eduScrum
Information
eduScrum is an adaptation of the Scrum framework for educational settings, developed by Dutch teacher Willy Wijnands in the Netherlands around 2011. It applies Scrum’s iterative, self-organising principles to classroom learning, with students managing their own learning process.
Key Roles
| Role | Scrum equivalent | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Product Owner | Defines learning goals, sets the Product Backlog, accepts results |
| Student Scrum Master | Scrum Master | Facilitates team process, removes impediments, coaches the team |
| Student Team | Development Team | Self-organises to achieve the Sprint goal (learning objective) |
Artifacts
- Team Card (Teamkaart) — the team’s Product Backlog; lists all learning goals and tasks for the course.
- Flap Form (Flapvorm) — the Sprint board; tasks move from To Do → In Progress → Done during a Sprint.
Events
| Event | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Sprint Planning | Team selects tasks from the Team Card for the upcoming Sprint |
| Daily Standup | Short daily check-in on progress, plans, and blockers |
| Sprint Review | Team demonstrates results to the teacher/Product Owner |
| Retrospective | Team reflects on collaboration, process, and what to improve next time |
Differences from Regular Scrum
- The teacher (as Product Owner) defines learning goals — not business features.
- Students self-organise to achieve those goals, developing both subject knowledge and teamwork skills.
- The retrospective focuses equally on learning outcomes and collaboration quality.
- Sprints in education are typically 1–2 weeks to fit within lesson schedules.
Usage, tips and tricks
When to Use eduScrum
eduScrum works well for:
- project-based learning assignments where students must research and produce an outcome.
- courses with a multi-week curriculum where progress needs to be tracked visibly.
- classes where developing collaboration and self-management skills is part of the learning objective.
It is less suitable for very short single-lesson activities or highly individual assessment-only tasks.
Practical Tips
- Keep the Flap Form visible in the classroom (physical board or shared digital tool).
- Student Scrum Masters rotate so all students experience the facilitation role.
- Teacher as Product Owner should accept (or reject with feedback) Sprint results explicitly — this mirrors a real product review and makes learning goals concrete.
- Retrospectives should be short (15 minutes) and safe — focus on process improvement, not blame.