The City of Espoo has created a co-creation model (KYKY) to bring together schools and corporations. The idea is that startups get valuable information from their users, and schools can safely participate in creating tools that are beneficial for them.
Using this model, 80 schools from Espoo area got a chance to explore the Mightifier app for one year. Mattliden School is one of the lucky ones. School’s Vice-principal Tove Forsen says that co-created programs and tools have more added value for the schools: “Teachers can really impact the program in ways that serve to their needs and expectations the best.”
Co-creation and new curriculum
Katja Hagman, a project manager of KYKY, describes how co-creation helps with the digital leap in the new curriculum:
– Positive attitudes towards tech increase when teachers notice that they can master and benefit from various tech solutions. For example in the new curriculum, evaluation is playing a big part. Mightifier enables the teacher to see what peer evaluation could be and also how to use it in the classroom with the help of tech tools that children are motivated to use.
Strength profile and wellbeing data for schools & cities
With Mightifier, both the school and the city will receive student wellbeing and strengths data. This data can be useful in various ways:
– It is vital for both teacher and principal to know what the students’ strengths are. The strengths summary can help to understand why a class functions in a way it does and what kind of actions might be helpful for the class. The teacher can see concretely how things work and focus on exercises to develop those specific strengths that still need improvement. When you shift the focus on the good, you can strive for development, says Mrs. Forsen.
Mrs. Hagman sees the value for Mightifier as a preventive tool:
– When the information flow is real time, it enables early interference. With the help of Mightifier, a teacher, a principal, and the city’s educational department can make knowledge-based decisions. It makes the management more straightforward. In the City of Espoo, business intelligence has been THE thing lately. It’s important to have data to support decision-making. That way, you don’t go with just the gut feeling, says Mrs. Hagman.
How do schools use Mightifier?
Mattliden school plans to start mightifying with all 3rd to 6th classes in autumn:
– I’m looking forward to using Mightifier as a tool for self-evaluation and peer evaluation in various ways in school work. Mightifier can also be a tool to continuously pursue better team spirit and to improve the school environment, tells Mrs. Forsen.
Mrs. Forsen says that connecting Mightifier with the whole school community is a good idea:
– If the whole school staff exercises positive psychology, it will benefit us all. When schools have performance evaluations with students and their guardians, it would be great to talk about the strengths of each student. Together we could ponder how strengths could be used to support learning. Students with a positive self-image and good self-knowledge have valuable tools for the future. When you know your strengths and appreciate others, you will get far in life.
