
Teaching students' internship at BeanBakers
Over the last couple of months we’ve had two interns working with us at BeanBakers. Aleksi Huttu and Jarmo Saarni completed their internship that was a part of their curriculum at the University of Turku. They’re both currently working on their master’s degree in teaching studies, so an internship at a software development company might sound a bit strange to some, but the project was actually really closely tied with their studies.
The aim of this internship project was to develop a pedagogically justified game engine for a learning environment that utilizes multiplayer mechanics. They built paper prototypes of possible challenge types and tested how well each would work during the project. We asked Aleksi and Jarmo a couple of questions related to their background, the internship and what kind of work they were doing at BeanBakers.
What kind of a working or studying background do you have?
Aleksi: “I am a teaching student and focus on digital teaching and learning in my studies. I am interested in using IT and communication technologies as a part of teaching and learning. Through my digital studies I’ve been a part of the Finnish National Board of Education’s project called OpenDigi, which aims to strengthen the digital skills of teachers.”
Jarmo: “I have previously studied music technology and am currently on the last stretch of my teacher’s studies. During my teacher’s studies I’ve also completed study modules in digital learning and teaching.”
A game mode involving post-it notes.
How did you take an interest in the internship at BeanBakers
Aleksi: “I applied for this internship because I was confident that I have a lot to offer for product development projects regarding digital pedagogy thanks to my studies and practical experience. I trust that my digital skills are also competent outside of the classroom, which is why I decided to apply. I see being a part of developing digital learning environments as a great opportunity.”
Jarmo: “I have always been interested in technology and completed study modules related to it during my studies. I got excited by the opportunity to take advantage of my digital pedagogic skills in designing an educational game.”
How has the internship been at BeanBakers?
Aleksi: “The internship has been really good. During the project I’ve been able to really use my own creativity and it has been great to discuss different approaches with Jarmo during our internship. Intense work in a relaxed environment is a good way to describe my experiences.”
Jarmo: “We’ve really had a chance to work very much on our own terms. I liked bouncing ideas around with Aleksi, which has also taught me a lot about critical thinking. Working hours and pace were also flexible, which made this an even more fun experience.”
Data from game testing sessions was gathered and used in later analysis.
What have you learned during the internship?
Aleksi: “During the internship I’ve really gotten to use my pedagogical skills in practical use and learned how a product development process advances. The biggest challenge during the internship has been developing a brand new digital learning environment and trying to take into account all the different learner types.”
Aleksi: “When faced with a problem, things were inspected from many different points of view, which helped us find the best overall solution. Knowing that the main portion of learning happens outside your comfort zone has been really reassuring during the internship as I’ve had to step outside my comfort zone multiple times.
Jarmo: “I’ve been able to get to know BeanBakers as a company and gotten a sneakpeek into all the other interesting projects that are going on here. But first and foremost, I’ve been able to experience and develop an iterative game development process and gotten a chance to discuss with software development professionals.”
Do you feel like what you’ve learned during this internship will be beneficial in the future?
Aleksi: “During this internship I’ve learned a lot about how to identify viable learning games. Applying these learnings is really important when designing digital teaching.”
Jarmo: “All the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired during this internship will be greatly beneficial for me in the future when I am designing my own teaching approach especially with digital tools.”