Ms. Pirjo Väyrynen Counsellor of Education Vocational Education Division

1. VET CONTACT SEMINAR17-18 February 2005MACHINERY AND METAL TECHNOLOGYELECTRICAL ENGINEERINGVEHICLES AND TRANSPORTATIONPOLICYStrengthening vocational teachers’ professional skills Ms. Pirjo Väyrynen Counsellor of Education Vocational Education Division National Board of Education E-mail: pirjo.vayrynen@oph.fi

2. LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS ON UPPER SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN FINLAND • The Vocational Education Act (630/1998) and its associated Decree (811/98), which came into effect on 1.1.1999 • National Core Curricula for Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training and Reguirements of Competence-based Qualifications

3. CURRICULUM DESIGN in VET in Finland NATIONAL GUALIFICATION-SPECIFIC CORE CURRICULA GENERAL AIMS, COMMON EMPHASIS AND CORE SKILLS COMMON TO ALL IN VET • DESCRIPTION OF • OCCUPATIONAL FIELD • Operating area • Functional modules • Core functions • And assignments • Value premieres • Future prospects • Vocational competencies • Skills required in the field OBJECTIVES OF QUALIFICATION AND STUDY PROGRAMS DEFINITION OF STYDY MODULES Vocational study modules as functional modules of working life Core subjects Free choice studies DEFINITION OF OBJECTIVES Competencies reguired for functioning in working life Core contents as core functions and task in working life Assessment criteria as competencies EDUCATION PROVIDERS CURRICULUM based on national core curricula (local needs, individual studies, teaching arrangements) PERSONAL STUDY PLANS

4. NATIONAL CORE CURRICULA IN VET • Decided by National Board of Education • Drawn up in cooperation with interest groups and dealt with by training committees • Legal norm for education providers and schools • Education policy objectives and requirements for nationally uniform vocational competencies determined • Basis of student’s assessment

5. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF VET • General aims (capabilities for further education, development of personality, responsible dutiful citizens/member of working community), common emphasis and core skills are same in all qualifications (ability to follow changes of society and working life) • Common core skills (learning skills, problem solving skills, interaction and communication skills, co-operation skills, ethical and aesthetic skills) • Extensive basic vocational skills and more specialised competence (taking care of changing conditions in working life and developing skills throughout their lives)

6. SECTORS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING: • NATURAL RESOURCES SECTOR • TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORT SECTOR • BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION SECTOR • TOURISM, CATERING AND HOME ECONOMICS SECTOR • HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES SECTOR • CULTURE SECTOR • LEISURE AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION SECTOR

7. VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS • All vocational qualifications (52) / study programmes (113) at upper second level – three years • General eligibility to polytechnics and universities • Ministry of Education decides qualifications, study programmes and qualification titles. It happens after preparing process in NBE (forecasting future needs and preparing qualification structure together with social partners and representatives from working life and with the education committees of vocational education sectors)

8. NATIONAL CORE CURRICULA • Vocational studies, core subjects, free-choice studies, on-the-job learning and student counselling determined - from subjects to study modules • Modular studies based on functional modules of working life (competence based studies and coping with fragmentation of knowledge ) • Objectives of study modules determined as competencies that are required in working life • Assessment criterias of study modules (excellent level / satisfactory level) determined in national core curricula • Same requirements and criterias in all parts of Finland

9. VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS/ STUDIES/ CREDITS/ HOURS IN CURRICULA • Credits Hours % • Vocational studies 90 3600 75 • (At least 20 credits on the job learning) • Core subjects 20 800 16,5 • Free choice studies 10 400 8,5 • 120 4800 100 • 3 years = 120 credits, 1 year= 40 credits, • 40 credits=1600 hours students’ work

10. GOALS OF TEACHER EDUCATIONVocational teacher education should provide the students with: • 1. Knowledge of a teacher’s different working environments, methodologies, ideologies and values • 2. Skills for research • 3. Communication skills • 4. Guidance skills • 5. Collegial skills • 6. Skills for critical thinking • 7. Learner-centred approaches • 8. Skills and readiness for innovation

11. In their strategy for 2010, the vocational teacher education colleges have identified the following challenges education: • 1. Networking and cooperation between institutions • 2. On-the-job learning and increased cooperation with the workload of work • 3. Skills demonstrations • 4. Prevention of social exclusion • 5. Internationalisation6. Evaluation as a means for steering and developing education

12. For vocational teachers the National Board of Education has drawn up two continuing training programmes • the näyttötutkintomestarikoulutus (= specialist in competence-based qualifications) and • opettajan työelämäosaamisen opinnot (=studies for teachers in increasing their competence in the world-of-work) • Both comprise 15 credits (=22.5 ECTS) • on-the-job learning periods and skills demonstrations (tests up 2006) to all vocational upper secondary education and training • In 2003 the state allocated 1,346 million euros for providing teachers in VET with continuing training related to on-the-job learning • In 2000-2003 48 % of the teachers participated in this training