Positive issues caused by Covid
Dear all, I am Päivi Kankkunen, university lecturer in preventive nursing science and docent in Clinical nursing science at University of Oulu.
This time I will focus on all positive issues caused by Covid, remote work and a different work life. It was March 2020 when we got the message that doors of our university will be locked because of Covid. At first days, it was of course a schock : how do I manage with my teaching and contacts with my students and collaques all around the world.
Day by day, with assistance of UEF it-services, I started to develop new online courses and new ways to teach and be in touch. This is what I have learned:
- Most of my students are located at the capital area. Demanding them to travel to Kuopio is not ethical though my eyes. Many students have given me thanks for this.
- All teaching has succeeded online, and technology has been working (thanks to Uef it-services). These services have been fast and very helping.
- In mass lectures (about 90 students) it has been a pleasure to connect students’ faces with their names (never possible in the big classrooms)
- No need to travel to the office (shared with a collaque)
International collaboration via Teams or Zoom has been successful
Nowadays I am teaching Nursing science theory and Master’s thesis seminars along with some preventive nursing science courses. Collaboration with national and international collaques is a part of my work life. A new and interesting area in my work is sustainability in health care, along with pain management.
Students’ feedback has been an inspiration for my job, I thank you all for that!
With best regards,
Päivi
PÄIVI KANKKUNEN
Docent, PhD, RN specialized in pediatrics
University lecturer, preventive nursing science
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Science