online uas journal promoting networking in research

EAIR Forum 2016, Birmingham

Online journal promoting

networking in researchCase study: www.uasjournal.fi

Lotta Linko (Twitter @viestintalotta), Mauri Kantola, Mervi Friman


Agenda• UAS Journal • Action research, methods, and data• Interventions and results• Conclusions


UAS Journal in a nutshell• Online journal on education, research and development

activities in practice-oriented higher education• Published by the UAS Rectors’ Conference • Financed by the universities of applied sciences • Open-access, free-of-charge, four issues a year since 2011• Mission of the journal:

– Provide information (‘general’ public)– Provide a network (applied universities & world of work)


www.uasjournal.fi as publication

http://www.uasjournal.fi/


UAS Journal as network• Rectors’ Conference & board• Field-specific groups • R&D directors• R&D projects• UAS’ publications • Online presence and social networks• International collaboration


4. Editing and publishing

The UAS Journal network: promotes networking, creates synergies, aids cooperation and spreads information

between interest groups

Business & Industry

Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences

Rectors’ Conference

Board of Editors

Authors

Visiting Editors

Chief Editor

Subeditor

The UAS Journal publication: documents actions, gathers themes, informs on activities & results, and

offers a forum for discussion

2. Building and strengthening the

author network

3. Widening the scope of topics and

articles

1. Supporting the activities and cooperation of interest groups

6. Widening and engaging the

audience

5. Evaluating and developing the

publication and the activities around it

Public Sector

Non-Governmental Organisations

Municipal and Governmental Organisations


Methods and data• Has the UAS Journal had an effect on the networking

activities in research?• Action research as framework• Three processes: production, marketing, networking• Qualitative interviews• User survey• User statistics


Action research• Planned and documented self-evaluation• Researchers are part of the research process • Helps in focusing the interventions• Strips the processes• Forces to make planned interventions• Enables measurable results


Networking interventions• Supporting co-writing (template, guide)• Utilising theme editors and their networks• Integrating the board of editors and advisors• Providing online working & meeting• Links to online peers • Social media presence • Changing the journal platform (OJS to WP)• Seminar promotion• Discontinuing peer reviews


Quantitative results• Number of writers, articles, and co-written articles increased (Producers)• Every issue now has a one or more theme editors (5-7 yearly) • Internal workspace open to board of editors but not yet widely used,

online meetings facilitate participation from all over the country (2-4 meetings yearly)• All UAS’ online publications are found at our site (the first list ever)• Account, profile or group in Facebook (700 f.), Twitter and LinkedIn (inactive)• New publication platform enables social activities• Research of UAS Journal presented in international EAIR, ECER, EARLI/EAPRIL forums

and national seminars• Three other Finnish peer-reviewed journals: focus on those and utilise resources

otherwise• Growth in user statistics (Consumers)


Producers


Consumers


• Interviews with eight board members/theme editors:• New information, new viewpoints, new practices, new partners,

new colleagues and cooperation • Increased public visibility of UAS research activities • Better networking with other UAS and unis • Publishing research results, improved reviewing and writing skills

Theme editors’ interviews


User survey• User survey on the renewed site for three weeks 23 May - 10

June 2016• 296 answers, 85% (or 260) of respondents UAS staff/students• On a scale of “agree - agree somewhat - disagree”,

67% agreed on ease of use , 63% appealing visuals, and 66% fast response time;52% relevant contents, 73% expert contents, 76% current contents, 62% shareable contents

• The expectations of 91% of readers were met


Conclusions1. Changes in the environment will continue2. Networking and networks have changed3. The role of the UAS Journal has changeda. National, shared media to spread themed information

from UAS’ to the world of workb. A platform to raise discussion around current topics in

different fields

online uas journal promoting networking in research

Education