CO-CREATION
IN PRACTICE
Find solutions to practical thresholds
In several cases, thresholds tend to be situated at the practical level. The participants have suggested several ways to deal with such thresholds:
- Co-creation projects will find their way into the curriculum framework more easily if you depart from the idea of a “project window”, analogous to a “mobility window”.
- Allocate a fixed day of the week to co-creative collaboration with the professional field. Eventually, this will get around in the professional field and they will know that this day is available for co-creation with students:
CHALLENGE WEEK THOMAS MORE
- When collaborating with multiple (professional field) partners, having the educational activities continue in the evenings may be more efficient.
- Employ digital aids to involve the professional field more closely in (international) co-creation projects. In the learning community that was set up under the "Efficient organisation of work-based learning: Bachelor of Electromechanics professional programme" the Agoria technology federation and seven universities of applied sciences explored which soft skills are important for the professional field and how students can acquire such skills in higher education or at the workplace. Consultations were held online. The soft skills were collectively set down, which involved sharing a document in which a reporter recorded the soft skills discussed. As the document was visible to all the other participants, the result was manifest for everyone. This resulted in a highly informative discussion and a broadly supported definition of the soft skills.
- Have a colleague who commands good reporting skills document and structure the process, thus supporting the teacher coordinating the co-creative educational activity. Reporting and dissemination will raise awareness of valuable activities and approaches in your team, thus enabling them to capitalise on these examples for their own efforts.
READING TIPS
CASE 1: CHALLENGE WEEK THOMAS MORE
CASE 2: ESF PROJECT 'EFFICIENT ORGANISATION OF WORK-BASED LERANING: BACHELOR OF ELEKTROMECHANICS PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME
LEESTIPS
HET COCREATIEWIEL:
MODEL & SCAN
LEES MEER OVER FACTOREN VOOR INNOVATIE & SUCCESVOLLE COCREATIE
MEERWAARDE PER GROEP BELANGHEBBENDEN
BACK
Thomas More
Media and Entertainment Business Challenge Weeks
We are setting aside one week per semester to have a partner challenge us and our students to look for new insights regarding a particular issue. Quantity is more important than quality: we are using the plethora of ideas and insights contributed by large groups of people (120-180) without passing a value judgement.
PARTNERS: THOMAS MORE, Infrabel, Streamz, Sanoma, Kom op tegen Kanker, DPG Media, Telenet, Studio 100
In both the first and the second semester, we are interrupting the regular lessons after six weeks in the purview of a Challenge Week. During this week, all attention will be focused on a real case commissioned by an external principal. The students study the target group and work in a result-oriented manner on the goals defined by the principal. Here, the process is more important than the product.
We are looking for assignments that are socially relevant and render students aware of the role played by the media in societal issues. In this respect it is important for the issues to be topical, concrete, authentic, and meaningful.
In addition to the assignment, the students are provided with supporting information and methods delivered on a just-in-time basis. The students also apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired previously, in an integrated manner. All this must take place within a timeframe of 1 work week, which inevitably has the students working against the clock.
The selection of a relevant context and issue gives students an incentive and inspires them. This is enhanced by additional presentations and an efficient use of space and place.
The win-win outcome is that the principal is genuinely interested in the opinions of the 18-24-year-olds and harbours a genuine expectation of what can be delivered within such a limited timeframe. The week is rounded off with a jury session in which both the principal and the students select the top 3 entries, which are awarded a nice prize.
The ideas are collected and submitted to the principal. Not uncommonly, the principals will build on the ideas within their own companies.
Added value
Students
- Quickly delving into new issues and learning to work under pressure of time;
- Stepping out of their comfort zone;
- Collaboration between teachers and a team of students;
- Networking with businesses;
Teaching staff
- Being and remaining alert;
- Connection with Partners in Education;
- Networking;
Researchers
- Submitting relevant research to students and teachers, enabling them to take account of the latest insights;
The programme
- Firm connection with partners;
- Learning from one another;
- Focus on what is going on;
The professional field
- Being and remaining alert;
- Getting to know the programme and the dynamics of collective learning;
- We set great store by substantiating our programmes in co-creation with the professional field. That is why we have structural collaboration agreements in place with several media and entertainment companies such as DPG Media, Roularta, and Telenet as “Partner in Education”.
Challenges & opportunities
- Expanding good partner network;
- It takes power of persuasion to have companies work with first-year students;
- Emphasising to the principal that students operate as a shadow cabinet; importance of proper expectation management;
- Selection of a case that can be handled within a single week;
- Very strict timing;
- Teacher competencies: project management, coordinating project set-up / good briefing, providing students with proper inspiration;
- Coaching;
- Guiding rather than judging; the public and the principal decide.
Contact
Media & Entertainment Business
Mechelen
Pascale Aerts, Programme Manager, pascale.aerts@thomasmore.be