Educational design research in collaboration with students: using digital tools to learn about reindeer herding within a vocational Sámi pedagogical context

This article aims to develop and update a reindeer herding study programme in a vocational school in Lapland, Finland in cooperation with the teachers and students. The possibilities for developing motivating learning environments are investigated in the context of reindeer herding, with the ultimate objective being to enhance student interest in their studies and working life through the use of digital technologies. Educational design research is optimal because it is founded upon the needs and challenges of education providers, and solutions can be developed through cyclical processes involving reindeer herding study programme students. Data were collected through focus group interviews. During the development process, particular attention was given to indigenous Sámi pedagogy to consider the students’ sociocultural backgrounds and the ecocultural learning environment. The Triple E framework (Kolb, 2017) is applied to analyse the results in terms of how technology (a) motivates students to actively engage in learning, (b) enhances and builds upon their learning and (c) extends and bridges learning to students’ everyday lives and working lives. Based on the results, we created a model of vocational Sámi pedagogy that highlights a working-life connection, sustainable ecocultural context, motivation and meaningful digital solutions.