Language in Motion : Using Service Design to Create English Language Animation Workshops as an Educational Service for Basic Education in Turku

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to show that Service Design methods and tools could be used to create an educational service for Basic Education in Finland that teaches students how to make stop-motion animations using school tablets, laptops or desktop computers. The background for this thesis study is an interest in the learning of the English language and in the use of stop-motion animation as a learning tool.

The service concept is comprised of four basic principles: English language learning, Multidisciplinary learning (incorporating Content & Language-Integrated Learning), technology as a learning tool, and project-based learning. All work has been carried out under an ethos based on the principles of action research and prototyping and learning by doing, which also informs the ethos of the Animation Workshop lessons themselves.

The research questions are: How can The English Language Animation Workshop Service be developed and implemented using service design processes and methods? And: What are the challenges and other factors that need to be considered in The Service, and how can they be addressed?

The research and design work covered relevant theoretical subjects, and five distinct service design methods of both quantitative and qualitative nature were employed to research, design and produce a workshop service. The iterative nature of the service design method allowed for a process of constant research, design, implementation and testing, evaluation and re-testing through the activity of planning, doing and evaluating the sets of Animation Workshops.

During the case study phase of this work this service (referred to hereafter in this thesis as The Service) was employed by three schools in the City of Turku, delivering six sets of Animation Workshop lessons participated in by 198 students of grades one, three, seven, eight and nine of both Finnish and Dutch nationalities. This equates to 43 x 45 minute lessons, or 35 hours and 15 minutes of lesson time in the classroom.

The results were that in the case of grades 7, 8 and 9, the students used their English skills for communication and performing the tasks. The younger students, having little or no English language learning experience were under no obligation to work in English but did produce some of the target language, and were given their tasks in English. All students participated in the activity and produced animations; in many cases thematically linked to other subjects studied, for example history and art.

Through these Workshop lessons, several requirements and objectives of the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education, and those of teachers and local authority stakeholders were fulfilled, as well as adhering to the interests, hopes and wishes of students.

The majority of students and teachers responded well to the project, and viewed it in a positive and valuable light. This study shows that Service Design methods and tools can be used to produce a viable educational service of real pedagogical value that can co-exist alongside and complement traditional learning methods.