eAMK - The new ecosystem of learning

The quality criteria for online implementations have been developed to serve as a basis for developing the quality of online studies that are offered at universities of applied sciences and CampusOnline.fi. The quality criteria can also be used as a tool for self-assessment.

Digital mentoring means cooperation between two or more people in which the parties wish to develop their skills in a shared area of interest and share their skills by utilising digital methods and tools in their interaction.

Publications about Digital Mentoring

Leppisaari, I. 2019. Exploring Emerging Mentoring Practices in New Ecosystems of Learning in Finland. In P. Kommers, T. Issa, P. Isaias & W. Hui (Eds.) Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Educational Technologies 2019 (ICEduTech 2019) Hong Kong 8-10 February, 2019 (pp. 97-108). IADIS International Association for Development of the Information Society. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from http://www.iadisportal.org/digital-library/exploring-emerging-mentoring-practices-in-new-ecosystems-of-learning-in-finland.

Leppisaari, I. 2019. eGroup Mentoring – an Evolving Operational Model in New Ecosystems of Tertiary Learning. In K. Graziano (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1196-1206). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved April 15, 2019 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/207797/.

Leppisaari, I. 2019. Redefining quality criteria for mentoring in new digital learning environments. In Dominguez, N. & Neder, C.M., & Zaman, S. (Eds.) 12th Annual Mentoring Conference Proceedings: Towards the science of mentoring (pp. 246–251). Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico.

More information about eGroup mentoring

Leppisaari, I. 2018. Exploring principles of successful eGroup mentoring on the interface of higher education and working life. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 27(4), 481-505. Waynesville, NC USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved December 22, 2018 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/181340.

Digitalisation is a natural part of the studification process that is adopted gradually along with the progress of digitalisation in the organisation. At eAMK, new kinds of operating procedures for studification were developed by means of experimental development.

10 tips for teachers on studification

1. Automate as much as possible. Moodle is well-suited for a variety of purposes.
2. Clarify the difference between recognition of prior learning and studification.
3. It is advisable to record in detail the learning objectives of the course you are teaching.
4. Check beforehand that the student is able to attain the objectives of the course being studied at their own workplace.
5. Check that the assignments given in a studification course are commensurate with the credits awarded and the resources allocated to the teacher.
6. It is advisable to book an appointment for a face-to-face discussion with the studifier.
7. The large number of studifiers and the resulting increase in workload may come as a surprise.
8. It is advisable to utilise the working life perspectives obtained in the studification process in course development.
9. Inform the students of the studification opportunity well in time before the course starts.
10. Mistakes are also an opportunity to learn, and it is not the end of the world if not everything goes as expected the first time.

2019

Virolainen, M., & Heikkinen, H. L. T. 2019. Vocational Education and Training Institutions' Collaboration with the World of Work from the Perspective of Actor Networks and Ecosystems of Learning. In L.M. Herrera, M. Teräs, & P. Gougoulakis (Eds.), Vocational Education and Training: The World of Work and Teacher Education. Emergent Issues in Research on Vocational Education and Training, 3. Stockholm: Premiss, 67-97.

2018

Mattila, A. & Marstio, T. 2018. Digitizing Learning by Development. In S. Juvonen, P. Marjanen & T. Meristö (Eds.) Learning by Developing 2.0 – case studies in theory and practice. Laurea julkaisut, Laurea Ammattikorkeakoulu, Vantaa, Suomi, 70-75. https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/159833.

Tynjälä, P., Heikkinen, H. L. T., Virtanen, A., Virolainen, M. & Laitinen-Väänänen, S. 2018. Integrating Work and Learning in Finnish Higher Education. Presentation in Research on Work and Learning seminar in 4 June, 2018. Jyväskylä. 

Articles in Conference Proceedings

2019

Leppisaari, I. 2019. Redefining quality criteria for mentoring in new digital learning environments. In Dominguez, N. & Neder, C.M., & Zaman, S. (Eds.) 12th Annual Mentoring Conference Proceedings: Towards the science of mentoring (pp. 246–251). Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico. Download as PDF.

Leppisaari, I. 2019. eGroup mentoring – an evolving operational model in new ecosystems of tertiary learning. Teoksessa K. Graziano (Toim.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference. Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). 876-886. Retrieved November 17, 2021 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/207797/.

Leppisaari, I. 2019. Exploring Emerging Mentoring Practices in New Ecosystems of Learning in Finland. In P. Kommers, T. Issa, P. Isaias & W. Hui (Eds.) Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Educational Technologies 2019 (ICEduTech 2019) Hong Kong 8.-10.2.2019 IADIS

Sirkemaa, S., Varpelaide, H. 2019. Flexibility: a key element in modern learning environments. Iceri2019 proceedings. https://library.iated.org/view/SIRKEMAA2019FLE

Virolainen, M., & Heikkinen, H. L. T. 2019. Vocational Education and Training Institutions' Collaboration with the World of Work from the Perspective of Actor Networks and Ecosystems of Learning. In L.M. Herrera, M. Teräs, & P. Gougoulakis (Eds.), Vocational Education and Training: The World of Work and Teacher Education. Emergent Issues in Research on Vocational Education and Training, 3. Stockholm: Premiss, 67-97. 

2018

Sirkemaa, S., Varpelaide, H. 2018. The Need for Digital Learning Environments.
International journal learning teaching educational research 2018.
http://ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/1180

Conference and seminar abstracts and presentations

2019

Virolainen, M., Heikkinen, H.L.T., Tynjälä, P., Virtanen, A., Laitinen-Väänänen, S. & Mattila, A. 2019. Building partnerships of universities of applied sciences and workplaces from the perspective of ecosystems of learning. Nordyrk conference in 12-14 June, 2019. Arcadia university of applied sciences, Helsinki.

2018

Heikkinen, H. & Laitinen-Väänänen, S., Virolainen, M., Virtanen, A. & Tynjälä. P. 2018. Ecosystems of Learning. EAPRIL conference, Slovenia 12-14 November, 2018.

Heikkinen, H.L.T. 2018. What is praxis in higher education. A keynote lecture held in the conference Teaching and learning in a praxis-oriented university 27 September, 2018. Sweden, Borås.

Tynjälä, P., Heikkinen, H. L. T., Virtanen, A., Virolainen, M. & Laitinen-Väänänen, S. 2018. Integrating Work and Learning in Finnish Higher Education. Research on Work and Learning seminar, 4 June, 2018. Jyväskylä.

Tynjälä, P., Virolainen, M., Heikkinen, H. L. T., & Virtanen, A. 2018. Integrative Pedagogy Model, Ecosystems of Learning and Knowledge Recontextualisation: How do Frameworks for Professional Development Change. EARLI SIG 14 congress, 13 September, 2018. Switzerland, Geneve.

Virolainen M. & Heikkinen H. L.T. 2018. Vocational education and training institutions’ collaboration with the world of work from the perspective of actor networks and ecosystems of learning. Stockholm International Conference on Vocational Education and Training congress, 7 May, 2018. Sweden, Stockholm.

Virolainen, M., Tynjälä, P., Heikkinen, H. L. T., & Virtanen, A. 2018. Higher education teachers’ collaboration across multiple learning places and institutional boundaries: Niches, networks and interdependence? ECER congress, 4 September, 2018. Italy, Bolzano.

2017

Virolainen, M., Tynjälä, P., Virtanen, A., Heikkinen, H. & Laitinen-Väänänen, S. 2017. Models of collaboration between higher education and work . Presentation t AMK- ja ammatillisen koulutuksen tutkimuspäivät, Espoo, 28-29 November, 2017.

Other results

Tynjälä, P. 2019. Integrative pedagogy for supporting learning at the interface of education and work. Guest lecture at VET research seminar in the University of Stockholm, 28 November, 2019.

Tynjälä, P. & Taalas, P. Co-design in developing working-life skills in higher education. Guest lecture at the University College London. London, 11 October, 2019.

A digital pedagogy training programme for teachers was implemented during the eAMK project. The outline and materials of the training programme provide higher education institutes with a model of how to implement digital pedagogy training based on the quality criteria for online teaching.

The term online degree refers to a degree that is completed online. An online degree may contain real-time online meetings, interactive online work carried out individually or in groups and supervised study. Some online meetings may be held at certain times, but otherwise the studies are not bound to any specific time. Some of the studies and study counselling may take place on agreed online platforms, but otherwise the studies are not tied to any one place.

The recommendations for the definitions of online and multimodal degrees

Online degree

The term online degree refers to a degree that is completed online. An online degree may contain real-time online meetings, interactive online work carried out individually or in groups and supervised study. Some online meetings may be held at certain times, but otherwise the studies are not bound to any specific time. Some of the guidance provided in learning situations can be provided on agreed online platforms, but otherwise studies are not bound to any one place.

Multimodal degree

A multimodal degree is a degree that combines different forms of study. A multimodal degree may contain classroom teaching and distance learning tied to a specific time and place as well as supervised classroom teaching, online work and studies carried out independently or in groups. Some of the online work may comprise real-time online meetings and work on agreed online platforms.

The eAMK project has created an Open Badge family that has been designed together with experts from different universities of applied sciences. The Open Badges created in the eAMK project are linked to the project’s content and are based on the online implementation quality criteria created in the project. 

• Expert in Learning Analytics
• Expert in Digital Guidance
• CampusOnline Expert
• eAMK Developer
• Crowdsourcer
• eCounsellor

Students will need different kinds of guidance at different stages of their studies relating to studies, professional growth and wellbeing. The student is provided with guidance and support via user-oriented, suitable and varied communication channels (without forgetting face-to-face interaction).

Quality Criteria for Digital Guidance

The purpose of the quality criteria for digital guidance is to help ensure that all the relevant aspects of digital guidance services have been duly taken into account. The criteria are intended for all counsellors who engage in study guidance and counselling duties at institutes of higher education. The quality criteria are of a checklist or recommendation type. These criteria can also be used in other guidance and counselling work. The purpose of the quality criteria is to:

1. serve as a tool for the development and self-evaluation of digital guidance, at both individual and organisational levels
2. improve the quality of digital guidance services from both the service providers’ and the users’ point of view
3. ensure the proper implementation of data security and data protection in digital guidance services