Working Model within the e-Area Learning and Education

In 2022, the steering group for the e-area Teaching and Learning developed a new operational framework to prioritise the needs of the organisation. The framework includes the following key aspects:

• Ensuring that the needs and requests of disciplinary domains, faculties, and departments are central to the work with Uppsala University’s shared digital support for learning.
• Creating better conditions for evaluating and addressing various development needs, leading to more well-founded priorities and more effective systems.

According to the framework, the disciplinary domains appoint one or more e-Learning Coordinators, who regularly meet with those responsible for managing and developing the systems. These meetings aim to gather current needs and provide feedback on ongoing work.

Once or twice per term, a reference group also meets to discuss and prioritise the needs and requests of the disciplinary domains at a strategic level. These are then communicated to the steering group for the e-area.

Role of the e-Learning Coordinator

The e-Learning Coordinator is appointed by each disciplinary domain and should have experience working with digital learning tools, either in teaching or administration.

Responsibilities of the e-Learning Coordinator:

• Actively participates in the e-Learning Group, which meets once a month.
• Serves as an adjunct member of the Reference Group.
• Establishes networks and communication channels within their disciplinary domain, both to inform about ongoing system work and to gather feedback on current development issues related to digital learning tools.
• Collects and communicates needs and questions from the disciplinary domain regarding digital learning tools and services within the e-area.

The extent to which the e-Learning Coordinator informs and coordinates requests/needs depends on the allocation of time dedicated to the role within their position.

Our current e-Learning Coordinators:

Reference Group

The Reference Group consists of two representatives from each disciplinary domain and two student representatives. The member who is part of the e-area’s steering group serves as the chair of the Reference Group. Adjunct members include the e-area manager, the development officer, and the e-Learning Coordinators from the disciplinary domains. Additional members may be invited as needed.

The Reference Group is responsible for communicating the needs and requests of the disciplinary domains regarding the university’s shared digital support for learning at a strategic level. In doing so, the group contributes to the steering group’s decision-making process and helps shape the direction of the e-area. The disciplinary domain representatives are individuals with a clear understanding of their respective domain’s education programmes.

The representatives are nominated by the disciplinary domains and appointed by the e-area’s steering group. The student unions appoint the student representatives.

The Reference Group is expected to meet approximately once per term.

Members of the Reference group

Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences

Esbjörn Larsson, esbjorn.larsson@edu.uu.se

Tomas Eklund, tomas.eklund@im.uu.se

Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy

Jörgen Bengtsson, jorgen.bengtsson@farmaci.uu.se

Jarl Hellman, jarl.hellman@medsci.uu.se

Faculty of Science and Technology

Cecilia Johansson (chairperson), Cecilia.Johansson@met.uu.se

Stefan Pålsson, Stefan.Palsson@it.uu.se

Student representative

Filip Bolund Trostén

Why e-Learning Coordinators and a Reference Group?

• This working model supports better prioritisation and the selection of new systems.
• Regular meetings become a driving force in ongoing work.
• It provides an opportunity to influence and prioritise needs at an early stage.
• It enables a structured needs assessment, from identifying missing functionality in existing systems to evaluating new systems or requested guidelines.
• It contributes to a more transparent and democratic process while facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences between disciplinary domains.
• It increases awareness that needs may vary across disciplinary domains and groups of users (such as, students, teachers, and administrators) and that different considerations must be made.