The Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences has invested in developing and improving web-based learning material for field courses and species identification courses since 2005. This work has entailed also published pedagogical research (Virtanen ym. 2006, 2009; Rikkinen 2009; Virtanen & Rikkinen 2009; Rikkinen & Virtanen 2013). Especially in Master’s Programme in Integrative Plant Sciences, but also in Master’s Programme in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, traditional species identification courses have been replaced by functioning web-based learning environments (Pinkka) and examinations (Examinarium). A long-standing hindrance in the process has been the fact that the responsible teachers lack the time to produce, maintain and update the web contents. For that reason we are hiring two coordinators to do that work in close cooperation with and supervision by the teachers.
We aim to complete the development of the above-mentioned web exams and in addition to produce web-based learning environments for several field courses, which can be regarded as unique flagship courses in the two programmes. If and when necessary, the responsible teachers will be given hands-on guidance and technical advice. A further aim is to construct, in cooperation with Marketing services of the University, an effective and easy-to-find web platform for advertising and marketing especially our field courses, by which our programmes stand out from many otherwise similar programmes in Europe and elsewhere. All work is done in close collaboration with the Finnish Museum of Natural History, which is responsible for organizing some of the courses.
As experience has shown, our students are fast to respond and report any possible bugs or weaknesses in the web material. Therefore the material is planned and developed together with students taking the courses, as well as students in the programmes’ steering groups.
References
Rikkinen J. 2009: Yliopisto-opiskelijoiden ennakkokiinnostuksen merkitys kasvitieteen lajintuntemuksen kehittämisessä. – In: Uudistuva ja kehittyvä ainedidaktiikka: Ainedidaktinen symposiumi 8.2. 2008 Helsingissä: 65–75. (Tutkimuksia / Helsingin yliopisto, käyttäytymistieteellinen tiedekunta, soveltavan kasvatustieteen laitos ; Nro 298). Helsingin yliopisto, Soveltavan kasvatustieteen laitos.
Rikkinen J. & Virtanen V. 2013: Verkko-oppimisympäristö opiskelun tukena lajintuntemuksen kenttäkurssilla (Web resources supporting studies during a species identification field course). – Luonnon Tutkija 116(5): 174-178.
Virtanen V., Lehtonen U., Enroth J., Juden-Tupakka S. & Rikkinen J. 2006: Pinkka – lajien ja elinympäristöjen tunnistusta tukeva virtuaalinen oppimisympäristö (’Pinkka’ – e-learning environment for biodiversity studies). – Peda-Forum 13(2): 26-28.
Virtanen V., Lehtonen U. M., Enroth J., & Rikkinen J. 2009: Lajintuntemuksen verkko-oppimisympäristö Pinkka. – In: Joutsenvirta T. & Kukkonen A. (eds,) Sulautuva opetus: uusi tapa opiskella ja opettaa: 198-212. (Palmenia; Nro 55). Helsinki: Gaudeamus Helsinki University Press.
Virtanen V. & Rikkinen J. 2009: Blended learning in biodiversity teaching. – In: Joutsenvirta T. & Myyry L. (eds.) Blended Learning in Finland. Publ. Fac. Soc. Sci., Univ. Helsinki: 112–114.