New forms of teaching, such as project-based learning and iterative processes can be experienced as confusing and incoherent the first few times they are used. Project-based learning involves a new working process, new technical terms, and new method cards (Andersen, 2016). This can create cognitive overload, which is a situation where students must deal with more information or more tasks than they can manage (Sweller, 1988). To address this, we have developed the Sprouting Process, which is a step-by-step introduction to iterative process work.
We have based the Sprouting Process on experiences from proven iteration models from IDEO, Design to Improve Life and the model from the Engineering in danish Schools project. Based on the structure of the Sprouting Process, iterative work processes can be adapted to the Seed step (beginners), the Sprout step (students with some experience) and Flower step (experienced students), so that cognitive overload is avoided. When you use the Sprouting Process, the first step is to choose which step your PBL project should be based on. It is important not to choose on the basis of the student’s schoolyear level but on the basis than a student from the ninth grade.
The Sprouting Process is used to adapt iterative work processes to beginners (Seed), students with some experience (Sprout) and experienced students (Flower).
It should therefore not be seen as a new type of innovation process with different work tasks and methods, but as a meta-model, or illustration of how to break down existing iteration models into three introductory steps. The intention is to prevent cognitive overload and frustration for both students and teachers (Andersen, 2020).
The Sprouting Process should be considered as a metamodel that can decompose existing iteration models into three introductory steps. The intention is to prevent cognitive overload and frustration for both students and teachers. Below are the process steps described. The table below describes the purpose of the individual phases that the Sprouting Process consists of, and also describes the product of the phase and the role of the students / teachers.
