Open University of the University of Jyväskylä develops research-based adult pedagogy

The Open University’s research-based pedagogic development programme results in better quality and easiness of studies. It is based on research by university teachers in order to develop adult pedagogy and promote good practices.
Open University of the University of Jyväskylä develops research-based adult pedagogy
The research-based pedagogic development programme enhances adult pedagogy at the Open University of the University of Jyväskylä. University teachers are working in teams that discuss in development plan meetings.

JYUOpen has high-quality pedagogy at heart. The Open University is developing its teaching and adult pedagogy continuously so that it could provide rewarding and useful courses for each student now and in the future.

Last year the Open University launched a research-based pedagogic development programme, TUPEKO. It is an internal project of the University of Jyväskylä to develop university pedagogy and pilot new practices.

This project seeks to identify major development targets in JYUOpen’s operation and create related solutions. At the same time good pedagogical practices are advertised and shared to others as well through articles, presentations and webinars.

Adult pedagogy themes dealt with in the development programme include analytics and robotics for learning, interaction in online teaching, and assessment and feedback practices. In addition, TUPEKO promotes a close touch with working life in the implementation of teaching. Under the development plan, we are also surveying Open University students and doing research related to personal study plans. 

In concrete terms, TUPEKO has yielded, for example, a self-assessment form on online interaction for teachers. Its designer team – Heli Tyrväinen, Sanna Uotinen, and Leena Valkonen – will soon use the form in pedagogic development.

“For the staff, the development plan offers diversity and variety for work and also opportunities for developing and maintaining competence also as a researcher”, says Project Manager Tarja Ladonlahti.

The project is scheduled to last until the end of 2020. Its steering group consists of representatives from the Open University, the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, and the Faculty of Education and Psychology. 

“TUPEKO helps the Open University renew itself and enhance its operation and also provide ever better quality in teaching and smoother progress in studies”, states the chair of the steering group, Jukka Lerkkanen.