Creative and participatory methods

Creative and participatory methods and monitoring

Jari Aho

Model of work in the week:

Warm-up> action > reflect and share > process (conceptualize, reasoning, ideas...)

Creative learning refers to the process of teaching using an imaginative approach in order to make learning more interesting, exciting and effective.

Useful methods for warming up.

1) students are walking in a circle and choose 2 people to make up an even triangle but they should not notice that they are followed. Everybody is moving and triangle also, the student have to always change the location to keep the even triangle. At the end everybody announce their observers.

2) students walk in a circle and find one person to follow and observe, they should not notice it. Also  the student should try to notice who is following him/her and do teacher's orders (go closer to your observer, follow him, stay in front of him).

3) put yourself in a circle according to the first letter of your name. Step forward, say your name and do a movement (funny, exercise, salto, clapping hands). Then others should repeat it. And so on.

4) circle puzzle. A group of 5-7 students should stay in a circle and take each other's hands. One student holds two different students' hands, 1 hand for 1 person. They make a net, their task is to make up a circle again without leaving the hand, always holding hands.

Methods for activity

1) net with thread: throw the thread saying smth in common between you and the person you are throwing at. After some throws you can notice a net.

2) jigsaw- collaborative group work. Home group: 1234, 1234, 1234, 1234. Expert group 1111, 2222, 3333, 4444. Learning group, I.e. Home group 1234, 1234, 1234, 1234.

3) learning cafe. Home group again the same. In Learning group member 1 of each group stays other members follow together to next group. After some time all the groups move to next group with the same members. So every group's 1 member stays and explains other group members their work while the members of this group goes around to other groups and make some comments, additions. At the end #1 of each group comes to board and presents their work with additions made by other group's members. So everyone can enjoy the result.

4) 6-3-5 where 6 is number of students, 3 is number of paper given for each student, they can write only one wish, word....on one paper, 5 is minutes given for each circle. Circle 1: 6*3=18 words. Then the card of 1st student goes to the second student, and so on 6 circles. Circle 2: the same. So there are 6 circles, 108 words. 50% of these words are common ones describing the theme, common problems, wishes...

5) sociometric method

Caisa and SIMo in Helsinki

22.05.2014

Caisa cultural centre

It is situated in the centre just near the railway station. It is easy to get for foreigners. They can gather here, get information, celebrate cultural national holidays, have a room, hall for conferences, parties, exhibition. This week they had an exhibition of African week. We could enjoy design, art of African tribes. There were amazing, beautiful ornaments, pictures depicted on clothes. They colored materials with natural dying plants, drew pictures by hands. These masks are made from pans, recycled materials. The pictures in the gallery mostly refer to abstractionism. Women's images, spiritual images, non existing creatures are depicted on the pictures.

 

CIMO - Centre for International Mobility

CIMO is independent organization under the Ministry of Education and Culture. 

CIMO provides information about internationalization, supports international communication in education, funds projects, individuals, universities and schools for internationalization all over Finland. Then universities decide whom they will spend abroad. Some unis send apply to CIMO, prove their afficiency, prove efficacy of previous projects and ask for funding international projects, events.

CIMO itself is funded by National Board of Education, European Union, different programs, other external sources.

Most international degree students in Finland are from Russia, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Estonia, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Germany. International students ratio is 1/10. They apply for university, take exams of university. Education is free till 2016 then is unknown, No scholarship.

Finnish students go to study to UK, Estonia, Sweden, Germany. Approx 600 students every year.

The most valuable competences appreciated by employers in foreign workers in Finland.

Traditional competences: tolerance, language skills, cultural knowledge.

New: resilience, curiosity, productivity.

Useful:

Erasmus + programme started this year and will continue for 7 years.

Information for foreign students can be found in:

Studyinfinland.fi

Cimo.fi

Tampere

Sara Hilden's museum

There was an exhibition of an American painter, photographer Andy Warhof (1928-1987). The exhibition came from Pittsburg, the USA. 

 He was the leading figure of new movement at that time - pop art. His art covers different themes such as death chamber, animals (a cow), celebrities ( Marilyn Monroe, F. Kennedy, Mick Jagger, Mao Tse Dun), sex (formal, informal orientation), knives, emotional photos and short documentary films, abstractionism, everyday objects, dollar sign, puzzles with numbers to paint, Myth series (Mickey Mouse, witch, Uncle Sam, Mata Hari, Santa, lady from Gone with the wind, Dracula, Superman, Howdy Doody, the Shadow of himself). He used pink and yellow colors a lot, also he liked to show one picture in different colors, shadows, one main color, ex, in blue, in white.

He had great impact on American and world art, brought some new ideas, openness, crazyness to art, design and style. He had mental disease in childhood and it affected a lot on his works. Most of his works are strange, crazy, mad, furious, fearing, disgusting. But some are interesting: Myth series, emotional pictures and video.

TAKK - Tampere adult education centre

Established in 1962

It is a private educational institution but studies are free here. Funding is provided by National board of education, government, companies, Ministry.

4000 students daily.

100 + qualifications

It gives vocational education for immigrants: basic, intermediate, higher.

Qualifications: ICT, security, electricity, metal work, heating,logistics, painting, health care, tourism and catering, management...

Integration and multicultural training in TAKK

Since 1989

250 students daily

30 language teachers

Initial assessment of language level, study path.

Language training is 10 months by 10 week models based on National core curriculum.

Language level is taught till B 1 level.

Literacy training: 5 months+ 5 if necessary

Especially for those adults who cannot read and write

Preparatory training for vocational training

20 + 20 credits. 40 weeks based on National core curriculum.

New internet training course based on Lynk software. You can do video conferences, video lessons online and send them, PPT, excel, word docs, messages online. The programm works on voice. It shows on screen that person who is speaking during the conference for example.

During studies average scholarship is 700 euro per month.

It is enough to live. Country pays 60% of apartment rent. But there is high unemployment among immigrants. The service tries to help with working place. Apartments are given on credit with 0%. But they are expensive. For example, 2 roomed flat costs 200 thousand euro.

We had a talk with studying immigrants from Afghanistan, Russia, Bangladesh, Iraq, Curdistan. They like their studies and life but they are worried about employment.

Sites: 

Kotisuomessa.fi

Takk.fi/en

Private: tornado American roller coaster for the first time!!!

Talented students support

Excellence in skills

Thomas Eernola

Piria Tuomonen

Every student is talented in some way. Teachers have to recognize their talents (abilities) and help them to develop them.

Gardner's 8 areas of intelligence:

1) linguistic/verbal intelligence

2) logical/mathematical intelligence

3) musical intelligence

4) bodily-kin esthetic intelligence

5) spatial intelligence

6) naturalist intelligence

7) interpersonal intelligence

8) intrapersonal intelligence.

Learning styles:
1) Visual
2) Oral (auditory-musical)
3) Verbal (lingusitic)
4) Physical (kinesthetic)
5) Logical (mathematical)
6) Social (interpersonal)
7) Solitory (intrapersonal)

Skills competition: students competition + company's exhibition

Colleges do not train teachers. They are trained at university.

It is possible to study simultaneously in vocational school and upper-secondary school.
Vocational school - 3 years, upper secondary school - 3 years, and if simultaneously 3-4 years.
But it is difficult. They get certificate from voc school and school certificate and take matriculation exam but there is limit: only 4 subjects). 

If a student goes to vocational school after upper-secondary, he/she can study at voc school for 2 years only.
If after some other qualification, study at voc school will take 1 year, making individual plan on only necessary courses. It is competence based education.

Useful:
1) to create smth new you need to view on boundaries of different areas (music and electricity, language and gardening)
2) Learning cafe method: group work. Each group discusses and draws a picture or writes their thoughts, then choose a person in charge who will stay at this table and is responsible for presentation their ideas to other group members while other members of this group will move to another tables and listen to their person on charge and add some own ideas. It is good for sharing ideas. At the end a man in charge takes the poster and presents the ideas of the group and generated ideas by other group members. + questions.

Special needs education

05-09th of May, 2014

In Finland at special needs classes they educate, deal with general development, upbringing. 

Attitudes towards disabled people in history:

- persecution 

- pity

- active rehabilitation.

There are 2 types of attitude between sn people and society:

- integration is child's adapting to the host environment

- inclusion is the host adapting in order to meet the needs of the child.

Special needs children:

- handicapped

- blind, deaf, mute, sensor problems

- with learning disabilities (dyslexia, discalculia, reading, writing disabilities, keeping info in mind, right and left side brain interaction disturbance, disbalance)

- with behavioral problems

- with study problems

These students have Individual Educational Program. It's goal: progress monitoring to ensure adequate progress. Teacher write goals for individual student, parents give advice, see, agree on it. Then they can see if the goals are reached at the end.

Youth guarantee

Youth are people under 25 years old. According to this new project the government helps for all young people gain access to education, learning and employment.

After the 9th grade a person can go to:

- vocational start - one year to think and decide what you are interested in and where to go.

- 10th grade - a person with bad marks can improve their education. Studies are individual. There is at least one such a course in every town. Approx 15 students study their.

- my own career - in 8-10 grades. For those who have study, behavioral problems. They go to companies and work their for free, changing the sphere of work every 6 weeks.   3 days at company, 2 days at school for basic education to take exam after the 9th grade.

- home economics education- learn housekeeping, everyday skills - 6 months.

- workshop for young people - profession practice, learning by doing: metal work, furniture, wood work, work on client's order - 6 months. Organized by municipalities and educational institutes. Also there is a National workshop association - non gov org. It produces training, development, info services.

- apprenticeship - people work and complete a qualification while working. For people over 20 years old.

- labour market training - is organized by Employment and economic development office. People can find a job, learn new skills, new profession here.

Useful: 

1) tutors brought wheel-chairs, black glasses and ear phones and we realized how it is difficult to be handicapped.

2) kiipula visit

3) logical toys

4) info about helping programs

Kiipula vocational school

06.05.14

Kiipula vocational school for special needs students.

It was founded  in 1945.
It is situated 30 km away from Hameenlinna.
Turnover: 28.7 mln euros,
Staff: 402
Students: 600
Finance: 37000 euros per year is for one student

Mission:

We create to our customers new possibilities and solutions to improve their working and functional  capacity, welfare and success.

Values

Poductivity

Courage

Partnership

Fairness

This college takes care of: disabled people, people having behaviour problems, people needing rehabilitation, prisoners. Education, lunch and working and learning materials are free.

Departments:

1) Vocational college (special and adult education)
2) the Garden
3) The rehabilitation Centre

The vocational school consists of some 1-2 storey buildings with less classrooms but more workshops and computer classes, practice rooms; garden; greenhouses; shop; cafe; dormitory; gym. In every place students work and learn by doing, mentors and assistants lead their work and help them. Cafes, shops are working like real ones, even book-keeping is hold by special needs students. There are some full of flowers and tomatoes greenhouses which are well-equipped, have every machinery, even those which put soil into pots. Everything is automatic, easy to maintain. The products of greenhouses are used in school restaurant and sold to nearby towns. This is business but it is not enough to keep these greenhouses.

Preparatori I course is for those who don't know where to apply after the 9th grade, students with behavioral problems
Preparatory II: guidance and education for disabled people to work and independent living. They do not participate in education and training leading to a qualification.
Preparatori II is modified for prisoners.
Both need from 40 to 120 credits, study from 1 to 3 years.

Learning is in small groups, do practical projects, do on-the-job learning.

There are dormitories where disabled and difficult students can live and communicate, have friends and change their behavior. 250 places in dormitory.

There are 20 000 students with special needs, and approx. 4500 of them attend special needs vocational schools, others who are more able go to common vocational schools, or universities.

Guidance Taina Poutanen

The seminar was about Career counseling at universities.

It must be done not only by counsellors but also teachers, tutors, principal, other staff. They have functions divided table for counseling students.

They prepare students at university to be interviewed at work place. They have voluntary courses for it.

She gave us a list of the most valuable transferable skills in the future:

Useful: self-knowledge method

Drawing a hand where every finger introduces skills, qualities, knowledge, experience, networks and source of energy in heel of their hand. A student can draw a finger to show for how much he or she has this competence or with different colors. It shows how much he or she needs to learn further.