DBR application in this project
The Education and Training Service Center (ETSC) is owned by the Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASÍ), the Confederation of Icelandic Employers (SA), the Federation of State and Municipal Employees (BSRB), the Ministry of Finance and the Association of Local Authorities in Iceland.
In connection with the collective agreement between ASI and SA in 2002, the Icelandic government issued a statement of intent which led to the establishment of FA. The ETSC works according to the Law on Adult Education (2010) aiming at meeting the needs of adults with little formal education as well as labour market needs for competence development. ETSC had the coordinating role in the project in close cooperation with the Nordic network for adult learning (NVL), the ministry of social welfare and labour and the ministry of education and children.
The Nordic network on adult learning (NVL) provided guidance regarding the DBR/DBT methodology and connecting to specialists in the other Nordic countries.
Target groups
The project gathered detailed information through focus groups of young immigrants and relevant stakeholders. This approach aimed to surface the real-life experiences and challenges the immigrant community faces.
The insights from these focus groups formed the foundation for a significant event held in Reykjavík in May 2023. During this event, design thinking workshops were conducted, bringing together Icelandic and Nordic participants to brainstorm and devise solutions to the identified barriers. Additionally, Nordic partners shared their experiences and best practices from their respective countries.
The target groups for the project are as follows:
- Target group A: Immigrants who are in jobs or studying, but have limited formal education, particularly those who have not completed Upper Secondary school or had their foreign education validated.
- Target group B: Stakeholders involved in immigrant matters, including key stakeholders in the labor market.
- Target group B: Businesses and institutions, especially those sectors that employ many individuals from target group (a).
Structure and Roles
- ETSC – coordinator: Responsible for forming and coordinating the process, activating networks, organizing events and tasks, evaluating results, writing products and reports and disseminating solutions.
- Nordic network for adult learning (NVL) – active participation and support in the proces: National coordinators in each Nordic country and region oversee networks of experts focusing on specific topics of adult learning. Information was shared into the project and back into the relevant networks. Recruitment of experts to the main event. The head of NVL was a part of the project steering group.
- Researcher(s): Two researchers from Iceland prepared and conducted focus groups in cooperation with the coordinator. A Nordic researcher led the DBR process. Responsible for collecting and analyzing data and sharing knowledge through various channels.
- Regional lifelong learning centers (organisations): Reaching the main target group and participating in the reference group discussions and focus group. Participating in the main event – workshop on solutions. Identifying ways to test the solutions locally based on findings and local situation (regional lifelong learning centers in Iceland).
Participants
The participants were selected from three different target groups. The target groups were as follows:
Target group A (Focus groups): Young immigrants aged 18 and 35 who work or study but have limited formal education. The participants needed to speak English or Icelandic, as the sessions were conducted in English or Icelandic. They had to have lived in Iceland for at least three years, be active in the labour market (working full or part-time or actively looking for a job) and/or study and have an Icelandic identity number (kennitala). Individuals who had not completed upper-secondary school or had their prior education and experience validated were preferred. The project management emphasized that all genders were presented in the focus groups.
These individuals comprised five focus groups spread over five regions in Iceland: the capital area, South-, East-, North- and West-Iceland (N=29)
The purpose of the focus group was to collect the life experiences of young immigrants in the Icelandic labour market and get first-hand insight into their challenges and experiences.
Target group B (Stakeholders): This group consisted of representatives of organizations and institutions involved in immigrant matters, including the labour market. This group formed a reference group, which consisted of the following institutions (N=22). The group was non-exclusive.
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour
- Ministry of Education and Children
- Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation
- Labour market partners
- Icelandic Association of Local Authorities (SÍS)
- Multicultural information center
- National Association for Adult Learning (LEIKN)
- Association for Regional Educational Providers (SÍMENNT)
- Directorate of labour (VMST)
- University of Iceland – ENIC/NARIC researchers
- University of Akureyri - researchers
- Associations for specific immigrant groups
- The Council for Welfare
- Municipality-based educational institutions and public institutions
- Private language schools
- Regional lifelong learning centres
- Upper secondary schools
Target group C (Businesses and institutions): Here, emphasis was on getting data from businesses and institutions that employ many individuals from Target group A (N=3000).
The phases
The project was divided into four interconnected phases, each focusing on different aspects of the problem-solving process. These phases follow both linear and circular logic, allowing for continuous feedback and adaptation based on new insights from stakeholders. The whole process of the project, and in the spirit of DBR, emphasized collective learning and collaboration between the coordinator, stakeholders, researchers, and target groups.
Phase 1: Problem identification – Handbook
The aim
The first phase aims at identifying the challenges or problems. There should be topics or issues that need addressing and require solutions. It starts with an open angle and brainstorming allowing for open discussions that are used for further analysis. Who should participate?
To identify the problems or challenges, multiple relevant perspectives are essential. Depending on the nature of the issue these could include clients, practitioners, managers, politicians etc.
How?
It is essential to gather existing knowledge of the challenge that is being worked on. This knowledge should be available through research reports, national evaluations, theory. Examples of activities in this phase include desk study, surveys, individual interviews or focus groups, network meeting/partnership meetings.
Analysis
This phase contains data analysis. After analyzing the information acquired, a comprehensive and clear picture, containing multiple perspectives emerges of the problem studied that serves as a stepping-stone for the next phase: developing solutions (Lab-phase)
Phase 1: Problem identification – Project versions
The aim
This phase aimed to identify young immigrants' challenges in the Icelandic education system and labor market.
Participants
In this phase, meetings were held with the reference group and researchers to shed light on the topic's status and form the questions to be used in the focus groups and the focus group process. Data was gathered through focus group interviews; Focus interviews were conducted with the reference group.
Also, a survey was sent to 3000 businesses, to which 130 responded. Of those 130 businesses, 80 employed immigrant workers. In addition, the coordinators performed a desk study, reviewing various domestic and international research reports and action plans regarding immigrants and immigration to be reflected on with the reference group.
How?
The research activities were uniquely designed and encompassed three distinct methods: desk study, focus group interviews, and survey.
The Desk study included revising various domestic and international research reports and action plans regarding immigrants and immigration.
The Focus Group interviews were a collaborative effort, structured and executed by researchers from the University of Akureyri in partnership with five Lifelong learning centres around Iceland. The questions were carefully crafted to draw out diverse perspectives on education, work, and society.
Lastly, a survey was sent to businesses. The survey consisted of open-ended and closed questions. The open-ended questions inquired about the challenges regarding employees with foreign backgrounds, how the organization had confronted those challenges, and whether there was something else that they wanted to convey regarding foreign employees. In total, 45 responded to the first question, 36 to the second one, and 10 to the last one.
Analysis
Results from the focus interviews with young immigrants was analyzed by the two Icelandic researchers formulating reoccurring themes. Results from the focus interviews with the reference group were analyzed by the Nordic researchers formulating categories of challenges identified. An expert at the ETSC identified themes from the company survey. All the information was prepared for dissemination at the main event – the expert seminar/workshop.
Phase 2: Developing solutions – Handbook
Aim
This phase aims to develop solutions to the challenges identified in Phase 1 and build those solutions on insights from that work. Due to the DBR’s multi-perspective nature, the emphasis is on collaboration and how the group can solve common problems together.
Who
It is vital to involve relevant stakeholders (the same as the phase before or maybe new ones) and invite them to ideate solutions for the barriers, challenges, and possibilities that make up the problem identification.
How
Numerous methods exist to identify the most effective solutions to the challenges. Design-thinking exercises, such as building personas and scenarios, mapping user journeys, brainstorming, and prototyping, offer a range of approaches that can be tailored to your project specific needs.
It is important to prepare a venue where different stakeholders can work together on discussing challenges identified in a safe environment focusing on commonly finding solutions to be presented. Coordination is a key element in this phase, navigating information at hand based on Design-Based-Thinking.
Analysis and output
The output is solutions addressing the identified problem(s) made ready for testing with a relevant user group (for example, citizens or politicians).
Phase 2: Developing solutions – Projects version
How
This phase was executed at an expert seminar/workshop in Reykjavík in May 2023. Research findings and results from the first phase were introduced and discussed at the event. Nordic experts also presented the status of the topic and main policies in their respective countries as well as in the Nordic region.
Who
An extended group of stakeholders were invited to the conference. In total, 90 participants attended the conference, including participants from other Nordic countries. The group included policymakers on the national and municipal levels, non-formal and formal adult education organisations/institutions, universities, upper secondary schools, and other social partners.
What
For the collaborative development of solutions, the conference was split into x groups, building personas as a young immigrant. The purpose was to allow participants to explore immigrants' experiences, challenges and expectations in depth and identify possible solutions to address the challenges identified in Phase 1. After creating the personas, a fair of introductions was held where people walked around the room looking at each other’s cases of personas, creating the possibility of adding perspectives or discussing the results.
The groups were selected beforehand to ensure diversity and multiple perspectives for the task.
Analysis and output
After the conference, an expert at the ETSC analyzed the groups' output thematically, exposing a set of solutions directed at solving the challenges identified in Phase 1. These themes were discussed and reviewed with the steering group and researchers.
Phase 3: Testing solutions – Handbook
How
This phase aims to investigate how viable and feasible the solutions provided in Phase 2 are. Here, the solutions developed in Phase 2 are tested in everyday life or work situations using relevant tools according to the project context.
Who
By activating your network of relevant stakeholders (for example, your partnerships or people who have participated in the Lab-Phase).
What
Numerous ways exist to perform relevant and constructive interventions or tests, such as workshops and hearings, which can be integrated into everyday work.
Analysis and output
While analyzing this phase’s input, the project should ask: Are the solutions relevant and a need for a re-design? It is possible to revisit the prior phases if needed to clarify topics.
The output of this phase, entering the final phase, is a feasibility statement stating how relevant and feasible the solutions are for solving and addressing the challenges posed in Phase 1.
Phase 3: Testing solutions – Projects version
Aim and purpose
Here the aim was to present the output of the lab-phase to the immigrants and get their feedback on the proposed solutions and research. Also, reflecting on findings with educational providers.
Who
Ten young immigrants who had participated in the focus groups earlier participated in a dialogue with the Nordic researcher, a national researcher and two representatives from ETSC (coordinators) to provided support.
How
In a focus group session on Teams, the group evaluated and provided feedback on the viability and feasibility of the solutions identified at the expert seminar / workshop in Reykjavík. They also prioritized the main solutions.
Analysis
The researchers and steering group gathered the data from the immigrant groups and analyzed it according to thematic analysis. The results evaluated the viability and feasibility of the solutions suggested in the lab phase, enabling the researcher to indicate change in policy and practice as well as the priority and urgency of issues concerning young immigrants in Iceland.
Phase 4: Evaluation, outputs and spreading – Handbook
Aim and purpose
The aim and purpose of this phase are to look at what is learned from the intervention (Phase 3). The focus should be on evaluating and reflecting on the output from the intervention phase and taking an overall look at the learnings from the other two phases. Here, there is a need to consider whether this project process prompts you to go back and look deeper into your problem identification or revisit the Lab-Phase to re-design your solution based on the feedback from the testing phase.
Who
The steering group, coordinators, relevant stakeholders and researchers.
How
The execution of this phase depends on the result from the testing phase (Phase 3) and whether the group decides to re-design or go back to other phases. Following are examples of methods to report on the project and disseminate:
- Summarize
- Write-up an analysis or policy recommendations
- Describe the strengths and weaknesses,
- Consider how to spread and scale up or down your solution
- Knowledge dissemination (media, articles, rapports, at the workplace, etc.).
Output
This phase's output is a comprehensive evaluation of the project's strengths and weaknesses, along with a detailed plan for spreading the solution and its news.
Phase 4: Evaluation, outputs and spreading – Project version
Aim and purpose
This phase's aim was to evaluate and reflect on the output from the intervention phase and take an overall look at the learnings from the other two phases, develop summaries of findings and disseminating identified solutions to inform policy, to support developments in regional lifelong learning centers and develop further within the realm of adult education.
Who
Coordinator, NVL, steering group, researchers and experts.
How
This phase is still ongoing and involves disseminating and presenting the project's outcomes through various means such as publications, presentations, and the development of further initiatives at the local level.
The project's impact on national policy, as well as the implementation of the Design-Based Research (DBR) method at local, national, and Nordic levels, will form the foundation for the project's long-term success.
Output
The project has several outputs in publications and steps for the coming phases.
Publications
- Policy brief: Amplify the voice of immigrants and cooperate based on effective solutions.
- A sustainable model for change. An overview of the project methodology
Presentations
- Results from the project Voices of Immigrants – inclusion in Education, work and Society presented at the Nordic-EU Meeting 23. Nov. 2023
- Presentation and dialogue with SÍMENNT, association of life-long learning centres in Iceland
Further elaboration of the results
- Follow-up with five regional lifelong-learning centres to support them to work with the results locally according to the DBR methodology to support them in getting the most effective solutions in each context.