LIFE2022

PROGRAM

Kindergarten (age 0–6)
Primary school/Teacher Training School (age 7–12)
Secondary school (age 13–15)
High School/Vocational college (age 16–18)

During the shadowing, you will observe teachers and children in their activities, and ask them about their daily teaching practices. On last day you will have a change to teach together with other participants. Planning this session will offer you a great opportunity to share and elicit ideas inspired by the school visits.

LIFE2022 offers interesting expert presentations and workshops focusing on different aspects of Finnish education system. Last, but not least, you will hear testimonies from earlier participants what they have changed in their own school after visiting Finnish schools and how did it work out.   

Tentative program for LIFE2022 – Please note that changes are possible.

Fri 28th
10:00 – 19:00 Participating in Educa event (English program)

Sat 29th
09:00 – 12:00 Educa continues (English program)
12:00 – 18:00 Traveling to Rovaniemi (according to individual flight options). Recommended visit before going to Rovaniemi: Oodi Library. 
19:00 – 21:00 Ice Restaurant Dinner Experience (optional).

Sun 30th
10:00 – 12:00 Kristiina Volmari and Aulis Pitkälä: National and municipal level co-operation with schools and teacher at Scandic Pohjanhovi
12:00 – 13:00 Jussi Kainulainen: Local implementations of the national curriculum – case Rovaniemi.
13:00 – 14:00 lunch
14:00 – 17:00 Learning outside the classroom: Visiting Santa Claus Village, includes an optional visit and ride to Hysky Park

Mon 31st
09:00 – 12:30 Kindergarten/School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Socratic walk & wrap up of the school visit (Learning diary)
14:00 – 15:00 Jussi-Pekka Järvinen: The role of digital learning and teaching in exceptional circumstances. What we learned during the 2020 and 2021
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break
15:30 – 17:30 Optional Workshop: It’s the pedagogy, not the technology.
19:00 – 21:00 Rovaniemi City Reception

Tue 1st
09:00 – 12:30 Kindergarten/School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Outdoor activities or after lunch quiet time 
15:00 – 17:00 Learning and teaching together workshop 1 
19:00 – 21:30 Excursion to Aurora Borealis Camp (optional)

Wed 2nd
09:00 – 12:30 School visits (incl. lunch)*
13:00 – 14:00 Socratic walk & wrap up of the school visit (Learning diary)
14:00 – 16:00 VisitEDUfinn- & Euneos-Alumni stories: How the learnings from Finnish education have been applied? Panel discussion with Marjaana Sall, Ambassador for Education in Finland.
19:00 – 21:00 Farewell Dinner at Scandic Pohjanhovi

Thu 3rd
09:00 – 11:30 Learning and teaching together workshop 2
11:30 – 12:00 Reflection & feedback, food for thought, closing
14:00 – 17:00 Snowmobile Safari to Reindeer Farm (optional)

*There is a minimum number of participants per group, so unfortunately we cannot guarantee that you are able to join each day your preferred age group.  

IMPORTANT! If there are differences between the brochure and the website, you can count on the website as it has updated information.

OPTIONAL WORKSHOP

Want to learn pedagogically appropriate ways for remote teaching? Would you like to be able to teach like Finnish teachers during lockdown? Join this special workshop uniquely designed for LIFE2022 participants.

IT’S THE PEDAGOGY, NOT THE TECHNOLOGY
Date and time: Monday 31^st, 15:30 – 17:30
Place: Scandic Pohjanhovi
Group size: 10 – 50 persons
Price: € 190 (EXCL. VAT 24%) /participant
Trainer: Jussi-Pekka Järvinen
Booking: as part of the LIFE2022 online registration process

Introduction
During this 2-hour workshop we will look at a few examples of how Finnish teachers transferred to remote teaching in the course of just a few days during the spring of 2020, and how the pandemic changed their teaching in 2021. Focus will be on how innovative and experienced teachers were able to harness their pedagogical expertise to work with the tools they were given and successfully provide the essence of the Finnish education system to students in difficult circumstances. Through these cases we will focus on how some schools have tackled the issue of digitalization and providing teachers with the skills and tools needed to harness their pedagogical abilities for the 21st century. The attendees will get a glimpse at how in-service teacher training, digital tutoring and school-wide digital competency monitoring work together in practice and provide teachers, school leaders and students a clear picture of their strengths and needs for development.

JUSSI-PEKKA JÄRVINEN

Jussi-Pekka Järvinen (M.Ed) currently works as a university teacher at the University of Turku where he teaches a minor subject (60 ECTS) in the subject digital learning and teaching offered for both pre-service students at the department of teacher education, as well as in-service teachers as a professional development program. Jussi-Pekka has previously worked in the field of technology and possesses a strong knowledge of pedagogy, technology and the combination of these two for pedagogically relevant use of educational technology in teaching and learning. Jussi-Pekka was awarded as the teacher of the year in 2019 at the University of Turku alongside his colleague Aleksi Lahti.

EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS IN ROVANIEMI

AULIS PITKÄLÄ

Aulis Pitkälä has an exceptional career in the field of Education. During the years 2012-2016 Aulis responded a valued task of Director General in Finnish National Agency for Education and nowadays he works as a Deputy Mayor of Education and Cultural Services in the city of Espoo. In 2017 he was awarded with honorary title by the President of the Republic of Finland for his distinguished career in education.

KRISTIINA VOLMARI

Kristiina Volmari, Ph.D, works as Counsellor of Education and Head of Statistics and International Affairs at the Finnish National Board of Education. She has also worked as a teacher for 20 years at most levels of education and in vocational teacher education. Kristiina’s  areas of special interest and expertise are comparative international education data, teachers and trainers in vocational education and training and leadership. She has a thorough knowledge and understanding of European and global education and training issues having worked closely with European networks and working groups as well as participating in OECD studies and data collection.

JUSSI KAINULAINEN

Jussi Kainulainen has an extensive experience from Finnish education system. He has working experience from primary and secondary education as a class teacher, SEN teacher and vice-principal. Jussi has also been engaged with school administration as a Development Manager in the City of Kokkola and currently as Pedagogical Director here in Rovaniemi supporting education in local schools from early chilhood education until secondary education. Jussi has international working experience from e.g. Namibia and Laos where he worked for two years within United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). After Laos he acted as Programme Manager with EduCluster Finland leading Education Partnership Program (EPA) program in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Before relocating back to Finland and Rovaniemi, Jussi was working in Malaysia with improving education in Malaysian government schools.

JUSSI-PEKKA JÄRVINEN

Jussi-Pekka Järvinen (M.Ed) currently works as a university teacher at the University of Turku where he teaches a minor subject (60 ECTS) in the subject digital learning and teaching offered for both pre-service students at the department of teacher education, as well as in-service teachers as a professional development program. Jussi-Pekka has previously worked in the field of technology and possesses a strong knowledge of pedagogy, technology and the combination of these two for pedagogically relevant use of educational technology in teaching and learning. Jussi-Pekka was awarded as the teacher of the year in 2019 at the University of Turku alongside his colleague Aleksi Lahti.

MARJAANA SALL

Marjaana Sall is an Ambassador for Education at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since September 2019. Marjaana Sall has extensive experience in Africa having served 12 years at diplomatic positions in Africa. Most recently, she served as the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and to the Republic of Seychelles. She was also responsible for the cooperation between the European Union and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). She was the first Finnish female EU Ambassador appointed by the Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in 2015. She has also worked as Deputy Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya and as Deputy Ambassador of the Finnish Embassy to South Africa and to Indonesia. She has also held a position at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York.

LIFE2022 COORDINATOR AND FACILITATOR

SUVI KRISTA WESTLING
Suvi K. Westling is an educational psychologist and expert in the field with both grass root teaching experience from school and teacher education as well as research from these environments.  She has a broad and holistic view of education and a deep understanding of human mind and learning. She has graduated from and later taught new students in an innovative program of educational psychology at the University of Helsinki. Her teaching has included lecturing, supervising pre-service-teachers’ practice, and facilitating group processes and process-oriented group studies. In her research she studies the quality of regulation of students’ learning and activity, at school and at teacher education. She has worked as an expert in educational program design at an academic level as well as in the world of international organizations.

SOCIAL PROGRAM

Visit to the Santa Claus Village 

Sunday 30 January at 14:00 – 17:00.

Bus will pick up avecs/accompanying persons from Scandic Pohjanhovi at 13:30.  

Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees. Optional visit and ride in Husky Park for additional fee.

Rovaniemi City Reception and light dinner

Monday 31 January at 19:00 – 21:00

Rovaniemi City Reception in Rovaniemi City Hall (Hallituskatu 7). There is a 10 minute walk from the Scandic Pohjanhovi. LIFE2022 organizers will lead the participants to the City Hall and back to the hotel. 

Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees.

Farewell Dinner

Wednesday 2 February at 19:00 – 21:00

The farewell dinner will be organized at the LIFE2021 venue Scandic Pohjanhovi in the city center. 

Price: Included in the registration fee for all attendees. 

Winter Activities

Saturday 29 January at 19:00 – 21:00
Tuesday 1 February at 19:00 – 21:30
Thursday 3 February at 14:00 – 17:00.

For our both LIFE2022 participants and avecs/accompanying persons we have organized an exclusive winter activity program in the surrounding areas of Rovaniemi. More information in Winter Activities -tab. 

Price: NOT Included in the registration fee for all attendees. 

WINTER ACTIVITIES

To get inspired you can have a look at www.laplandsafaris.com. For both LIFE2021 participants and avecs/accompanying persons we have organized an exclusive winter activity program. In order to participate in these activities, please register before January 21st, 2022 using the following link:

ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR LIFE2022 WINTER ACTIVITIES HERE>>