Visit to Helsinki Vocational College, Stadin ammattiopisto.
We met Mikko Sallinen and Jaana Vestergren at the entrance to the
college.
First they introduced the new reform that is going to kick on in September. Here are some notes I took during the orientation. Youth and adult schools will be combined, they used to have separate curriculums but anyone can take anything in September. Students only need to learn what they don’t know yet. You can also submit your own work for a grade.
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| Mikko Sallinen and Jaana Vestergren AND I |
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| New Curriculum path |
12 / 9 ratio high school students/ other degrees or directly from junior high. Entrance exam consists of a written test Students meet individually with interviewer and also do group work and interview to see how motivated they are to study there. 700 applicants 180 accepted. Not all school funded by government others get funding from foundations. Some schools establish companies to make money. This is a city school, gets money from city.
Community Colleges also offer courses that are accepted at the Vocational College. Students can get to university from vocational schools. They have to learn other subjects too and one degree but you can specialize different fields. 1/3 go to university 1/3 to applied sciences and 1/3 to work. If you have skills in media you are better for the workforce.
Helsinki has 12 vocational colleges, nursing is the most popular. Students take 30 modules, one bigger module and two smaller ones. They do projects that take the entire year; for example write a script and produce a movie.
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| Visual Class, teacher talking about light absorption and reflection. |
Students can produce videos to companies for advertisements. Students can check out equipment to film outside. First year studies involve in organizational skills and basic theory on study subjects. Class period is 4 hours in the morning and 3 on afternoon. Teacher is not present all the time. First year they learn the basics next year their own projects. No graded exams, only in math. Grade is based on oral presentation and portfolio or work outside and performance.
Video production and sound. Some are produced abroad to learn about transportation. Videos are about 20 minutes.
Photography is voluntary about one week course.
This is the only trade school for gaming in Helsinki. Teachers can design their own curriculum
Game art, game coding
This trade school also had a project with cooperation with Plymouth UK. 12 students from both countries produced a computer program together.
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| Teachers at the media lab |
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| Cooperation with Plymouth UK project results. |
Then we went to Jaana’s office and I explained the FIRST Robotics program.
The school is interested in starting a FIRST team here in Finland. We will be in contact with each
other.
The day ended up with a lunch at the school’s cafetria.
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| Photography class |
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| Photography class |
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| Programming gaming |
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| Production room. |
