Ei dian otsikkoa

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Three Threads of Growth to Expertise in Online
Education
Riina Kleimola riina.kleimola_at_cou.fi Irja
Leppisaari irja.leppisaari_at_cou.fi
Frontpage pictures Eeva Huotari
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BACKGROUND

• The Open Online University of Applied Sciences,
  AVERKO (see www.averko.fi/eng), 10 years of
  experience in both organising and conducting RD
  in online education is of national significance.
• AVERKO began operations in 1997 as a
  collaborative network of several polytechnics /
  UASs, but in recent years the Central
  Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences has
  held sole responsibility for AVERKO.
• In 2006 2303 students, 5717 credits completed,
  50 courses offered, 48 teachers working as
  tutors, 10 research articles
• Since 1.1.2007 AVERKOs operations have been
  organised as part of COUAS CENTRIA Research and
  Development Unit.
• The target group includes Open UAS students, UAS
  degree and exchange students, UAS teachers and
  others developing online teaching skills, as
  well as various development networks and research
  communities, both national and international.

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AVERKOS OPERATIONS AND OBJECTIVES

• AVERKO aims to be a nationally and
  internationally recognised operator in online
  education, that
• provides quality online studies and educational
  services to everyone,
• develops the online pedagogical expertise of
  teachers,
• creates new innovative online guidance and
  mentoring models,
• furthers online pedagogical research, development
  and project work at national and international
  levels, and
• networks with other operators in the field and
  continues organisational development towards
  online education expertise.

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THE THREE THREADS

• The three threads which have formed the basis of
  AVERKOs operations from the beginning,
• pedagogy,
• work-based and professional orientation, and
• educational technology,
• are also relevant in meeting the challenges
  of online education today.

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PEDAGOGY IN AVERKO

• Pedagogy is the strongest thread, the fundamental
  strand of AVERKOs operation
• high quality courses offered and pedagogically
  meaningful studies
• pedagogical basis of courses needs to be
  thoroughly considered
• continuous pedagogical development of online
  education
• flexible distance education and guidance
  possibilities
• diverse utilisation of guidance resources (in
  addition to teachers, peer students and outside
  experts)
• supporting community and dialogic interaction
• emphasis on the role of guidance as part of
  online educational quality
• meaningfulness of guidance as experienced by
  teachers and students
• supporting the online pedagogical growth of
  teachers
• training and consultation, new innovative
  training models
• collective PD discussions a space for learning
• self and peer evaluation tool to support online
  guidance reflection
• online pedagogical research

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WORK-BASED AND PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION IN AVERKO

• Work-based and professional orientation the
  central dimension and continual development
  challenge of UAS pedagogy
• authentic learning and development of collective
  expertise is supported by web-based models in
  education
• web-based learning contents and studies based on
  work-based needs and changing skill demands
• online mentoring strengthening the links between
  tertiary education and work
• cases AVERKO, Virtual Polytechnic
• mobile guidance in international internships
• case University Centre Chydenius in
  Kokkola
• development of online teaching practicum in
  collaboration with vocational teacher education
  colleges
• case Tampere Polytechnic Teacher Education Centre

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EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN AVERKO

• Educational technology is not just a tool, but a
  more broadly understood model of operation.
• Technical development currently AVERKOs weakest
  thread
• efficient and purposeful deployment of learning
  platforms and the tools they contain
• guidance and instruction on the possibilities and
  use, advantages and limitations, technical
  training
• meaningful and effective educational technology
  solutions the requisites for workable teaching,
  learning and study environments
• use of technologies, tools and practices
  integrating these into teaching to facilitate
  more diverse interaction than in learning
  platforms
• e.g. deploying social media
• requires resources, and know-how and expertise
  gained through experience

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AVERKOS STRENGTHS

• Long experience and the expertise gained through
  this in the field of online education
• Valued and recognised operator / developer
• Managements positive attitude and support
• Effective partnership network
• Diverse range of courses
• Online pedagogical competence
• Online mentoring models as pedagogical
  innovations
• Development of working life links
• Broad customer base and target group (students,
  teachers, working life)
• Research-oriented staff

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CHALLENGES FOR AVERKO

• Resources
• Technical development ? technology and tools that
  facilitate a more diverse interaction
• Enhancing support services in ones own
  educational organisation ? mentors working in
  the unit
• Promoting quality and continual improvement of
  online education
• The online pedagogical and especially multimodal
  expert guidance skills of AVERKO teachers,
  integrating development as part of a teachers
  own work ? new kinds of staff development models
• Increasing AVERKO teachers collegialism ? common
  learning space
• Strengthening work-based models ? new openings
  offered through online mentoring
• Greater student mobility

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THE IDEAL SITUATION

• Balance between pedagogy, working life
  orientation and technology in AVERKOs operations
• Meaningful and quality teaching, learning and
  study environments
• Client centered services
• Committed, researching and developing teaching
  and AVERKO staff
• Close links between teaching, research and
  development
• Learning partnership between tertiary education
  and work, and exchanging of skills
• Regional, national and international development
  and advancement
• Continuous improvement of operations and learning

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REFERENCES

• AVERKOn kokousmuistioita ja toimintakertomuksia
  sekä -suunnitelmia vuosilta 1997-2006.
• Garrison, D. R. Anderson, T. 2003. E-Learning
  in the 21st Century. A Framework for Research and
  Practice. London and New York RoutledgeFalmer.
• Helenius, R. Leppisaari, I. 2004. Online
  Mentoring to Enrich the Learning Process. In J.
  Nall R. Robson (Eds.) Proceedings of E-Learn
  2004 conference, Vol. 2. November 1-5, 2004.
  Washington, USA, 1244-1249. AACE.
• Helenius, R. Leppisaari, I. 2006. Stopping
  Teachers to Reflect and Improve the Quality of
  Online Education. In Proceedings of SITE 2006 -
  Society for Information Technology and Teacher
  Education, 17th International International
  Conference. March 20-24, 2006, Orlando, USA.
• Kiviniemi, K. 2000. Johdatus verkkopedagogiikkaan.
  Keski-Pohjanmaan ammattikorkeakoulu. A
  Tutkimusraportteja. Kokkola.
• Kujala, K. Huunonen, K. Saarinen, J. Vainio, L.
  Väliharju, T. 2006. Oppimisteknologian
  tulevaisuuden skenaariot. Hämeen
  ammattikorkeakoulu. Digital Learning Lab (DLL)
  -tutkimus- ja kehityshanke. Saarijärvi
  Saarijärven Offset Oy.
• Leppisaari, I. Helenius, R. 2005a. Mielekästä
  verkko-ohjausta etsimässä. Teoksessa I. Luoto
  I. Leppisaari (toim.) Kasvamassa
  verkko-opettajuuteen. Saarijärvi Gummerus,
  164181.
• Leppisaari, I. Helenius, R. 2005b. Online
  mentoring toward a new teachership. In
  Proceedings of RWL4, 4th International Conference
  on Researching Work and Learning, December 11-14,
  2005. The University of Technology, Sydney,
  Australia.
• Leppisaari, I. Helenius, R. 2006.
  Tutoropettajien kehityskeskustelut edistämässä
  verkko-opetuksen laatua. Teoksessa J. Muttonen
  (toim.) Carpe Diem Suuntaa huomiseen. Hämeen
  kesäyliopiston julkaisuja, sarja B, ITK 2006 -
  Interaktiivinen tekniikka koulutuksessa -
  konferenssissa, 6.-7.4.2006, Aulanko,
  Hämeenlinna.
• Leppisaari, I. Kleimola, R. 2006.
  Kehityskeskustelut verkko-opettajien oppimisen
  tilana. AMK- ja ammatillisen koulutuksen
  tutkimuspäivät 11-12.10.2006 Oulu. Saatavilla
  http//www.oamk.fi/tutkimuspaivat/tk.php?osiomate
  riaalit
• Leppisaari, I., Vainio, L., Kleimola, R.,
  Hartnell-Young, E. Makino, Y. 2006. Comparing
  online mentoring cases in educational context in
  Finland, Australia and Japan. In Proceedings of
  EMCC European Mentoring and Coaching Council
  Conference, 1-3th November, 2006, Cologne,
  Germany.