Vaikuttamo Junior is a part of www.vaikuttamo.net and it's target group is 7-13 years old children.
Summary:
Can young people be influenced so that they begin to take an interest in local affairs, at the same time strengthening local democracy through the use of ITC technology? This was the question underlying the project "Students and Local Decision-Making", initiated by the Hämeenlinna Media Centre, the new media company Ambientia and the education authority of the City of Hämeenlinna in 2001. The very important part of this project is the website – Vaikuttamo.net. The website is designed to disseminate and transfer information, to provide a channel for exerting an influence, and to act as an interactive learning environment.
The target group is 13-20 years old young people, which has very active role as content producers in Vaikuttamo.net. Besides the schools in this project are all the other actors involved with young people: city youth administration, local parishes, third-sector actors, etc. In 2003 the project has spread to Hameenlinna's neighbouring municipalities Hattula and Renko.
The project has been recognised nationally and internationally:
1) The project was selected as the best eLearning project of 2002 in the Eschola competition arranged by the European Schoolnet.
2) The Ministry of Education and National Board of Education in Finland chose the project as the best quality/practise project in Finnish eLearning in virtual school category. This prize is the most significant recognition in eLearning nationally.
Terminology:
Vaikuttaa: to have an influence
Vaikuttamo: a place where you can influence
Take a look also:
Backgrounds
Objectives
Implementation
Other links:
Contacts:
Kimmo Laiho
Research Worker
mobile: +358 3 621 3024
email:kimmo.laiho@hameenlinna.fi