Distant Yarnings

In this episode of Distant Yarnings, hosts Julie and Jim sit down with Kristof Fenyvesi, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, to explore the evolving role of modern schooling. The conversation broadly examines how educational institutions can move past rigid, siloed structures to foster better human connections, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and meaningful engagement with technology. Rather than focusing purely on academic outputs or control, the trio reflects on how adapting our educational values and maintaining informal, open networks can better prepare students to cooperatively tackle the complex, large-scale challenges of the 21st century.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guest: Dr Kristóf Fenyvesi from the University of JyväskyläDate: 6 February 2026Length: Approx. 80 minThemes: Planetary vs. Global Collaboration, Technology Bans in Schools, STEAM and Holistic Education, Contrasting Educational Cultures.Show Notes and Transcript

Hosts Julie Lindsay and Jim Harris welcome Stephanie McDonald, an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and the Digital Learning Director for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham. Stephanie outlines the scope of the University, which serves over 40,000 students across three campuses in the UK, China, and Malaysia. While the university focuses primarily on face-to-face instruction, Stephanie's role involves driving digital strategy, supporting colleagues, and developing inclusive, evidence-based curricula.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guest: Associate Professor Stephanie McDonald from the University of NottinghamDate: and Length: 29 January 2026, Approx. 70 minThemes: Holistic Learning Design, The Reality of Hybrid/HyFlex, Institutional Constraints, Student Partnership, Digital Equity and Infrastructure.Show Notes and Transcript

In this episode, hosts Julie and Jim are joined by Mark Childs and Julie Usher from Durham University (UK) to discuss the complexities of learning design within a high-ranking, research-intensive institution. The guests describe the unique "Oxbridge" vibes and college system of Durham while addressing challenges such as classism, the need for widening participation, and the struggle to balance world-class research with pedagogical innovation. Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guests: Dr Mark Childs and Julie Usher from the Durham Centre for Academic DevelopmentDate and Length: 20 January 2026. Approx. 73 minThemes: Hierarchies in Higher Education, Student Autonomy and Readiness, The Impact of AI on Assessment, Inclusive Pedagogy, Pedagogy via Pop Culture.Show Notes and Transcript

Hosts Julie Lindsay and Jim Harris welcome Stefanie Savage-Campbell, Senior Educational Projects Manager at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, who is also part of the JISC Beyond Blended pilot group. Stefanie discusses her role in managing strategic projects across the university, noting that she often occupies the "weird third space" between professional services and academic staff.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guests: Stefanie Savage-CampbellDate and Length: 5 December 2025. Approx. 64 min.Theme: Educational project management, strategic projects, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), building community and belonging, the human element in the age of AI.Bonus Link: Recife Pernambuco Carnaval 2025⁠Show Notes and Transcript⁠

Julie Lindsay and Jim Harris welcome special guests Sarah Knight, Director of Digital Transformation at Jisc, and Sheila McNeill, Independent Consultant working on the Beyond Blended program. The discussion centers on Jisc's three decades of work supporting UK universities and colleges with technology, internet connectivity, and digital strategy. They trace the organization’s foundational work in learning design back to 2004, noting that issues like ensuring technical systems interoperability remain perennial challenges.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guests: Sarah Knight and Sheila McNeill Date and Length: 25 November, 2025. Approx. 51 min.Theme: Digital transformation, curriculum design, digital capabilities, and the future of higher education.Show Notes and Transcript: https://create.usq.edu.au/distant-yarnings/2025/12/02/ep-3-jisc-future-proofing-education-through-inclusive-digital-design-beyond-blended/

Julie Lindsay and Jim Harris begin Episode 2 by discussing the JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) organization and its role in UK higher education, including providing a nationwide internet service and negotiating for resources like e-books. They introduce their guest, Lisa Jacka from UNISQ (University of Southern Queensland), who was involved in the JISC Beyond Blended pilot.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Guest: Dr Lisa Jacka (Australia)Date and Length: October, 2025. Approx. 48 min.Theme: Learning and Teaching, Higher Education, Blended Learning, HyFlex, Async, the Beyond Blended Project. Show Notes and Transcript: https://create.usq.edu.au/distant-yarnings/2025/09/30/ep-2-beyond-blended/

Welcome to the very first episode of Distant Yarnings! In this debut, Julie and Jim introduce the heart of their podcast — built around “yarning” (the art of meaningful, narrative-rich conversation) and the many meanings of “distance” in modern education.Hosts: Julie (Australia) & Jim (UK)Date and Length: September, 2025. Approx. 50 min.Theme: Distance, learning, storytelling, and a dash of archaeologyShow Notes and Transcript: https://create.usq.edu.au/distant-yarnings/2025/11/28/ep1-where-stories-begin/