I am now making the last week of the ONL-course and I will summarize my thoughts. When doing so I will focus on what I have learnt and what I am going to do now with the new tools acquired.

So what are the new tools in my toolbox?

As I have told you before I have not been teaching for quite some years now. I do have teaching experience from a time when most teachers, including myself, only used class room lectures and simulator and laboratory exercises. The last years with administrative work, I have used Zoom and Skype in many meetings so I am used to these tools. However, I have learnt some new ways to use Zoom with breakout rooms, tolls and more.

I have also learnt how to use Padlet, share documents on Google drive, Prezi, Blogger, Mentimeter and Piktochart. Well, I did not really learn the Piktochart site, but I had a look at it and saw the result. In the PBL-group, we discussed to make a film once for sharing the result. Unfortunately, there was no film produced by us. However, I will learn to make films anyway as we have studios for that where I work.

Some people claim that good tools makes half the work for a good fitter. The fitter, the guy using the tool box, that is me, the teacher. I have experienced new ways of teaching and learnt a lot. The tool itself is possible to learn by some trial and error exercises. If I have a good understanding, a vision, of what I want with the teaching the tools required can be found. But if I don’t know what to do I don’t know what tools I need. Therefore, I am now a more skillful fitter with new tools in my toolbox! With the skill to acquire new tools!

In my previous position, I worked for improving our digital and distance teaching skills and that we at Kalmar Maritime Academy should offer more such courses. I believe tomorrow’s society requires more studying in parallel with work and career. In order to meet this need we shall deliver these courses. Anyone that wants to learn more about the shipping industry shall be able to find courses that we offer. The main target for me have not been to offer open online courses but instead more distance courses which is modern digital courses. When achieved, we may look into open courses.

Now when going back to teaching I am looking forward to contribute with my own teaching to make Kalmar Maritime Academy’s portfolio of courses characterized of flexibility, blended learning, digital and distance.

Last but not least, a sincere thank you to all the staff making this course possible and the PBL-group members for good discussions during the course!