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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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Effective Practices <strong>in</strong> Distance <strong>Education</strong> <strong>in</strong> UpperSecondary Level <strong>Geography</strong> <strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>landEila Jeronen 1 , Sirpa Anttila-Muilu 21Department of <strong>Education</strong>al Sciences and Teacher <strong>Education</strong>,University of Oulu P.O.B. 2000, 90014 Oulu, F<strong>in</strong>lande-mail: Eila.Jeronen@oulu.fi2S. Anttila-Muilu, Oulun Lyseon lukioKajaan<strong>in</strong>katu 3, 90100 Oulu, F<strong>in</strong>landAbstractDur<strong>in</strong>g the last decade, there have been large changes <strong>in</strong> the society and the school system<strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>land. This article briefly describes the curriculum for upper secondary school geography,to be <strong>in</strong>troduced by the 1 st of August 2005. In the new curriculum, communication,media skills and technology are listed as important teach<strong>in</strong>g methods. The article also offersa specific set of pedagogical and assessment strategies found to be successful <strong>in</strong> distanceeducation <strong>in</strong> <strong>Geography</strong>. Distance education offers students an opportunity to have uppersecondary level education also <strong>in</strong> small rural village schools, which do not have teachers <strong>in</strong>all the required subjects.Key words: multiform teach<strong>in</strong>g, net-based learn<strong>in</strong>g environments, geography educationIntroductionF<strong>in</strong>land launched a special <strong>in</strong>formation society strategy <strong>in</strong> 1995 (M<strong>in</strong>istry of <strong>Education</strong>,1995) <strong>in</strong> which the use of <strong>in</strong>formation and communication technology (ICT)<strong>in</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>g and learn<strong>in</strong>g figured as a key to accelerat<strong>in</strong>g the progress <strong>in</strong> the chosendirection (S<strong>in</strong>ko and Leht<strong>in</strong>en, 1999). In 1999, the M<strong>in</strong>istry of <strong>Education</strong> updatedthe ICT strategy. This was a cont<strong>in</strong>uation of earlier governmental efforts to steernational growth towards an <strong>in</strong>formation society through learn<strong>in</strong>g and education.The ma<strong>in</strong> concept <strong>in</strong> the programme was a ´learn<strong>in</strong>g citizenship society` (M<strong>in</strong>istryof <strong>Education</strong>, 1999). The third strategy was published <strong>in</strong> 2004. This InformationSociety Programme can be divided <strong>in</strong>to three categories: knowledge, content andthe operat<strong>in</strong>g environment. The programme is targeted to all players <strong>in</strong> the education,tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and research fields and it concerns all citizens as users or producersof <strong>in</strong>formation society services. The programme is geared 1) to develop all citizens’<strong>in</strong>formation society knowledge and skills, 2) to enable educational <strong>in</strong>stitutions touse <strong>in</strong>formation and communications technology (ICT) <strong>in</strong> a versatile way <strong>in</strong> theiractivities, 3) to establish ICT-based procedures <strong>in</strong> education, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and researchand 4) to promote social <strong>in</strong>novation through the use of ICT (M<strong>in</strong>istry of <strong>Education</strong>,2004).The ICT strategies have affected the processes at schools. All schools havean Internet connection, and systematic staff development has started. Innovative146

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