Aihearkisto: koulutusjärjestelmät

EMEU learns to fly

ECVET, koulutusjärjestelmät, opiskelijaliikkuvuus, osaaminen, saapuvat opiskelijat

EMEU – Engineering mobility in Europe KA2 project final report has been approved with distinction by the Dutch National Agency. EMEU was given a high score of 88/100 . 

The evaluators stated that the final report, products and outputs of the EMEU project demonstrate that the original objectives of the project were met and the project did even more and better than indicated in the application. The learning outcomes and innovative impact for participants’ staff are significant and relevant. Capacities for good quality and attractive mobility opportunities for students , developing study modules and applying ECVET principles have been strongly reinforced by the project. All participating organisations increased and widened their international scope.

The feedback further mentions that partners were selected carefully and contributed according to specific expertise. Altogether partners brought a wide variety of expertise and educational fields and all were involved in developing the study modules according to ECVET principles.

With regard to ECVET, the project’s final step in the process – validation and recognition – was the focus during the last year of the project.  The final evaluation recognizes that  this step is usually the most complicated and challenging one as reflected in the ECVET manual published on the EMEU website. In some cases the learning outcomes assessed at the hosting institute have been validated and recognized fully at the home insitute, in others only to some extent depending on the national systems. It further states that “EMEU’s experience and practise in ECVET concepts on this wide scale is highly valuable for further implementing ECVET in Europe.”

The EMEU project created a sustainable network for various sectors in technology and it’s flight  continues in the new EMEU4ALL project where the concept is transferred to e.g. social and health care and hospitality sectors.

More information visit  http://em-eu.eu/

Rea Tuominen (at) jao.fi

 

Visitors from Vision West Nottinghamshire

ECVET, Gradia Jyväskylä, henkilöstö, koulutusjärjestelmät, opiskelijaliikkuvuus

 

Jyväskylä College had the pleasure of hosting 5 educational experts from Vision West Nottinghamshire (UK)  for two very intensive days 14-15 February 2016. The cooperation begun in the autumn term 2016 when Jyväskylä College sent 6 students for their on-the-job learning period to Mansfield where the college is located.

The aim of the visit to Jyväskylä was on one hand to plan the student exchanges from UK to Jyväskylä later in the spring but also to discuss various areas of common interest. The visitors and their specific areas of interest were the following:

Alex Norbury – Programme Lead for Business Studies.

How enterprise is currently run and developed at the college, How are students supported through enterprise activities particularly running their own business i.e. funding and time remission, How are soft skills developed i.e. decision making, organisation and initiative and How the blended curriculum offer is delivered i.e. a blend of vocational and academic.

Davina Mouj – Programme Lead for Child Care

If possible would like to visit settings that support children in the following age ranges 0-2, 2-3 & 3-5 years, Management of transitions of children, Support for children who have been identified as having an additional need, Frameworks that the Early Years are required to work to,  Observation, assessment and recording of children’s learning and development, The programme of study that the students follow and Management of the student’s work placements.

Vandana Sharma – Study Skills Coach

Blended learning, Virtual learning environment which you use and how, How you use information technology in your teaching and Basically how technology enhances the learning experience of the students.

 Nikki Slack – Head of School for Hair, Beauty, Catering & Hospitality and Travel & Helen Wilcockson – Area Manager for Catering & Hospitality and Travel.

They were both especially interested in looking around our salons and the learning kitchens/restaurants where 8 learners from their college will spend their placements in spring and do Risk Assessment paperwork. They were also very interested in our in students’ mini companies.

Why did you choose to come to Finland and to Jyväskylä College?

To learn about the Finnish Education System and the Entrepreneurship Scheme which is the best in Finland.

What did you see and do?

We have had a tour of various campus’ (four in total). We have met a number of students and staff and had a tour of the city which was hosted by the Tourism students (who were extremely knowledgeable and hospitable. They used their English language skills exceptionally well.

What did you learn?

  • How to improve current Entrepreneurship Schemes.
  • E-learning tools.
  • The programme of study for Health and Social Care.
  • The workings of a Day Care Centre.
  • How the students self evaluate themselves (working in the triangle of tutor, mentor and student)
  • We have learnt a few words in the Finnish language.

What kind of impact the visit will have on you personally or on your team/ organisation? (short/medium/long term)

  • Create a stronger partnership between both colleges
  • Install some of the effective practices that we have observed into our own areas.

The next steps in this cooperation have been already planned and there will be more student and staff mobilities taking place already before the end of this academic year. The cooperation is off to a good start  and the next academic year will hopefully bring more good things.

Huge thanks also to all the hosts who participated in the visit!

More information Rea Tuominen, International Coordinator

Vision, Innovation, Teamwork, Achievement and Leadership

ECVET, koulutusjärjestelmät, opiskelijaliikkuvuus, osaaminen

Kick off meeting in Newtonabbey, NI 

Enterprise is VITAL is a 3-year KA2 project coordinated by Norther Regional College from Norther Ireland. The kick off meeting was held 16-17 January 2017 at NRC Newtonabbey campus. Enterprise is VITAL is a network of colleges that have a desire to increase entrepreneurial activity. Project partners seek to increase their capacity to operate transnationally through the sharing of ideas, practices and methods. The partners are 4 colleges NRC (NI), IES La Senia (ES), AEVA (PT) and Jyväskylä College (FI) and 2 business partners APIP from Spain and Ballymena Business Centre from NI. Jyväskylä College was represented at the meeting by Niina Helin and Rea Tuominen

During the project the network will create Enterprise Clubs, train management and teachers, arrange mobility activities for learners including entrepreneurship competitions and produce a Best Practice Guide, a ‘How to’ Resource Pack for VET providers.

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More information: Niina Helin, Entrepreneurship Manager and Rea Tuominen, International Coordinator

Trainee Teachers from Germany

Gradia Jyväskylä, henkilöstö, kotikansainvälisyys, koulutusjärjestelmät, osaaminen

Arzu, Sarah and Florian from Frankfurt/Wiesbaden Germany

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Who are you and where do you come from?

My Name is Florian Schwarz, I am 28 years old and I live in Germany. My greatest passion is to travel, see the world and meet interesting people.

My name is Arzu Tokgöz. I am 26 years old and from Germany. I love reading books and discovering new cultures. Therefore, I am interested in getting to know people from all over the world.

My name is Sarah Ritschel. I am 27 years old and from Germany. I love travelling and meeting a lot of interesting people. I am interested in arts, literature, theatre and fashion.

What are you studying?

We are trainee teachers at vocational colleges in Germany and are attending the teacher training program at the moment. Our subjects are Business Administration (Arzu and Florian), Hairdressing (Sarah), English (Arzu and Sarah), and Politics (Florian).

What have you been doing in Jyväskylä?

We came to Jyväskylä to get to know the Finnish vocational school system. Therefore, we visited different classes in Business Administration, Hairdressing, English, and Politics and had the possibility to talk to students and teachers about their own educational system. We also presented the German vocational education system to the students and teachers who were really interested and also surprised about some basic differences. Based on these exchanges, we figured out the distinctions between the Finnish and German vocational school system and gained new experiences in teaching.

How long have you stayed in Jyväskylä?

We have been in Finland for three weeks. We arrived in Jyväskylä at the 23rd of October and we will be leaving at the 10th of November. On our way to Finland, we travelled through Tallinn and St. Petersburg. We also want to stay two and a half days in Helsinki from the 10th – 12th of November. We have also visited Rovaniemi, a town in the north of Finland to discover the country.

Do you think the time has been too short (why?), too long (why?)

The time of three weeks was perfect for us. Concerning the vocational college that we visited during this time, there we have seen everything and gained many insights into the Finnish school system. As for the city, three weeks were enough to discover Jyväskylä, visit the most important spots and get to know the Finnish culture.

What have you learned during your stay?

We got to know Finnish people and Finnish culture much better. It was interesting to see that some clichés were absolutely not true. Finnish people are very friendly and talkative and are always willing to help. We knew that sauna took a special place in Finnish culture but we were really wondering when we heard that almost every family has its own sauna within their houses. Another interesting fact we learned was that Finnish people drink a lot of coffee. It was completely new to us. And of course, we also learned some Finnish 😉

What have been the best moments during your stay?  

We made many experiences during our stay. One of our best decisions was definitely to book the Airbnb flat of Juha Virenius, who is a very nice Finnish ex ice hockey player. He always invited us to his bar and presented us to his friends. So it was possible for us to see how Finnish people live here and pass their leisure time. Therefore, our highlight of the trip was meeting Finnish people here. We have found many new friends and they made our stay unforgettable. They spent time with us in the afternoons after school or in the evenings, cooked for us and were always helpful. We had a very good time with them! Getting to know a lot of teachers at the vocational school was also a pleasure. They were very friendly and invited us to their places. They showed us their way to live and their lifestyle.

Give three tops and tips (based on your own experience) to someone who is planning to come to Jyväskylä. How should they prepare? What should they do/see/visit/experience?

  1. Having a walk along the lakes: It is very calming and if the sun shines, it gives such a beautiful view.
  2. Visiting the tower of Jyväskylä: You will have a great view of Jyväskylä and the lakes around the city.
  3. Going to an ice hockey game of JYP: It is a different feeling and atmosphere which everyone should enjoy to understand the Finnish passion for ice hockey.
  4. Eating traditional Finnish food and going to sauna: This is highly recommended to everyone visiting Jyväskylä to understand the Finnish culture better.

Take definitely sports clothes with you because Finnish people do sports regardless of the weather conditions. They go on a walk on the Harju hill or along the lakes. You should also book an Airbnb flat, so you can cook on your own and have the feeling that you really live in Finland and are not a tourist. Jyväskylä has many museums to visit. Inform you about the museums and try to focus on those you are really interested in. Jyväskylä also has very interesting and authentic coffee shops, inform you about them and try to visit as many as you can.

More information: Rea Tuominen, international coordinator

Annual ECVET Forum

ECVET, Gradia Jyväskylä, koulutusjärjestelmät, opiskelijaliikkuvuus, osaaminen, rahoitus, saapuvat opiskelijat

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FLEXIBLE PATHWAYS TO VOCATIONAL SKILLS

Annual ECVET Forum, 11 October 2016, Rome

The Annual ECVET Forum is the place to gather information and exchange views and experiences on how ECVET principles can help to provide people with opportunities for open, flexible and individualised pathways to develop vocational skills and to get recognition for them. The Dutch led EMEU project (Erasmus+ KA2) was selected as one of the six (6) best practices projects to be presented at the 2016 Forum in Rome. The project and EMEU network were represented at the event by Rea Tuominen, International Coordinator from Jyväskylä College.

Access for young VET students to teaching and training methods and work experiences in other countries improves their employability in a global economy. Member states have increased their efforts to create opportunities for 16-29 year-olds to gain accredited skills in cross-border mobility projects, helping them become competitive in an increasingly international job market. The European Commission and the Council have defined ambitious aims for learner mobility: by 2020, an EU average of at least 6% of 18-34 year olds with an initial vocational education and training qualification should have had an initial VET-related study or training period abroad (including work placements) lasting a minimum of two weeks. The actual numbers of students taking part in mobility projects are much lower in most countries. For instance, in the EMEU partner countries, the number of secondary VET students involved in mobility programmes at the beginning of the project was  between just 1-2 %.

The Annual ECVET Forum discussed the issues, solutions and future challenges for the ECVET priorities and the discussion continues e.g. in the ECVET Maganize:

www.ecvet-secretariat.eu/en/magazine

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