Minister of Education and Culture, Mrs Sanni Grahn-Laasonen appointed recently a Teacher Education Forum. It consists of representatives from all the Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences, who provide teacher education in Finland as well all the main stakeholders of teacher education.
The national development programme was launched 13.10.2016 with a vision “We create together the best possible competences into the world”. The vision informs also HAMK Global Education. As the vice chair of the Forum, I am fully committed to the vision.
HAMK develops global education with cooperative research and joint publication. Our latest publication is now out: The Future Makers – Professional Teachers Promoting Change. The publication includes contributions from several of the participants of our global education programs.
Why continue writing with our alumni? According to our experience and research, many of our global teacher education participants go through a very empowering process of learning and identity change during their stay in our programs. They recognize new possibilities, and get not only new ideas but also start to believe in action and continuous networking for the better education in their home countries.
According to Finnish researchers Mantere (2003) and later Mäntynen (2016) in educational leadership context, people can position themselves into several strategic roles in a workplace and a strategy process. It is crucial to be in a role where one feels comfortable enough. The main possible role categories are champions, citizens or cynics.
In our global teacher education programs, many of the participants have learned to like and feel themselves comfortable in the role of a champion or an active citizen (Mahlamäki-Kultanen, Joyce, Ryymin, Viskari and Heikkilä, 2015).
Cooperative publishing provides a great opportunity to act in both roles in the global level, which is for many classroom teachers far beyond, which they could never imagine before joining the HAMK Global Education programs.
See also: Learning Moments Instagram
Dr. Seija Mahlamäki-Kultanen
Director, HAMK School of Professional Teacher Education
References
Mahlamäki-Kultanen, S., Joyce, B., Ryymin, E., Viskari, M. & Heikkilä, L. (2015). Brazilian VET teachers’ strategies to transfer their learning in a Finnish-Brazilian teacher education programme. Journal of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences, 3, 2015.
Mantere, S. (2003). Champion, citizen, cynic. Social positions in the strategy process. Helsinki University of Technology. Industrial Management and Work and Organizational Psychology. Dissertation series 5. Espoo: Monikko Oy.
Mäntynen, M. (2016). Opettajan osallisuus strategiaprosessissa. Tapaustutkimus laatupalkitusta ala-asteen koulusta. Acta Electronica Universitatis Tamperensis 1667. https://tampub.uta.fi/handle/10024/99173
Ryymin, E., Joyce, B., Laurikainen, M. (Eds.)., (2016). The Future Makers – Professional Teachers Promoting Pedagogical Change. , In: HAMKin julkaisuja 2/2016, HAMKin e-julkaisuja 4/2016, Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu. URN:ISBN:978-951-784-780-3.
