LeCoLe Project

Learners as Co-creators of Their Own Learning (LeCoLe)

LeCoLe was a 29 month Erasmus+ project that worked to explore the experience and best practice of partner countries in supporting active engagement of learners (both students and teachers) in planning, implementation and evaluation of the learning process for them to become co-creators of their own learning within collaborative learning process. The project was co-ordinated by the National Education Content Centre (Latvia), with partners from Marino Institute of Education (Ireland), Education Development Center (Latvia); the Ministry of Education and Science (Portugal), the European Education & Learning Institute (Greece) and the University of Iceland (Iceland).

Contemporary students are characterized by being autonomous, independent and self-confident, but at the same time they often lack collaboration and self-expression skills. In Ireland collaborative learning is clearly defined and prioritised at a national curriculum level. Being able to collaborate effectively is a valuable 21st century skill for teachers and students alike. Researchers in MIE are particularly interested in developing knowledge on engaging pre-service teachers in co-learning partnerships during ITE in the hope that pre-service teachers will be better prepared to implement a co-learning partnership approach with their pupils when they are graduate teachers in schools.

The aim of LeCole was to identify examples of learner engagement in co-creating their own learning in partner countries across Europe. The project explored how best to incorporate students’ knowledge and skills in the learning process, and how to promote student engagement and desire to be responsible for co-creation of learning. Additionally, the project explored the kinds of supports required for teachers to be able to ensure student-led learning and will produce a podcast series with instructional support materials for educators on how to implement new co-creative pedagogies in their practice.

The LeCoLe project initiated desk research on educational reforms and pedagogical practices in student co-creation across five European countries. The research explored aspects like teachers' readiness for self-led learning, student engagement strategies, collaborative activities, feedback mechanisms, use of education technologies, 'learning to learn' competence, cultural awareness, and interdisciplinary approaches. A detailed questionnaire was circulated among teachers, amassing 414 complete responses. These responses underwent both quantitative and qualitative analysis, emphasizing areas like engagement, feedback, and interdisciplinary teaching and drawing insights from teachers' experiences and best practices.​ Collaboration stood out as a recurring theme, reflecting a widespread recognition among teachers of its importance in the collaboration process. This emphasis on collaboration often translated into activities that encouraged students to work together, relying on each other and sharing the responsibility for decision-making. In tandem with this, feedback and educational technologies were also prominent themes, highlighting a shared understanding among educators of the necessity for prompt, supportive feedback and the integration of digital tools in the classroom. These technologies not only enabled students to put their digital skills to use but also enhanced class discussions and facilitated instantaneous sharing of learning material. ​Furthermore, they provided an avenue for intergenerational learning, creating opportunities for teachers to learn from students about the latest digital resources. Despite these advancements, an interdisciplinary approach presented a significant challenge for many teachers across different countries, even though its benefits in connecting academic learning with real-life scenarios were acknowledged. Additionally, there was a noticeable discrepancy between recognizing the need for self-led learning and actually implementing it in educational settings. Finally, the data showed that there were relatively few teachers who demonstrated a strong ability to foster student engagement, a crucial component of any learning environment where students are expected to take an active role in their educational journey.

Project conclusions

The project findings bring to light the critical importance of not only recognizing collaboration in educational settings but also understanding its fundamental significance on a deeper level. Feedback mechanisms and the integration of technological tools have clearly emerged as pivotal elements in contemporary education, reflecting their indispensable role in shaping effective learning environments. However, the ongoing struggles with implementing interdisciplinary approaches and fostering self-led learning among students underscore the necessity for additional support and training for educators. In highlighting the 'learning to learn' competence as a fundamental aspect of holistic education, the findings underscore the need for teachers to diversify their roles, moving beyond traditional teaching paradigms. Collectively, these insights underscore the urgency of introducing targeted interventions and embracing diversified teaching methodologies in future educational initiatives to address these challenges and enhance the learning experience.​

Marino Institute of Education had a lead role in the production of a Podcast series "Learners as Co-creators of Their Own Learning” which aimed to raise educators’ awareness, increasing their knowledge and deepening their understanding of multiple modes of instruction and learning that support active engagement of learners in the learning process and different contexts. The project will also produce a digital archive on co-creation in teaching-learning process in and outside the classroom and will include at least five instructional videos or podcasts accompanied by an instructional toolkit. The archive will be shared with educators across the world.

For access to the outputs of the project, please visit the project website at: https://lecole.hi.is

All Podcasts are available in English and in the native language of the lead partner. Podcast episodes can be accessed on Spotify using this link: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i7gaXoxnGm7fF9JLBsrp6

Complementary material to support the Podcast episodes, including links and further reading can be accessed here: https://lecole.hi.is/complementary-material/

Project Team in Ireland

Dr Aimie Brennan 

Dr Colleen Horn