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Learning Action Awards: How to bring workshop courses online?

  • 1.  Learning Action Awards: How to bring workshop courses online?

    Posted 07-29-2020 04:00:00 PM
    Dear community,

    We have all been hit by the pandemic hard and with little preparation time. Our graduate module "Industrial Information Management" was originally planned to include weekly workshops in addition to the weekly lectures. Divided into groups, the participants were supposed to represent one actor each within a digital ecosystem and to sharpen the sense for this new form of competition and coopetition through various activities. This well-prepared plan could of course not be carried out in this way... So we have very quickly and with a lot of effort put an alternative program on its feet, which I would like to describe here in short form:

    • Lecture: We decided to record the weekly lectures and upload the videos to our Moodle-Platform instead of Videosessions. Because we wanted all participants to have the same opportunities, regardless of whether they have special challenges, such as caring for relatives or for children. Furthermore, we could not guarantee that all internet connections would be stable at the respective times.
    • Interaction: Recording the lecture had the significant disadvantage that interaction with the students was not possible. For this reason we decided to use two building blocks. First, we initiated a discussion on Moodle by asking a subject-specific question which was discussed in a moderated way. In addition, we provided additional material each week to deepen the discussion. In particular, we suggested practice-oriented formats such as TED talks, documentaries, or HBR/MIT Sloan/McKinsey articles. Secondly, we conducted regular video calls with the group, which enabled a direct exchange.
    • Workshops: Instead of the weekly workshops, we gave each group an innovative topic that highlights a specific part of digital ecosystems. Starting with data marketplaces as an example of digital multi-sided platforms, to platform governance, to digital twins. We activated our network and provided each group with an application-oriented doctoral student as supervisor. The groups were in contact with each other via Moodle and critically reviewd the work of each other in a forum. All students wrote excellent articles, we will submit some of them to conferences. The lecture ended with an online workshop where a data marketplace was presented and tasks were carried out where the topics complemented each other.
    • Feedback: We have received excellent feedback from our participants. All of them without exception were enthusiastic and appreciated the perfect adaptation to the conditions, the fair processes, and the exciting topics. All questioned students confirmed that our event was best suited to Covid-19.
    The event was held by my professor and me. I would be pleased to receive comments, critique or further suggestions. Hopefully we can realize the original plan next year.

    Best regards
    Tobias

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    Tobias Guggenberger
    Scientific Assistant
    TU Dortmund University
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