Research
Curriculum convertibility for remote learning in Ghana
Curriculum Development, Mobility, Research, Teacher Training
The research focuses on home economics education at the upper secondary school level, specifically how the curriculum can be converted to remote and online training situations, where face-to-face learning is not possible and/or the internet connection is not reliable. A document analysis of the subject matter and teaching strategies was carried out to identify aspects that need conversion, can be delivered remotely and need to be substituted. Primary data was collected through focus group discussions involving teachers and students. Findings will be included into the current curriculum.
Learning to design – Designing to learn (LDDL)
Curriculum Development, Educational Technology, Research, Teacher Education
The “Learning to design – Designing to learn” (LDDL) project is a research collaboration between the University of Helsinki and the University of Johannesburg and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education as well as to promote continuous learning opportunities for all. We will conduct research on pupils learning in post 4IR era through the design of digital artifacts, such as Lego-robots, videoclips, and reports in the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning. The proposed project will support researchers and teachers in research-practice partnership (RPP) design STEM project-based learning (PBL) modules, which engage primary pupils in designing digital artifacts in order to research pupils’ design processes and their learning of transversal and sustainability competences, especially creative, critical and computational thinking skills in low-income areas of South Africa and in Finland. RPP will support researchers and teachers learning and the adoption of the designed innovative teaching modules. This project received funding under the Spring 2022 GINTL Project Funding from the University of Helsinki.
Promoting Indo-Finnish collaboration in teaching & learning – A webinar series for academia & practitioners
Teacher Education
The purpose of the events is to facilitate and support collaboration among Indian and Finnish researchers and practitioners in the field of education & education science.
Quality assurance in joint degree programmes between Finland and China
Quality Assessment Framework, Research
The project involves: 1) Developing a database of Sino-Finnish joint degree provision programmes, 2) Organising a conference on quality assurance in Sino-Finnish joint degree provision, 3) Publishing the quality assurance guidelines for Sino-Finnish degree provision, potentially in collaboration with the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) and the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (Karvi). The aim of the project is furhtermore to pilot the Sino-Finnish joint degree provision guidelines in collaboration with TAMK and its partner, Chinese Regional University and in an ongoing dual degree programme initiative between Tampere University and Tongji University.
Co-designing relevant and responsive teacher education
Education in Indigenous Contexts, Intervention, Mobility, Research, School Based Studies & Supervision, Shared Teaching, Teacher Education
To strengthen teacher education (early childhood and primary education) through joint research focused on school-based studies and supervision as well as education in diverse contexts. To enhance capacity of teacher educators through joint development of online/blended courses and co-supervision of postgraduate students.
Designing a joint master’s degree programme
Curriculum Development, Intervention, Mobility, Research, Shared Teaching
Global education activity. Developing an master’s degree programme tailored for the Chinese customer’s needs, for example existing ELEIC (Early language education for intercultural communication) master’s degree which is offered by the Philosophical Faculty at the University of Eastern Finland, could be used as a frame or a starting point for the new programme.
Inclusive language learning
Inclusive Education, Research
Network building and negotiations for arranging pilots in India.
MOOC and three additional online seminars
MOOC, Teacher Education
Piloting a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Inclusive Learning Environments (2 ECTS) as well as three additional two-hour online seminars to test the possibility of implementing both formats for Chinese students.
Continuation of collaboration with teacher education in Somalia
Stakeholder Seminar, Teacher Education
This project was created to further the development of teacher education programmes at Somali National University (SNU) and to look for ways to widen cooperation among new actors to also include other teacher education units in Somalia. Collaboration with other actors such as the Somali diaspora was initiated during this project. Two events, an online stakeholder webinar and a face-to-face collaborative meeting for Somali-Finnish cooperation, were organised. A needs analysis was carried out at the SNU. The search for further funding opportunities, new resources and flexible ways of networking continues.
Innovative joint effort in combating school burnout in Finland and China
Research, Student Wellbeing
The project is still ongoing and in the phase of data collection. The plan covers: 1) Research seminar on students’ burnout; 2) Data collection; 3) Discussion for future project application; 4) Digital solution consultation and design; 5) Public dissemination
Education for emergencies (E4E) guest lectures
Developing Learning Materials, Shared Teaching, Teacher Education
The University of Jyväskylä and Åbo Akademi are jointly gathering different partners to conduct guest lectures on the Education for Emergencies (E4E) themes ‘climate crisis pedagogy’, ‘conflicts and war times pedagogy’, ‘antiracism education’. Additionally, the partners are producing learning materials from the respecitve guest lectures.
Early childhood education in Finland webinars
Early Childhood Education, Online Exchange, Teacher Education
Five Finnish early childhood webinars have been organised March-May, 2022 between universities in Finland and China The participating The webinars have been sharing the best research, practices, and concrete pedagogical methods of early childhood education in Finland and discussed them with Chinese partners. These webinars are furthermore strengthening the collaboration between Finnish and Chinese universities in co-creating research-based solutions for global challenges in early childhood education and cultivating joint research projects as well as modules for teacher education programs both in China and Finland. Finnish universities were the University of Helsinki, University of Turku, University of Jyväskylä, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), and Omnia. The participating Chinese universities were Beijing Normal University, South-West University, and Central China Normal University.
Auditory Neurocognition and Learning – Implications for Learning Practices
Curriculum Development, Research
The project will give an overview about the benefits of music and foreign language training in the neurocognitive development of primary school children. It will furthermore illuminate the promises of music and language learning to promote larger-scale neurocognitive development (e.g., working memory, attention).
A Comparative Study of Chinese and Finnish Teacher Educators’ Quality Requirements and Professional Standards
Quality Assessment Framework, Research
Quality education depends on qualified teachers, who are largely influenced by teacher educators during their training as student teachers. How teacher educators provide student teachers with a supportive teaching and learning environment, and at the same time respond to the global challenges of teacher education draws researchers’ attention internationally. The research project aims to explore the quality requirements and professional standards of the Chinese and Finnish teacher educators from a comparative perspective. Based on the previous and current collaboration among the Northeast Normal University and the University of Helsinki, the research project increases the influence of Finnish universities and GINTL internationally and broadens the scope of cooperation among other universities in China and Finland. The study clarifies the evaluation criteria and professional support that teacher educators need to overcome challenges they face in teaching in teacher education. The long-term research aims are to provide new knowledge on teacher educators to promote their work and to support their development in expertise to respond to the international crisis in teaching and learning.
Educational Research: Developing Digital Learning in Namibia and Fieldwork in Science Education
Curriculum Studies, Digital Learning, Environmental & Sustainability Education, Teacher Education
The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and the University of Namibia (UNAM) partnership in education have started ongoing research projects on developing digital learning in Namibia and fieldwork in science education. In our collaboration (UEF and UNAM), we have a plan to start teacher education projects to support sustainability action in both universities. The core topics include Leadership, Environmental and Sustainability Education and Curriculum Studies.
Student Agency in Higher Education
Curriculum Development, Higher Education Pedagogy, Mobility, Research, Teaching Quality
The activity will focus on constructing research collaboration on the topic of student agency with the international partners from the Northeast Normal University (China) and Finnish partners from the University of Jyväskylä and JAMK University of Applied Sciences. This includes mobility, agreements, translation work, data collection and analyses.
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