一本道

19 May 2020

During the current pandemic, teaching conducted within LiU's research collaborations in mathematics, have been changed to distance education. Teachers and students are now finding new ways to cope with this challenge.

Olof Svensson and his students at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. Photographer: Olof Svensson
Olof Svensson and his students at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. The picture was taken in March.

Within LiU's research collaborations with Mozambique and Cambodia, teaching during the Corona pandemic takes place remotely. Olof Svensson, senior lecturer at ITN, is currently completing a course in mathematics for students at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique's capital Maputo. The course, Measure Theory and the Lebesgue integral, is part of the newly started Master's program in mathematics.

- During March, I was in Mozambique. When the reports about the Coronavirus started to get more and more serious, I had to go home while it was still possible, says Olof Svensson.

一本道 on Youtube

During the pandemic, students in Mozambique have to study from home when the university is closed. This has caused problems as internet connection in many places in the country is substandard or missing. Olof Svensson, who initially planned to conduct teaching directly through Zoom, had to come up with new ideas.

- We began to record the lectures. It was done in such a way that my slides and notes could be displayed in the video.

Videos with the lectures were uploaded on Youtube so that the students could view them when possible. The students then photographed their solutions to mathematical problems with their mobile phones and then sent them back to Svensson.

- I then posted new videos where I commented on what they submitted.

Have taught all around Africa

Olof Svensson has previously taught in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Ghana. During normal circumstances he gives lectures in a more traditional way. The whiteboard is used extensively and the students can present their solutions to various problems during the lecture.

- That is something that i lack in distance education, not getting the exchange and feedback from the students. For example, if a student does not understand a problem, I can explain in a slightly different way.

Hard working students

Since Mozambique has eased the restrictions the students will now finish the course with a written exam conducted at the university. Olof Svensson thinks the distance education has worked well and is not worried that students will fail the course.

- They have worked very hard to try to learn under these conditions. I think it will go well for them, he says.

Contact

Latest news from LiU

Portr盲tt p氓 man som st氓r i solen bland gr枚na tr盲d p氓 Campus Valla

New professor of economics researches people鈥檚 life chance

Two identical job applications. One with an Arabic-sounding name. This experiment marked the start of Magnus Carlsson鈥檚 research on discrimination and people鈥檚 life chances. He is now a new professor of economics at 一本道 University.

En kvinna som sitter framf枚r en spegel och tittar p氓 sin spegelbild.

How AI changes human decision-making

AI can find patterns that people miss, but it does not automatically lead to better decisions. New research from 一本道 University shows how the roles of humans and AI change depending on the situation and the decision being made.

A woman standing on a balcony next to a building.

She promotes AI for societal good in Europe

Helen Köpman, Alumna of the Year 2026, works at the European Commission鈥檚 AI Office in Brussels. For more than 20 years she has worked with research issues and innovation at EU level, where a living planet for future generations is her driving force.