The student-centered model for digital content production

Hug me! – collaborative digital learning

Mikkeli, Finland

This model focuses on coaching learners towards emergent leadership; the ability to steer things in the right direction without the authority to do so, through social competence using collaboratively digital tools and environments. A model to use learners' hidden competences and intrinsic motivation in digital learning processes.

Autonomy, Collaboration, Content production, Digitalization, ICT, Multidisciplinary Learning, Participation, Phenomenon-based learning, Project Based Learning, Socio-emotional skills

Introduction

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Introduction

What is it all about?

“The Hug me! - innovation improves student agency, proactivity and entrepreneurship skills. It creates a foundation for collaborative digital learning and the improvement of socio-emotional skills.”

Marja-Leena Bilund

According to a PISA study, 15 percent of Finnish students feel left out and even more feel unmotivated at school. Schools must change in order to stay meaningful to students and fill the gap between students' and teachers' digital skills. Teaching methods and tools should provide students with the means necessary to cope in their personal lives as well as in the working life. These skills include socio-emotional skills, problem solving skills, critical thinking, creativity as well as collaborative skills.

Hug me! strides to answer this need with student-centered collaborative digital content projects. The projects improve the students’ sense of agency, proactivity and entrepreneurship skills while creating a foundation for collaborative digital learning and improving socio-emotional skills.

Hug me! aims for transversal competence stated in the new Finnish national core curriculum of 2014; thinking and learning to learn, cultural competence, interaction and self-expression, taking care of oneself and managing daily life, multiliteracy, ICT Competence, working life competence and entrepreneurship, participation, involvement and building a sustainable future.

The innovation allows students to create their own digital projects in groups. They choose the tools and methods themselves as well as the phenomenon itself. A solution-based approach and autonomy are key elements for the successful implementation of the model.

Instructors encourage the students to face themselves as well as their hopes, fears and thoughts. Through this self-examination they learn to understand others – we have more in common than not. The group is a safe space to take chances and eliminate fears of failure or embarrassment.

The innovation instructs teachers how to implement content production into collaborative learning among students.

See this innovation in action.

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Steps

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Socio-emotional skills as the base for collaborative learning

Collaborative learning is centered around students' socio-emotional skills. The implementation of the innovation requires a well-grouped class where everyone knows each other and work well together.

Choosing a phenomenon to study

You can use different methods to choose the themes regarding the phenomenon.

Choosing the subjects linked to the phenomenon

A multidisciplinary approach to the phenomenon is encouraged as it tends to become a natural part of project based learning.

Dividing into groups

Learning means growing together, rather than looking for one’s mistakes.

Setting goals and creating research questions

The teacher should set the goals for the project and explain these goals to the students for better understanding of the learning process.

Choosing digital platforms and applications

The school should have a working internet connection and tablets for each class in order to successfully implement the content production projects.