This EALA learning exchange project (2022-2023) explored Scotland’s links to the Arctic through an OER focus for learning and creativity exchange. OER – open education resource – is a process and ambition to create, curate and circulate materials and artefacts such as images, texts and documents for wider access and sharing. The project title derives from the Scottish Gaelic word for swan (eala), and a connection to Finland’s national bird. EALA as a title also offers us a simple summary of the project’s frame of reference: Engagement, Alliance and Learning for Arts. It also refers to our four main themes for creative shared research and learning: Energy, Assets, Landscape and Art.
Project Summary
The Scottish Government’s Arctic Connections Policy Framework is key to the basis of the EALA project’s engagement, alliance and learning for arts focus. This EALA learning exchange project (2022-2023) explored Scotland’s links to the Arctic through an OER focus for learning and creativity exchange. OER – open education resource – is a process and ambition to create, curate and circulate materials and artifacts such as images, texts and documents for wider access and sharing. This partnership working has been forged between the cultural and geographic regions of the west of Scotland and Lapland via two education institutions, the University of the West of Scotland, and the University of Lapland. At the heart of this project was a collaborative and co-knowing approach to identify and explore the knowledge, expertise, creative contributions, and ambitions of like-minded partners to develop joint solutions to challenges facing both Scotland and the Arctic regions. Key to this was both micro-local and global appreciations and questioning of knowledge, policy, practice. A key priority was to explore and understand better how sharing knowledge and connections through education and creative practice can inform and underpin the resilience and well-being of our communities.
EALA identified four main thematic areas for creative focus and collaborative OER generation:
Energy, Assets, Landscape and Art
This website offers a summary of this process, an outline of thematic aspects explored, and examples of our OER materials generated.
EALA: engagement, alliance and learning for arts in Scottish and Arctic contexts and commons is a collaborative output and creative documenting of the EALA project. EALA involved students and staff (Lead: Dr Kathryn A Burnett, UWS) from the University of the West of Scotland, Scotland and the (Co-Lead: Professor Timo Jokela) University of Lapland, Finland working together locally and internationally informed by and facilitated by a shared learning focus on community, place, and knowledge commons and our arts-based and OER pedagogy, archives and sustainability connections.
The EALA project has been made possible through funding from the Arctic Connections Project Fund, Scottish Government. Ref no: ACF22-10 Grantee: University of the West of Scotland
Scottish Government Arctic Connections Fund Award 2022-2023
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