The Bothnian Sea project

On Wednesday this week we had a meeting with a group of first year craft and technology teacher students, two teachers from the University of Turku, and delegates from the City of Rauma environment agency. This was the final discussion about the Bothnian Sea project, which was planned and organized together with Rauma City and the teacher students on craft and technology education in the University of Turku, department of teacher education, Rauma Unit. The project was organized around the themes “environmental education” and “The Bothnian Sea”. The learning task for the students was to ideate, design and manufacture products for environmental education within the students’ first introductory craft and technology courses. The materials and techniques included woodwork, metalwork, electronics, sewing, felting and different kinds of other textile techniques. The purpose was to combine materials and techniques, and to ideate a product or the “family” of products for environmental education. 

As the start on the project, Juhani Korpinen, the head of the environment agency of the Rauma City prepared a presentation concerning the Bothnian Sea National Park in the Rauma area.  The students also made a sea trip with the boats onto the Nurmes island. The purpose of this trip was to familiarize the students with the nature of the Bothnian Sea area, but also to generate inspiration for the design process. The students continued to process and manufacture their ideas in the guidance of several teachers. They experienced the process as very challenging, because many technologies and techniques were new for them, but many of the final products were fine and skilfully made. An exhibition was organized around the theme in the end of the project, where the students’ presented their products.  

In the Wednesday meeting the final synopsis about the project was made, but also the future elaborations were made for the next summer exhibition in the national park. The students were very motivated to continue the co-operation with the Rauma City and the environment agency. From our point of view as the teachers, this kind of projects will be organized also in the future. The synergy leads us forward!

One of our teacher student speaking in the final meeting.

On Thursday this week I was employed with intensive day concerning craft and technology education for Finnish comprehensive school teachers. The day was a part of the larger in-service course unit on basic studies of craft and technology contents. The first session on Thursday morning was a summary and evaluation of first course unit. During the last autumn the University of Turku, Department of Teacher Education, Rauma Unit organized two intensive three day periods of  learning different textile craft and technology contents. Between the intensive periods the teachers taking part to the course were working on their study tasks. They had to make plans about learning tasks for primary school students. The aim was to plan a craft and technology project, which combined different textile and technology techniques. They reported their plans of the project and their activities through writing their own blogs. During the evaluation session on Thursday they presented their projects, including their craft and technology products they had made. The presentations, the blogs and the products were amazing…  

This in-service course unit is the first for me, where I as a teacher have used social media as a tool for education. Moodle virtual learning environment is familiar for me in my everyday work with university students, but a facebook group as a tool for education has been a new experience. It works as an easy and rapid way to be in contact with my “students”. I think that also the teachers as their “student role” have seen this way as fine and useful. They have got support and help also from each others. Our course continues, and perhaps in the future months I will tell more about our experiences.