iConnect - Intergenerational Contact between students and people with dementia through creative education

iCONNECT - Intergenerational CONtact between studeNts and people with dEmentia through CreaTive education



iCONNECT is a three-year project in higher education which is funded with the support of the Erasmus+, KA2 - Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices.



During the project, the participating universities will develop and pilot an intergenerational course based on principles of creative learning, with elements of theatre, music and poetry. These methods will be combined and made available transnationally through an innovative blended learning platform.



As a result of the project there will be a guideline hand book, that helps higher HEI’s and teachers across Europe to implement the teacher trainings, the platform and the teaching material, supporting the impact, replicability and sustainability of iCONNECT outcomes.



iCONNECT is coordinated by Stichting Nationaal Ouderenfonds, National Foundation for the Elderly, NFE (The Netherlands). The other consortium partners come from Stichting Hogeschool Utrecht (The Netherlands), Lahti UAS (Finland), Technologiko Ekpedeftiko Idryma Ipirou (Greece) and Universita Degli Studi di Udine (Italy).



Timing 1.9.2017 - 31.8.2020



Project manager Minna Kuvajainen

e-mail minna.kuvajainen@lamk.fi



Project Coordinator Sari Lehtinen

e-mail sari.lehtinen@lamk.fi







Project period
-
Project state
Finished
Project area
International
Project funding
Erasmus 2014-2020
Read more about the project
Project website
LAB role
Partner
Unit
Health Care and Social Services
Project focus area
Human well-being
Objectives
1. Creative methods will be used to develop an innovative course that can be part of the curriculum of higher education institutions in Europe.



2. The development of the course will be done by involving the care organizations and people with dementia in a co-design process, bringing theory and practice together and taking the work place as a starting point for new course material in education.



3. Young students will become aware of dementia related issues and problems. Dementia being one of the main challenges of the demographic changes in European countries.



4. The quality of life of older people suffering from dementia will be increased.



5. Social inclusion of people with dementia is supported.



6. Young and old will be brought together in this intergenerational approach.



7. Graduates who have been educated in creative methods can start to apply these methods when they are working in practice.



8. Accredited partners can support higher education in implementing creative methods in their curricula.
Realisation of goals
Work packages (WP):

WP1 Management and Implementation, this WP includes all tasks as described in section G.1, including the management of ethical issues.



WP2 Needs specifications will involve a large variety of participants from education and care organizations to define their needs and the specifications for the iCONNECT course, teaching material and blended learning platform.



WP3 Development and design of the iCONNECT course and material. Based on the specifications from WP2, the iCONNECT course and material will be developed and designed. The Intellectual Output will be the course material that will be used for the pilot.



WP4 Development and design of the blended learning platform

Based on the specifications from WP2, the blended learning platform will be developed and designed. The blended learning platform will make it possible to combine online digital media with traditional classroom methods.



WP5 Pilot

This WP contains the tasks related to piloting the new and innovative course in 4 HEI’s and local care facilities that provide care for people with dementia. It will start with a training of the participating teachers.



WP6 Dissemination

Finally, the project partners will continuously disseminate the ongoing and results of the project at their local level and within their organizations.



Outcomes
The project iCONNECT aims to support the social inclusion of people with dementia and at the same time motivate students to choose for elderly care in their study, by developing an intergenerational course based on principles of creative learning, with elements of theatre, music and poetry. These methods will be combined and made available transnationally through an innovative blended learning platform.



The project will develop a specific course that can be integrated in different social and care studies at higher education level. The course will first focus on older people and dementia and the principles of the creative methods. Together with a trainer/teacher, they will then set up a theatre play for older people suffering from dementia based on the theory. Finally they will bring the theatre to a nursing home or memory house in practice.
Sustainable Development Goals
Project managers

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