelse, tillit och ansvar för det egna lärandet? Hur som helst så vill jag i den här presentationen argumentera för en viss försiktighet vad gäller omfattande tillämpande av anonymisering, och efterlyser en nyanserad diskussion där studenters lärande står i fokus.

Referenser:

Bergqvist Rydén, J. (2022). Anonymiserade examinationer. En problematiserande forskningsöversikt. Rapport för HT-fakulteterna, Lunds universitet.

Birch P., Batten, J. & Batey, J. (2016). The influence of student gender on the assessment of undergraduate student work, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(7), 1065-1080, https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1064857

Bygren, M. (2020). Biased grades? Changes in grading after a blinding of examinations reform, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(2), 292-303, https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1638885

Carless, D. (2007). Learning‐oriented assessment: conceptual bases and practical implications, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 44(1), 57-66, https://doi.org/10.1080/14703290601081332

Hinton, D. P. & Higson, H. (2017). A large-scale examination of the effectiveness of anonymous marking in reducing group performance differences in higher education assessment, PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182711. https://doi.org/10.1371/0182711

Krawczyk, M. (2018). Do gender and physical attractiveness affect college grades?, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(1), 151-161, doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1307320

Paper presentation

Rhetorical exercises, for all subjects

Anders Sigrell, Inst. för kommunikation och medier

Rhetoric as a subject was by Aristotle coined as a techné, i.e., a practical knowledge that could be studied theoretically, and that is teachable. This paper will address the possible use for some of the exercises we use also for other subjects.

There might be a skeptical take on the need for practical exercises; this is university and no longer school. But there are reasons why practical exercises might deepen the benefit of theoretical studies.

The number one theoretical axiom for rhetoric is that we chose language. But we do not only choose what to say or to write. We also choose what to hear and to read. The first exercises I will present will be a couple of exercises on how to reflect upon how we choose to communicate as receivers, more specific as listeners. Exercises I believe might be well suited for other subjects.

The epistemological take of rhetoric is not relativistic, it is perspectivistic. The second set of exercises presented will be exercises taken from the rhetorical exercise-program progymnasmata. The exercises in question are of on how to view a given event from a different perspective (the Narratio), one on academic writing from a fixed set of topoi (the Chreia), one on how create and present arguments for and against the very same proposition (the Pro et contra), and finally one on how to see something from another person’s perspective, including the emotions that are connected to that position (the Ethopoeia).

From one point of view university studies, at least from the second cycle and onwards, at best is about understanding that things could be perceived differently. And what is life long learning about, if not to be ready to take in other and new perspectives? That is what these exercises are about.

Refereces

Aristoteles (2012). Retoriken (övers. Akujärvi). Retorikförlaget
Brännström, Maria & Sigrell, Anders “Rhetoric and the high-school mission for democracy” (2022). Scandinavian Journal of Pedagogical Research (i.p.)
Eriksson, Anders (2017). Retorikens grunder. Studia Rhetorica Lundensia 4. Retorikförlaget
Sigrell, Anders (2022). ”Speaking is silver, silence is golden”. Conference presentation International Society for the History of Rhetoric, Nejmegen NL.

Paper presentation

Lifelong Learning in the Humanities: Opportunities and Challenges

Agnes Malmgren, SOL
Isak Hammar, Kansli HT/Historiska instiutionen
 

The dual purpose of higher education to provide both individual development and vocational training is sometimes perceived as a difficult balancing act for the humanities, not least for teachers trying to combine traditional perspectives on Bildung with students’ concerns for future employment. As argued by a recent report based on the experiences of alumni from the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology (HT) however, the notion of a dichotomy between these educational goals needs to be nuanced if not outright abandoned. Moreover, with a renewed focus on lifelong learning, what has previously been seen as an Achilles’ heel for the humanities in the face of mounting pressure to offer distinct career paths, can instead be approached as an opportunity to reconsider the value of a higher education that delivers both personal growth and professional skills.

Offering examples from the Bachelor’s Programme in European Studies with a humanist profile, this presentation will address lifelong learning in relation to teaching practices and student experiences at HT. Like most programs and courses at HT, European Studies are not geared towards a specific profession. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that many students arrive with a mix of excitement and concern about what they will “actually learn” and what they will “become” once graduated. The programme has incorporated these questions, dedicating time for joint reflection on the students’ educational paths and on the societal role and significance of European Studies, hopefully contributing to their motivation for continuous – possibly lifelong – learning.

In our presentation, we will discuss how these learning activities correspond with integrative perspectives on knowledge associated with scholarship on lifelong learning. We will also open for discussion about further developments of such activities at HT and beyond – and about economic and structural obstacles that might hinder future opportunities.

References

Aslan, D. U. (2020). Communities of Learning in Times of Student Solitude. I: J. Bergqvist Rydén, A.
Jerneck, J. Luth Richter, & K. Steen (Red.), Interdisciplinary pedagogy in higher education : Proceedings from Lund University's Teaching and Learning Conference 2019 (ss. 105-117). Lunds universitet. Interdisciplinary pedagogy in (lu.se)

Hammar, I (2021) Humanistisk kunskap och kompetens. En rapport om alumners nytta av studier i humaniora och teologi. Lund: Humanistiska och teologiska fakulteterna vid Lunds universitet

Hedin, Anna & Svensson, Lennart (2011). Nycklar till kunskap: om motivation, handling och förståelse i vuxenutbildning. Lund: Studentlitteratur

Lave, Jean & Wenger, Etienne (2005[1991]). Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Mark, Eva (2009) Livslångt lärande ur bildningsperspektiv som strategi för högskolan. Göteborg: Grundtviginsstitutet vid Göteborgs universitet.

Paper presentation

Texts on digital study techniques designed to help students navigate a new normal

Maria Esaiasson, Sektion kommunikation och Enheten för undervisningsstöd
Kikki Nillasdotter, Språk- och litteraturcentrum och Enheten för undervisningsstöd

This presentation is about the website campusonline.lu.se/en. The purpose of the website is to show how students can navigate their learning in a digital study environment through blog-post like texts. The material combines advice on digital tools, study techniques and social interaction. This project was initiated during the pandemic to meet an urgent need for knowledge and guidance. Today, in a new normal, campusonline.lu.se/en has developed and is now a part of the new permanent Unit for Educational Services, that also offers support and training to university staff in integrating digital tools in learning. 
 
A digital learning environment means a need for new life hacks in terms of managing, for example, ergonomics, procrastination, isolation, and efficiency. For students to become curious and social learners in a digital work life we need to teach them about learning. Part of that is to encourage students to reflect on their study techniques and share skills with each other. In a remote learning situation, teachers need to take an active approach to create a culture of sharing as it is not always initiated automatically.  
 
The main target group for the website campusonline.lu.se/en is students but teachers can help us reach the students in the right situations. By using our material as part of their course setup teachers can also save time, not needing to invent general instructions individually. During our presentation we will present material from the website and give examples on how teachers can use it in their courses. We also hope to initiate a discussion on how we can spread and develop the material with help from teachers and other staff across Lund University. 

Short presentation

Strengthened conditions for a lifelong application of evidence based clinical practice

Frida Eek, Health Sciences

Clinical practice should be evidence based, where the existing scientific evidence is of central importance. To obtain and update insight in current scientific evidence is a lifelong process that must continue throughout the professional life. Some studies have indicated that physiotherapists often do not fully apply the evidence based medicine (EBM) process (1). Frequently reported obstacles to the application of EBM are lack of time, inability to understand statistics, lack of support from employer and lack of both resources and interest (2). Also insufficient teaching and lacking knowledge of scientific methodology have in international studies been reported as main barriers to practicing EBM (3-5).

The ability to adapt, interpret, evaluate and apply scientific results both during education and through professional life requires knowledge and understanding of scientific methodology. The scientific perspective needs to be included, applied and developed throughout the program. However, a challenge is to find space, and provide the conditions, for students to obtain and develop this knowledge in an adapted and motivating way.

In order to strengthen the conditions for a scientific approach within physiotherapy, I have created a digital platform for the physiotherapy program on Canvas, which contains recorded lectures tailored for the student group, literature tips and opportunity to ask questions about scientific methodology. The platform will be accessible for all students throughout the whole program. All courses through the program can refer to different parts/lectures as supplementary resources for the students' implementation of course-specific assignments that involve aspects linked to the scientific perspective. The purpose is to strengthen the conditions for a scientific approach by enabling the students to build, develop and apply a basic understanding and ability for obtaining and interpreting scientific results both through the program and in future lifelong professional practice.

1. Condon C, McGrane N, Mockler D, Stokes E. Ability of physiotherapists to undertake evidence-based practice steps: a scoping review. Physiotherapy. 2016;102(1):10-9.

2. da Silva TM, Costa Lda C, Garcia AN, Costa LO. What do physical therapists think about evidence-based practice? A systematic review. Man Ther. 2015;20(3):388-401.

3. Alshehri MA, Alalawi A, Alhasan H, Stokes E. Physiotherapists' behaviour, attitudes, awareness, knowledge and barriers in relation to evidence-based practice implementation in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2017;15(3):127-41.

4. Diermayr G, Schachner H, Eidenberger M, Lohkamp M, Salbach NM. Evidence-based practice in physical therapy in Austria: current state and factors associated with EBP engagement. J Eval Clin Pract. 2015;21(6):1219-34.

5. Ramirez-Velez R, Bagur-Calafat MC, Correa-Bautista JE, Girabent-Farres M. Barriers against incorporating evidence-based practice in physical therapy in Colombia: current state and factors associated. BMC Med Educ. 2015;15:220.

Roundtable discussion

How to teach students who are not mini-mes (and don't want to be)

Mirjam Glessmer, Centre for Engineering Education
Rachel Forsyth, Utveckling
Åsa K Nilsson, Studentservices LTH
Torgny Roxå, Centre for Engineering Education

University teaching is often described as either an apprenticeship model, where students strive towards the role modelled by the master, or as a community of practice, where students become part of a community that is employing a shared practice to further a common domain of interest. In both cases, access as well as success is easiest for students who already have similarities with, and can see themselves becoming like, the master. This keeps the system stable. In teaching new university teachers we have observed that, interestingly, early career teachers are often the most conservative, protecting the traditional culture that they have just become part of.

But what about non-cookie-cutter students who come from different cultural backgrounds or educational trajectories than their teachers, and/or don’t see themselves wanting to be shaped into the traditional mould of their ‘masters’? In a context of widening participation, internationalisation, and lifelong learning, we need to consider that our students may need a variety of teaching and assessment approaches in order to participate fully, and to show them what they can bring to our classes. We need to support them in being and becoming who they want to be, whether that is “mini-mes” or something different and unfamiliar to us.

At this roundtable, we want to discuss:

How can we show all students that they, and their learning, matter: that they feel included just as they are?

How can we plan teaching for diverse student groups whilst still managing our workload efficiently?

What structures are needed at department, faculty and university level to support us in this work?

References:

Forster, A. M., Pilcher, N., Tennant, S., Murray, M., Craig, N., & Copping, A. (2017). The fall and rise of experiential construction and engineering education: decoupling and recoupling practice and theory. Higher Education Pedagogies, 2(1), 79-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/23752696.2017.1338530 

Wegner, E., & Nückles, M. (2015). Knowledge acquisition or participation in communities of practice? Academics’ metaphors of teaching and learning at the university. Studies in Higher Education, 40(4), 624-643.

Wilcox, P., Winn, S., & Fyvie-Gauld, M. (2005). "It was nothing to do with the university, it was just the people": the role of social support in the first-year experience of higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 30(6), 707–722. http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/03075070500340036 

Paper presentation

Kortfilmer om kärnbegrepp och tröskelbegrepp inom grammatiken

Katarina Lundin, Språk- och litteraturcentrum
Philippe Collberg, Språk- och litteraturcentrum

Många studenter som läser fristående kurser och yrkesutbildningar i svenska har svårt att uppfylla lärandemålen på kurser i svensk grammatik. Utifrån analyser av underkända studentsvar på tentor och gruppintervjuer med studenter visar Josefsson & Lundin (2017, 2018) att många av studenternas problem med att tillägna sig det grammatiska kunskapsinnehållet kan knytas till ett mindre antal moment och begrepp. De centrala moment som Josefsson & Lundin lyfter fram utgörs dels av s.k. tröskelbegrepp, som är avgörande för studentens möjlighet att gå vidare i sitt lärande (jfr Meyer & Land 2003, Perkins 1999), dels av kärnbegrepp som knyts till kursinnehållet och förmågan att analysera svenska språket.

I föredraget presenteras ett pedagogiskt utvecklingsprojekt om digital undervisning där tröskelbegrepp och kärnbegrepp inom grammatiken har legat till grund för arbetet med korta undervisningsfilmer. Filmernas syfte har varit att kärnfullt beskriva de centrala momenten på ett sätt som kompletterar den ordinarie undervisningen av lektioner, övningar och läsning av kurslitteratur och som är tillgängligt för studenterna genom hela kursen.

Projektet startade vårterminen 2021 och filmerna användes i undervisning på två introduktionskurser i svensk grammatik på SOL-centrum under den påföljande höstterminen (inom svensklärarutbildningen och översättarutbildningen). På båda kurserna har studenterna fått utvärdera filmerna och redogöra för hur de använt dem i sina studier och huruvida de uppfattar att filmerna har underlättat deras lärande. Med utgångspunkt i studenternas utvärderingar diskuterar vi bland annat hur filmerna har tagits emot av studenterna samt hur filmerna förhåller sig till kurslitteraturen (framför allt Lundin 2017) och den lärarledda undervisningen.

Referenser:
Josefsson, G. & Lundin, K. (2017): Tröskelbegrepp inom grammatiken. I: Högre utbildning, Vol. 7, Nr. 2.
Josefsson, G. & Lundin, K. (2018): Nycklar till grammatik. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Lundin, K. (2017): Tala om språk. Grammatik för lärarstuderande. Studentlitteratur: Lund.
Meyer, J. H. F. & Land, R. (2003): Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge – Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising. I: Improving Student Learning – Ten Years On. C. Rust (Ed): Oxford, OCSLD.
Perkins, D (1999) The many faces of constructivism. I: Educational Leadership 57(3).

Paper presentation

Kursen som vetenskaplig konferens. Interaktion, socialisation och avtäckning inom masterprogrammet The Religious Roots of Europe

Hege Markussen CTR
Andreas Westergren CTR

I denna presentation beskriver vi arbetet med att utveckla distansundervisningen i en väletablerad kurs inom masterprogrammet The Religious Roots of Europe mot bakgrund av att från början av utbildningen vilja inlemma studenterna i en akademisk gemenskap och ett vetenskapligt arbetssätt. Hur kan en kurs, och till och med en kurs som delvis ges via distans, skapa det sociala och akademiska mervärde som forskaren får på en konferens, där formellt och informellt varvas så att lärandet lika mycket är en inskolning i ett forskningssammanhang som i ett ämne?

Religious Roots of Europe (RRE) är ett tvåårigt internationellt masterprogram som ges vid CTR i samarbete med Köpenhamns universitet och Universitetet i Oslo. Programmet startade 2009 utifrån ett redan existerande samarbete mellan nordiska forskare som på olika sätt arbetade med senantiken, och en grundtanke från början var att bjuda in studenter till detta vetenskapliga utbyte, genom att ge dem tillgång till den samlade kompetensen vid flera universitet och på så sätt bli en del av en forskargemenskap. Eftersom programmet har genererat många doktorander har detta syfte fungerat väl.

Kurserna i programmet kombinerar distansstudier med veckolånga kompaktseminarier vid de olika universiteten, alltså en slags konferenser, då studenter och lärare möts för undervisning och gemensamma aktiviteter. Distansundervisningen har i liten utsträckning innehållit sådan interaktion mellan studenterna, och har främst syftat till deras individuella förberedelser inför samt vidare studier efter mötena. Under Covid-restriktionerna, då få studenter hade möjlighet att resa till Lund, blev det tydligt för lärarlaget att distansundervisningen behövde utvecklas för att skapa nya förutsättningar för studenterna att kunna lära av och stödja varandra i lärandet samt att socialiseras in i det vetenskapliga studiet av religion och olika relevanta vetenskapliga miljöer och nätverk.

Med inspiration från den så kallade avtäckningsmetoden inom historievetenskaperna (Calder 2006; Heidenblad 2017; Pace 2017) arbetades tre ledord fram under projektets gång: interaktion, vetenskaplig socialisation och avtäckning av vetenskapliga praktiker. Dessa ledord utgjorde tre parallella, men sammanlänkade processer i utvecklingsarbetet. Bland annat gavs kursens introduktion ett nytt fokus på lärarnas och kursboksförfattarnas vetenskapliga perspektiv och nätverk samt studenternas ämnesmässiga kompetenser och genom kursens gång diskuterades avtäcktes de metanarrativ som kurslitteraturen, de vetenskapliga perspektiven och studenternas kunskapsproduktion vilar på. Detta gjordes via Q & A sessioner, seminarier, grupparbeten, och olika typer av studentpresentationer.

Utvecklingsprojektet utvärderas genom studenternas resultat och feedback i kursvärderingarna samt lärarnas reflektioner och jämförelser med kursens tidigare omgångar. Presentationen erbjuder också en meta-reflektion kring utvecklingsarbetets gång, som ett exempel på hur utvecklingsprocesser alltid är beroende av praktiska och pragmatiska hänsynstaganden.

Referenser

Calder, Lendol 2006. ”Uncoverage. Toward a Signature Pedagogy for the History Survey”. The Journal of American History92(4): 1358-1370.

Heidenblad, David Larsson 2017. “Avtäckningsmodellen: En undervisningsform med framtiden för sig? Scandia 83(2): 101–110.

Pace, David 2017. The Decoding the Disciplines Paradigm: Seven Steps to Increased Student Learning. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Short presentation

Reflektivt lärande under verksamhetsförlagd utbildning inom kommunal och regional sjukvård

Gunilla Carlsson, Dept of Health Sciences
Lisa Ekstam, Dept of Health Sciences

För att utveckla yrkesidentitet och kompetens är reflektion central. Reflektion är en förutsättning för livslångt lärande och därför är det viktigt att de färdigheter som krävs initieras under den högre utbildningen. Reflektionen är en blandning av teoretiska och tillämpade kunskaper och kan ske vid olika tidpunkter i förhållande till görandet. Centrala begrepp är ”reflection-in-action”, ”reflection-on-action” och ”reflection-for-action”. Lärande är den process genom vilken erfarenhet leder till en bestående förändring av kunskap och beteende.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vad som var avgörande för studenters lärande under en verksamhetsförlagd utbildning (VFU) på arbetsterapeutprogrammet. För att identifiera vad som tydligt bidrog till studenternas lärande samlades kritiska incidenter in. Av 27 studenter som fullföljde kursen under femte terminen på arbetsterapeutprogrammet accepterade 22 par studenter och handledare att delta i studien. Under analysen framkom tre huvudkategorier som var avgörande för lärandet.

De var i) Handledare och student har tilltro till studentens förmåga; ii) Studenten får utföra praktiska moment i sitt sammanhang och iii) Studenten får reflektera själv och tillsammans med andra före och efter en insats. Resultaten visade på att flera processer pågår parallellt under VFU, till exempel så har studenterna fokus på sin egen utvecklingsprocess samtidigt som de ska bistå patienterna i deras vård- eller rehabiliteringsprocess. Detta kräver att studenterna kan se den metakognitiva nivån, se sig själva och patienterna utifrån och veta var deras fokus ligger. Ett stöd för att förstå sitt eget lärande under VFU kan vara att använda sig av de fyra faserna i Kolbs lärcirkel (uppleva, reflektera, abstrahera och tillämpa). Under VFU får studenterna möjlighet att tillämpa den kunskap de har, få en upplevelse som de kan reflektera över och sedan abstrahera kring. Att utveckla ett reflekterande förhållningssätt och kontinuerligt reflektera under, efter och inför aktiviteter i kommunal och regional sjukvård skapar förutsättningar för ett livslångt lärande.

References: 
Flanagan, J.C. (1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51, 327-358.
Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs.
Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. Jossey Bass.
Wilhelmsson, M., Pelling, S., Uhlin, L., Dahlgren, L.O., Faresjö, T., & Forslund, K. (2012). How to think about interprofessional competence: A metacognitive model. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 26(2), 85-91

Short presentation

The Traveler, Miner, and Gardener: Metaphors for Making Teaching and Learning a Meaningful Process

Azher Hameed Qamar. School of Social Work, Lund University

Engaging students in active participation and collaborative learning is an important pedagogical component of teaching and learning in higher education. Teachers use a variety of activities to engage students, such as interactive lectures, presentations, group activities, and projects. A metaphorical understanding of the teaching-learning process may help in the implementation of innovative and ground-up pedagogical approaches. Using my anthropological research background, I will present three metaphors that can make the teaching-learning process more meaningful, ground-up, and accommodating of students' diverse learning styles. A traveler metaphor presents the learner as a traveler to both familiar and unknown places. A miner metaphor describes the learner as a miner who digs deep to get the desired 'minerals;' yet, the miner may obtain more than desired during the process. A gardener metaphor represents a gardener who cares for the garden from 'sowing' till 'reaping.' The gardener is also responsible for maintaining the garden by trimming and eliminating weeds. A ll three metaphors are about discovering, uncovering, and cultivating knowledge. The interesting thing about these metaphors is that the teacher and students are on the same 'journey' together. In this short presentation, I will reflect on these metaphors through the lens of a qualitative researcher (anthropologist) and relate them to the teaching-learning process.

References:
Kvale, S. (1996). Interview Views: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Salmons, J. E. (2021). Doing qualitative research online. Sage.
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2018). Doing interviews (Vol. 2). Sage.
Hardy, I., Edwards-Groves, C., & Rönnerman, K. (2012). Collaborative learning as a travelling practice: How practices of learning ‘travel’. Educational Practice and Theory, 34(2), 5-22.
Said, Edward W. (1983). Traveling theory. In: The world, the text, and the critic. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard UP.
Said, Edward W. (2000). Traveling theory reconsidered. In: Reflection on exile and other essays. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard UP

Short presentation

Lifelong learning from professional’s perspective (Lund University Commissioned Education)

Jessica Hansson, Lund University Commissioned Education
Alexandra Hertz, Lund University Commissioned Education
Pelle Kronhamn, Lund University Commissioned Education

In a world where the skills requirements on the labor market are constantly changing, lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important. We know that we learn differently, have different context and experiences. To meet these needs, we require target group adaption. But are the courses offered to professionals designed for that? Not only is there a difference in target groups but also when it comes to their needs and expectations for competence development in relation to their vocation. Here we clearly see a number of questions not being raised in this study on lifelong learning.

The department for commissioned education (LUCE), with its knowledge and expertise, acts as a mediator between the recognized knowledge within a particular field of science and the practical aspects of a workfield, workplace or specific conditions for a participating profession. Participants in commissioned education often serve a double purpose in both educating themselves and thereafter improving the quality and effectiveness of their workplace. To reach this goal each course needs to be adapted to the target group, incorporated, and make use of the participants' previous experiences. We need to consider that one size might not fit all, so how can we make lifelong learning more sustainable?

Seeking to answer this question LUCE invites you to our presentation where we aim to share examples and challenges encountered while supporting and working with developing and offering courses for professionals.  More specifically we wish to discuss lessons learned and best practices in the changing field of commissioned education.

Short presentation

The case of the missing competences: arguments for and against embedding digital skills in the curriculum

Rachel Forsyth, Strategic Development Office
 

The aim of this presentation is to encourage thinking about the value of embedding digital skills in the university curriculum. There are many pressures on teachers trying to fit everything into their courses, so why should we make time for digital skills – how are they linked to higher education, and why can’t students learn these outside the curriculum?

Using the metaphor of a detective searching for evidence, this short presentation will take a light-hearted look at the needs of students and society in relation to digital skills and confidence . Following a short introductory presentation, the audience will be encouraged to suggest counter arguments and alternative theories, and consider how this debate could be extended at LU.

The presentation addresses the theme of the conference by considering the role of generic skills development in university courses, and why this is important in lifelong learning (Hansson & Sjöberg, 2019, Learning and Work Institute,  2021). It will also touch on the different ways skills can be embedded in general, and why the specific case of digital skills is important both to individual students and to wider society (Bondar et al, 2021, Vodă et al, 2022). The intention is to provoke debate, signpost existing resources, and encourage participation in further discussion and development.
 

References:

Bondar, I., Komarnitskyi, I., Rusavska, V., Batchenko, L., & Honchar, L. (2021). Formation and development of digital skills in university education: a systematic approach. Laplage em Revista, 7, 47-56. https://doi.org/10.24115/S2446-622020217Extra-B882p.47-56 

Hansson, E., & Sjöberg, J. (2019). Making use of students' digital habits in higher education: What they already know and what they learn. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 0(14). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i14.489 

Learning and Work Institute. (2021). Disconnected? Exploring the digital skills gap. https://learningandwork.org.uk/resources/research-and-reports/disconnected-exploring-the-digital-skills-gap/ 

Vodă, A. I., Cautisanu, C., Grădinaru, C., Tănăsescu, C., & de Moraes, G. H. S. M. (2022). Exploring Digital Literacy Skills in Social Sciences and Humanities Students. Sustainability, 14(5), 2483. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/5/2483 

Paper presentation

MOOCs for lifelong learning: potential, practices and pitfalls for flexible and innovative education for sustainability

Jessika Luth Richter, International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Charlotte Leire, International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Kes McCormick, International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) combine films, materials and activities that learners can access at any time and pace to learn within a flexible but supportive online learning community. Learners can explore MOOCs quickly or in depth and engage actively or more passively with the materials and other learners online. It is this flexibility that makes MOOCs particularly suited to addressing the needs of many lifelong learners, and many learners who study while working full-time.

In their research of MOOCs in Norway, Langseth et al (2021) argue that governmental bodies and institutional stakeholders should give more attention to MOOC initiatives to develop sustainability in flexible and lifelong learning in higher education institutions. However, not all MOOCs are designed optimally for the lifelong learning context, and thus evaluation of best practice is important (Ramirez et al., 2020). While flexibility is key to enabling learning, pedagogic value is important for retention and influences the depth of learning.

This contribution explores the potential for MOOCs to meet the needs of lifelong learners in the context of higher education for sustainability. We review the experience from literature for the key factors that influence the uptake/retention/value for lifelong learners and the benefits and challenges of using MOOCs for lifelong learning, including the influence of MOOCs on other courses in higher education institutions. We critically reflect on the experience of designing and running 5 MOOCs at the IIIEE, with a focus on available data from the lifelong learners. Lastly, we discuss this experience in the context of academic literature.

References:

Langseth, I., Jacobsen, D. Y., & Haugsbakken, H. (2021). MOOCs for Flexible and Lifelong Learning in Higher Education. EMOOCs 2021, 63.

Ramírez Luelmo, S. I., El Mawas, N., & Heutte, J. (2020). Learner Models for MOOC in a Lifelong Learning Context: A Systematic Literature Review. International Conference on Computer Supported Education, 392–415.

Paper presentation

Interdisciplinarity and Lifelong Learning in Doctoral Education for Sustainable Development: Case Study, Agenda-2030 Graduate School

Omar Y. Abdelaziz, Department of Chemical Engineering, LTH
Mirjam S. Glessmer, Center for Engineering Education, LTH
Ida Sandström, Architecture and Built Environment, LTH

The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for “peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (UN, 2015). Fast-moving societal questions as the ones related to the SDGs are often addressed from within traditional disciplinary research paradigms, which might not be best equipped for tackling the emerging challenges. At Lund University, an interdisciplinary Graduate School is working to address the growing societal challenges, utilizing the SDGs framework. We here investigate how the SDG framework influences the choice of research topics and supervisors in doctoral education, both in the beginning of doctoral studies and over time. We use semi-structured interviews with three doctoral students and with the Graduate School’s coordinator. We conclude that while the SDGs provide a shared language and framework for discussions, the research is mostly disciplinary. The Graduate School, however, provides opportunities for doctoral students and their supervisors to connect beyond their discipline and be exposed to new ideas and inspiration. Utilizing these opportunities shall turn the Graduate School into a lifelong-learning hub, thus increasing awareness of changes in areas such as technology, finance, and politics.

Keywords: Doctoral students, Intellectual communities, Interdisciplinary studies, Research education, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Lifelong Learning

Paper presentation

Genreväxling som stöd för forskarstudenters skrivutveckling

Susanne Pelger, PLUS, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten

Skrivfärdighet utgör ett viktigt lärandemål inom högre utbildning, inte minst på forskarnivå, där skrivandet är centralt och för många studenter samtidigt en utmaning. Det är därför angeläget med ökad kunskap om hur forskarstudenters skrivutveckling systematiskt kan stödjas.

I en fallstudie har jag analyserat tolv forskarstudenters reflektioner över sin egen skrivutveckling under utbildningens första år. Reflektionerna skrevs inom ramen för en forskarutbildningskurs i akademiskt skrivande. Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilka framsteg studenterna upplevde i sin skrivutveckling, och vilka faktorer de angav som betydelsefulla för dessa framsteg.

Studenternas reflektioner analyserades utifrån retorikvetenskapens partesmodell. Modellen beskriver skribentens retoriska val kopplade till skrivprocessens olika delar: textens mottagare, innehåll, struktur och formuleringar, samt respons och reflektion över den skrivna texten. Analysen visade att skrivprocessens alla delar täcktes in i studentgruppens upplevda framsteg.

Vidare identifierades tre övergripande framgångsfaktorer, skrivande, goda exempel och respons, vilket överensstämmer med tidigare forskning om skrivutveckling [se t.ex. 1]. Den enskilda faktor som återfanns i flest (alla) studenters reflektioner var skrivande i olika genrer. Enligt studenterna hade genreväxling bidragit både till förbättrad skrivfärdighet, förändrad syn på skrivprocessen och planer för fortsatt skrivutveckling. Särskilt poängterades den populärvetenskapliga genrens betydelse för framstegen. Resultatet kan jämföras med hur såväl vetenskaplig skrivfärdighet som ämnesförståelse gynnas hos naturvetarstudenter som skriver populärvetenskapligt om sitt kandidatarbete [2].

Forskarstudenternas reflektioner skulle, enligt kursuppgiftens bedömningskriterier, utgå ifrån samt generalisera och teoretisera de egna skriverfarenheterna. Samtliga texter uppfyllde kriterierna, vilket visar relationen mellan erfarenheter och insikter, och därmed evidens för lärande [3]. Fallstudien visar därigenom hur skriftliga reflektioner över skrivutveckling både kan synliggöra och bidra till denna utveckling.

Jag drar slutsatsen att skrivande, goda exempel och respons – inom olika genrer – effektivt stödjer forskarstudenters skrivutveckling. I konferenspresentationen diskuterar och exemplifierar jag hur systematisk skrivträning kan integreras i forskarutbildningen, och hur den populärvetenskapliga och reflekterande genren kan utnyttjas som stöd för denna utveckling.

Referenser
[1] Dysthe, O., Hertzberg, F. & Hoel, T.L. (2011). Skriva för att lära. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
[2] Pelger, S. (2018). Popular science writing bringing new perspectives into science students’ theses. International Journal of Science Education Particle B, 8(1): 1–13. doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2017.1371355
[3] Ryan, M. (2011). Improving reflective writing in higher education: a social semiotic perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(1): 99–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2010.507311

Paper presentation

A-uppsats eller kritisk essä - är det frågan?

Lisa Källström, Institutionen för kommunikation och medier

Vilka former och uttryck kan en avslutande skriftlig uppgift på grundkursen ta?  För att initiera en diskussion som tar vara på den samlade expertis och erfarenhet som finns bland åhörarna ställer jag frågan: hur skapar vi som lärare progression och konstruktiv länkning från första större skrivuppgift till en väntande kandidatuppsats? Syftet med presentationen är att öppna för denna diskussion om hur dessa avslutande uppgifter på grundkursen kan se ut och vilken betydelse vi tillskriver dem när det gäller att skapa förutsättningar för livslångt lärande. Inom humanistiska och samhällsvetenskapliga ämnen är det inte ovanligt att grundkursen avslutas med en skriftlig uppgift i vilken studenterna förväntas förhålla sig kritiskt reflekterande till adapterat kursinnehåll. Om en A-uppsats var vanlig, har den dock ofta ersatts med andra former av skriftliga inlämningsuppgifter. Med A-uppsats menas här en uppsats som skrivs på grundkursen och till formen liknar en kandidatuppsats med alla dess obligatoriska delar.  Inom ramarna för retorikämnet i Lund prövar vi en sådan alternativ modell. Studenterna väljer en text (exempelvis ett tal, en bild, en filmsekvens, ett parti ur en läst bok, en låt eller ett reklamblad) och minst två retoriska begrepp med vars hjälp de vill titta närmare på sitt material. Målet med uppgiften är att studenterna förväntas reflektera över det meningsrum som får betydelse för deras tänkande och blick på omvärlden. Utmaningen med uppgiften ligger därför inte bara i att applicera begreppen på materialet eller i att reflektera över begreppens ambiguitet utan att fundera över hur vi skapar mening tillsammans genom våra ord och handlingar. Uppgiften är en av många möjliga lösningar. Hur ser andra ut?

Roundtable discussion

Livslångt lärande - även för lärare?

Lotta Åbjörnsson, Enheten för undervisningsstöd
Björn Fritz, Kulturvetenskaper/Digitala lärmiljöer

Sedan 2021 finns Livslångt lärande med som en del i universitetets uppdrag. Kanske ställer detta nya krav, till exempel på kompetens inom digitala verktyg. Covid-19-pandemin tvingade oss att flytta undervisningen ut på nätet och det är nu svårt att tänka sig att undervisa utan digitala verktyg. I artikeln "Studenter ser brister i universitetslärares digitala kompetens" i Universitetsläraren 2 augusti 2022 (https://universitetslararen.se/2022/08/02/studenter-ser-brister-i-universitetslarares-digitala-kompetens/) konstateras bland annat att en tredjedel av de svarande anser att lärarnas kompetensbrister har påverkat undervisningen negativt. Lärarna har svårt att prioritera sin egen kompetensutveckling inom området digitala verktyg och incitament i form av meritering eller ekonomi saknas i stort sett. Under pandemin stod projektet Digitala lärmiljöer för stöd, support och utbildning kring våra digitala verktyg. Projektet är nu avslutat och har ersatts med en permanent lösning i form av Enheten för undervisningsstöd. I detta Runda-bords-samtal vill vi diskutera följande frågor:

- Hur kan universitetet prioritera lärarnas kompetensutveckling inom det digitala området?
- Hur kan den nya enheten bäst utforma användbart stöd?

Paper presentation

The Writing Group at CTR. A Community of Practice sprung out of PhD collegiality

Hege Markussen. CTR
Olivia Cejvan. CTR
Simon Pedersen Schmidt. CTR
Vera La Mela. CTR
Elisabet Göransson. CTR

At the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies a writing group is thriving. It consists of a messenger group, a zoom link and repeated bookings of communal works space at the department – a community which is informal and voluntary where PhD-students and senior scholars get together to do their reading and writing in time units of 45 minutes and with 15 minutes of social break each hour. It started among a group of PhD students with the aim of helping each other to use worktime more efficiently and productively – and to keep a social environment during the covid restrictions. With time, senior scholars have also joined the group and alongside productivity and social gains, various forms of tacit and informal learning have emerged as an additional outcome.

For the purpose of this presentation, we make use of social learning theory and frame the writing group as a community of practice; with aspects like mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoire at its core (Lave and Wenger 1991). It is also an academic microculture based on collegiality, internal trust, fellowship and shared responsibility (Roxå and Mårtensson 2015.) At CTR, the writing group has spontaneously become a collegial community that provides support across the spectrum of experience, provides access to competence and tacit knowledge in relaxed ways, as well as a venue for exploring new insights, self-discipline and reinforcement of communal competence. In this presentation, members of the community will describe their experiences of the writing group and critically discuss the dimension of learning.

References: 

Lave and Wenger 1991. Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation.

Roxå and Mårtensson 2015.) “Microcultures and informal learning: a heuristic guiding analysis of conditions for informal learning in local higher education workplaces”. International  Journal  for  Academic  Development,  20(2)  (2015),  s.  193–205).     

Paper presentation

Podcast as a way of collegial learning and professional development of university staff

Lotta Fröjdfeldt, Mälardalen Universitet
Britt-Inger Johansson, Uppsala Universitet
Nicolette Karst, AHU, Inst.f. Utbildningsvetenskap
Klara Bolander Laksov, Stockholms universitet

Lifelong learning is an approach and way to be open and connected. In the aftermath of the Corona-pandemic we have seen a massive rise in digital competence, but also in how the digital is best used to create learning opportunities. Going digital makes it possible to be more open to and share with a larger audience, so that anyone, anywhere, connected to the internet can take part and learn (Wiley and Hilton, 2009). This promotes all kinds of lifelong learning. The EU acknowledges a great need of digitalization of education even after Corona (European Commission, 2020). This involves the development of higher education and creates a need for complementary digital pedagogical approaches also within educational development. Podcasts can be one of these approaches. When teachers learn together openly online, e.g. through making or listening to a podcast, the step to designing education for LLL using podcasts in their own teaching is easier to make. Academic developers can play an important role in this transformation.

In the pandemic’s early days, we, academic developers from four different universities, found each other online through what Siemens called connectivism (Siemens, 2005). We saw a digital opportunity for collaboration, and a possibility to reach out to a bigger audience as “everyone” in higher education worked online. Through a podcast, we would be able to combine collegial learning with current topics relevant to higher education development. We created a framework for a pod, agreed on themes, and then planned our first recording. We use e-mail and Canvas for our collaboration, but mostly short and effective Zoom-meetings. We also record the podcasts in Zoom. Our pod is open to the public, so that anyone can listen in and therefore take part in the discussions.
We want to describe our journey, using a pod aiming to create opportunities for educational development. We also want to inspire other people to collaborate and to use new approaches to learning.

References
European Commission. (2020). Digital Education Action Plan. https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/digital-education-action-plan_sv 
Siemens. G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. In: International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), 3-10.
Wiley, D. and Hilton, J. (2009). Openness, Dynamic Specialization, and the Disaggregated Future of Higher Education. In: International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 10(5).