Cooperation Between Students from Higher Education and Vocational School
Author(s):
Nina Lahtinen (presenting / submitting) Auli Hietanen (presenting)
Conference:
ECER 2012
Network:
21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Format:
Poster

Session Information

ERG SES C 05, Interactive Poster Sessions

Interactive Poster Sessions

Time:
2012-09-17
13:30-15:00
Room:
FCEE - Aula 2.5
Chair:
Joana da Silveira Duarte

Contribution

The purpose of this paper is to describe how to develop cooperation between higher education and vocational education. This piloting project is part of Koulii (Educational Innovation & Integration project). The Koulii project is a joint project by Omnia (The Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region) and the Laurea University of Applied Sciences, aiming to improve cooperation between institutes of upper secondary vocational education and training as well as polytechnics and innovation competence and the quality of regional development work.

The theoretical background consists of a culture-historical activity theory. According to the theory, an activity consists of different kinds of activity systems. Expansive learning arises inside those systems (Engeström 1987, 2001). Activity system is an established convention according to which one acts in a community, which shares tools, rules and division of labor in their acting. There is also an object for the activity. (Virkkunen ym. 2001, 19-21.)  In this project we try to have two different kind of activity system working together.

 

Method

This well-being development project involved students from Degree Program Beauty and Cosmetics from Laurea University of applied sciences as well as Beauty Therapist students from Omnia Vocational College. There were four teachers (two from both schools) and fifty-eight students working together. One third of students were working in Koulii project, and others had their case elsewhere. In Koulii-project students planned wellbeing afternoons to customers in Suurpelto and in other project students wrote content about wellbeing to website. Teachers were all together with whole student group. Project started by teachers meetings. There were many things to be solved like meeting places, student motivation, team sharing, different rules and evaluation. Teachers had divided teams beforehand: students were mixed to be in same team with students from the other school. Each team consisted of 6-7 students. Also tasks of the teams were given by teachers. Teams had to plan themselves how to manage the tasks. After all projects had completed the final meeting took place. Teams presented their project to others and gave their self-evaluation. Whole student group and teachers discussed about projects. Teams wrote report of their project and reflected on the project. Every student also wrote their own reflection.

Expected Outcomes

As conclusion this part on Koulii project succeeded better than teachers expected. Because students needed to arrange well-being activities they really had to work together even they did not know each other forehand. Instead students in other project, were they needed to wrote content to website, did not work so well together. In website team students from Laurea and Omnia worked parallel but not tightly integrated. In the end they only put their written materials as one report and contact person made sure that the style was same in the whole report. Students from both groups gave positive oral feedback and they found this kind of convention of working very fresh and exuberant. Expected results from the written feedback are parallel, but hopefully more exact. Expected results from the teachers’ interviews are problem solving ideas when working with two different activity systems and different rules and tools.

References

Daniels, H., Edwards, A., Engeström, Y., Gallagher, T. & Ludvigsen, S. R. (eds.). 2010. Activity theory in practice : promoting learning across boundaries and agencies. London : Routledge. Elliott, G., Fourali, C. & Issler, S. 2010. Education and social change : connecting local and global perspectives. New York : Continuum International Pub. Engeström, Yrjö. 2008. From teams to knots : activity-theoretical studies of collaboration and learning at work. New York, N.Y. : Cambridge University Press. Engeström, Y.1987. Learning by Expanding – an activity-theoretical approach to developmental research. Helsinki: Orienta konsultit. Kerosuo, H 2006. Boundaries in action : an activity-theoretical study of development, learning and change in health care for patients with multiple and chronic illnesses. Helsinki : University of Helsinki. Illeris, K. (eds.). 2009. Contemporary theories of learning : learning theorists ... in their own words. London : Routledge. Piirainen A. (toim.). 2008. Ohjaus Learning by Developing –toimintamallissa. Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulun julkaisusarja A67. Helsinki: Edita Prima Oy. Raij, K. 2007. Learning by Developing. Laurea publications A 58. Helsinki: Edita Prima Oy. Virkkunen, J., Engeström, Y., Pihlaja, J. & Helle, M. 2001. Muutoslaboratorio. Uusi tapa oppia ja kehittää työtä. [Change Laboratory. The New Way to Learn and Develop Work] Helsinki: Edita. www.koulii.fi www.laurea.fi www.omnia.fi

Author Information

Nina Lahtinen (presenting / submitting)
Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland
Auli Hietanen (presenting)
Laurea University of Applied Sciences
Vantaa

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