Newsletter of the European eCompetence Initiative

NETWORK NEWS

Third Edition
April - June 2005

EDITORIAL

by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.
Johannes Wildt

Dear eCompetence and eLearning actors,

As we celebrate the Albert Einstein Memorial Year in Germany now, it is wise to quote him from time to time. He said in one famous quotation: "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts". By applying the core idea of this saucy statement to the current state of eLearning in higher education, we have to change the overall teaching and learning culture in order to integrate ICT in a sustainable way. This is why we proposed a change management project dubbed EUReCOMP for funding and placed the human factor as the point of departure for eLearning innovation in universities.

In this edition, Andrew Hamilton from Galway will give you some hints on new and forthcoming contents in our eCompetence website. Have a look inside!

The focus in the events section is on the Galway symposium, which took place in April 14-15 and was hosted by our colleagues from the CELT Institute in Ireland. Andrew outlines the presentations that have been given on eCompetence. Iain Mac Labhrainn and Andrew also took the opportunity of the Galway conference to make two video interviews with our partners Jef Van den Branden from K.U.Leuven and Riikka Rissanen from HUT Finland on the specific eCompetence activities in their institutions. These interviews give a preview on the in-depth case study analyses that are carried out with 5 partner institutions.

Next our CELT partners announce a series of video conferences on the subjects of eCompetence. This interesting activity is foreseen to take place from September 2005 on - so keep an eye open if you would like to join this event.

In the eCompetence insights section, Jasmina Hasanbegovic from the Swiss Centre for Innovations in Learning in St. Gallen presents a running project with the aim to identify alternative strategies of competence development in Higher Education. Riikka Rissanen and Anna-Kaarina Kairamo from Helsinki University of Technology outline in their contribution some patterns related to eCompetence in the national TIEVIE training programme for academic staff.

As usual, we include two reviews on eLearning publications that our Swiss partners SCIL have published in the elearning-reviews.org platform. In this edition the reviews focus on change management models for ICT integration and the topic of informal learning, which is increasingly ranging attention in recent conference discussions.

Dirk Schneckenberg gives a short summary on the main foreseen research activities in the EUReCOMP proposal. And Finally Helle Baekkelund from Aalborg University starts a new series on the eCompetence partner profiles. These personal presentations will serve as a way to reinforce the community of practice within the project.

Best regards

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Johannes Wildt

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Publisher:
European eCompetence Initiative

Editors:
Andrew Hamilton
Dirk Schneckenberg
Jenny Booth

PARTNER PROFILES; REINFORCING THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICES

by Andrew Hamilton, National University of Ireland, Galway.

The spirit of teamwork and building a friendly and cooperative group is essential for any project where face-to-face contact is at a minimum. As the strength and weakness analysis, which took place during the Galway Symposium, shows, these are qualities which the EU[eComp]Int project has in abundance.

In an effort to help bring this community even closer together and ensure that its continues to develop throughout the entire project and beyond, we are happy to announce a series of partner profiles that will be hosted on the EU[eComp]Int website. The profiles will take the form of two sets of questions; an academic profile and a personal profile.

This will help the entire community to get to know each other better, not just as academics but as people as well. To give you a taste of what the profiles will look like, our Danish partner Helle Bækkelund has completed the questionnaire below.

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ACADEMIC PROFILE: HELLE BAEKKELUND

by Andrew Hamilton, National University of Ireland, Galway.

What is your full name?
Helle Bækkelund Jensen

What institute do you represent?
Aalborg University, Denmark

What aspect of the Eu[eComp]Int project interests you most?
The development of eCompetence on the individual level and the aspect of change in pedagogical and didactical practice interest me. The role of institutional strategies and support structures interest me mainly as a framework for conceptualising change and competence development on the individual level.

What is the most important aim of the project in your opinion?
To gain insights into the development of eCompetence and different models of training for eCompetence. Also, to build a community of project partners, thus supporting each other by sharing knowledge of e-competence practices.

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PERSONAL PROFILES: HELLE BAEKKELUND

by Andrew Hamilton, National University of Ireland, Galway.

How would you describe yourself?
Curious, open-minded, outgoing, thorough and stubborn.

Which trait do you most dislike about yourself?
I talk too much – and I have a hard time giving up smoking.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Having learned to speak my mind.

Which historical figure do you most identify with and why?
German chancellor Willy Brandt, who tried in all honesty to do what he considered the right thing at that time in German and European politics and stood up to negative criticism on both a personal and political level.

What is your motto?
I have three (all from my parents): Treat others like you would like to be treated yourself. The world is full of challenges, not obstacles. Be curious – otherwise you won’t learn anything.

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