We had a stimulating visit from colleagues at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences on the 26 – 27th October 2017. Five academics were in attendance representing the Faculties of Health Studies, Health Education and Social Sciences from three of the five colleges that together comprise the university. The visit started with a presentation from our guests regarding their respective institutions (see picture below) which merged earlier this year into one Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. The campuses all looked stunning and no doubt contribute to the health and well-being of the students and staff! The logistics of having so many institutions needing to communicate effectively, especially when the two farthest apart are 8 hours travel away, is obviously a challenge – thank goodness for the internet (and Skype). Please click on the link to view a copy of their presentation: Presentation on Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

It became apparent that Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has a student population not unlike that of BU, and there are some similarities/challenges in terms of satellite campuses (Portsmouth – midwifery, and Yeovil, nursing) whereby delivering a similar student experience to those at one of the two main campuses (Lansdowne and Talbot) is not easy. The next part of the morning was centred around introductions and sharing experiences. The discussion between us all revealed a number of striking similarities between experiences of higher education in the UK and Norway. Education appears to be perceived as second to research, although in both countries there are moves to improve the status of teaching and the student experience.

A number of BU staff kindly gave of their time to meet our Norwegian visitors across the two-day visit, resulting in the feedback we received below. Huge thanks to:

• Professor Debbie Holley gave an overview of the Centre for Excellence in Learning (CEL) and demonstrated some one the online resources they have provided to help promote active and technology-enhanced learning at BU such as the TEL Toolkit which they were very impressed with.
• Dr Ian Donaldson, Head of Education and Professional Practice, Department of Nursing and Clinical Sciences, discussed the desire to have an Erasmus exchange with student nurses and staff between our institutions which would be of benefit to us both in terms of sharing best practice and facilitating international research projects.
• Dr Kathy Curtis, Head of Department, Nursing and Clinical Sciences, also discussed the desire for student/staff exchange, and the possibilites of how to take that further in the short-term and longer-term.
• Dr Jonny Branney delivered a workshop on Team-based Learning (TBL), an approach that fitted well with the pedagogic approaches already being utilised at Western Norway, and might therefore be introduced there without too many changes.
• Dr Clare Killingback, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Dr Swrajit Sarkar, Lecturer in Nutrition and Debbi Gale, Demonstrator in Health Sciences very kindly gave permission for our Norwegian guests to observe their fantastic active learning methods in action, in the physiotherapy and exercise science programmes respectively.
• Thanks also to Petra Brown, Lecturer in Adult Nursing, and Dr Sharon Docherty, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Research, who came to share their experiences and expertise.

Feedback from our Norwegian colleagues

“Thank you for a wonderful stay in Bournemouth. You had made a great effort in front of our visit to BU, and we really appreciated your hospitality and the way you welcomed us all. There is no doubt that the challenges we face in higher education in Norway are much the same as in the UK, and there is a need for implementing learning methods that can activate the students. It was interesting to discuss different ways of doing this, and the TBL workshop was inspiring.
We look forward to further collaboration, maybe also in research projects if we manage to get funding for that”.
Dr Lars Kyte, Associate Professor.

“I also want to thank you all for a great stay in Bournemouth and your hospitality!”
Hellen Dahl, Senior Lecturer.

From left to right: Jonny Branney (BU), Ingrid Lindaas, Borgtor Bøyum, Tove Sandvoll Vee, Lars Kyte and Hellen Dahl (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences)

If you’d like to know more about our visitors and their teaching/research interests, please see below:

Short biographies of our colleagues from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
Borgtor Bøyum introduced himself as a lawyer by background who teaches law-related subjects including to nursing students around the context of informed consent and cognitive capacity. He described his use of flipped classroom whereby he records lectures for students to watch, they then independently have to work through case scenarios ready to discuss those scenarios in class.

Lars Kyte is a neurologist by background who teaches bioscience (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology) to student nurses. He also uses flipped classroom, recording lectures where he uses a white board while he has a camera that can automatically track his movements as he moves and writes on the board. Students then have to work through a workbook that contains many questions intended to focus their attention on the most important aspects of the learning materials they need to engage with. In class (anatomy) Lars still uses diagrams on OHP, proving that used appropriately OHPs still have a place in the classroom (albeit there is a way to replace this using the iPad – this is not necessarily better, students like variety).

Ingrid Lindaas is an intensive care nurse by background whose teaching centres around simulation-based education and promoting reflective practice. This process includes coaching student to self-assess, alongside assessment by their mentors.

Hellen Dahl is also a nurse by background whose teaching centres around simulation-based education and promoting reflective practice. She has developed an innovative approach to facilitating students to engage with reflective practice which she has published an article about in NET. Her higher degrees are in education.

Tove Sandvoll Vee is a learning disabilities nurse by background who spoke about an approach to peer-assessment of teaching whereby a group of educators meet as a support group, then if one wishes to improve an aspect of their teaching practice they meet with one of their group for advice, then they are observed putting this new approach into practice for feedback. She hopes to create a culture of peer assessment where this would happen three times per year. Her higher degrees are in education.