Electronic teaching methods at HÍ
Electronic teaching methods have been in focus in recent years, but especially after the emergence of the COVID-19 epidemic. Vaka has fought for increased electronic teaching for a long time and HÍ has demonstrated that everything is possible if the will is there.
Vaka will continue to be an active advocate of increased electronic teaching, as the time has come for UI to take a big step into the future. Increased e-learning promotes equality and increases the access of diverse groups of people to learning
Recording of lectures
The recording of lectures promotes equal access to education and increases the possibility to study at the University of Iceland regardless of residence, family circumstances and health status. Also, students who miss lessons should not lose important study materials and knowledge that is not available anywhere else. In the wake of COVID, recordings were implemented in a large part of courses and Vaka wants to ensure that all lessons that provide an opportunity for this are recorded and that development in terms of them continues.
Distance learning and services for students outside the capital area
The University of Iceland is the university that offers the largest selection of study programs and serves the largest group of students in Iceland. It is therefore completely incomprehensible that UI makes it as difficult for people outside the capital area to study at the school as it actually is. Vaka has repeatedly expressed great dissatisfaction with the lack of distance learning and services for rural areas. Vaka wants distance learning at UI to be significantly increased and the school made more accessible to people in the countryside. Students should not have to uproot everything and move to the capital area in order to study at the largest educational institution in the country.
Modernization of the university
In HÍ26, the strategy of the University of Iceland from 2021 to 2026, the following is stated: "The university will be an even better workplace that guarantees equality and a diverse background for students and staff." The strategy states that it is necessary to support students of foreign origin and focus emphasis is placed on the diversity of the student body. Vaka believes that UI needs to increase electronic teaching and update its teaching methods in general in order to accommodate a diverse group of students in an increasingly globalized society. Distance learning, recording of lectures and the development of these topics were part of HÍ21, but despite the ideal conditions after the development of these elements due to COVID, HÍ did not seem interested in taking this step permanently. Vaka will continue to enforce this policy of the school and push for students to be accommodated with increased electronic teaching.