More than hundred Saudi teachers celebrated the graduation from the six-month professional training program 29 November in Helsinki. The teachers aim to use the gained knowledge to develop their schools and the education system in Saudi Arabia.
Theoretical background and student-centered learning
The main goal of the program was to enhance the pedagogical competence of the teachers. This was realized through a three-month hands-on orientation into teachers’ work in schools supplemented by pedagogical and English language studies.
English teacher Mona Aliishi and IT teacher Amal Gamdi see student-centered learning of the Finnish schools as the most important thing they learned during the program. ”Students take responsibility for their learning ,” Aliishi says. ”I enjoyed especially the opportunity for cross-curricular, phenomenon-based learning and teaching,” tells Gamdi.
The teachers report having enjoyed living in Finland. In addition to the program, they appreciated the winter weather in Joensuu, the public transport in the Capital Area as well as the availability of service and transport connections in Turku and Tampere.
”This has been an unforgettable experience. Thank you for this program and all the support I have received,” says Norah Sayer Alanazi who studied in Tampere.
Program organizers
In the Helsinki Capital Area, the pedagogical and English language studies were organized by the University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+. The three-month school immersion period was organized OEP in six schools of the City of Espoo.
In Turku, Tampere and Joensuu, the program was organized by Finland University.
More information
Ms Mervi Jansson, CEO, mervi.jansson(at)oep.fi