Trying new ways

I've now finalized my thesis and choosing an internet site as a thesis environment was a correct decision. It was easy to add there photos and videos (for example some interviews and my own videos). It's fruitful to see and hear what real people say instead of text quotations. I also linked there mind maps, that can of course be later edited if needed, and they will be automatically updated to the site.

For readers it's easier to read this kind of thesis and return back to different iinteresting themes than in a long text document. The topics can be found as links like also additional material. Mobile devices can be used to read and investigate the thesis. All the materials are such that they work on different devices and platforms.

In the thesis there has been described useful models and methods to be used when working together with others in separate locations. This same model fits well to the education and teaching. Mobile devices are in a central role. By using them people are able to produce, create and generate ideas together when ever and where ever.

I wish this way of writing/creating a thesis encourages also other students to try something new. It was inspiring and fun!

Step by step - planning a course

During this autumn I've designed the steps of a course that belongs to my teaching practice. Planning has started from clarifying the learning outcomes, that is based on the curriculum. I've also collected the background information, like what kind of students there will be participating and how the teaching will be implemented.

The main issues, that I'm teaching in this course, are related to the mobile learning and how to utilize mobile devices for the purposes of park property management. I've divided my part at this course to three different training parts.

In the pre-learning part the students will clarify, what are the mobile devices, how to install apps to them and what kind of apps there are in general. In the practical part students will do mobile spotting (mobiilibongaus) and that is based for one of the mobile pedagogical models of mobile Pasi Silander. The last part is for applying previously learned issues to the practice and clarify their ideas.

Planing will still continue into a detailed level. Later I'll tell here experiences of the teaching practice.

Thesis as an internet site?

During this spring I've started writing my thesis related to the professional teacher education studies. My topic is closely related to the collaboration and organisational development. The size of the thesis is only 8 study points, so I need to be careful not to write a novel :)

In my mind, I had already earlier pondered, if my thesis would be something else than a traditional Word or PDF document. I ended up creating an internet site, after getting a permission to try something new. The site includes now the theoretical part and soon all the elements I've planned. The plan is to include there also some videos and photos.

The site address is:  https://sites.google.com/site/yhteisollisyys/home

All the comments and ideas are welcome!

Producing text by using a mobile

Couple of weeks ago our family participated an orienteering camp in the eastern Finland. I decided to take advantage of sitting long time in a car. I had a pile of books with me to go through and I used a tablet device to write down the main points and ideas to the Google docs. During the trip back and forth I was able to write a lot of text for my thesis.

Usually I borrow the books from the local and university library. Sometimes it happens, that I haven't had time to go through the book and there are reservations of it. In this kind of cases I've used to quickly go through the pages, take photos of most important by using a mobile device and share them in my private Picasa album. Thus I've been able to read them later when I've time. Easy and handy!

History meets the future

Recently in my studies we have handled history of education in Finland. That has opened my eyes really. In Finland education has a long background even if everybody has had equal opportunities to study just during the few decades. I interviewed my mother who was born 1940, just during the war. Her mother became widow when my mother was one year old and she had a quite poor but happy childhood. She would have liked to study to become a teacher, but that wasn't financially possible. She got some financial support to be able to study at business school and worked as a secretary before she married my father and managed a farm with him.


In the beginning of this week history and mobile met in the third MobileSummer school at the HAMK UAS Mustiala unit. In addition to trainings we organized an orienteering competion (O-meet). All the questions were related to the history of Mustiala area and the agricultural education. Questions were found behind the QR-codes using the latest technology, eg. smart phones and tablet devices. That was a great way to learn more during the evening program before sauna and swimming.

My studies will continue during summer by writing my final project. My topic is related to the open, creative  and collaborative model that helps people to work together towards the common goal. In the key role are different types of personality, different roles people take in the groups and open source applications and cloud services.

Google site as a learning platform

During this period in my studies we walked through different group working and teaching methods. We practiced by teaching  to a group of 6 people a chosen method or a skill by using a chosen teaching method. Afterwords everyone's part was evaluated by the group.

I decided to teach others what is a QR code and how it could be used in learning and teaching. I created a Google site for this purpose. It's a good way to collect all the information and material related to a certain study module or issue to one place. There you're able to attach all the learning tasks, instructions and share information during the period. Created site can be open to everyone or in use of a certain group only.

The learning task consisted of 8 different parts:

• prework (to install QR code reader into own mobile device)
• start discussion (to find out what did group knew about QR-codes)
• what is a QR-code - discussion
• what is a QR-code reader, how to read a QR-code - practical training
• what kind of information can be attached behind the QR-code
• how to create a QR-code - practical training
• using QR-codes in teaching and learning - brainstorming
• evaluation

This learning session was held via AdobeConnect environment, which worked quite well in this kind of case. Our group was active. My presence via camera was also an important issue. People felt that I was there with them more closely.

Opettajan oppimispolkua rakentamassa - Building a learning path for a teacher

Opintojen puitteissa seurasin syksyn aikana opetusta sekä peruskoulussa että ammatillisissa opinnoissa. Mukana oli luokkaopetusta ja verkko-opetusta sekä Moodlen avulla että käyttäen avoimessa ympäristössä tuotettua nettisivustoa ja Adobe Connect Pro -verkkokokoussovellusta.

Mitä opin:

• aseta tavoite -> suunnittele -> toteututa = palastele ja kokoa
• ota huomioon oppijoiden taustat ja lähtötaso
• valmistaudu
• visualisoi
• havainnollista esimerkein
• rajaa
• jaa ja ota vastaan; oppijoilta voi myös oppia
• Ja tärkeintä kaikessa: Ole oma itsesi!

Oppija on kuin kukkasipuli. Tarvitaan aikaa kasvaa ja kehittyä ja ottaa asioita oikeassa vaiheessa käyttöön. Niin myös opettajopiskelijalla. Opetusharjoittelu jatkuu Mobiilistin HAMK-mobiilipajoissa kevään aikana.


During autumn my studies have included following the teaching situations both in elementary school and HAMK University of Applied Sciences. These included teaching in a traditional class environment like also web-based learning in Moodle environment and also by using Adobe Connect Pro web conferencing solution with internet sites created by Google sites.


What did I learn:

• set a clear goal -> plan -> implement = create a project breakdown and compile
• take into account learners' backgrounds and starting levels
• prepare properly
• visualize
• give examples
• limit
• disseminate and assimilate (also from learners)
• Be Yourself!

A learner is like a flower bulb. There is needed time to grow, develop and take the learned things into use in a correct phase. This is also a case concerning the learner in a professional teacher education program. Teaching practice will continue in Mobiilisti HAMK mobile workshops during the spring.