I don’t know how many Laurea college students, especially those just starting out, are familiar with the concept of Laurea Living Lab? At the very least, I have to admit that I knew absolutely nothing about this concept. However, when I started my studies, I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the topic, as I was able to participate in an international digital marketing project, where the purpose is to commercialize and highlight the features and benefits of the concept in question. Possible clients may be, for example, educational institutions such as universities or companies and organizations aiming at technological development.
The journey so far has been exciting and there have also been various challenges. In this blog, I thought I would open up some of my own views and experiences on Laurea’s Living Labs concept and working on the P2P project, and possibly even have a discussion on the subject.
My own idea of the Living Labs concept
The project has now been worked on for over two months and already my own idea of the concept has changed, from a really confused and disordered feelings in the beginning to an enthusiastic and even information-hungry state. In the following paragraphs, I will try my best to highlight what I personally see as the Living Labs concept.
Living Labs are truly diverse and innovative learning environments. They not only promote creativity, multi-faceted learning, and sustainable development but also cleverly link technology, social impact, and economic factors. These real-world development environments generate new innovations on a practical basis and provide the perfect conditions for rapid experimentation with ideas and prototypes. Cooperation and inclusion, on the other hand, strongly support the learning of individuals and organizations and the sharing of information.
Living Labs are not just places where professors, researchers, or lecturers present their theories. They are also environments where students are challenged to solve genuine work-life problems and develop practices so that we can all learn as much as possible. In fact, collaborative learning forms are an integral part of developing these innovations. Living labs are like think tanks, where future solutions are created together through practicality.
Photo: Sami Saastamoinen
What is working on Laurea’s P2P project?
Collaboration, management, planning, marketing, communication, schedule, challenges, goals. Here are at least a few things that come to mind for me when it comes to project work. Getting to know Laurea’s P2P project model, and working in it, has been a very pleasant way to go to study overall. In my case, it has been a while since I last studied, but on the other hand, I already have a lot of experience in working life and working on projects. This certainly contributes to softening the return to the world of studies.
Positive aspects of the P2P project definitely include communality and learning from others. I have at least gotten a lot of new perspectives and ideas from other members of our group along the way. Especially when starting out, when the project plan and goal were just question marks in the air, it has been nice to see that together by thinking things through and acting as a team we have solved the challenges. At this point in the project, we have a perfectly clear goal and we are really well on our way to getting there.
Sure, challenges and problems may yet arise, but I am completely confident in our team’s ability to cope with these future challenges as well.
I hope I was able to open up a bit about the Living Labs concept and related elements, and if you are interested, I would definitely recommend visiting Laurea’s website, where you can find comprehensive information on the subject. https://www.laurea.fi/tki/laurea-living-labs/
Text: Juha Koskipää
Suurin osa Showcasen blogeista on toteutettu osana Laurean opintojaksoja. Koko koulutustarjontaamme voi tutustua nettisivuillamme. Tarjoamme kymmenien tutkintoon johtavien koulutuksien lisäksi myös paljon täydennys- ja erikoistumiskoulutuksia sekä yksittäisiä opintojaksoja avoimen AMK:n kautta!