"For me, web development is a love story"

Mattias is really passionate about his subject and for his students, and his experience is that it is important in his role as a teacher.

"For me, web development is a love story. I love that there are always new technologies, programming languages and frameworks. And so it is to have students, it changes all the time. The most fun thing there is is when you see how students who may not have had so much prior knowledge develop, take steps and become more confident – and I am the one who gets to show them and teach them what I am passionate about!

Wants to prepare their students

He also thinks it is important to translate your commitment to the students into practical solutions so that they are prepared and can cope with the education and tasks as well as possible. Before the start of the course, he sends out a digital short preparation course that puts the students on track.

"They are told what programs to install and how to ensure that the technology works, and then they are given some simpler task. It is so unnecessary and stressful if the entire course start is spent on technical problems. I really want to do everything I can to ensure that the students don't end up in that feeling that you're falling behind.

Mattias also invites the student health service already in the first week so that all students know what support is available and how to get help.

Current content of the education

Once upon a time, he was a student on the programme himself, and with that experience in mind, he and his colleagues have developed the programme into what it is today. It is partly about creating a programme where theory and practice are interspersed so that the students can use and test the knowledge during the course of the education. Firstly, it is about constantly following what is happening in the industry and developing the program's content so that it is as up-to-date as possible. And about creating an open climate where students share what they develop and get to take part in each other's good advice and questions. A bit like it can be in the role of a web developer in a workplace.

"I want there to be a practical application in my teaching so that it is as close to reality as possible. My students will be able to see, test and develop things that can be used when they enter working life," he says.

Opportunities for students to meet

The fact that there is a good sense of community in the group is also something Mattias has seen plays a role in the entire education. Therefore, they use seminar and teaching time to create opportunities where the students meet. Mattias opens the digital meetings earlier so that there is time to talk and ask questions. All students are encouraged to join a group where they can publish what they are doing to get advice and tips from each other. And he does live coding.

"I share my screen so that the students can follow how I code, where I get stuck and how I try to solve it. Since it's live, they can ask questions, make suggestions, and test their ideas. What I want to show is that when you program, it is not perfect at once, but you troubleshoot and test your way – that's how I and the students explore together," says Mattias.