The learning enviroment declaration

The declaration of learning environment

Dear reader!

You are now holding the Declaration of the learning environment in your hands. (not adjusted for digital use:)

The declaration of the learning environment is full of suggestions and courses of action from the students to the management of UiO. We have trough intensive work throughout an entire weekend come forth to the courses of action we mean will improve the learning environment at UiO.  Use the suggestions, develop them, and take them with you in the daily work with the quality of the studies and the learning environment – bot student and employee.

It can seem overwhelming as a new student to start at the university. Often the students does not know what the university expects of them, or what they can expect of the university. To as soon as possible consolidate the expectations to the different participants and make way for an academic and social development is in the students best interest. We wish for secure, proud, and involved students.

Point 8 in UiO’s Strategy 2020 states that “UiO shall offer the best learning environment in the country through clearer expectations, closer follow up, use of varied learning platforms, evaluation that promotes learning, and good pedagogic competence” In the same way the first sentence of the action plan 2014- 2016 from UiO states “The superior goal for the priorities in the action plan is to create an improved quality of the studies and innovation in education and learning environment”.  UiO wishes to have Norways best learning environment and has all the preconditions to reach this goal. UiO is the best in its fields of education and has the best students, and then there isn’t a lot more that is needed to make the best learning environment. If students, academic employees, management, committees, counsels, and everyone else thinks and talks about the learning environment are we already on our way.

The document you are holding in your hands contains the results from Læringsmiljødugnaden (The congress for a better learning environment. The students produced xx propositions under four topics; the good learning environment, the worlds best introduction week, follow up through the first year, and the international learning environment. Every topic has an introductory text, a few main proposals, a general walkthrough of the topic, in addition to a bank of ideas that contains all the proposals the group worked with. In the beginning of the document you will find the proposals the gathered Læringsmiljødugnad recommend the UiO to implement to improve the learning environment.

Enjoy the reading and the work for a better learning environment!

Main recommendations from Læringsmiljødugnaden

The following proposals were voted though by the participants in Læringsmiljødugnaden as the best courses of action for a better learning environment. We are more than willing to work with the University to implement these.

• ForVei shall be an offer to all the students at UiO
• Funding for integration measures should  be provided. UiO, the Student Welfare Council and the Student Parliament should require that funded organisations are inclusive of international students, and economically reward organisations that include and integrate local and international students.
• The institutes has a responsibility that there is a person responsible for the buddy week at every study program and that they have regular coordination meetings with the person responsible for the buddy week.

The worlds best buddy week – Secure, proud, and involved

It can seem overwhelming as a new student to start at the university. Often the students does not know what the university expects of them, or what they can expect of the university. It is in everyone best interest to consolidate the expectations of the different participants and at the same time make way for a positive academic and social development as early as possible. Through a thoroughly planned a well-structured buddy week it is possible to cement good preconditions early in the course of the studies.

The goal is to end up with students that feel secure in and at the university, proud over their own learning place and study, in addition to being involved in both an academic and social in the everyday life of a student.

Main proposal

• The institutes has the responsibility that there is a person responsible for the buddy week for every field of study, and that these have regular meetings for coordination.
• The buddy week will have focus that is more academic. The institutes will make a buddy week strategy with academic-social intro courses.
• It will be established a central scheme with certified buddys.

General Walkthrough

Security is essential to create a good learning environment, and you have to implement measures from day one. After the buddy week, the student should have a safe framework around in his in her every day study life. The student should have someone to sit with in classes, eat lunch with, and someone to ask for help. For the buddy week to have this function, it’s important that the buddy-group consists of students that are taking the same classes, and that there is enough buddys from all programs.

To party together is nice, but it can be excluding for some. Comprehensive and varied programs spread throughout the entire day is important to stop people from leaving the group. The new students should have a social offer for the whole day. The institutes in cooperation with the person responsible for the buddy week has a responsibility to make a schedule for every day. Early introduction to the academic contains of the study will make the buddy week feel relevant for the student body. Social-academic introductory courses with relevant lectures in popular science, group work, courses in writing, and topic-related quizzes will contribute to giving the students a realistic view of the study, make way for colloquies and pride in their study.

The buddies needs a secure framework. Every institute has the responsibility for the person responsible for the buddy week on a study-program level. These have to be trained and made conscious of their roles as leaders – they will make a team of buddies they have the responsibility for. It will be clear guidelines that defines the tasks of the person responsible for the buddy week. The faculty has a responsibility to conduct meetings with the person responsible for the buddy week on a faculty level, the person responsible for the week on a study program level and the basement societies on the faculty, so that the arrangement on a study program level in coordinated with the arrangements from the basement societies. Every program should make a prioritized schedule before the buddy week begins. The schedule is unique for every study program. The buddies will have training in spring, and the training will lead to a certification of the buddies. The courses must be made so that it activates every single buddy. It  is a great variety in the buddy week program that is presented to the students. Through standardizing the buddy weeks it is ensured that new students in every faculty gets an involving offer. Secure, proud, and involved buddies gives secure, proud, and involved students.

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” To be accepted as a student at the University in Oslo is a big deal. What meets the students at the first day of their study should give them a sense of pride. This can be done by giving the students a diploma as proof, a pin that shows what study program they are in, and a class photo to make the acceptance into UiO more formal, and make a sense of belonging.

Other proposals

• It should be offered courses in academic writing, pre-courses in programming, report writing, or other relevant things during the buddy week.
• It should be offered topic-related quizzes during the buddy week.
• It should be offered lectures in popular science in the relevant field of study during the buddy week.
• The group of buddies should consist of students that are taking the same classes.
• It should be arranged a sort of “treasure hunt” all over Oslo, to get familiar with Oslo as a student city.
• - Practical information and help to get started as a student should be given during the first two weeks.
• Every day in the buddy week should start with a breakfast for all the groups of buddies. It is a cheap low threshold offer that automatically is without a focus on alcohol, and it helps bind the day together.

Follow up through the first year

The first year as a student is in many ways the most important, and it commences as you are accepted as a student at UiO, It is about more than the first day or the first week at the university. The bond between student and university is an important stepping-stone to make the transition between high school and university easy. It is by making a sense of security and closeness to the topic that the student gets his or her academic confidence.

Main proposals

• All students should have at least one report with feedback before the exam every semester.
• ForVei should be an offer for all the students at UiO.
• A scheme for a contact-student should be made, where older students take enquiries from accepted students before the start of the semester.

General Walkthrough

 It is important that the student get the right information at the right time and right place, already from first meeting with the university. This will clarify the expectations and create security. Welcoming-letters, user-friendly websites, and forums on facebook can contribute to this.  The contact-students is there to contribute as much as possible in the earliest phase. It is important that UiO give a warm welcoming.

Students should get a personal meeting with a person, and ForVei is a good example. It is important to have someone to speak to. In addition, it’s important for the students to have someone to speak to about the course of the study, for example, when they can be exchange students or what classes to choose.  This can be strengthened by study-counsellors having a session with each new student. Another good solution for the students to get academic security and a network is the mentor-arrangement.

Evaluation of the accomplishments has to be built on the work done during the semester and in a lesser grade a comprehensive exam of the class in the end of the semester. The minimum demand must be one report per semester. But feedback can come in many forms. Written and oral reports, projects, group-work, and similar tasks makes the students utilize what they learn during the lectures and contributes to building academic security.  Today the first test that awaits you in a lot of topics is the exam, and that is not good enough.

The bond between the students and the academic employees is important, both to create security and pride. There is many ways for students and teachers to meet in low threshold and informal settings, as Professor-lunch, excursions, or other social settings. These low threshold meeting places builds down barriers and make the students feel that they belong in a greater academic environment. Pride and belonging to the line of study gives motivation!

Other proposals

• All students should receive a welcoming-letter that is sent with the letter of acceptance from UiO and it should contain information about the university and the line of study.
• All students should get the same email that contain a list of courses and offers that the student can use.
• All classes should have a forum for discussion on facebook started by the lecturer.
• There should be a seminar in the beginning of every semester to discuss expectations, study-techniques, and initiate colloquies.
• The institution should help everyone make contact with a colloquial-group, both in the beginning of a semester and throughout the year for those who need that. Projects that is suitable for colloquial-groups should be made available.
• All students should have access to a mentor-arrangement.
• Information about the exam should be given early, and it should information about the different offers of aid the student have access to.
• All students that fail their exams should be given offer of a conversation with a study-guide and ForVei about the road ahead.
• All students that fail their exam should be given an offer to re-sit their exam.
• There should be natural low-threshold forums where students and academic employees meet.

The international learning environment

Internationalisation should go beyond simply recruiting more international students. International students accepted into UiO should also have equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of University life. They should be empowered and encouraged to participate. It’s important to create an inclusive environment for everyone. Local students should be encouraged and enabled to become fully internationalised citizens of the world. There should be no barrier for international students to learn, express themselves and reach their full potential whilst at UiO.

Main propositions

• Funding for integration measures should  be provided. UiO, the Student Welfare Council and the Student Parliament should require that funded organisations are inclusive of international students, and economically reward organisations that include and integrate local and international students.
• The University of Oslo should offer more flexible and varied options of language courses in norwegian, that apply to the different needs of international students and include practice in social setting.
• Buddy groups on master level should include both local and international students.

Integration and interaction
A main problem with the international community at the University of Oslo, is the lack of interaction between norwegian and international students. Students need to be challenged to think cross culturally and interact with people from other backgrounds.

Another important factor is that the professors and lecturers should take more responsibility in creating an integrated and including community. For example, should more courses be offered in english, as the choices today are limited. All students, but particularly international students, should be involved in curriculum design and course reviews.

Greater visibility and accessibility

The internationalized community we want to promote is a community that includes offers of interest to any affiliate, both Norwegian and international. At the moment all the information about offers (including social events, academic activities, etc.) that are of interest to the international community are diffused. It is hard for even the Norwegian students to locate or access already existing information. This includes both offers concerning the international life at institutional and non-institutional level.

Existing programmes, organisations and networks should target towards integrating international students in the wider university community. The University, SiO and the Student Parliament should require that funded organisations are inclusive of international students, for example by providing information in English. Additional economic support should be given to organisations that want to include and integrate local and international students. This would be an incentive for integration and a deterrent for separation.

Induction
A student’s induction has the potential to shape their entire University experience. Thus it’s important that the institutions are sure about their international aspirations from the beginning.

The induction of international students at UiO should not be planned separately from Norwegian students. Induction activities should be inclusive, responsive and diverse. Everyone should have the opportunity to participate actively and contribute. Buddy groups should include both local and international students. International students should also be involved in the planning of the induction and buddy programme.

Language courses
All the students who wants to take language courses at the University as a part of their studies or in their spare time, should have the opportunity to do so. Especially should international students at the University have the right to take Norwegian language courses. The University of Oslo should offer more flexible and varied options of language courses in Norwegian customized to the individual needs of international students, ranging from the needs of a short-stay student to a student who plans to work or study further in Norway. In addition the courses should be organised so students could change between different modules depending on their current needs.

We believe that the best way to learn a language is through practice in a social setting with other people. This should be an integrated part of the language courses and could be achieved through cooperation with student organisations or other initiatives like Language tandem, social events, etc.

Additional propositions

• All information that are of relevance to international students needs to be in English as well as Norwegian. If an event is fully in Norwegian it needs to be clear.
• All information that is of interest for the international community at UiO needs to be centralized, for example accessible at the UiO webpage.
• Introductory courses, like exphil and exfac, should incorporate elements that gives students an international perspective.
• Lecturers and professors should have a responsibility in creating integrated and including community.
• All students, and particularly international students, should be involved in curriculum design and course reviews.
• There shall be a common ground for international and norwegian students to interact.
• More courses should be offered in english.
• Students at the University of Oslo that want to take language courses as a part of their studies or in their spare time, should have the opportunity to do so.

Existing programmes, organisations and networks should target towards integrating international students in the wider university community.

 The good learning environment

A learning environment is an academic, psychosocial environment where knowledge is provided and shared. In the faculty meetings the learning environment should be discussed, and how make better evaluations, and how they are used. The student counsels need to be active in this discussion, so that there is a dialog between teacher and student.  There has to be good and clear guidelines for how the evaluations are used and provided.. The goal with “The good learning environment” is to improve both the psychosocial and academic program at the University in Oslo.

Main proposals

• Research the effect of different measures. Make surveys to find out what benefits has come from for example studentombud, InterAct, ForVei, and so on. Also look at the different groups of students (lines of study, gender, background, and so on) to see if there are any differences.
• All students should get an individual reason for the grade on their exam. The reason should be in written form.
• Group teachers and seminar leaders should receive training and follow up.

General Walkthrough

We have added a proposal for a contract as a platform for a good learning environment that should be an appendix to the acceptance-letter to serve its purpose. The contracts purpose will be to clarify the expectations. It should be established before the start of the study what the university expects of the student. The contract is meant to commit both parts and be something both parts can relate to. It is through cooperation between we can create a good learning environment.

A big problem is little or no contact between the students and the academic employees. A lot of students doesn’t have the courage to make contact with their lecturers, because it is not facilitated to do so. Informal meetings between the students and the academic employees during the course of the study will help break down the barriers and lower the threshold to making contact later. The academic program should facilitate so that more students get an academic follow up at the same time as they finish their study in the standard time.

Other proposals

• - Research the effect of different measures. Make surveys to find out what benefits has come from for example studentombud, InterAct, ForVei, and so on. Also look at the different groups of students (lines of study, gender, background, and so on) to see if there are any differences.
• All classes should have a lecture at the end of the semester that draw up the lines and gives an overview of the topic.
• A central pool of money to improvement or creation of academic meeting-places that can be applied by student and lecturers from the same field of study.
• Earmarking of money to pilot-projects for courses for seminar leaders/group teachers, to improve the pedagogical competence and create continuity.
• At cross-faculty-meetings, faculty board meetings and such, learning environment and evaluations should be discussed.