Competencies Described in Teacher S Pedagogical Studies in the University of Joensuu

SPriTE WP01 JOENSUU

COMPETENCIES DESCRIBED IN TEACHER’S PEDAGOGICAL STUDIES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF JOENSUU

There is not any nationally approved competence list for teacher profession in Finland. Each university with their faculties can decide upon teacher education curricula. However, we can explicitly or implicitly recognize the competencies in curricular documents.

The competences that has been set as the aims of teacher’s pedagogical studies (60 cp) at the Faculty of Education in the University of Joensuu:

 wide qualification for teaching at the different levels and sectors of education system, in other words qualification for working with pupils and students of different age

 qualification for planning, implementing and evaluating teaching

 qualification for research-based developing of teaching

 qualification for cooperating with the different staff-groups of the school-community, pupils´ families and educational administration

 knowledge, skills and understanding of didactic and psychological basics of learning and teaching

 knowledge, skills and understanding of the ethical and philosophical basics of being a teacher and an educator

 knowledge, skills and understanding for active use of ICT in the profession of a teacher

 qualification for pedagogic interaction, for developing teacher’s profession (teacherhood), for planning, implementing and evaluating teaching on the basis of considering the age, individuality and different backgrounds of pupils and students, the curricula and the school community

 qualification for research-based development work of own teaching and learning and teacher’s profession / own teacherhood

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Excerpts from the text (unofficial translation):

The pedagogical studies consist of three modules in which there are at least one teaching practice period in each. The aim is to create tight connections between theoretic-conceptual studies and teaching practice periods with the help of learning assignments and reflective discussion, which helps student teachers analyze their own experiences and to use these experiences as the foundation of their further learning.

The aim of the teaching practice is to support student teachers’ growth towards exploring, developing and evaluating professional of teaching and learning and to be able to critically and reflectively observe her/his own activity and interaction in teaching and learning situations.

The supervised teaching practice creates qualification for meeting learners of different age and background and learning abilities, and to teach, tutor and educate these learners in accordance with the goals of the education system.

SPriTE, WP01, Joensuu / Kari Sormunen & Ritva Kantelinen, 20.12.2007