On 25 October 2023, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) organised a co-creation workshop to gain insight from the project and gather ideas about possible Learning Ecologies. The event gathered 6 professors and teacher assistants of the Customer Driven Project (CDP) course at NTNU – designed to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge in software development. The workshop, split into three parts, introduced the educators to the concept of Open Schooling and the objectives of the SLEs project. This vision was solidified through real-world examples, including the ‘On two wheels’ project.
Next, participants discussed the design of a SLE based on the CDP course. The mission was clear – to transcend traditional teaching methods and empower students with practical knowledge in software engineering (like user requirements) and project management (stakeholder negotiations and risk and human resource management). Participants had a collective discussion, followed by individual contributions via an online collaborative board. With this, they provided interesting insights on determinants for a successful SLE of this kind. For the design of the Ecology, they agreed on the need for an efficient collaboration between industry and academia, a project-based learning approach, the incorporation of real-world challenges, and the consideration of customer needs.
Following discussions regarded supporting this experience with meaningful learning resources: self-evaluation surveys, meetings with supervisors, customers, and teaching assistants for guidance and feedback, and documentation with tools, models, and guidelines that students can explore freely during the course. Learning products will include reports on the performed work and a demonstration of the developed prototype.
The co-creation workshop held was extremely useful to discuss the best ideas to develop the Customer Driven Project SLE, continuing to prepare students for successful transitions from academia to the professional world!
