The Academy of Finland Grants Nearly Two Million Euro for Researching Future Learning
The University of Turku was successful in applying for funds from the Future Learning funding programme of the Academy of Finland. Over 1.9 million euro was divided between three projects, which are led by professors Marja Vauras, Erno Lehtinen and Risto Rinne.
The Academy of Finland funded projects that research the development and improvement of future learning and know-how. Nearly 20 per cent of the total funding went to the projects of the Faculty of Education at the University of Turku.
Professor Marja Vauras and her research team received over 730 000 euro for their project Science Learning Environments for the Future School.
The project tests virtual inquiry learning environments which utilise digital technology and it is carried out as an international collaboration. The goal is to improve the motivation and engagement of high school students to study chemistry and biology and to support their abilities to build social and scientific understanding about the topics that are studied.
In addition, the results of the research will be used to develop teacher training as well as the national-level curricula.
A Bridge between School Learning and Everyday Activities
About 720 000 euro were granted to Academy Professor Erno Lehtinen’s project Cultivating Future Mathematical Minds.
According to Lehtinen, citizens and workers need mathematical skills in new situations that are not traditionally mathematical. It is increasingly important to understand how, for example, economic, social or technological processes are mathematically represented or modelled.
The project aims at finding new pedagogical practices and learning environments that help to bridge school learning and everyday activities. The research is firmly based on the research group’s previous findings on the development of mathematical thinking.
An International Perspective to Reforming Education
Professor Risto Rinne leads the project Trans-national Dynamics in Quality Assurance and Evaluation Politics of Basic Education in Brazil, China and Russia, which received a funding of nearly 450 000 euro.
The countries that are researched in the project have been characterised as "future societies". The object is to study how evaluation policies and learning environments are shaped in these countries. The research is carried out in a consortium which includes researchers from each case country in addition to the Finnish experts.
If successful, the project may open up new avenues for reforming education as well as for education export.
Text: Katja Kontu
Photo: Hanna Oksanen