Promoting Digital Well-being and Digital Well-being Competence in Schools
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Funders
Project information
Project duration
-
Funded by
European Structural Funds - European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)
Funding amount
259 021 EUR
Project coordinator
University of Oulu
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Project leader
- University Teacher, Doctoral researcher
Contact person
Researchers
Project description
The use of digital media by young people during lessons in schools has increased, which negatively impacts their concentration, weakens their ability to study, and affects the well-being of students and school professionals and the overall learning and working environment. Schools need new, effective models that consider the well-being effects of digital media use. Teachers and other school professionals play a key role in promoting students' digital well-being, making it essential to enhance both their and students' digital well-being competence. Additionally, limiting smartphone use in schools can support students' digital well-being and academic success. Early intervention in digital media use is needed in schools to prevent long-term issues related to excessive digital media use.
Project Objectives are:
- Develop, pilot, and evaluate models that promote digital well-being and digital well-being competence in high schools. These models aim to enhance students' digital well-being, digital well-being competence, and ability to study while fostering a positive learning and working environment.
- Improve digital well-being competence among the target group. The goal is to help young people manage their use of digital media and smartphones while equipping school professionals with the necessary skills to support and guide students in fostering digital well-being as part of their work.
- Promote active participation among the target group in matters related to their digital well-being and competence. Strengthening active participation aims to increase students' sense of involvement and engagement in building a digital well-being culture in schools and their daily lives.
The project is carried out in collaboration with three high schools in Northern Ostrobothnia to ensure that the developed models and recommendations align with the target group's needs.
Project actions
Work Package 1: Designing and Developing Models for Partner Schools
This work package aims to design and develop models for the project's partner schools to promote the target group's digital well-being and competence, study ability, and positive learning and working environment.
Actions:
- Gather background information (e.g., previous research findings, recommendations, guidelines) on digital well-being and existing operational models.
- Develop models in collaboration with schools, considering the needs and wishes of the target group.
- Test the effectiveness of two different models.
The models will be co-designed in collaboration with the project's partner schools. The goal of co-design is to understand the target group's needs, wishes, and challenges and engage and commit the target group to the project's activities. Co-design will be done physically or virtually using discussions, workshops, and interviews/surveys.
Work Package 2: Planning and Implementing the Models in Schools
This work package plans the implementation, content, training, and execution of the models developed in Work Package 1 in the partner schools. The exact content and execution of the models will be refined during Work Package 1.
Actions:
- Create an implementation plan for the models in collaboration with the target group.
- Train the target group to use the models.
- Implement the models.
The implementation plan for the models will be developed by involving the target group using various methods. The goal is to increase the participation experience and engage the target group in promoting digital well-being culture in schools and their daily lives. The implementation plan will outline the phased implementation of the model and address goals, actions (e.g., training, guidelines, support), responsibilities, resources, and timeline.
The target group will be trained before the model is implemented. The aim is to enhance young people's skills in managing digital media use and to equip professionals with the ability to support and guide young people in promoting digital well-being as part of their work. Additionally, the training will introduce the new operational model. The content and methods will be refined based on the models developed in WP1.
Work Package 3: Evaluating the Impact of the Models and Disseminating Results
This work package aims to assess the developed models' effectiveness on the target group's digital well-being, digital well-being competence, study ability, and learning and working environment. Additionally, the project will disseminate the results regionally, nationally, and, where possible, internationally.
Actions:
- Create an evaluation plan defining the evaluation targets and qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods in relation to the project's goals and activities.
- Carry out the evaluation (e.g., interviews, surveys) and assess the impact of the models.
- Carry out the internal evaluation of the project.
- Based on the results, create digital well-being recommendations for school environments.
- Throughout the project, actively collaborate with various stakeholders and networks (e.g., municipalities, cities, Northern Ostrobothnia digital well-being network, Pohde) to disseminate and ensure the continued use of the results.
- Disseminate the project's results and outcomes both digitally and in person.
Work Package 4: Project Management, Administration, and Communication
This work package's purpose is to lead and coordinate the project strategically to ensure the best possible outcome. The communication goal is to provide maximum visibility for the project, collaborate with external parties, promote the project's activities and results, and carry out diverse social media communication through the project's stakeholders' social media channels.
Actions:
- Appoint a project manager for the project. The project manager will be responsible for leading, coordinating, and communicating the project and reporting to the steering group and funders.
- Appoint a steering group. The steering group will monitor and guide activities and financial management implementation.
- Networking with regional educational organizations and other projects.
- Implement internal and external project communication.
- Conduct mid-term and final evaluations in conjunction with payment requests.
- Actively present the project and its results to various target groups.
- Market the project through various channels.
- Prepare a public final report.
Project results
The project will produce:
- Concrete actions and solutions (e.g., models, guidelines for smartphone restrictions, and digital well-being recommendations for schools) to promote digital well-being, digital well-being competence, study ability, and, consequently, a positive learning and working environment in schools.
- Open webinars
- A final project report
The project results will have national applicability. The findings and validated effective models can be implemented in other educational institutions across Finland. This project will generate new insights into promoting digital well-being and digital well-being competence in school environments, as well as different models for managing digital media and smartphone use in schools. Additionally, it will provide valuable information on how enhancing digital well-being competence can impact students' digital well-being, study ability, and the overall school atmosphere. The findings can be used in national regulations, recommendations, and guidelines regarding digital media use and school smartphone restrictions.
The models and recommendations developed in the project can support the creation of school rules, curriculum planning, and developing digital well-being competence within the school community. The project will help strengthen the digital well-being competence of students and school professionals, equipping them with the skills to manage digital media use or support young people.
By improving students' digital well-being, the project enhances their study ability, learning outcomes, and future employability while preventing social exclusion and school dropout. Additionally, the project supports professionals' well-being and provides them with tools to guide students in managing digital media and smartphone use during school hours.