Future Innovators STEAM4SD

Activism is needed in schools to change the inequality and destruction of nature that now go hand in hand. https://edugems.fi/2022/11/21/how-is-finnish-education-expertise-supporting-kenyan-schools-to-change-their-teaching-through-education-for-sustainable-development/

EduGems’ ESD Education Pathway will raise awareness and responsible implementation of Education for Sustainable Development around the world! https://edugems.fi/2023/04/25/education-for-sustainable-development-esd-as-a-new-educational-export-from-finland-to-boost-the-sustainability-revolution/

EduGems training has helped us to understand recycling more, flipped classroom, to be more aware of the environment, consciousness of the environment reinforced and the nine planetary boundaries. We have become a lot more aware of all these, and that has made us more motivated to take steps for environmental awareness and protection. Learning from a country famous for its high level of education is a privilege.-Happy Summer School, HondurasRead more

In Moldova, Science, Chemistry and Biology subjects teachers were invited to cooperate. They showed in their schools education that really matters for the future. "Parents were impressed by the motivation of their kids searching and exploring information about the materials, how they are used and what the reason is for the raw materials."- Vasile Alecsandri Theoretical Lyceum, MoldovaRead more

During past years, our campers (mainly 8-15 years) have learned to reason their solutions about mega challenges, like water scarcity, in different levels and scales. They have created arguments as an individual, as a citizen in a society or as a global actor. EduGems students have learned to look the world from a perspective of an industry, a politician and a parent. It is important to try to find united views and goals!For instance, our international youth at Norrvalla camp center, learned to explore outdoor geometry and investigate hands-on energy and water solutions. The learning focus was in social interaction, creativity and movement.At Solvalla elementary level students got to innovate new natural cosmetic products, hang in a forest obstacle course and engage in molecular gastronomy. These tasks fostered consumer knowledge, inquiry skills and cross-cultural interaction.Our youngest campers have been only 6 years old in Espoo. They also solved water and consumer product challenges, while we inspired them in studying STEAM!

PDC (Project Drive Create) and Future school are part of our new vocabulary and in this blogpost we tell you why. EduGems Pedagogical Director, Marianne Juntunen, was invited to give a lecture and workshops on circular economy and sustainability at the CACIE Future Education Forum and the 2nd PDC International Education in Beijing on 17-19.10.2019. Marianne was accompanied by Managing Director Linda Suomela-Hemangkorn and Development Director Eva Roos.PDC (Project Drive Create) derives from:P - ProjectDrive - desire and interest; practice and experience; thought and awareness;Create - experience and skills; accomplishment and emotion; attitude and valuePDC International Education Alliance was founded in 2015 at the Hu Jia Lou Central Primary school when the school put forward the practical education concept of PDC (Project Drive Create). The amount of PDC member schools has since grow and today there are more than 100 schools that embrace and promote the PDC educational reform. The ambition is “to bring education from classroom to life, from school to society, and make students acquire comprehensive skills and understand real life, so that they can adapt to the future society, and have a sense of responsibility”.PDC is very future-oriented, and the schools are therefore called Future schools.PDC education represents a new education revolution that challenges traditional practice in China. By integrating the wisdom of frontier education at home and abroad, and focusing on real life problems and the development of students’ core literacy and future ability, it is defined as a future-oriented education.PDC (Project Driven Create) education represents a revolution of thoughts, and a change of ideas, which activates, changes and develops students in a project-driven way.The focus is on six dimensions of students’ growth that come under the headings of Self-discovery, Social Practice, Return to Life, Understand Culture, Science Exploration, and Nature Study, which deal with students’ relationship with themselves, nature, and the society.PDC education, with a focus on real life issues, tries to solve real problems from a child’s standpoint. By participating in the project, children build their values for life and the world, acquire the future-oriented practical ability and innovative spirit.We share the same goals as the Finnish national core curriculum for basic education has a strong emphasis on students active role in learning. It is important to integrate the student in the process as a whole to create a wholesome learning process.Marianne held a live broadcasted lecture and workshops at Hu Jia Lou Central Primary School in Beijing. Marianne gave a lecture with the title Education for sustainable development possibilities and challenges. Key words were circular economy, 21st century skills and sustainability. This lecture was followed by a workshop for a group of students. The students were introduced to the key concepts of circular economy and 21st century skills. They warmed up by learning some fascinating facts about Finland and how to say hi and bye in Finnish - this was a sweet and simple example of cultural exchange. The students enjoyed the product life cycle task, and came up with innovative and creative ideas. They got to practice argumentation skills through different games and activities, and they had an admirable joy and enthusiasm towards learning.Marianne’s enthusiasm was also felt and seen, she is a passionate teacher in any classroom environment and in front of any audience. She teaches and learns at the same time, and this inspires the students as well. Together we can solve problems: by cooperating, not competing. With active and activating knowledge and teaching methods.In Finland we have very student-centered methods and approach, and this is something that catches a lot of interest and fascination in China. The classes are big in China, up to 40 students per lead teacher. This makes it difficult to give personalized focus and feedback - exams and scores therefore take a huge place in China, while simultaneously less so in Finland.This was a great learning experience for EduGems, because teaching is simultaneously learning, and only by keeping an open and critical mind can we succeed in creating a more circular and sustainable future, and happier students who find their inner motivation and drive.Thank you Beijing, all the students, teachers and personnel for assisting and welcoming us!

Here is some feedback from our group of young adults at Enä-Seppä camp center 2019, in Southern-Finland. The students were e.g. exploring plastics, consumer products and the Baltic Sea, to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills in teams:Vivian, 17, Taiwan: ”I got new idea how I can protect the environment. The best in Finland was sauna!”Emirha, 16, Turkey: ”I got an idea that just recycle it, nothing is impossible! The EduGems teachers are very good. Students are more active and talking with other people than in my home school.”Lucy, 17, U.K: ”The teaching style here was more hands on and active, less listening and writing essays than in my home country. I can apply what I learned to my daily life to live more sustainably by using less plastic. The best in Finland are the lakes, which most can be swam in.”Lara, 17, Turkey: ”We made a tyre from ruber and recycled it to a swing! I can apply all of the new ideas to our daily life. I really liked the calm and relaxed vibe that Finland has.”Yvonne, 19, Germany: ”I got new ideas, which materials you can recycle. The most engaging was to to be creative and use our own ideas.”Kuzma, 17, Croatia: ”The teaching differed because there was more talking with students. I got new ideas that I can apply to my daily life.”Ilaria, 18, Italia: ”With this teaching style we could make more practical things. The most fun activity was cleaning the sea.”Theodora, 20, Romania: ”I got new ideas about teaching techniques. I can use the games and activities with kids from my scouts group. They were more learner orientated than teaching back home, and we worked in different environments and teams.”