Creating better online learning environments
Quick expert profile
Ilkka Miettinen, University of Helsinki team
University instructor in digitalisation at the Faculty of Pharmacy, sustainability researcher at the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS)
PhD in Pharmacy (pharmaceutical biology, virulence of bacterial biofilms)
Tell us a bit about your background: how did you end up working in digitalisation at the Faculty of Pharmacy, and what is your role currently?
During my doctoral studies, I worked on some educational videos as a part of my teaching requirements, and this is what set me on the path of working in digitalisation. In addition to my sustainability research at HELSUS, I work with the development of digital learning environments and offering digital support to other teaching staff at the faculty of Pharmacy. I also run the novel online course Sustainable Health, which is a transdisciplinary portfolio-based online course for students of life sciences.
What kind of topics currently interest you in the digitalisation of teaching?
I have worked on both developing new materials as well as supporting and improving existing content. This has allowed me to approach digital learning from several different angles. Finding new ways to use and implement existing software allows for more multi-dimensional online teaching. For example, rather than building an online course based on passive learning methods via lecture recordings or written material and no formative assessment, one can use interactive online examination programs that allow immediate learning feedback.
Gamification is a big trend in online learning, and it increases student engagement. On some occasions students may drop an entirely online class module more easily than an in-person one, so including elements that increase student engagement and commitment to online teaching helps improve student retention.
Another key part in online learning environments is creating customised learning pathways to make using the platforms a smoother experience for students. For example, if a unit can be completed by either individual or groupwork, each student would ideally only see the contents that apply to their chosen method. This decreases the amount of clutter and makes it easier for students to read the environment.
The Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Helsinki has worked on digital methods connected to laboratory classes. Tell us more about that?
ViikkiLab is an online platform designed to help introduce students to working in a laboratory environment. The platform, run on ThingLink and integrated into Moodle, includes introductory 360° videos and exercises to help students get used to the teaching laboratory at the Faculty of Pharmacy.
A simulated laboratory experience aims to make orientation more accessible and decrease stress and anxiety related to laboratory work. Feedback from teachers and older students with laboratory experience has been positive, a common thought being “I wish we had had something like this when I first started laboratory work”.
The undergraduate laboratory class on pharmaceutical microbiology and aseptic preparations also includes online learning elements. Videos are used to demonstrate the steps of more complex laboratory methods, which allows for higher procedural understanding and more confident work in the laboratory. As students are well prepared when entering the lab, they are better equipped to carry out their experiments, and the laboratory assistants are also able to focus on giving more personalised and efficient instruction.
In addition to the pre-laboratory content, some of the exercises and calculations during the course are based on online videos and interactive exercises rather than hands on work done by the students. Although many of the online elements in this class were first implemented as a partial solution to social distancing restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic, the teachers and students have found the digital learning materials and exercises useful, and they are still used as part of the class together with practical work in the laboratory.
How are accessibility and different types of learners considered when developing digital learning environments?
I help teachers create accessible and clear online learning platforms and materials for their courses. Making learning materials more accessible benefits all students, and improving existing content to better serve everyone is a worthwhile endeavour.
Layouts need to be clear, with minimal clutter, and the pages also need to function properly when using screen reader software. Visual coherence is also important. There are also visual features that affect the readability of text – certain fonts, for example, may be easier to read than others, and text alignment should be to one side rather than justified, as justified text often changes the spacing between letters and words, making it more difficult to read.
With increasing options for online learning resources, there are also new challenges, such as figuring out text replacements or other equivalents for visual elements, so that all learners can use the features. Thankfully many platform and software options include accessibility features in their design, so that the person building an online course environment is also able to check for any accessibility issues while they are working.
What are some characteristics of well implemented digital learning elements?
When done successfully, digital teaching helps solve a problem or improves an existing method of teaching, rather than simply embracing digitalisation for the sake of digitalisation. Digital learning should be a clearly integrated part of studies and complement traditional learning methods. For example, the online laboratory learning platform ViikkiLab is not intended to be used as a replacement for traditional laboratory classes. Instead, it is used as a resource to improve the students’ laboratory experience.
When designing online teaching platforms and resources, it is also important to consider the point of view of the teachers who will be managing the online material used on their courses. Digitalisation should not increase teacher workload significantly, and when done well, should be streamlined and possibly even easier to manage than more traditional methods and resources.
How do you see the future of digitalisation in pharmacy education?
I see digitalisation as a tool that improves learning circumstances for an increasing number of diverse students, allowing for more efficient and easier studying. Digital learning should not fully replace in-person learning – rather, it should be used where applicable, which then frees the in-person learning opportunities for meaningful interactions.
