About the ViBes project
Page contents
Small Vlog Experiments: Before ViBes
Trondheim, Norway 2022:
In Trondheim, The Norwegian Centre for Writing Education and Research (The Writing Centre) at NTNU conducted a series of vlog experiments in a primary, secondary, and high school. The aim was to explore how a genre commonly associated with social media culture could also serve educational purposes.
Through all three experiments, the researchers found that vlogging as a form of multimodal writing were familiar for the students, and they were confident using it. The tasks sparked motivation and engagement for the students, but also gave their teachers new insights into their knowledge and skills - insights that had not emerged in more traditional teaching.
Dublin, Ireland 2022:
In Dublin, teacher Ken Molloy had developed his own approach to using video as a learning tool. Having completed an MA in (Education and Digital Learning?) at Dublin City University (DCU), Ken created a digital learning resource that guided students through every stage of video production - from planning and scripting to filming and editing.
This initiative later evolved into "The Schools News", a monthly video newsletter where students took on the roles of reporters, editors, and vloggers.
Ken found that this approach not only strengthened students' digital and communication skills, but also gave them a stronger sense of voice and ownership in their learning. The video format allowed students who might struggle with traditional written assignments to express themselves creatively and confidently, while fostering collaboration and a sense of community in the classroom.
Conference Speed Dating: The Conception of ViBes
In June 2023, Esben Kamstrup and Carl Eltervaag from the Writing Centre presented the findings from the vlog experiments at the Media & Learning Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
After the presentation, engaging discussions about vlogging emerged between the presenters and the audience. Among the participants was Ken, whose enthusiasm and experiences with classroom vlogging quickly revealed striking similarities with those of Esben and Carl.
Together, they agreed that vlogging was not just another passing pedagogical trend. Instead of moving on to the next innovation, they saw untapped potential in exploring vlogging further - perhaps even on an international scale.
In the months that followed, this shared vision led to the development of an extensive Erasmus+ application, through which the ViBes project took shape. The application was submitted in March 2024, and to everyone's delight, the project was awarded funding in June that same year.
Vlog exchanges: ViBes year 1
In the first year of ViBes, three sixth-grade classes participated - one each from Norway, Ireland, and Belgium. Throughout the school year, these classes exchanged vlogs and collaborated in groups on a series of vlog tasks.
All schools were given the same assignments. While we noticed certain similarities across the vlogs from the three countries, the results still differed significantly, reflecting cultural variations and distinct pedagogical traditions.
NTNU and DCU developed the learning materials that enabled teachers to guide their students in creating vlogs. However, the project followed an action research ethos, meaning that both students and teachers were encouraged to influence how the project developed over time.
For example, after completing the first vlog task, several students commented that their peers seemed to focus mainly on showcasing the "good sides" of school life. This feedback led to the design of the second task, "The Ordinary Day", which aimed to capture a more authentic and realistic portrayal of everyday experiences.
The students who participated in the first year expressed their gratitude for being part of the ViBes project. They appreciated the opportunity to learn in new and enjoyable ways, and to discover more about the cultures of children in other countries.
Vlogging community: ViBes year 2
In the second year of ViBes, ten schools were invited to join the project. The goal was to build a lasting vlogging community that could continue beyond the project itself.
Following the action research approach, we made some adjustments to how the schools communicated. In the first year, students worked in parallel on their vlog tasks and exchanged written feedback, but there was little interaction between the different phases.
To strengthen the connections between students, we drew inspiration from another YouTube phenomenon - the reaction vlog, where creators respond to someone else's video in their own. This approach brought the participants closer together, turning the exchanges into ongoing vlog conversations rather than a collection of isolated videos.
We also realized the collaboration needed a broader foundation beyond vlogging. A shared space was therefore created on eTwinning, where schools could post vlog diaries about their process and access tools such as chat forums, video rooms, and file sharing. This made communication more flexible and spontaneous - for instance, schools could post a quick picture and note from a class trip to share what was happening in real time.
Documentary
In this documentary, you will find students and teachers reflecting on being part of ViBes in the project's first year.
Publications
Esben Kamstrup (2026)
Using Vlogging to Promote Intercultural Understanding and Media Literacy: A Comparative Study of Student Exchanges Across Three Countries
NERA
Yvonne Crotty, Even Igland Disen, Carl gunnar Eltervaag, Esben Kamstrup & Ken Molloy (2025)
ViBes Empowering creativity, identity and digital skills in Primary education
Media & Learning
Carl gunnar Eltervaag & Esben Kamstrup (2025)
Vlogg – praktisk, motiverende og engasjerende
NKUL
