06.06.2024, Ellimaija Ahonen

Diversity of Study Tours – three very different groups as guests

Finnish education interests people internationally with all ages and at different stages of their careers. In May, we were privileged to host three very different groups as Study Tour guests! Diversity of Study Tours and guests are the best parts of our job!

At the start of May, a group of Danish teachers and teacher trainers involved in Denmark’s national Playful Learning program visited us. We had great discussions with the group on themes like activating teaching and phenomenal learning. The group found it thought-provoking to focus on students’ overall well-being in Finland, as well as equality, which they believed to be present in all aspects of society from free school meals to urban planning policies.

Towards the end of May, we welcomed a group of teacher education students, one assistant professor and one associate professor from Suny Oneonta University in their faculty-led study abroad program. In addition to visiting several schools, the students were able to enjoy the Finnish Nature Experience in collaboration with Seventen Tours as well as the Finnish Sauna Experience, both of which greatly impressed the group.

“Between the school visits and the countless hours of exploring the cities, we are learning so much about the culture here in Finland, their ways of life, and most importantly, about their success in education. I have loved this opportunity to learn more strategies as a future teacher.” wrote one of the participants on Suny’s social media.

At the same time as Suny Oneonta, we also hosted five Nigerian Maltina Teacher of the Year winners, whose trip to Finland was made possible by The Nigerian Breweries Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund. Capacity building was a core theme in this tour: training the teachers in forefront strategies that meet the demands and styles of a wide range of students. The themes of the Study Tour revolved around such topics as competence-based curriculum and the socio-constructivist model of education, and the participants were especially interested in fairness and trust in practice, and the absence of school inspections in Finland.

Overall, we are truly delighted to have had these three groups visit us! Developing education is a process of learning from each other, and it was very interesting to hear the groups’ thoughts on education in Finland and their home countries. Together, we can better tackle the challenges in education around the world! This is made possible by diversity of study tours we organise.