Online Study Space wins award for most innovative project
26 Apr 2022 08:00 | HvA LibraryThe Library of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences has received an award for its online support for students during lockdown. Art Libraries Society / The Netherlands (ARLIS / NL) has declared the Online Study Space to be the best and most innovative project during the COVID-19 crisis. The OSS is a digital study environment where students can share knowledge and offer each other motivation and structure. Moreover, the Online Study Space enables lecturers to get in touch with students via special channels.
Online Study Space is more than simply an online incarnation of study places in the Library: “The project positively impacts many students (…), bringing future prospects for a model for new study methods”, according to the ARLIS / NL jury report.
According to the jury, the project also offers perspectives for other institutions to develop similar projects: “The positive experiences of participating students from various degree programmes and levels indicate that it (OSS) could be put to good use at other universities”.
Pioneering
Online Study Space has now flourished into a versatile platform on which courses and student groups have their own channels. Students can attend study sessions with a student host, participate in workshops, visit the digital cafeteria and participate in fun activities such as the Study Challenge, challenging fellow students to take a structured approach to their studies.
Students
“Students report improved motivation when they study in the Online Study Space. And our host helps the students through the study days, which can be tough. We are seeing that once students have used the Online Study Space, they return to it. We connect with them”, adds Iris Oosterloo, project leader of the Online Study Space.
“The project is experimental and innovative, which makes it special. It is bursting with energy, and many users and other people involved with the project are enthusiastic. It’s great to work as a team on a project and feel that you really have something to offer, that you are helping to create something new that is in line with current developments and contributes to efforts to ensure that people can study together”, says Sofie Rouw, project leader for programming and concept development at the Library.
Lecturers
Online consultation hours in the Online Study Space save lecturers time and allow them to address their students directly as a group on issues outside lectures: “There’s no need for email, WhatsApp, Google Forms or dedicated Zoom sessions for questions or knowledge sharing, because those are all possible in the MS Teams environment within Online Study Space.”, Iris explains about the advantages of the platform.
Online Study Space is still in pilot phase. The project team regularly gauges the opinions of students and teachers about Online Study Space, and their experiences are input for further development of the platform.
More information
More information on Online Study Space.
If you would like a dedicated channel as a lecturer or for your degree programme or student group, please contact Imogen Mills to discuss a tailor-made solution.