The 'hands on' project addresses the increasing need for digital and hybrid learning environments in higher education, particularly in the fields of Social Work, Health, and Therapy Sciences. While self-directed and collaborative learning are key competencies for professional practice in these domains, current digital platforms often lack theoretical grounding in motivational and social-emotional aspects of learning. Therefore, this project aims to close this gap by developing and evaluating a virtual campus explicitly based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), providing a research-based social space that prepares students for the demands of professional life. The virtual campus is a web-based platform that provides self-directed, synchronous and asynchronous learning, as well as opportunities for communication and collaboration and addresses the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness, considered central by SDT. Students become intrinsically motivated when they experience autonomy in organizing their learning processes, using their competence in completing their tasks, and relatedness through interactions with teachers and fellow students. The virtual campus supports students in developing social and emotional competencies (self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness, and responsible decision-making) through various offerings. These include a curated media library and themed workspaces for self-study, a strengths course to develop a professional identity, and activities that promote mental and physical well-being. Students also have the opportunity to network with each other for collaborative work from any location. These offerings should enable students to recognize, accept, and reflect on their own and others' emotions. They should also improve students' problem-solving skills and help them build stable relationships. The first evaluation of the virtual campus followed a mixed-methods design and was carried out in 2023 with first-year Bachelor's degree students of Social Work, Health and Therapy Sciences at the university's three locations. This evaluation consisted of a quantitative questionnaire survey at three time points, an accompanying survey of virtual campus usage data, and qualitative interviews.

The research questions are:
- Are there differences in basic psychological need satisfaction and social-emotional competencies between the time points?
- Is there a relationship between using the virtual campus and the development of these needs and competencies?

The project also explores how students experience the start of their studies and the development of needs and social-emotional competencies when using a virtual campus. Statistical analyses revealed that students who used the virtual campus more frequently showed greater improvements in emotion regulation skills and self-efficacy over time than those with minimal engagement. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed challenges associated with transitioning to higher education, as well as obstacles to engaging with the virtual campus, such as usability issues and competing demands on students' time. Qualitative data highlight the importance of improving user experience and accessibility to optimize student engagement and outcomes. Combining these results with those of a second evaluation will inform the further development and wider implementation of the virtual campus.

Keywords: Hybrid learning, self-determination theory, social-emotional learning, social work, therapy and health sciences.