Insights

As part of the We Learn-it EU project related to educational development, the Finnish French School of Munkkiniemi was one of three Schools part of the We Learn-Design course run through Aalto Design Factory.  The course was an intensive 3 week programme dealing with design thinking, product and service development, teamwork, communication, prototyping and presentation skills.  The theme or case study that was addressed by the participants was that of “Improving the High School experience”.

The students excelled in their new ways of working and within their new teams, resulting in outcomes that not only impressed their teachers but all of the staff and organisers involved in the course. One particular standout was that of the “Lukiolaisten Huone” which had the students creating their own Design Factory inspired room for their own purposes and needs.   Then to the students credit and determination they were able to secure a significant space within their school to continue developing their project into reality.  This is the first case in the world of the Design Factory concept being adopted and modified to the needs and wishes of High School aged students.

Something tells us it won’t be the last.

Essi, one of the students, wrote some words to describe their project:

“We got the inspiration for this project from the realization that students need a place for themselves within the school day, a get-away from stress. Soon enough we understood that what we needed wasn’t a place to rest, but a place that would fill us with positive energy, recharge our batteries and let us think about something else than just studying. A common hangout place is an essential part of the identity and actions of any given group or community!

It’s also crucially important that students themselves carry out the project – that the room is made by students for students! Our purpose is to create a space in which – if not everyone, then as many as possible – feel as if it was their own. Every high school student is an active prominent figure and a user of the room, so naturally he/she has to take responsibility for maintaining it!
To put it bluntly: A stress-free oasis where you can go whenever you don’t have lessons, can’t be a bad thing! After all, we students are much nicer company during the lessons when we smile, not yawn!”

The link to the webpage: http://lukiolaistenhuone.fi/