Category Archives: International collaboration

A Wonderful Conversation

A lot of things has happened this spring between Helsinki and Beijing. I have got WeChat -messages nearly everyday from my Chinese colleague Sienna, my class has worked well with the theme Nest and now Sienna’s class in Beijing has started the project aswell.

Today we finally met: a FaceTime call let us talk face to face. I think it is marvellous how technology helps us to build relationships between people from different parts of the world. I and Sienna had a wonderful conversation about our schools, our jobs as teachers, and about becoming GEC Conference. We decided to meet at least twice before our teaching demo. We also decided to make another FaceTime call on next Monday so that our students could see each other and ask some questions. It is nice that the same project is happening in Finland and in China at the same time!

Raini from SYK

Helsinki – Beijing – connected!

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Co-operation with Chinese colleagues has started slowly. I think the main problem was that I didn’t success to create a GEC-email account – so my Chinese colleagues perhaps thought I was too lazy to answer their e-mail. But as the summer – and the GEC Conference – gets closer the more we chat – by WeChat.

My Chinese colleagues are Ms. Xiaoshuang Xi and Ms. Haijing Du from Beijing Zhongguancun 4th. Primary School. I have chatted mostly with Xiaoshuang (Sienna) and we have thought our project based learning unit. At the moment it seems that our topic will be a Nest. It will be marvelous to see what will happen in Helsinki and what will happen in Beijing. This is a fine opportunity for me to see how things work in China and how I and my Chinese colleagues will build a project together.

My 3rd graders have made video and Power Point -presentations about Helsinki. I have tried to send them to China, but for some reason I haven’ t succeeded. But we keep on trying!

Raini Sipilä, SYK

The Finnish Education Conference in Hong Kong

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Innokas Network was invited to take part to the Finnish Education Conference in Hong Kong in February 2016. There were up to 10 representatives from cities and companies from Finland.

The Conference was hosted by FinnCham’s Education Committee and it was the first ever in Hong Kong. There were over 120 guests including local media. We were welcomed to the Event by Stuart Patton, Chairman of Education Committee, Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Jari Sinkari, Finnish Consul General to Hong Kong & Macao.

There were three key note speeches, Innokas Network was one of them. The presentation was based on the Innovative school model and it covered experiences and best practices in innovation and technology education and 21^st century learning all over Finland. As part of Espoo delegation the presentation also covered some best practices and projects in Espoo schools. There were two other key note speakers, Kristiina Erkkilä, Director of Development for the Education and Cultural Services from Espoo and Hanna Wirman, Research Assistant Professor, School of Design from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Edutech companies, Fun Academy, Mobie Oy, xEdu, Carbon to Soil, Solu, Skillpixels & Headai presented Education Technology Perspectives from Finland.

During the travel we visited some schools and after school tutoring company in Hong Kong. It was very interesting to experience a very different school culture. Assessments are in a very big role in Hong Kong and there is a need for a reform. Especially parents are worried because of the pressure of exams. They feel that children do not have time enough to relax and play and they are all too exhausted. Some schools have already began the reform process and they are making learning more joyful.

During the travel there were many conversations on possible ways to integrate Finnish edutech tools into Hong Kong, and how to collaborate and learn from each other moving forward. One possibility in school level is twinning between schools. Jalavapuisto School in Espoo as part of Global Innokas Network was planned to begin a partnership with The Mission Covenant Church Holm Glad No. 2 Primary School.

In March two visitors from Hong Kong, Stuart Patton, Chairman of Education Committee, Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Nicholas Wang from EDiversity Committee visited Finland and there was a possibility to visit Jalavapuisto school. Teacher Hanna Mäkynen gave a tour around their school and discussion on partnerships was going on. We’ll stay on waiting to hear more of this school partnership.

Best wishes from Hong Kong and Global Innokas,

Innokas coordinator Minna

Collaboration across the Atlantic Ocean

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Metsokangas Comprehensive School, Oulu, Finland, and Jefferson Elementary School, Janesville, USA, have been collaborating for a year. During this collaborative project students have got pen pals, made a presentation video of their schools, sent Christmas Greetings videos, had a Skype chats on their spare time and also they have started to make a common video about similarities and differences between their cultures and students’ everyday life.

And all this will continue. Keep on waiting for the next step. 🙂

BR,

Minna, Petri and Jaana + 80 students from Metsokangas Comprehensive School

Global Innokas 2016

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Global Innokas started year 2016 in a meeting with Global Innokas Teachers from all over the Finland. We are happy to have new teachers involved in Global Innokas – warmly welcome to global adventures!

In an educational event teachers shared their experiences and good practices in global partnerships. It was really enthusiastic to hear how various kinds of ways students have been involved in global partnerships. Starting points in partnerships have been in getting to know each other and each other’s cultures and ways for living. Technology was used innovatively in partnerships. There were many ways to send greeting to each other. Emails, chats, blogs, shared videos, Skype and various platforms were used to get friends with students all over the world.

Moreover, becoming term is planned and ideas are shared; welcome Global Innokas Networking 2016! We are waiting for news for becoming ways in partnering. Go teachers and students, you are making a good job!

With Global Innokas Greetings,

Minna, Tiina and Kati

Christmas Greetings from Oulu, Finland, to Janesville, USA

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Class 5B in the Metsokangas Comprehensive School sent Christmas greetings to their pen pals to Janesville, USA, by making a Christmas play called Secret of elves. Students filmed this play by themselves. They used their own iPhones and edited movies with iMovie. After all, the movie was subtitled into English.

Classes 5CD made also Christmas greetings by using digital camera and shooting their play from four different directions during the Christmas Festival. All parents of seven classes came to see their play and after that night the movie was edited by Final Cut Pro X. Students also composed music by using GarageBand and at last the movie was subtitled into English.

There are some pictures of students practising and preparing for these plays.

We wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016!

– Jaana, Petri, Minna and 80 eager students –

Global collaboration seminar in Yyteri, Pori, Finland 3.-4.9.2015

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National Board of Education organized global collaboration seminar 3.-4.9. in Pori, Finland. Global Innokas team started bright and early on Thursday morning with Global Innokas network gathering. We shared experiences since last meeting in March and planned the events for the upcoming year.

In the seminar we heard many presentations on the different views of global education. The Finnish Board of Education emphasized the importance of networking globally both nationally and internationally. Sharing and working together offers better opportunities for new innovations. There is power in a network! The new learning environments together with ICT create easier opportunities for crossing boundaries in global collaboration.

We had during the seminar great possibility to share greetings from Global Educational Community (GEC) schools:

We also heard a lot about the new Finnish curriculum starting in August 2016 and how the local and global citizenship are presented in it. In small groups we shared ideas on how to implement it in practice. Everyone chose at least one of these to try in their own work and shared it on the Wall of promises. For example Anu promised to use students as guides for international visitors this school year. Juhana promised to skype abroad with his students. Jaana and Minna also promised to use Mystery Skype, Seppo (SmartFeet) and Ted talks with their students. Can’t wait to try these out!

Tiina, Minna, Kati, Anna-Kristiina, Juhana, Hannu, Minna, Jaana ja Anu

Sightseeing in Beijing area

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On Saturday we had a sightseeing tour. Some of us went to the Great Wall. It was a very impressive experience considering both the amazing view and especially if you think the history of the Great wall. Half of the group went to the Tian’anmen’s square with two teachers from Janesville. It was a breath taking place to visit because of its’ history, huge size, monumental buildings and unreal security system. Even though the temperature (+37°C) and the humidity were high we all had a marvellous time!

Raini at Tian’anmen’s Square

Our local guide, young English teacher Steven, Anu, Minna and Tiina

In the evening we all GEC educators gathered together to have dinner at famous Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. We all ate Beijing’s roasted duck with great appetite. The duck was absolutely delicious! It amazed us how carefully every part of the duck was prepared so well. This was a perfect way to end our conference week – eating with GEC family and sharing different sorts of dishes symbolizes our global cooperation.

Famous Beijing’s roasted duck

Teachers are learners too – getting to know Chinese culture

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Part of our conference program was to get to know more of China and it’s rich culture. Finnish team got lessons on Chinese calligraphy, paper cutting and traditional music. It is wonderful how proud the pupils and the teachers are of their cultural heritage. Chinese calligraphy is part of the curriculum in China but paper cutting and playing an instrument are optional.

Tiina and Chinese calligraphy

Kati and Chinese paper cutting

Minna and Chinese traditional instrument

Eating with chopsticks was a bit challenging but we learned by practicing daily at the hotel and school’s cafeteria. For us the Chinese food was excellent: full of tasty vegetables, spicy chicken, fish, meat and pork, soups, dumplings and fresh tastes. As dessert there was always fresh seasonal fruits.

School lunch

Drinking tea is part of Chinese culture and very popular in China. We were honoured to participate in Chinese tea ceremony in a very beautiful Tea House. We tasted many different kinds of teas and learned some health effects of them. We bought tens of tea packets from there.

Beth from Janesville and Anu at tea tasting

Learning the Education systems of participant countries

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One key issue in collaborating globally is to understand other countries’ Education systems. We had a Panel discussion session where every country introduced their Education system. Moreover, to understand some practical issues One day at school examples were presented.