Education and Working Life (5 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

After completing the course, the teacher student is able to
• describe the operating environments and pedagogical bases of adult and vocational education in Finland
• specify the stages of growth and development related to youth and adulthood and explain their significance for professional development and the formation of a career path
• combine learning in the workplace and continuous learning with the professional growth of students
• identity the development stages of their own specialist identity, and support and guide the formation of students’ professional identity
• use topical data from research and development to support their work as an educator.

Content (course unit)

During the course, we will seek answers to the following questions:
• How does adult and vocational education in Finland support and promote growth and learning?
• What are the special qualities of youth and adulthood in terms of growth, learning and guidance?
• How can working life and the work community support the growth, development and learning of an individual?
• How is professional identity built in various sectors, and how can it be supported?
• What is the best way of following and applying the new trends in your own field and the teaching and pedagogy sector?

Assessment criteria, pass/fail (course unit)

Knowing:
Structuring the relationships between the phenomena and concepts covered during the course. Applying, explaining, comparing, and analysing contents from the viewpoint of a vocational teacher.
Teacher Student:
* Describes adult and vocational education of their own field in the Finnish education system from the viewpoint of continuous learning
* Recognises the significance of growth and development at workplaces

Doing:
Being able to plan and choose suitable methods for their work and justify their choices as a vocational teacher. Applying the theory taught in the course when solving challenges and using the possibilities offered by the theory base in their work.
Teacher Student:
* Applies knowledge of growth and development when guiding and teaching their own future target group (e.g. the youth or adults)
* Analyses the possibilities and challenges of workplace learning
* Comes up with methods to support the growth of a professional identity of their own students.

Developing as a teacher:
Giving and receiving active and constructive feedback. Evaluating issues from their own and their community’s viewpoints. Collaborating responsibly and being ready to develop communication skills. Recognising and following the ethical principles of a teacher’s work. Describing and evaluating the economical and wellbeing promoting impact of their actions
Teacher Student:
* Creates a development plan for their work as a teacher, utilising up-to-date development and research data
* Reflects and constructs their own identity as a teacher

Location and time

As per the contact day schedule. See details on Moodle.

Exam schedules

There are no exams for this course component.

Assessment methods and criteria

Teacher, self and peer assessment of activities completed. Assessment according to the criteria given in the LMS (Moodle) for assessed tasks.

Assessment scale

Pass/Fail

Teaching methods

Individual and collaborative small group tasks, including readings, assignments, reflection, presentations and lectures, face to face and online using synchronous and asynchronous technologies. Students are expected to reflect upon their learning and be active participants in their own learning.

Learning materials

Materials will be provided online in the Moodle LMS and are expected to be supplemented by the student’s own research and enquiry based learning.

Student workload

This is a 5 ECTS course. 5x27 hours = approx 135 hours.

Content scheduling

The aim of the basic studies in education is to improve teacher students understanding of the phenomena they encounter in their work as teachers.

Completion alternatives

Not applicable.

Practical training and working life cooperation

Students will link theory with practice for use in authentic learning environments. The development of an individual professional identity is a core component of the program. This identity and the beliefs formed and identified about teaching and learning shape the practice of the developing educator.

International connections

Theories and practice examined will take account of a wide range of international perspectives, including those brought to the cohort by the participants themselves.

Assessment criteria - pass/fail (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Pass: Teacher student
- combines theoretical data with their own experiences and observations
- reflects their observations, actions and experiences and evaluates their significance to their own competences and knowledge
- participates actively in the group learning process by sharing expertise, searching for information and collaboratively creating knowledge at online and at face to face meetings
- analyzes and evaluates their learning results and choices made
Fail: Teacher student
- describes theoretical knowledge and experiential knowledge and observations separately, discussion is shallow
- presents disconnected facts and/or paraphrases literature
- does not participate in the group processes actively