Tapani Kananoja
Oulu University, Finland
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Published in: PATT 1996. Proceedings from the conference "Pupils Attitude Towards Technology"
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 5:11, p. 91-95
Linköping Electronic Articles in Computer and Information Science vol. 0 5:11, p. 91-95
Published: 2001-01-19
ISBN:
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
As in many countries; technology education in Finland is still in the early stages of a long term development process. Changing the subjects in the school curriculum needs a lot of time (APP 1).
The name now used for technologically oriented subjects now in Finland is Technical Work. At the moment it is a part of Crafts education. The appropriate strategy might be to talk about technological education in order to activate more than just the craft teachers.
Turku University; Rauma Teacher Training Department; has had a monopoly in Technical Work subject teacher training. It has been done there for about 35 years. The tradition of training is craft-based but the influence of new technology has been realised for years. Also the old emphasis on electricity and machines has naturally brought in electronics and control technology.
Helsinki University has Textile Work teacher training. Added to that; Joensuu University; Savonlinna Teacher Training Department; has the Home Economics training covering also Textile Work. Training in Helsinki had already begun about 130 years ago.
Oulu University is a newcomer in this field. In 1992 Oulu University was permitted by the Ministry of Education to start exceptional subject teacher training in Technical Work because of the regional lack of teachers in Northern Finland. Actually initiatives were proposed many times to Rauma TTD but without result. In 1991 The National Board of General Education presented a new initiative to the Ministry of Education; and Oulu was permitted to organise training. At the same time; however; Rauma increased its intake from the normal 24 to 35.
A new type of Technology Teacher Education will begin in Oulu in 1996. 20 primary level class teachers will have the opportunity to study Technology Education for 35 credits (study weeks) as a second subject. This will enable him/her to teach TE at the higher comprehensive and senior secondary school levels; although not as a full-time subject teacher (APP. 2). Oulu has good facilities and infrastructure for new training; the University has Faculties of both Education and Technology under the same roof which makes it the only University in Finland with such an arrangement.
