Hyvää Uutta Vuotta 2018!

Näin vanhan ja uuden vuoden tienoilla minulla on jo vuosikausia ollut tapana muistella edellistä vuotta ja tehdä uuden vuoden suunnitelmia ja lupauksia. Tänäkin vuonna teen sen tänne blogiin. Viime vuoden postaus löytyy täältä. Muistelutapani on yleensä standardi 40 kysymystä viime vuodesta. Tänäkin vuonna vastaan niihin englanniksi. Kuvituksena on instagrammin "Best Nine" vuoden huippuhetkiä: Ylä vasemmalta oikealle:
1. MM-kisat Suurjyväskylä lehdessä
2. Muksun kanssa Naomia sairaalassa katsomassa
3. Wundagshan pilvessä
4. Muksu menee kouluun - eka päivä! Odotetaan bussia!
5. Joulukortti
6. MM-kisojen eka päivä San Franciscossa
7. Ehkä vuoden kivoin asu - työpaikan hissiselfie rules!
8. Uimassa Blue Lagoonissa Reykjavikissa Kirsin kanssa
9. Auringonlasku keväällä Lontoossa

<3 Moments


Vietän uutta vuotta tänään tekemällä töitä. Käytiin uimassa ja ollaan illalla menossa minipirskeisiin ja Jyväskylä Cityyn, laittakaa viestiä jos ootte kaupungilla! Toivon kaikille erinomaista päivää, yötä ja mahtavaa uutta vuotta 2018!

/Summing up my year of 2017, once again in English. I do this every year, just like Charlie Brooker, except you know - not funny...

1. What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?

Competed in World Championships… Which the best nine shows pretty well. I also travelled to iceland, climbed Wudangshan and put my son into school... Decided it's time to discuss divorce.

2. Did you keep you New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made some promises yes. List you can see in here. I'll post tomorrow about how I think I did in them. Once again, some of the promises were kept, some of them were not. In many ways, this year I have taken steps that were huge leaps into a happier life.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
There is a new baby in the pink wooden house near mine, but no immediate family babies this year.

 4. Did anyone close to you die?
Two of my great aunts died:( I miss one of them very much.

5. What countries did you visit?
UK, China, Sweden, Germany - my usual travel destinations... But also Spain, Norway, Iceland, USA, Ukraine & Azerbajdzan... More excotic than last year for sure. Even four countries that I never visited before (Norway, Iceland, Ukraine, Azerbaijan).

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
More staff! I have been working on 6 projects... That's too much for one person to handle. But I think the situation is improving.

7. What date from 2017 will remain attached upon your memory, and why?
3rd of February, when I made a crucial spelling mistake in Facebook. Which then escalated into climbing some mountains and looking for houses later in the year... Remember kids, always use proper language in Social Media!

 8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making concrete steps to improve my happiness rather than sitting around not saying out loud what I want.

9. What was your biggest failure?
In general not looking after my health better.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Well I was ill when competing in San Francisco, but nothing more than a cold.

 11. What was the best thing you bought?
Same answer as last year: Plane tickets to various great places such as Iceland and China.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am lucky enough to be surrounded by the most amazing supportive people, who are there for me in the good and bad times. You guys know who you are. Thank you.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Now I have to say that certain members of my family have done quite a bit of unsupportive behavior which is occasionally really hard to understand.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Living and traveling, as usual. Bought tickets to US via Iceland, that was a great choice.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Mountain climbing, Kempo... Champagne in brought to me into the bed for breakfast - I guess I'm easy that way. Zhangjiajie was a fairy tale place in the world where I would certainly think of moving when my son finishes school in about um... 11+something years...At least for a while. But honestly I get excited about everything - the world is an amazing place that way: I get excited of all the things I can do, the opportunities ahead: My new job, buying a new house, having new family members etc.

16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
I think it's "Stairway to Heaven", which we listened to after 10hours of walking stairs in the Wudang mountain completely lost in the dark, in the rain... After finally getting to our hotel.

Songs that are also in this year's playlist:
"Scared of the Dark" by Steps
"Give Your Heart a Break" by Demi Lovato
"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
"Hollywood Hills" by Sunrise Avenue
"Supreme" by Robbie Williams
"Diamonds and Rust" by Joan Baez
"Perfect Day" by Lou Reed
"Never Met a Girl Like You Before" by Edwyn Collins
"Too Much Love Will Kill You" by Queen

to name some..

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder? Happier. Absolutely.
II. thinner or fatter?  Fatter. My Health hasn't been a priority in the last few months.
III. richer or poorer? Richer I guess. I guess this is relative, as I am about to owe more money to the bank shortly.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sports.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Drunk alcohol.

 20. How did you spend Christmas?
At home in Jyväskylä, surrounded by loved ones:) Good Christmas.

22. Did you fall in love in 2017?
I did indeed.

24. What was your favorite tv programme?
Game of Thrones, I guess. I have watched very little television this year. Due to not wanting to put time into television watching.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate this time last year?
No I don't.

26. What was the best book you read?
Well... Something to improve...

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Probably Spotify:)

28. What did you want and get?
Freedom, acceptance, equality

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I have also seen very little films... I think I've been to the cinema three times and two of those was 'Last Jedi'... Virpi and I have watched a couple of films from the IMDB list. One was the Great Dictator, Chaplin is still not my thing though...

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 36. I have trouble remembering what did I do... Google calendar says I've been out though, so must have been a nice night:)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Well the key to that would be to argue less with my family. I have to try to not take things personally.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
More of the same. I have really not had time to think of fashion this year... I like extravagant dresses. Jeans and tops. Leather jackets. Clearly I needed to have a green one, so now I have one...

34. What kept you sane?
My friends. I also saw a therapist for some sessions.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I went to a concert this year! The Steps! Love them. Out of Steps, I think Claire is my favorite still, despite of it all...

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Brexit is still the one that affects me most directly. As it prevents my soon to be ex-husband from taking a morgage from a British bank.

37. Who did you miss?
I spent almost two months in the summer traveling and missed certain someone at home very much.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
"New person" is a tricky question, as most of my attention went to exploring someone who really wasn't new at all... But I would have to say his daughter S. So loud, wise, social and genuine <3.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017:
Life is short. Live today. Ok I might have known this before...

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

(Year after year, this is one of the classics)

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap!
It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you won't bring me down


Thank you for this year of 2018 everyone!

Hyvää joulua 2017!

 Minun jouluni on kuitenkin ollut erinomaisen ihana. Olen viettänyt sitä rakkaiden ympäröimänä Jyväskylässä.

 Aloittelin aatonaattoaamuna siivoilemalla, kuuntelemalla joululauluja ja lukemalla runoja rauhassa.

 Sitten lähdettiin uimaan halliin, joka oli aivan tyhjä. En ole aiemmin laskenut pikkumuksuani hyppyaltaalle, koska tiedän, kuinka paljon hän pitää hyppimisestä ja koska aaltoalvarissa aina sinne ei lasketa yleisöä niin voisi olla hankala selittää hänelle miksei sinne saa mennä. Mutta nyt joulun kunniaksi mentiin ja olipas meillä kivaa:)

Lauantai-iltana pidin Coctail & Canapee -kutsut kaikenikäisille. Ystävät ja sukulaiset lähellä <3 siitä on hyvä joulumieli tehty.

 Kokkareiden päätteeksi riehaannuttiin S:n ajatuksesta lumileikkeihin puutarhaan. Tässä oli kyseessä 'pidä päätäsi lumihangessa' skaba, jonka 10-vuotias ja 25-vuotias kestivät yli viisi minuuttia... Mun perhe <3

Aatto aamuna käytiin moikkaamassa issua, mummia ja ukkia vanhalla hautausmaalla.

 Ja sitten pyörähdettiin Pirttimäessä puurolla ja Palokassa kahvilla -kummastakaan ei valitettavasti ole kuvia...

 Illan pöytä meillä näytti tältä:

 Äiti oli suunnitellut taateli-sinihomejuusto-pekonikääröjä, jotka Maija toteutti. Namsk.

 Oman perheen kanssa <3.

 Jotkut olivat oleet myös ilmeisen kiltteinä...

 Tällä kertaa meitä oli joulupöydässä kuusi.

Veljeni tyttöystävä Maija oli meillä ekaa kertaa vieraana. Ja olipas se mukava tuulahdus meidän joulun viettoon - mukava kun tulit <3

 Englantilaiset olivat lähettäneet Christmas Crackereita. Tosin ilman niitäkin joulupöytäkeskustelut lähtivät aivan lapasesta.

(c) Raija Mäki-Kuutti

Sitten tonttu jakoi lahjoja...

(c) Raija Mäki-Kuutti

 Ja kyllä muuten oltiin oltu kilttinä...

Olipas mukava viettää joulua sukulaisten ja ystävien keskellä <3. Kiitoksia seurasta ja paketeista rakkaat! Hyvää joulua!

/This year we are spending Christmas in Jyväskylä. This year's Christmas was one event after another, spent well with family - peacefully eating well, enjoying the snow and everyone's company. On Saturday night I held 'All ages Christmas Coctails and Canapée' fest, then on Christmas Eve it was all about family: Good food, nice chatter, playing around with the Children. Even Topfish has understood gifts now - he likes to unwrap them, to enjoy them. There has been a lot of laughter and love <3 Happy Christmas to all!

Väitös tänään: Avoimia materiaaleja voidaan hyödyntää myös julkishallinnossa

Vain kaksi päivää myöhässä mut who is counting. /Two days late but who is counting.

Ei kahta ilman kolmatta. Väitösten sarja joulukuussa 2017 täydentyy kolmannella ja minulle läheisimmällä väitöksellä, kun tutkimussisareni Julia Stoffregen meidän Global information systems -tutkimusryhmästä väitteli lauantaina. Hänen aiheensa on avointen oppimateriaalien hyödyntäminen ja käyttämisen haasteet julkishallinnossa.

/Not two without the third... My series of dissertations in December 2017 is now complete when my research sister Julia Stoffregen from our Global Information Systems -research group defended her thesis on Saturday. Her topic was OER in Public Administration and the barriers in using, in particular.

 Kustoksena toimii yhteinen väitöskirjaohjaajamme Jan Pawlowski... /My professor Jan Pawlowski is also her supervisor and was her custos.

 Ja vastaväittelijänä  Dr. Markus Deimann Lübeckin yliopistosta. /The opponent was Dr. Markus Deimann from the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences.

 Dr. Deimann esitti tiukkoja kysymyksiä, mutta Julia on yksi ehkä älykkäimmistä tuntemistani ihmisistä ja tekee työnsä huolella, joten hän puolusti väitöskirjaansa erittäin ansiokkaasti. /Dr. Deimann posed some tricky questions, but Julia is one of the most intelligent ladies I know, so she had no trouble coming up with excellent answers.

 Keskustelussa oli esim. julkishallinnon esteet avointen oppimateriaalejen käytölle... Muistanette, että sekä minun että Henrin väitökset olivat hyvin tätä aihetta sivuavia. Julkishallinnon ja koulutussektorin haasteet ovat osittain samoja: Esim. ihmiset eivät ole kiinnostuneita käyttämään toisten materiaaleja vaan haluavat tehdä omat materiaalinsa itse. Heillä saattaa olla myös pelkoja jakaa omia materiaalejaan muille...

/Under discussion were the barriers for using OER in Public Administration. You might remember mine and Henri's Phds being quite similar topics. Public administration as well as education sectors have similar challenges: for example that people are uninterested in using other people's materials and want to create their materials themselves. They also have fears in sharing the materials... etc.

 Kaikenkaikkiaan Julian työ on tällä sektorilla merkittävä ja hän on pystynyt tuomaan jokseensakin 'kuivaan aiheeseen' mielenkiintoisia näkökulmia. Hän on myös toteuttanut väitöskirjansa erittäin systemaattisesti kolmessa vuodessa. 

/Julia's work is rather ground breaking in this field, since public administration does not really use OER at all. She also has the capability to bring interesting angles into a rather 'dry' topic... She's completed her thesis working very systematically, within three years.

Julian on työskennellyt Janin kanssa EU-projektissa 'Eagle' Saksassa, joten hän on monelle tiedekuntamme henkilökunnan jäsenelle jokseensakin tuntematon kasvo. Väitöstiedotteen voit lukea täältä.

/Julia worked with Jan in EU funded 'Eagle' project in Germany, which makes her quite unknown to most people working in our office... You can read the news here. 

Julia on huippututkija. Hän menestyy missä tahansa haasteessa periksiantamattoman persoonallisuutensa ansiosta. Tätä työtä ja hänen kehitystään opiskelijasta tutkijaksi on ollut ilo seurata. Onnea! /Julia is an excellent researcher and will be successful in whatever she will choose to do. It's been an honour to follow your progress from Phd student to a doctor! Congratulations!

Nyt on koko setti valmis... /Now the whole set is one...

Muut GLIS ryhmän väitökset/Other Glissian dissertations:

• Henrin väitös
• Philippin väitös
• Katin väitös 

Väitös tänään: Kannustin, koriste ja liikkujan kaveri

(c) Naomi Woods

Kuten viikko sitten mainitsin - tämä joulukuu on täynnä toinen toistaan mielenkiintoisimpia väitöksiä. Tänään on vuorossa ystäväni ja pitkäaikainen kolleegani Panu Moilanen, joka väitteli tuossa päivällä liikuntateknologiasta ja entenkin käytettävyysnäkökulmasta. Tämä ylläoleva kuva on huijaus, sillä minä olin ns. kärpäsenä katossa paikalla ainoastaan kolleegojeni lähettelemien viestien kautta. Olen siis matkalla Berliinistä kotiin ja siksi itse show meni minulta sivu suun. Kuitenkin pinnistellen ehdin karonkkaan... vähän myöhässä...

Panu on tutkinut liikuntateknologian eri merkityksiä käyttäjälleen ja huomannut mm., että liikuntateknologian käyttöön vaikuttaa vahvasti ihmisen oma suhde liikkumiseen. Varsinainen väitöstiedote löytyy täältä.  Kuulemani mukaan Panun väitös oli huikea show, jossa otettiin yleisö kivasti huomioon. Vastaväittelijänä toimi Saara Taalas ruotsalaisesta yliopistosta - väitöksen kieli oli eksoottisesti suomi! Well done Panu! Vuosien uurastus tuli vihdoin päätökseen ja hyvä niin.

Panu on tiedekunnassamme erittäin pidetty opettaja ja kolleega. Ei ole mitään, mitä työpaikalla tapahtuu, josta Panu ei tietäisi - hän on sosiaalisesti vailla vertaa. Rautaisen ammattitaidon lisäksi hänellä on mielettömän hyvä maku ja hänen kanssaan on aina mielenkiintoista istua iltaa. Tämä ilta tulee olemaan varmasti sesongin huippu <3. Kiitos kutsusta ja paljon onnea!

/As I mentioned last week, this season is full of interesting dissertations. Today it's my long term colleague and friend Panu Moilanen's turn. He has studied Sports technology and found out that the usual technology acceptance models do not explain this phenomenon. The show itself took place at noon without me - I'm still returning from Berlin, but will make it to the Karonkka just a little late. Feeling super proud of you Panu, well done! I heard you rocked it!

IMAILE goes ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2017

 Today I am in Berlin for Online Educa, or OEB Conference. This is due to my two projects in innovative procurement of learning technology: IMAILE & Learntech Accelerator (LEA).

 IMAILE became a part of an interactive session called:

Opportunities and Challenges for Education Start-ups in the European Market: Understanding Your Customers' Needs

In this session, we the panelists told our various stories of connecting with the users. Having supply & demand on the same page would be something that would make software projects succeed... However, specifically in the field of Education, this is rarely the case. One of the reasons is that in the field of education, the buyer is very rarely the user. Whatever learning technology you are buying - it's usually the city or the municpality or the school or the parent who pays... and the teacher/learner/student/pupil that uses... Perhaps this is a simple case of broken phone: Developer to seller to buyer to user... That's a long journey and the information gets lost in the middle. The users also do not know what they want or what they could be asking for... And on the other hand the developers can't really spend enough time thinking of the user's needs... They are busy coding. It's someone else's problem to collect the user needs... And when none of these people in the chain speak the same language... well, that's when money and time gets lost... That's why there's many-MANY learning (and other) technologies out there, that never simply get used.

The discussion was so vivid that it went on for one hour after the panel ended with the audience joining in... People just simply were not leaving. It is rare that I have been a part of a conference program item with this much depait, interest and it's simply a very satisfactory experience. It told me that there is clearly need for European projects like IMAILE and LEA, supporting the learning technology innovation within Europe.

 This was my first visit to Online Educa, even though of course my colleagues have been going for years.

 I also had the privilage to attend my professor Jan Pawlowski's learning cafe workshop on using OER in Public Administration.

 Conferences like OEB are always a good idea. To meet all the key players in the area - I figured that in the 4-5hours that I invested today in talking to all the PLEs in the market, I save about 2 weeks of my time next year trying to map who is on what level of innovation...

Run into some familiar face...

 So basically I had the whole Friday to go through stand to stand, asking about learning analytics - about adaptive learning paths - gamification - virtual reality - augmented reality... And so on.

 I had also the privilege to listen in to some innovative speakers. This panel was on open education. It is interesting to see people still talking about OER - even though the buzz on MOOCs is long gone and the field has somehow moved on...

  I also thought to myself that perhaps Germany it's a bubble of its own... It promotes certain topics beyond the rest of the world.

 Still, Online Educa... Very much worth to visit...

 I sneaked into virtual reality to shoot some classroom walls even.

 It was also quite amazing to see so many Finns here. When walking the corridors, almost at all times, you can hear Finnish spoken.

 My little spying scouting trip turned out much more useful than I could have ever imagined...

 Today only in English...

I am sorry my Berlin friends, to have disapointed pretty much everyone for not being really up for more than work here. It was my intention to do more, but I have been under the weather with a cold. Still - Good times. See you again shortly!