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, primary teacher Ken Molloy had developed his own approach to using video as a learning tool. Having completed an MA in Education Training Management (eLearning) 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, 4 additional schools from both Ireland and Norway joined the vlog exchange, along with a South Korean school. The goal was to build a lasting vlogging community between the 12 schools 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 uploaded their vlogs and exchanged written feedback, but there was little interaction between the different vlog 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. While the schools still uploaded their main vlogs, many also began experimenting with their own vlog exchanges, creating spontaneous responses, follow-up questions, and glimpses of everyday school life. This transformed the collaboration into an ongoing conversation rather than a collection of isolated videos.
A shared space was created on eTwinning, where schools could post vlog updates and topics in a discussion forum. At the same time, partners also communicated through other channels that suited their local collaboration. Together, these different forms of communication made it easier to share everyday project activities, exchange ideas, and keep the collaboration active throughout the project.
Recognition and Reflection: Vloscars Awards 2026
Towards the end of the ViBes project, the students created vlogs showcasing their communities, which were evaluated by an expert jury. Each school received awards recognising different achievements, while one vlog from each participating country was selected to compete for the grand prize – Vlog of the Year 2026.
An Irish school was delighted to take home the title, recognised for its consistently high production quality, engaging storytelling, and effective balance between educational content and youthful energy in an authentic presentation of both their community and their enthusiasm for the project.
The Vloscars Awards were not only a celebration of achievement, but also an opportunity for students to reflect on what they had learned throughout the project, from developing digital and intercultural competences to collaborating across borders. These experiences, together with the confidence gained from creating, communicating, and working as part of an international team, are valuable skills they can carry with them into further education, future careers, and active participation in an increasingly connected world.
“It’s very practical, and it’s a very enjoyable way to learn. Children learn best when they don’t even know that they are learning”
Yvonne Crotty, Dublin City University
Documentary
In this documentary, you will find students and teachers reflecting on being part of ViBes in the project's first year.
Publications
Crotty, Eltervaag & Kamstrup (2026)
VloscarsAwards – The Creation of a Transnational Vlog Community
Media & Learning
Dagsland, Igland Diesen & Kamstrup (2026)
Vlogging og vloggere – tekst-, medie- og identitetsarbeid når elever skaper vlogger
Skriv! Les!
Kamstrup (2026)
Using Vlogging to Promote Intercultural Understanding and Media Literacy: A Comparative Analysis of Pedagogical Practices Across Three Countries
Skriv! Les!
Kamstrup (2026)
Using Vlogging to Promote Intercultural Understanding and Media Literacy: A Comparative Study of Student Exchanges Across Three Countries
NERA
Crotty, Igland Disen, Eltervaag & Kamstrup & Ken Molloy (2025)
ViBes Empowering creativity, identity and digital skills in Primary education
Media & Learning
Eltervaag & Kamstrup (2025)
Vlogg – praktisk, motiverende og engasjerende
NKUL
