eWBL
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eWBL – An Experience
The University of Groningen (RUG) based in the Netherlands and Momentum in Ireland are both partners in the eWBL project, which aims to upskill educators in higher education on how to design and deliver high-quality electronic work-based learning. They decided to take their partnership further in the development and testing of eWBL skills through a real-life eWBL placement. Esther Haag, Internship Coordinator at RUG runs high-quality eWBL training workshops, and Samantha Carty, EU Project Specialist at Momentum, arranged for a RUG student to experience eWBL at Momentum. Sandra Longmore, an English Master’s student, was invited to one of Haag’s eWBL workshops to share her professional experience as a hybrid intern in Momentum, including some tips and tricks she and Momentum used to ease the transition from in-person learning to digital learning. The following are some highlights that Sandra shared at the workshop.
Sandra Besa Longmore shares her eWBL professional experience as a hybrid intern in Momentum, Ireland with the University of Groningen (RUG) as part of the eWBL Master Training hosted by Esther Haag, Internship Coordinator.
Once appropriately matched as a Writer and Content Creator at Momentum, the onboarding phase began and Longmore was introduced to her mentor, Grace Roche, Head of EU projects at Momentum. The onboarding phase of the eWBL project tackles the challenges associated with limited in-person interaction in remote work environments.
Firstly, interns are acquainted with the internship objectives, including clarifying the overall purpose, learning outcomes, phases, and assessment mechanisms. To do this, Grace first organised a meeting with Sandra to clarify the methods of communication and collaboration, along with detailing Sandra’s role within the company, including tasks and responsibilities. In this case, she would mostly use Microsoft Teams for communication with her colleagues and Google Docs so that her work could be monitored.
"I enjoyed working on Google Docs because it felt more collaborative, and I felt less under pressure. If I made a mistake, my mentor would be able to pick up on it immediately. It gave me the confidence to try because I knew that I was being guided by Grace’s comments, suggestions and advice. On teams, I would ask Grace questions whenever I was unsure of myself and I would quickly get a response. I particularly enjoyed using MS Teams for additional feedback, as it has a lot of interactive elements which humanise it a bit more than other tools.”
Once Sandra understood her role and the day-to-day operations, Grace set up an online meeting so Sandra could meet her colleagues online. This is essential for promoting collaboration despite limited in-person interactions.
“It was quite lovely. Anyone who could make it was there, all with their cameras on, so I could see their faces. That made it more personal for me. As an icebreaker, everyone introduced themselves and offered me help, which was very comforting. After the warm welcome, we had coffee and an informal chat so it felt like I was in the breakroom.”
Every week, Sandra met with a smaller group of colleagues to share their progress and ask for any help or guidance. While the weekly meetings helped alleviate the social limitations of remote work, Sandra discovered that working alongside another remote intern in the same area was extremely beneficial. She recommends that remote interns find themselves a work buddy to keep them motivated and to provide mutual support and encouragement. Overall, the onboarding phase used by Momentum facilitated a smooth transition to the virtual work environment for Sandra and laid the groundwork for her successful eWBL experience.
Every week, Sandra met with a smaller group of colleagues to share their progress and ask for any help or guidance. While the weekly meetings helped alleviate the social limitations of remote work, Sandra discovered that working alongside another remote intern in the same area was extremely beneficial. She recommends that remote interns find themselves a work buddy to keep them motivated and to provide mutual support and encouragement. Overall, the onboarding phase used by Momentum facilitated a smooth transition to the virtual work environment for Sandra and laid the groundwork for her successful eWBL experience.
Sandra Besa Longmore, Writer & Content Creator intern at Momentum.
Find out more about Sandra here: Sandra Besa Longmore - Momentum (momentumconsulting.ie)
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