The e-learning support network at the University of Helsinki consists of a curious group of diverse people with very different assignments according to the needs of their faculties, but at least we have one common entity pulling our strings: The Educational Centre for ICT, which coordinates the e-learning people so we know what’s happening and get to meet each other once in a while too.
During this particular brainstorming session we discussed the e-learning support profession – a relatively new “venture” – and what tasks are definitive to the job. A summary of these thoughts have been assembled (in Finnish) by Anni R. here: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/tukiverkosto/tyonkuva/ The requirement of an e-learning support person was considered to be something akin to a 50:50 mix of pedagogical skills (a typical teacher, that is) and technical know-how (someone fluent with the latest & greatest technology). Or so I understood it. Or thought. Feel free to disagree 🙂 Anyway, this curious mix of skills – which often might not reside in the same person – makes it challenging to create some sort of professional identity for e-learning people. But this is a start.
Afterwards we visited the newly opened Kumpula Botanical Garden, and it was nice to have a guided tour there to get more out of the relaxing green spot in the midst of the city (or the outskirts of the city centre, more like). Last year we visited the Natural History Museum (previously called the Zoological Museum, of which I have many fond memories from my study years) so this was a great continuation of that tradition!
But the really important stuff was, of course, afterwards discussed in the comfy nearby pub (Oljenkorsi).
Oh, and some photos from this glorious day can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7503705@N07/sets/72157621047273427/