Supporting student mobility by means of virtual coaching Anne-Mari Karppinen Development Manager, International Coordinator

Virtual support as part of mobility coaching at Laurea UAS ”Going abroad” for outgoing students ”Welcome to Finland” for incoming students

Going abroad course – developing the model 1. virtual coaching course ”Valtteri” in 2002 ”Valtteri” can still be used, some units use their own model, some units prefer individual coaching in the VM-BASE project: a pilot Going abroad Feedback -> development round -> the model was implemented in the whole Laurea Further developing in spring 2010

Going abroad Aims to integrate the exchange to the student´s personal study plan better support throughout the whole exchange process co-ordinator support peer support

Method Optima virtual workspace Offline and online: meetings in an exhange student group, meeting the coordinator,assignments, discussions, diary /blog, feedback, distributing the experiences

APPLICATION & ACCEPTANCE MARKETING OF STUDENT MOBILITY GROUP MEETING DISCUSSIONS WITH COORDINATOR AND TUTOR TEACHER BEFORE THE EXCHANGE ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSION GROUP MEETING FEEDBACK DURING THE EXCHANGE ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSION AFTER THE EXCHANGE ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSION

Further development 2010 simplification of the structure and tasks checking and streamlining the different practices of the units updated curriculum -> new requirements discussion area has been partly removed to Facebook ( International student mobility at Laurea)

Contents Before the exchange: Group meetings: info on practical arrangements, security, health matters cultural encounters, orientation for the exchange/placement Assignments online Personal meetings: information on studies abroad, Learning Agreement During the exchange: Assignments online Writing the Go Abroad diary regularly After the exchange: Assignments online Meeting with the international coordinator Filling out a feedback form, sharing the experiences

Assignments Before the exchange: Consider, what kind of benefits your exchange/placement will give you especially from the point of view of your studies and your future career Personal study plan during your exchange/placement Find information about your target country and place Collect a Laurea & Finland info package for yourself

Assignments… During the exchange: Find out the fields of expertise of the partner university from the point of view of your own degree programme: what is innovative and/or different, and what are their research and development (R&D) focuses? If you are on practice placement, what special knowledge can your practice place offer you in the point of view of your studies?

Example of the discussion Oletko tutustunut paikallisiin... Karppinen Anne-Mari :36 Oletko tutustunut paikallisiin... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Venäläinen Henna Katariina :30 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Sivén Annika Susann :22 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Kenttälä Juhani Kuisma :56 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Tapiolinna Timo Henrik :50 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Karppinen Anne-Mari :42 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Norrbacka Tuomas Antero :13 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Jokela Heini-Maria Antintytär :28 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli... Latova Kristina :19 Re: Oletko tutustunut paikalli...

Example of a diary entry Finally! Krista, :00 I finally got "the papers" ready, except KELA papers.. Now I just have to wait and wait what's going to happen next. Last week I spoke with Kaija about my studies in Fachhochschule Münster and she said to me that my studies are ok. Now I just need to start arrange my things here in Finland. Luckily I don't have so much to do, for example I don't need to rent apartment because my boyfriend lives in ours while in Finland. A couple of my friends promised to help me while I'm in Germany. So, I don't feel myself so lonely in the beginning. They don't live in Münster but "quite near" still. But it's not the first time when I will study in Germany. I have studied two times in "Gymnasium" (in Halle an der Saale and in Celle). I think it's an advantage for me that I've been there before, hopefully "culture shock" wouldn't be as bad as the first time it was. Finally I can a little bit relax because all things are quite fine. :)

Another Diary entry The first week Annika, :24 The first week went so fast and I had so much fun in Sziget! I am getting used to places and public transport. The language course started yesterday and I met a lot of great people, including 3 finns who are going to study with me in Budapest Business school. There are a lot of finns here :) I hope it is a good thing. The EILTE is the oldest school in Budapest and the course is very intesive. 6 hours per day and the evening activities - if you wish to take part in them-on top. Long but fun days! The language is hard to learn but I am trying my best to learn at least something! Unfortunately I got the flu now so I am at home and tomorrow we don’t have school becouse it is Hungarian National day and a public holiday. There are fireworks and all the festivities tomorrow that we are going to see. Otherwise things are good, Budapest is an amazing city and I am glad I chose this already!

Assignments… After the exchange: Consider, what kind of benefits your exchange/placement gave you especially in the point of view of your studies and your future career. Realization of the Learning Agreement Filling in an INKA form

Welcome to Finland a workspace in Optima for incoming students Built on the basis of Helsinki area’s UASs’ joint virtual coaching introduced 2007 Orientation to Finland students can sign in before they arrive

Linguistic and cultural orientation Accommodation Accommodation / discussion forum

Feedback from the workspace has been good Used a lot esp. during summer Speeds up the adapting process peer support one can join the community before arrival

Kiitos!