Finland is, and has been for more than a decade now, one of the top performing countries in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). One explanation behind the success story of Finland is the professional teachers and internationally acknowledged teacher education.
Teacher education at the Faculty of Education, University of Turku, is an advanced combination of theory and practice. Future teachers are provided high-quality education based on the latest research in the field. What is learned in various research projects is also used in teacher training.
Education and research being so closely intertwined is reflected for example in the organization of the teaching practice: it is carried out in interaction and parallel with the studies in pedagogics and teaching subjects. Teacher students can test how theories work in practice at the Teacher Training Schools under the supervision of a university lecturer and a teacher of the Teacher Training School. This enables the immediate application of educational and didactical theories and know-how in practice and paves the way for becoming a true professional in teaching.
Today’s learning society and the global information society have generated a greater need for education and educational research than ever before. Traditional school disciplines are not disappearing, but the nature of knowing has to be reinterpreted. Teacher has to master the underlying principles of learning, teaching and the process of knowledge creation in order to make the best use of for instance the latest technology and applications in the classroom. Technical environments and intervention programs developed at the University of Turku bring classrooms to everyday life and back.
The Faculty of Education proudly welcomes all interested researchers, teachers administrators and other collaborators to visit our Faculty, Departments and Teacher Training Schools!
Learn more about our cooperation and services
If you are interested in visiting the Faculty, Departments and/or Teacher Training Schools for a shorter period of time, 1-2 days, we warmly recommend the Educational visit.
The programme for your Educational visit can include a visit and introductory lecture to Finnish education at the Faculty and/or a visit to the Teacher Training School. Depending on the duration of your visit, we can tailor the visit to your needs and interests.
Themes
Your visit can inlude for instance 1-2 lectures at the Department of Teacher Education or at the Department of Education and a guided visit to the Teacher Training School. The themes we can offer are:
- Teacher education
- Class teacher education
- Subject teacher education
- Kindergarten and early childhood education
- Special education
- Organization of teaching practice at the Teacher Training School in cooperation with the Department of Teacher Education
- Reform of the Finnish education (comprehensive school, teacher education & curriculum reform)
- Finnish schools in the light of international comparisons and assessments
- School management and educational leadership
- Research affairs & doctoral education
- School visit (Teacher Training School in Turku, Teacher Training School in Rauma, Turku International School)
- Organization of your visit
Please note that, due to the growing number of visitors, the Faculty of Education will charge fees from those visitors who do not represent media, delegations of Finnish ministries, or strategically important partners. Erasmus teacher and staff visits are naturally free of charge.
Contact
For further information on educational visits, please contact Coordinator Ari Koski to find out more: arikos@utu.fi, tel. +358 50 329 3620.
The Faculty offers tailored trainings of Finnish basic education and teacher education for, for example, teachers, school administrators, principals, ministry representatives.
The tailored teacher trainings offer a unique introduction to the basis of the Finnish basic education and Teachers education, which are the corner-stones of the Finnish Excellence in Education.
Whether you are interested in strengthening teaching abilities, deepening your knowledge in subject specific teaching, getting a practical hands-on experience of the Finnish school system or extending administrative capabilities, we can build a training experience to best suit your needs and interests.
You can choose from a variety of different themes on which you wish to focus during your training and we will offer you a chance to explore the Finnish system as best suited for you.
The trainings can be organised as:
- In-Service Trainings at the University Turku, where the participants will travel to Turku for the training. Depending on the time of year of the training, the participants will be offered a chance to visit the Turku Teacher Training School and observe lessons for a more in-depth in-sight into the Finnish education system.
- Expert trainings in the target county, where a team of experts from the Faculty of Education will be sent to the target country to complete the training. The participants will be offered a variety of lectures and workshops concentrated on specific topics in education.
For further information on the teacher training services, please contact Coordinator Ari Koski to find out more: arikos@utu.fi, tel. +358 50 329 3620.
The Faculty of Education offers consultation services for various institutions for different educational questions.
The Faculty offers expert consultation of the following topics:
- teacher education
- organization of teaching practice
- curriculum design
- school management
- All consultations will be done in close cooperation between the experts and the receiving institutions.
For further information on the Consultation services of the Faculty please contact Coordinator Ari Koski to find out more: arikos@utu.fi, tel. +358 50 329 3620.
