The AgileAMK model is a method for rapidly reusing and customizing existing educational content to meet new educational needs. It was developed as part of a 3-year Finnish project involving 10 universities. The model adapts agile software development principles like Scrum and Kanban to create online courses. It involves maintaining a backlog of educational needs, conducting sprints to develop course modules, and using quality cards to ensure high quality outcomes. The model has been used successfully to create online pilot courses and was disseminated in workshops.

1. Recycling Learning
Resources with
AgileAMK Model
Teija Lehto, teija.lehto@tamk.fi
Miia Törmänen, miia.tormanen@tamk.fi
Tampere University of Applied Sciences,
Finland tamk.fi
Online, Open and Flexible Higher
Education Conference, Milton Keynes, UK
25 Oct, 2017

2. New Open Energy project
• A national 3-year project financed by European Social
Fund (ESF)
• Duration: August 2015 to July 2018
• Ten Finnish universities of applied sciences (UASs)
involved:
Tampere (the lead partner), Oulu, Lahti, Centria, Novia,
Arcada, Haaga-Helia, Kajaani, Turku, Satakunta UASs
• Objective: To create a model which helps universities
to respond to the changing educational needs of
working life in flexible, agile and cost-effective way.
2New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

3. Core of the AgileAMK model
A rapid method of re-using
and customizing existing
educational content of higher
education (typically of degree
programs) for unexpectedly
appearing new educational
needs.
Uutta avointa energiaa - hanke 3

4. Pilot courses
• AgileAMK model's performance is being
tested in several MOOC-type pilot courses
• The AgileAMK model is designed especially for
multidisciplinary teams. It supports their
design and implementation of online study
modules.
• The model can be useful for re-designing
course creation processes. 4

5. Uutta avointa energiaa - hanke 5
Agile development model was initially a set of methods used
in software production projects. The Agile model is
described officially in the Manifesto for Agile Software
Development.
According to the Manifesto, preference should be given to:
• “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan“.
http://agilemanifesto.org/

6. Roots of the AgileAMK Model
• Scrum, providing an agile reference framework for
solving complex problems and product development.
• Kanban, which is an agile production timing system
that helps to determine what is to be produced, when,
and how much.
• AgileAMK model applies Scrum's daily meetings and
sprints. On the other hand, AgileAMK model is
influenced by Kanban method in the visualization of
work steps.
6New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

7. AgileAMK Model in creation of
MOOC-type online courses
7

8. Terminology
Study module backlog describes the entity of the educational module and
shows what will ultimately be delivered to the customer.
1. It makes project goals and progress visible to both the developers team and
customer
2. It puts attention to the customer's wishes
3. It helps organizing the project team
Sprint is a one to four week time slot, a kind of mini project.
– At the beginning, a Sprint’s planning meeting is held, where the goals and
tasks of the sprint are designed and a common understanding of the
requirements is achieved.
– The goals are divided into tasks, which make a sprint task list.
8

9. Terminology
Sprint Backlog and Task lists
• In the Sprint Backlog, the development team creates detailed tasks and evaluates
the time spent on each task
– Large tasks are divided into smaller ones so that they can be performed in one
or two days.
– Tasks and their number vary according to the target of the sprint.
• Sprint is finally running a Sprint review, where the development team presents
concrete achievements
• Before starting the next sprint, the team runs a Sprint retrospective. It is a post-
review reflecting what was successful, and what could be improved in the future
from the perspective of the AgileAMK process.
9New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

10. Five AgileAMK quality assurance cards
To ensure high performance of the AgileAMK
production teams, and high quality of the MOOC-
type online courses, 5 quality cards were created:
– Production Process Card
– MOOC pedagogy card
– Accessibility card
– Usability card
– Content card
10New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

11. Screenshot of an AgileAMK quality card
11
Quality criterion Control question
Evaluation scale Instuctions

12. AgileAMK Model Step-by-Step
1 3 4 6 7Time
Need for
education
Study module
backlog
Meeting for
planning
Sprint backlog
& Task list
Review
Retrospective
Production
Usability
Accessibility
Pedagogics
To Do
Who
Quality
Cards
Product owner,
Developer team
Product owner,
Client,
stakeholders
Pedagogics
Content
Pedagogics
Content
Usability
Accessibility
Developer team,
Product owner,
AgileAMK Master
Client?
Developer team
AgileAMK Master,
Client
Production
Developer team,
AgileAMK Master
5
Steps 3 – 8 repeated until learing module is ready
Long-term
plan
Short-term
plan
Research Learning assessment Functioning of
AgileAMK model
Design, Implementation,
Testing and re-
constructing
Short daily meetings
Who should work
on what during
the sprint?
Deadlines
Interviews,
Surveys, Questionnaires,
Collecting existing
learning resources
Evaluating
functionality of
the study
module
Evaluating the
production
process
Functioning
learning module
8
Teacher /
Instructor,
Students
2
Studying,
Instruction,
Interaction
Product owner,
Client,
stakeholders
Product owner,
Developer team
Pedagogics
Content
Usability
Accessibility
Pedagogics
Content
Usability
Accessibility

13. Tools
The AgileAMK model takes no position on the tools to be
used while processing the backlogs or when running the
spints. Feel free to choose your tools!
Trello, Kanbanchi, Excel, Word, PowerPoint has been applied
in our project to run the AgileAMK model
The Moodle platform (DIGMA.FI) applied as the online
learning management system.
13New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

14. 1. Definitions
2. Pedagogical
design
3. Implementation4. Testing
5. Fixing
MOOC-type course on Nearly-Zero energy building
Learning platform
Requirements of
energy efficiency
Use of energy in
buildings
Energy-efficient
constructions
Architechture and
energy efficiency
Building services
and technologies
14
nZeb-MOOC Backlog
A long-term plan. Portrays the whole
of the product (course).
Indicates what will be the outcome
of the project.
Sprints 1-4 weeks
Daily meetings
Sprint Backlog
Existing resources
Texts and links
Images, graphics
Videos
Other digital material
Additional material
Assignments
Test
Evaluation
Pedagogical approach.
Instructions to students.
Paper prototype
Collecting existing material.
Defining the objectives,
durations of tasks,
timetables
A MOOC module
ready for studying
Duration of tasks
1-2 days
Sprint review
Retrospective
of the sprint

15. AgileAMK workshops
Two hands-on half-day workshops have been
organized to disseminate the model. The feedback
has been positive. Eight more AgileAMK workshops
scheduled.
15New Open Energy, uusiavoinenergia.fi

16. Uutta avointa energiaa - hanke 16
Links
Open learning platform DIGMA.FI
http://moodle.amk.fi
Pilot courses on renewable energy (in Finnish and Swedish):
https://moodle.amk.fi/course/index.php?categoryid=19
New Open Energy project (in Finnish and partially Swedish)
http://uusiavoinenergia.fi