Learning experiences in Finland: knowledge has changed, difficulties, surprises, important activities and mindset changing about education.

I consider I have had a complete immersion in Finish culture during these three months here in Finland. My wife and my son that come back first to Brazil are doing a great struggle to adapt to their usual life and cutting the link with the Finish lifestyle focused mainly in equity and respect. I decided to write this introduction because is exactly this that I've felt the education in Finland. I will organize this post in sessions, each one to summarize a different aspect.

Experiences and activities were the most important in facilitating my own learning.

One very important experience I've lived here was the opportunity to be and to behave as a student after more than 15 years I became a teacher. In this period here I had enough time to read, reflect, being in contact and feel learning experiences. I could realize some learning activities and situations that are not more suitable for my subjects and for my students, and I was applying. I could perceive how it was important learning by doing (PrBL, E-activities creation, learning methods) and seeing what is the real function of the teacher, so distant what I had made, as a transferring information, and what I intend to be, a facilitator.

I have faced the two coin faces in the case of work in groups. During the activities performed by my first group (microteaching, PrBL, and others), although I've realized everyone tried to contribute of some manner, there were different levels of commitment and it disappointed me a lot, maybe the blame was mine by creating a greater expectation regarding the activities that I should have built. That situation has encouraged me to search scientific and general articles about workgroup and teamwork, it has been enriching. On the other hand, my development work group has an awesome synergy, similar interests and commitments. I'm really enjoying and extremely motivated to conduct this work in Brazil.

Others excellent experiences I had were: a fantastic networking with my colleagues from Brazil and with teachers and other professionals from Finland, I hope this could be so fruitful in the future; Finnish culture considering general aspects; opportunity I've had to deepen a subject that interests me through teacher and students talking; visit specific labs, freedom to change the timetable in order to achieve my learning expectations (in some cases); interaction with my son's teachers and staff toward to achieve a better comprehension about Finnish education and relationships; sharing experiences and foster discussions about various educational issues with my housemate Daniel and our neighbors Igor and Karina, as well as with my colleagues and advisors during our lunches at TAMK restaurants (I'll miss them!).

Skills and knowledge has changed or increased during my stay in Finland

Focus on Student centered learning and the real dimension should be released on student motivation and engagement in order to achieve the learning outcomes. We were exposed to many strategies directly linked with that, like MIRAMI Method, Carpe Diem, Design Thinking, Proakatemia, Demola, development work, autonomy etc. Other method I've learnt and I'll apply in my disciplines is Project based learning. PrBL is indicated to a variety of subjects, but I consider it is very suitable for ICT courses. I fell happy to realize as I was instigated to go deeper is this topic and mainly the amount of resources we've been presented about PbPL.

It'll be a great challenge integrating students, teachers, society and University around some projects, that is the further work of our development team. I've seen different initiatives in TAMK, Aalto and other Universities in this way and I've been encouraged by my friend Paulo through his amazing experience in IFES. I consider this project and these ideas appropriated for the Brazilian Economic moment regarding the Brazilian government proposal to stimulate entrepreneurship in Universities, Institutes and schools as a way to re-grow the economy.

I've heard about teacher as a facilitator as well as about student centered learning for a long time in my life, but it was like a distant dream impossible to reach. Now, I've felt confident and motivated to change my disciplines and the way of managing them. I've reflected a lot about me as a teacher and what it would be more fruitful and important for my students. I've been put in touch with many interesting tools applicable to be used in education and I expect I could use them in a good and efficient way.

Difficulties, surprises and memorable experiences

I am a proactive person and I hope that who is working with me has this same attiribute, therefore I had some frustrations during some work in groups. I've tried police me to realize that everyone is different from the others, at the same time that I've reflected that as much as I study, read and work, more I will learn and seize the opportunity to acquire new knowledges I'll be able to apply in my life and to provide a better class for my students. 

I faced a great difficult after 50 days here in Finland because my family needs to come back to Brazil, I think that my productivity fell down during some weeks, but my colleagues encouraged me to retrieve my internal motivation and I got it.

I had two big surprises during my time in TAMK: the first one was Proakatemia, how it has been possible to concentrate different concepts and method focused on student, like PbBL, learning by doing, flexibility, self-assessment and others. I've been surprised also about how BIS and ICT courses has conducted the first year of their courses focused on subjects integration, learning by doing and projects in order to motivate the students and as consequence decrease the dropout rates, that is a big challenge in ICT courses around the world.

I've had countless memorable experiences that is impossible to resume in a paragraph. The most part of them is related with the education of the Finnish people and how the are always ready to help us everywhere and all the time. I could not forget to talk about TAMK staff that has provided an awesome atmosphere. Talking about annoyed moments I'd say they're associated with repetitive experiences, like Proakatemia (not coaching training, it was amazing), some company visits and about our lack of choice to experience something that we'd have more interested in some moments.

Thank you so much, you are really inspiring teachers. I hope do my postdoc here in Finland soon.