Nært på avstand: utvikling av studentenes relasjonelle kompetanse i samlingsbasert utdanning

Project summary

There is a growing societal demand for flexible solutions in higher education in Norway, which has contributed to an increase in the number of part-time and blended study programmes. At the same time, health and social care professions are inherently relational, and the development of relational competence requires proximity, dialogue, and interaction. This may be at odds with educational formats in which digital modalities and an increased degree of independent study create physical and temporal distance between students and educators. The aim of this project is to explore how educators in campus-based master’s programmes in health and social care experience the facilitation of students’ relational competence development. The study will adopt a qualitative approach to gain insight into educators’ experiences, strategies, and perceived challenges in the context of flexible modes of education. The project seeks to contribute knowledge on how relational competence can be maintained and further developed in educational contexts characterised by increased flexibility, thereby offering relevant input for the continued development of pedagogical practices in higher education within health and social care.