KS1027 DIGIFOR

Digital Forest Pedagogy

Main activities include development of teaching modules and pedagogical methods, coaching teachers as well as creating and piloting virtual eLearning platform. Special attention is given for strengthening relevant network, which functions actively and continuously. The working life in forest sector needs skilled, motivated, and innovative professionals to manage, research, utilize and protect forest resources. Therefore, there was a need not only to update the teaching and learning methods but also curriculums and the content of the study courses to meet the working life needs.

The overall objective of the project Digifor was to increase the skills and competences of future workforce in forest sector in South-East Finland, St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. The four specific objectives were: to increase the skills of teachers in forest sector higher education institutions (HEIs) to use digital eLearning methods in their teaching, to increase the skills of students to meet the changing working life needs, to strengthen the international cooperation between the partner HEIs and to strengthen the connection between working life and the universities. The objectives of the project were achieved by nine activities. The main activities included a creation of the pedagogical methodological bases, coaching the teachers, the creation and piloting of the eLearning study modules and creation and implementation of Massive online courses (MOC). One activity strengthened the connection between HEIs and working life by creation of the network.

As a result of the project the teachers’ skills to create high-quality eLearning materials and to use eLearning methods increased. 18 teachers developed all together 36 study modules, which were piloted in 56 study courses. The published handbook “Towards 21st century skills – Pedagogical Insights for Digifor teachers” offers pedagogical guidance for all the interested. During the project the students’ skills and competences to meet the needs of working life improved. More than 1500 students participated the study courses with developed eLearning modules. The number of the studied credit units was more than 2400. According to the students’ feedback, the skills and competences did increase.’

One achievement is the network of enterprises, associations and universities functioning actively for the development of forest sector higher education in the programme area. During the project, 25 enterprises and 14 public organizations or associations cooperated with the teachers and tutored the development of the study courses. More than 70 working life representatives contributed the teachers’ study course development work or participated the workshops as advisers. On the other hand, the partners created tailor-made training for companies as well. The project publication offers articles ranging from research-based discussions to practical descriptions, from qualitative approaches to detailed quantitative analyses presenting diverse contexts in Finnish and Russian forestry higher education. Moreover, it presents best practices and experiences of the cross-border pedagogy development. Finally, the achievement of the project is the created MOC courses. As an example, implemented Finnish Forest Plant MOC has had within five months more than 500 participants. Thus, when the other courses are available, it gives the possibility for the students and all the interested to increase their professional skills by studying in the courses related to forest sector.

View this project in keep.eu