Jamming: The Inclusive Hands-On Learning Experience for Every Student

This paper presents two Finnish cases that demonstrate different approaches to incorporating jamming as a method of experiential learning within University of Applied Sciences education. Jamming, an intensive, hands-on format grounded in human-centred and service design methodologies, offers students a supportive environment in which to experiment, take risks, and view failure as a valuable aspect of the learning process. The skills and mindsets fostered through jamming are transferable across a range of professional contexts, enhancing students’ readiness for post-graduation employment. The two case studies explored in this paper illustrate how jamming can be integrated at varying scales: one within a single subject course, and the other as a broader, cross-institutional initiative involving wider participation. Both examples highlight the pedagogical value of merging practical, design-led activities with classroom-based knowledge, rather than treating them as separate modes of learning. The findings suggest that embedding jamming into curriculum development enables students to engage in innovation and co-creation practices in meaningful ways, offering them concrete experiences of real-world development processes before they enter the workforce.