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Journey to a new frontier with the University of Chichester Business School

Star Trek, the iconic original space series explored the frontiers of space discovering new galaxies, alien friends and foes and planets along the way.

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Journey to a It provides an imaginative analogy with our recent unexpected journey into the unknown world of virtual teaching and new frontier working prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lock down instigated by the government. At the University of Chichester we have been readying our spacecraft for some WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL years to launch and explore the new frontier of remote teaching and learning and working virtually. We already had the vital tools by way of platforms with our virtual learning environment Moodle, recording STAR TREK, THE ICONIC ORIGINAL platform Panopto (Chi Player), Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams and a myriad of SPACE SERIES EXPLORED THE FRONTIERS OF SPACE DISCOVERING other online sources of learning content and ideas. Our 1:1 tutorials and meetings have created stronger and more honest relationships in the main as more vulnerabilities have surfaced and more NEW GALAXIES, ALIEN FRIENDS AND In terms of skills we had both the capability and expertise to teach and work remotely kindness and caring has been shown. Star Trek’s Dr McCoy commented on ‘Compassion: that’s the one thing no machine ever had. Maybe it’s the one FOES AND PLANETS ALONG THE WAY. however, navigating entirely from the virtual thing that keeps man ahead of them’ has a resounding truth about it. flight deck was a first and required some steep learning through experience, trial and The crew on the flight deck of our Starship Enterprise also known as the It provides an imaginative analogy with our recent unexpected journey into the unknown world of virtual teaching and working prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lock down instigated by the government. At the University of Chichester we have been readying our spacecraft for some years to launch and explore the new frontier of remote teaching and University of Chichester Business School have honed and developed their skills and adaptability to teaching and working in a virtual world with energy and adventure. Most of our experimentation has worked and some has not but it has led to more creative problem solving, more dispersed decision making and development of innovative solutions which we would not have known existed. What appeared initially as a daunting excursion to an unknown place became an adrenalin shot to unleash the creative and error, collaborative working and the crafting of new meaning to the expressions ‘I can’t hear you’, ‘you’re breaking up’, ‘we’ve lost x’ and ‘I’m going to leave and come back in’ and non-verbal gestures such as fingers in ears and cutting gestures. one thing that keeps man ahead of them’ has a resounding truth about it. and different job opportunities this can be used to benefit our community.* learning and working virtually. We already had the vital tools by way of platforms with our virtual learning environment Moodle, recording platform Panopto (Chi Player), Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams and a myriad of other online sources of learning content and ideas. In terms of skills we had both the capability and expertise to teach and work remotely however, navigating entirely from the virtual flight deck was a first and required some steep learning through experience, trial and error, collaborative working and the crafting of new meaning to the expressions ‘I can’t hear you’, ‘you’re breaking up’, ‘we’ve lost x’ and ‘I’m going to leave and come back in’ and non-verbal gestures such as fingers in ears and cutting gestures. Experimentation with virtual coffee mornings, large group lectures and entrepreneurial potential of both people and technology as we became ‘explorers’, ‘pioneers’ and more recently ‘settlers’. The Business School has discovered an exciting new teaching and learning frontier and it is likely that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with the need for many to re-skill and consider new sectors of work and different job opportunities this can be used to benefit our community.* We’ve still some way to go in our journey but that’s the exciting part. What may have seemed impossible or too difficult is now possible and achievable. This is the same for business. The need to diversify, innovate, look at things in different ways, deploy new approaches, manage talent, understand customers and markets are all important aspects of commercial life in the new normal. Experimentation with virtual coffee mornings, large group lectures and small live and pre-recorded seminars and guest speaker professional conversations on topics such as Mediation at Work and Strategic Employee Development (thanks to Marianne Schoenberg, Blue into Green, and Helen Monk, Crunch Accounting) have developed our teaching and learning opportunities and skills to better meet the needs of our diverse range of learners. We have adapted to a more personal and relaxed style accepting interruptions from The crew on the flight deck of our Starship Enterprise also known as the University of Chichester Business School have honed and developed their skills and adaptability to teaching and working in a virtual world with energy and adventure. Most of our experimentation has worked and some has not but it has led to more creative problem solving, more dispersed decision making and development of innovative solutions which we would not have known existed. What appeared initially as a daunting excursion to an unknown place became an We’ve still some way to go in our journey but that’s the exciting part. What may have seemed impossible or too difficult is now possible and achievable. This is the same for business. The need to diversify, innovate, look at things in different ways, deploy new approaches, manage talent, understand customers and markets are all important aspects of commercial life in the new normal. In the Business School, we’ll be small live and pre-recorded seminars and guest speaker professional In the Business School,we’ll be encountering new learners, new employers, birds, power drills, animals and children with adrenalin shot to unleash the creative and encountering new learners, new employers, conversations on topics such as Mediation at Work and Strategic Employee new organisations and working with them all to raise their own skills an alacrity which is what makes us human. entrepreneurial potential of both people new organisations and working with them Development (thanks to Marianne Schoenberg, Blue into Green, and Helen Monk, Crunch Accounting) have developed our teaching and learning opportunities and skills to better meet the needs of our diverse range of learners. We have adapted to a more personal and relaxed style accepting interruptions from birds, power drills, animals and children with an alacrity which is what makes us human. horizons. We can work with you too! If you want to join us on this exciting journey please contact us on Business-School@chi.ac.uk or find out more at chi.ac.uk/business-services Our 1:1 tutorials and meetings have created stronger and more honest relationships in the main as more vulnerabilities have surfaced and more kindness and caring has been shown. Star Trek’s Dr McCoy commented on ‘Compassion: that’s the one and technology as we became ‘explorers’, ‘pioneers’ and more recently ‘settlers’. The Business School has discovered an exciting new teaching and learning frontier and it is likely that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with the need for many all to raise their own skills horizons. We can work with you too! If you want to join us on this exciting journey please contact us on Business-School@chi.ac.uk or find out thing no machine ever had. Maybe it’s the to re-skill and consider new sectors of work more at chi.ac.uk/business-services *The Business School offers Postgraduate and Undergraduate Degrees, Degree Apprenticeships and Executive Short Courses

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