The B!G Idea
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Creativity is the answer! It is a much-needed skill required by society and industry yet not taught in our schools. The B!G Idea is a multi-award-winning, free, creative-focused programme for 15-16 year-olds bridging the gap between industry and education, unlike any other programme in the world.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
The B!G Idea is a multi award-winning educational programme for 15-16 year olds that was launched in January 2021. Our programme aligns schools in Ireland with industry experts to undertake 16-week creative projects.
Students employ creative thinking on co-created briefs to tackle societal issues such as Mental Health, Equality, Healthcare, Housing Crisis, and Climate Change. Through active hybrid workshops developed by internationally recognised experts and facilitated by teachers from any background, students work through the creative process - researching, empathising, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing. Students create, experiment, invent, take risks, make mistakes and have fun! Student work is presented and celebrated at an end-of-year event with bespoke awards and a virtual exhibition supported by academia and industry.
We provide a platform that collaboratively embeds creative skills, empowering students through inquiry-based learning, developing critical thinking through socially conscious, experience-centred projects that will connect them with industry, their peers, their community and their world.
“We learned to empathise more and try to have a deeper understanding of issues that challenge us today.” Orla Mullane, Student
We bridge the gap between industry and education. Our mentors advise and share cutting-edge methodologies with our students who use the shared knowledge directly on their chosen project.
All programme materials, class content and resources are provided for free to students, parents and schools. There are currently over 2000 students, 89 teachers in 42 schools throughout 22 counties across Ireland backed by 400 industry experts participating in the programme. With live projects to engage students with varied interests and a growing waiting list of 10,000 students for 2023, we are certain that this programme has the potential to bring critical creative skills to every school in Ireland with international potential.
Key objectives for sustainability
Through creativity, young people forge their identities and imagine and realise new possibilities for their environments. We work with students to co-create briefs around issues directly affecting them and their communities on subjects they care about. In 2021, students developed innovative solutions on the Housing Crisis, Pandemics, Ageing Population, Racism and Health & Wellbeing.
An example of a sustainable student project included repurposing containers into homes for the homeless:
Team Muuttaa from Laurel Hill Colaiste, FCJ, Co Limerick used the lightbulb as their focus. Quite rightly, they said that the light bulb is out of place if it’s not in a home and so they created a solution - a sustainable home from shipping containers which will be affordable, good for the environment and pleasing to the eye. All centred around lighting and connecting people.
Our company is a fully remote operating organisation. This eliminates commuting time for our employees and enables them to use sustainable work practices. We work on a shared drive on the cloud with no-print (unless necessary) policy.
Our inclusive programme is hybrid with core teaching material shared in the cloud. We use a low energy data centre for our servers. We have reduced the use of plastic materials for learning materials in student Swag Bags and all contents are either recyclable or reusable. We have moved to recycled Swag Bags for our 2022 programme. All teaching packs and Swag Bags are shipped with recycled and recyclable shipping materials using Green suppliers where possible.
We host our final Showcase and Exhibition online. This reduces our nationally spread schools’ and partners’ carbon footprint significantly with no travel needed to take part.
We are working with Greenfleet to understand our current Carbon Footprint per student. We will share this information with our community, encouraging others to understand their own Carbon Footprint.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Every user has been considered to ensure an impactful experience for all;
Students are involved from the outset in developing themes relating to issues they care about and learn cutting-edge creative methodologies from industry.
The aesthetic relies on bright colours that reflect the positivity and youthfulness of the participants. One of the key objectives is to give young people a sense of ownership and empowerment of societal change and the ability to put their own aesthetic stamp to their project.
The programme is designed to be engaging for all learning styles with active learning experiences throughout, reframing what success looks like. 100% of students learnt new skills through our programme.
We support teachers across all subject disciplines, establishing a culture of creativity and social responsibility. We support them with pre-programme briefings, teaching packs, weekly lesson plans, weekly learning intentions and outcomes and regular opportunities for feedback.
“I loved it, I definitely want to do it again. It was so much fun, the creativity warm-ups were my favourite and the sensemaking activities were fantastic. It was so supportive.” Deirdre Wilson, STEM Teacher, St Leo’s College, Carlow
Evaluation reports show 92% teacher satisfaction.
We developed a platform customised to each mentor, giving the busy professionals a unique experience with delightful surprises. We offer welcome messages and suggestions for the communication of feedback.
Mentors can see each other's feedback and view bios to get to know each other. Each group of mentors per project is as diverse as possible, creating a gender-balanced, academic and industry panel. On completion, mentors are celebrated with interactive digital confetti.
“Absolutely inspired by the proposals put forward by students hoping to improve life for our ageing population.” Lara Hanlon, Senior Designer, IBM
Watch https://youtu.be/xnOXGIGax50 that that captures a little of the B!G experience
Key objectives for inclusion
To continue to be true to our ethos of access to creativity for all, we have developed a holistic approach to inclusion.
From co-created briefs, student teams have the opportunity to select a current social, environmental or ethical challenge relevant to the lives and experiences of students growing up in Ireland today. It is envisaged that the design briefs will evolve each year, ensuring the authenticity and relatability of the programme to students’ needs and contexts.
Interactive and accessible teaching and learning material has been created to support cooperating teachers from any discipline. All teaching and learning content is designed with accessibility and inclusion at its core. Creativity pedagogy is structured through our team of gender balanced and diverse mentors from the creative industry, and teachers are supported through consistent communication from The B!G Idea team.
A key objective is for students to understand the transformative power of creative thinking and the impact this can have on their lives and that of their local communities. To measure this, students undertake primary research by interviewing at least three people relevant to their chosen context in their local community. This research helps to shape the direction of students’ solutions.
We provide all learning and activity materials free to schools and students so there are no barriers for inclusion - for example - a lego pack for systems thinking exercises, sketch book to capture brainstorming and reflection - and much more. The B!G Idea is FREE for parents, students and schools - the benefits of creativity are for everyone.
Our interactive 3D virtual showcase celebrates our students' work and acts to disseminate the learnings the students have made, communicating the impact the student work can have on critical social issues internationally. The easily accessible exhibition includes every student's work.
Results in relation to category
Through our 15 week programme we integrate values of sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics within our student learning experience, teacher facilitation and mentoring phase. We have achieved a 92% satisfaction rate from teachers from a range of professional backgrounds, despite school closures and online learning in level 5 pandemic restrictions.
In our first year, 100% of our students involved in the programme have learned new skills. Confidence in young people has been raised as has the commitment to connecting with their community with 90% of student participants motivated to volunteer. Connecting young people with their communities with meaningful interactions and outcomes in a blend of natural environments and virtual supports the development of great citizenship.
Our B!G Impact data from 2021;
Do you have a deeper understanding of creativity now than before The B!G Idea? - Yes 100%
Do you feel more confident in using creative thinking in the future to address challenges you might encounter? - Yes 98.5%
Did you feel you learned new skills through The B!G Idea? - Yes 100%
If so, please select the skills you feel you have developed:
- Creative thinking (92.5%)
- Problem solving (65.6%)
- Working in a team (86.5%)
- Communication (68.6%)
- Research (67.1%)
From your experience in The B!G Idea do you feel motivated to volunteer in the future? - Yes 90%
Did you enjoy The B!G Idea programme?- Yes 97%
“I learned how easy it can be to get sucked into privilege, without realising it I became too comfortable in my own secure life. It was a real eye-opener to put myself into my hero's shoes and see that although I live with a sense of entitlement, others aren't as lucky. I felt that this project was the wake-up call I needed.” Alannah Lonergan, Student
From our first year rolling out the programme to 500 students in January 2021, there are now 10,000 students waiting and over 2000 students involved in 2022, showing a real need and desire for the programme.
How Citizens benefit
Our students are encouraged to connect with wider society to understand the impact of their chosen challenge on individuals, society and environment. Students learn that their actions can directly benefit society; the programme connects young people with their community through meaningful interactions.
Students collect data through guided research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative research.
“I learned that I really enjoy working with and hearing people's stories. I found out that I have a great ambition to help people in need.” Alexandra Jolondcovschi, Student
One project example is from students in Limerick engaging with homeless people in their community to better understand their needs. The team developed an emergency bag of items that supported dignity and positive mental health, connecting homeless individuals with direct services available in their area. The project encouraged the students to directly get involved with local community groups and they have since commenced active volunteering. From their experience in The B!G Idea, 90% of student participants feel motivated to volunteer in their communities.
Industry professionals were able to interact directly with students through a supportive, safe, and inclusive digital environment. Students have benefited by getting real world advice, shared experiences and shared knowledge from top industry professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds.
“I was excited to give some feedback to some passionate and thoughtful student teams on the amazing B!G Idea. Critical thinking, creativity and communication skills [the 3 C's] will be to the 21st century what the 3 R's [reading, writing and arithmetic...] were to the 20th. And the B!G Idea has created a very smart and fun way to help make that happen.”Scott Burnett, Founder of Wove
In 2022 we have 400 mentors from all sectors nationally and internationally supporting over 2000 students in developing critical 21st century skills.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
OECD’s Director for Education, Andreas Scheicher believes Ireland needs to modernise its system which he says is “very much 20th-century in its infrastructure and architecture. It is quite industrial in its outlook and its design. Students get taught one curriculum. It’s quite heavily focused on the reproduction of subject matter, and not that much focused on getting students to think out of the box, link across the boundaries of subject matter disciplines.”
“Education systems should be designed, created, by the people directly concerned. I wish Irish teachers had more of a say on what the education system looks like, as well as parents and particularly students. We do very little to seek the views of learners on the future. That’s where the power of influence should really come from.”
The B!G Idea is the ONLY creative-focused, free programme that bridges the gap between industry and education with professional industry mentors.
We equip students with the creative mindset to tackle the biggest problems society faces. We have developed a platform to respond to critical social issues via our innovative briefs, resources and hybrid lessons. We communicate how creative thinking can benefit all while bridging the gap between industry and education.
In 2021 over 100 creative professionals offered mentorship on our online platform. In 2022 this increased to 400 mentors supporting 2000 students. Our programme caters to all learning abilities and styles; Visual, Aural, Verbal, Physical, Logical, Social and Solitary.
Our students gain an ability to creatively problem-solve and learn skills that can have a sustainable impact on their lives and their communities.
‘I fundamentally believe that The B!G Idea programme provides students with the opportunities to develop themselves and their skills while working on projects that are of the utmost importance and relevance to them.” John Cullinane, Deputy Principle. Presentation De La Salle College.
Learning transferred to other parties
The success of The B!G Idea demonstrates the benefits of reducing the gap between industry and education. When a well-designed and managed programme facilitates knowledge transfer between groups it has measurable and immeasurable results.
Industry professionals want to support young people and their knowledge can complement the current education system.
The programme shows the potential for creative thinking when applied to local and global contexts. Understanding the fundamental principles of creativity is extremely important. Creativity is the prerequisite for innovation. Innovation drives STEM through B!G Ideas and solutions.
Co-creating the programme and working on subjects that students care about has led to better outcomes.
Teachers from a range of disciplines are encouraged to facilitate the programme, not just the art teacher. To broaden the programme’s potential cross-curricular impact, education stakeholders from across the school community are encouraged to support student projects. School management provides a platform for students to share their research and proposals.
Teacher voice is captured through a formative evaluation model. This feedback contributes to the development of communities of practice, building teacher confidence in the application of creative thinking methodologies. We have developed a Teacher app to connect all teachers in the programme to help support creative thinking.
Experiences are shared through an active social media campaign. This approach to opening the programme beyond the traditional creative subject band has resulted in an exponential rise in schools interested in participating in the B!G Idea. Schools now recognise that creative skills are transversal and essential components in supporting the development of key skills.
The integration of mindfulness exercises as part of our lesson plan links learning with well-being which represents an interconnected approach to learning, creativity and mental health.
