Collaborative learning events
Welcome to the exciting world of shared learning! On this page, you will discover a variety of inspiring collaborative learning events that can be organized by LUMA Centre Finland, partner countries, and local learning communities such as schools. These events serve as examples of how learning communities, educators, children, youth and families can come together to celebrate and share the joy of learning.
We hope each learning community considers organizing their own collaborative learning event to support the sharing of knowledge and to give children and youth the opportunity to shine by presenting their own projects. Whether it’s a small moment integrated into the school day or a larger event in collaboration with other partners, these events not only enhance learners’ self-capabilities but also provide them with positive experiences about their work. Dive in to learn more about how you can create memorable and impactful StarT events in your community!
StarT Days
StarT Days are collaborative learning events where the joy of learning is shared on a local level. Even though we speak of a day, the event itself could be an hour long also. The goal is to share and celebrate the students’ creations with your own learning community, and possibly also with parents, relatives or others from the outside of the learning community!
We encourage every StarT learning community to organize their own StarT Day to give the students the possibility to show what they have created as their StarT project. The StarT Day can be carried out exactly the way you want to, at any time and any form – you can also integrate it into an existing event or include it in your teaching plans as an annual event.
Your own StarT Day could be for example…
- A part of a science/technology/mathematics week
- A part of an existing event
- A StarT Day for the whole town/community
- An activity during a break
Please find more ideas and examples on how you can organize your own StarT Day. And, do share the fun with us and others on social media using #startluma and @lumasuomi!
StarT Science Clubs
Science education has always been a cornerstone of developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of the natural world. However, the traditional school day often leaves little room for the kind of in-depth, hands-on exploration that truly ignites students’ passion for science. This is where science clubs come into play, offering a unique and invaluable opportunity for students to engage in collaborative learning and project-based education.
Within StarT programme we have published a virtual science club StarT GoEdu! with six engaging activities that you are free to use as inspiration for your own clubs. LUMA together with the University of Helsinki has piloted project-based learning in six-session science clubs that have been organized as after-school programs for primary school students. The first five sessions included time for project working and engaging hand-on activities such as sugar rainbows to investigate the concept of density. The last club session was reserved for a science fair where families were invited to come along and the students had a chance to present their favorite activities and, of course, their own project creations.
StarT Festivals
StarT Festivals are STEAM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and A for all other disciplines) festivals where learners get to share and celebrate their StarT project creations with a wider audience than during local StarT Days; for example, as a collaboration between few schools, or perhaps as a university and schools collaboration. In Finland, festivals have been organized regionally all around the country by the regional LUMA Centres. Similarly, in other countries, regional StarT Festivals have been organized.
During StarT Festivals the learners get to share what they have created as their StarT project with a jury that constitutes of experts from different fields, such as universities, corporations or organizations, and naturally with other students in the region. Learners can also peer-assess each others’ creations. This way making the projects even more realistic, exciting and motivating.
Moreover, learners often get encouragement prizes from the cooperation partners. For example, a regional company might give a prize for a team that has created a project that is relevant for their industry, resulting in greater cooperation between industries and schools.
The StarT Festivals also include fun and exciting workshops for all participants. Students might for example conduct exciting chemistry experiments, build robots or code games; and teachers have pedagogical cafes where they get to share their good practices and experiences.
We warmly encourage those interested in festivals to start organizing one! By contacting us at LUMA, you can get materials and more tips for organizing the event.
A public voting – sharing the joy of learning!
Voting is a great way to engage a wider audience to participate in a collaborative learning event. Within StarT, we have organized international public votings based on the videos the participants have shared on their projects and good teaching practices. The videos celebrate the joy of learning and share the excitement of students’ discoveries.
The goal of public voting is to share joy and ideas but also to make it possible for everyone to participate. The actual voting can be organized through questionnaires or platforms like Padlet, where votes can be given simply by liking their favorite project or best practice video during the voting period.
We recommend giving recognition, a diploma, or a prize to the winners of the public voting. One option is announcing the public’s favorites during a regional StarT Festival or in a national Gala.
The StarT Gala
The StarT Gala is a memorable ceremony to celebrate the joy of learning in StarT nationally and internationally. The gala events are organized by StarT-partner or LUMA Centre Finland according to possibilities. The gala is a perfect moment to award and give recognition to the best projects and good practices shared by StarT learning communities in your country and globally. For example, the International LUMA StarT Awards are given to learning communities for projects and good teaching practices in International StarT Galas organized by LUMA Centre Finland. You can read more about the International StarT Gala 2022 and the awarded learning communities.
Picture: The winners of the International LUMA StarT Awards and Education Awards 2018 and Olli-Pekka Heinonen, the Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education in 2018.
