Barriers to organisational development in higher education lifelong learning initiatives

From an economic human capital perspective, higher education lifelong learning initiatives should include the professional development of individuals as well as organisational development. This indicates the dissolving of boundaries between individual and organisational development and that successful professional development occurs at both individual and aggregated levels. Based on the networked mode, higher education institutions could be closely linked to their surrounding society, embracing a two-way relationship with a hybrid character, including multiple connections with branches and/or organisations. In such initiatives, formal education and informal work-related tasks are blurred and both are emphasised as equally important. In focus are collaborative features and the idea to link theoretical reasoning to authentic organisational problems. To offer higher education lifelong learning for organisational development, Mid Sweden University initiated a project called BUFFL in collaboration with eight organisations belonging to an established network of banks and insurance companies. This paper aims at reporting barriers to organisational development in higher education lifelong learning. It answers the following research question: Which barriers could be identified when implementing a hybrid and networked approach to higher education lifelong learning for organisational development? A case-study-inspired approach was conducted. In total, 328 registrations from the collaborating organisations were documented in the BUFFL courses. In addition to open-ended questions and Likert scale questions in the course evaluations, the methods also included conversations with leading representatives of the collaborating organisations. Although several barriers were highlighted in line with the innovation resistance theory, the main barrier seems to be that no organisation applied lifelong learning as a tool for strategic organisational development. The study suggests that a crucial barrier breaker to reduce or eliminate the main barrier is a course on strategically managed competence development for leading representatives of participating organisations. A combined focus on individuals and organisations could also stimulate leading representatives to take a holistic approach to the organisation’s competence development. This includes increased responsibility to ensure that investments in the competence area are beneficial for the organisation. Bringing company-relevant data as input to the courses could ensure the establishment of strong links between theoretical perspectives and work-related practices

Developing a hybrid and networked educational approach to lifelong learning for organisations and employees

Developing work-related competencies suitable to the ongoing changes in surrounding society could be discussed in terms of lifelong learning. In such a context, the role of higher education has been identified as a key to develop advanced competencies applicable in a networked society. The current project includes scholars from three Swedish universities, representatives and employees from six Swedish bank and insurance companies, and a related governmental agency, all belonging to an established network. The project focuses on highly specialized professionals and their organisations, and the paper aims to answer the following research question: How can a hybrid and networked educational approach to lifelong learning for organisations and employees at the advanced level of higher education be designed? The investigation applies design-based research, and preliminary findings indicate that a hybrid and networked educational approach for lifelong learning for organisations and employees could be viewed from various perspectives. However, an overall observation is that several boundaries dissolve – for example, the ones between universities and participating and collaborative organisations – when a hybrid and networked educational approach for lifelong learning is designed. For one thing, universities should not be reduced to suppliers of education, and organisations should not be reduced to receivers of knowledge. Of particular interest is that participants working with data from their organisations can devote time to organisational challenges and/or utilize a deeper understanding of such challenges in a university course module approach. While the project still is in progress (the implementation phase is ongoing, and the phase intended to evaluate completed course modules has not started yet), the preliminary hybrid and networked approach for lifelong learning needs further development before it can be established. Nevertheless, early trials highlighting the idea of flexible courses that consist of various short modules developed in collaboration between universities and participating organisations indicate a promising venue for creating long-term relationships that could include deeper university-organisation and/or university-industry collaborations. Dialogues with course module participants and representatives of the collaborative organisation reinforced this preliminary conclusion

Building hybrids between higher education and society: Applying a networked work-integrated learning framework in a business administration program

In this study, the changed context for higher education institutions is analysed through the lens of various approaches to collaboration between higher education institutions and society. Three different approaches are discussed: the ivory tower, the factory, and the network. Although these approaches differ, higher education institutions are complex organisations and can embrace a mix of approaches. Nevertheless, depending on the approach applied, this impacts how collaboration between higher education institutions and organisations in society plays out. The study contextualised these approaches in a joint higher education-industry project focusing on developing work-integrated learning (WIL) in a Business Administration program. WIL should embrace practice-based pedagogical methods and strategies by integrating theoretical knowledge in the workplace. To achieve WIL, a network of stakeholders needs to be engaged actively in practice-based activities. The study aimed to report preliminary results from a higher education work-integrated learning project. The following research question was posed: How can higher education institutions, together with organisations in society, apply a networked approach to work-integrated learning? Thus, this paper contributes to knowledge regarding the networked aspects of the design and development of a preliminary framework, including the following themes: Exchanges of experiences and knowledge, Guest lecturers and Bring-Your-Own-Data (BYOD) assignments. These themes manifest a networked WIL framework as a hybrid between higher education and society. First, the networks of experiences and knowledge within academia merge with those of experiences and knowledge in society. Between these two, a hybrid networked work-integrated framework links higher education and society. Second, the same can be said to be true for guest lecturers. Here, guest lecturers became a link between higher education and society and therefore merge the two networks of learning through information and knowledge exchange. Third, BYOD assignments provided further manifestations of a networked WIL framework. Authentic data from the workplace meet the theories of higher education and a hybrid is created. When practice meets theory, they, too, become a link between higher education and society

Building a network for collaborative support in professional development

This paper aims to explore and describe important steps in creating beneficial conditions for networked learning in a project in organisations. In the inception phase of the project, four important steps were identified: creating a common virtual space, the handshake, the initial support and the mentorship. It is concluded that all the four described steps are important for a successful establishment of a networked community of practice

The effects of Contracaecum osculatum larvae on the growth of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Eastern Baltic stock have decreased in numbers and condition since the 1990′s. Among several causes, an increased prevalence and intensity of the nematode Contracaecum osculatum has been discussed. This increase has been attributed to a population increase of the parasites final host, the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Other studies have looked at the role of Contracaecum osculatum on cod growth and condition on recently caught cod, or done short term experimental studies in lab. This study instead investigated the importance of Contracaecum osculatum for cod growth in a sea pen based experiment, where cod were kept and fed in order to monitor growth. The results show that a higher density (number of nematodes per gram liver) decreases cod growth potential. If the number of nematodes exceeded 8 per gram liver cod did not grow in length, even when given generous amounts of food. Accounting for the lack of growth due to Contracaecum osculatum may improve stock assessments and increase the possibility to reach management targets

Mata mager torsk till en fin produkt – en räddning för kustfisket?

Situationen för torsken i Östersjön har förvärrats drastiskt de senaste åren där bland annat många torskar blivit så magra att de inte har ett kommersiellt värde. Samtidigt har det småskaliga yrkesfisket drabbats av stora skador på fisk och redskap i garn och krokfiske, orsakade av säl. Strävan att ta fram alternativa sälsäkra redskap har fokuserats på att utveckla torskburar som betas för att locka in fisk i buren. Samtidigt är buren ett skonsamt och levandefångande redskap där fisken kan hanteras levande efter fångst. En negativ egenskap med detta fiske, för fiskaren, är att burfångad torsk är magrare än torsk fångad i mer traditionella passiva redskap som nät, vilket gör burtorsk mer svårsåld. På uppdrag av SydostLeader gjordes ett försök med den primära målsättningen att höja lönsamheten för ett lokalt yrkesfiske genom att sumpa mager vildfångad torsk och under kort tid mata upp den till kommersiell produkt. Försöken gjordes vid fyra tillfällen mellan 2018 och 2020 med två månaders matning per tillfälle. Burfångad torsk transporterades till odlingskassar och matades med fryst sill som fångats i närområdet, för att inte lokalt tillföra ny näring till vattenmassan. Den genomsnittliga viktökningen var 30 % per individ under två månaders matning men med en stor variation. En del torskar reagerade mycket positiv på fodret genom att öka vikten 150 % . Många fiskar, ca 20 %, tillväxte dock lite eller inte alls. Ett stort problem vara att 30 % av fiskarna dog under försöksperioden. Som en del i försöket inkluderades det i studien om den mycket vanliga parasiten, levermask (Contracaecum osculatum), som har säl som slutvärd, påverkade torskens tillväxt. Fiskar med hundratals parasiter kunde visa en god tillväxt. Begränsande för tillväxten skedde först tydligt då antalet parasiter översteg 5 individer per gram levervikt, vilket resulterade i att dessa torskar inte tillväxte alls. Vår slutsats är att metoden att mata upp torsk bör undvikas vid höga vattentemperaturer, för att undvika hög dödlighet och därmed inkomstbortfall. Metoden kräver en hög arbetsinsats för den enskilde fiskaren men kan vara ett bidrag till ekonomisk överlevnad för lokalt yrkesfiske. Riktat fiske efter torsk i Östra Östersjön är förbjudet sedan 2019 men metoden bör testas för andra arter, som abborre, för att stärka kustfisket och ge konsumenterna en högkvalitativ produkt av lokala resurser

Selection of Norwegian police drone operators: an evaluation of selected cognitive tests from “The Vienna Test System"

A nationwide sample of 129 police officers participated in a study aimed at validating and presenting practical implications of a selection procedure for applicants to an educational program for Norwegian police drone pilots. The subjects were part of a selection program for a training and qualification course for police drone pilots. The selection program consisted of tests of spatial orientation, logical reasoning, attentional selection, sustained attention, and visual short-term memory, in addition to a performance test in a drone flight simulator. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cognitive tests used in the selection program and their relation to performance during the simulated flight. The results from the untrained applicants revealed low-to-moderate intercorrelations of the cognitive tests. Only spatial orientation, logical reasoning, and attentional selection were correlated to the performance measures of skills and proficiency. Stepwise regression analysis showed that only spatial orientation and attentional selection had unique contributions in explaining the variance in both measures of performance. Implications are discussed on both practical and scientific levels. The positive implications of using untrained respondents, the use of proficiency measures in addition to skills, the building of a clearinghouse for drone selection data, and considering both the job-analyzes and the total test-performance when interpreting the applicant’s test-scores are discussed.publishedVersio

Legislative strengthening meets party support in international assistance: a closer relationship?

Recent reports recommend that international efforts to help strengthen legislatures in emerging democracies should work more closely with support for building stronger political parties and competitive party systems. This article locates the recommendations within international assistance more generally and reviews the arguments. It explores problems that must be addressed if the recommendations are to be implemented effectively. The article argues that an alternative, issue-based approach to strengthening legislatures and closer links with civil society could gain more traction. However, that is directed more centrally at promoting good governance for the purpose of furthering development than at democratisation goals sought by party aid and legislative strengtheners in the democracy assistance industry

Trikuspidaaliläppävuodon uudet hoitomenetelmät

Vertaisarvioitu. Näin hoidan.Vaikeaa trikuspidaaliläppävuotoa sairastaa noin 1 % väestöstä. Tyypillisiä oireita ovat turvotukset, maksan ja munuaisen kuormittuminen sekä rasituksen siedon heikkeneminen. Taustasyystä riippumatta vaikeaan trikuspidaalivuotoon liittyy suurentunut kuolleisuus. Kirurgia on vaikean läppävian ensisijainen hoito, mutta suuren leikkausriskin vuoksi siitä usein luovutaan. Valikoiduille potilaille voidaan harkita trikuspidaaliläpän katetritoimenpiteitä. Niitä on kymmenen viime vuoden aikana tehty yli 2 000 potilaalle suurissa ulkomaisissa keskuksissa. Jopa 80 % potilaista on saanut oirehyödyn toimenpiteestä. Vuonna 2020 toimenpiteet on aloitettu myös Suomessa