THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN VIRTU PROJECT

The purpose of this paper is to describe students’ learning in VIRTU project.

Laurea University of Applied Sciences is a multidisciplinary University of Applied Sciences operating in Uusimaa. There are approximately 8000 students and 500 staff members at Laurea. Laurea has created Learning by Developing (LbD) model - an innovative operating model based on authenticity, partnership, experiential learning, creativity and research. Learning is related to development projects that are genuinely rooted in the world of work.

Learning by Developing (LbD) model is based on authenticity, partnership, experiential learning, research and creativity. Learning is related to development projects that are genuinely rooted in the world of work. Goal for this model is to produce new knowledge for all partners of the collaborative learning process i.e. students, teachers and working life partners – in some cases also the customers. This model has been created in Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland.

VIRTU – Virtual Elderly Care Services on the Baltic Islands project is a three-year EU-financed project, co-financed by EU’s Central Baltic programme. The project will be carried out during 2010–2013. The VIRTU project aims to promote the social life of elderly living in the archipelago or other remote areas. The purpose is to create and maintain social relations and to prevent loneliness. Loneliness can be considered a great risk to the individual´s ability to function and independence at home. The VIRTU project develops preventive working methods and practices. Another key objective is to increase the service availability and safety of the elderly. Preventive services promote well-being and further self-fulfillment and a desire to learn. The virtual connection to services can be considered as a remote access service but it also enables to locally reach many services and fulfill conventional services. The third key objective is the networking of different actors in a way that enables concrete benefits for the technology users.

In the project, the virtual, interactive channel is tested together with elderly people, universities of applied sciences and municipalities. The channel is a new kind of social media and well-being service for elderly living in the archipelago areas of Finland, Åland and Estonia. Majority of program contents are produced by students in the studios of Universities of Applied Sciences. The students have possibilities to learn different kind of skills - interaction, languages, counseling, elderly life. During the project the students’ attitudes can move to the positive direction. Program contents aim to support elderly users, create and maintain social relations and promote health.

The evaluation material has been collected during the project with students by the different methods like observation, interviews, documentation and surveys. The expected results of the research will relate to the competence of the students involved to the project. The expected outcomes will show how valid LbD model of Laurea University of Applied Sciences is in developing the methods in working life.