" THE PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL - PDF document

" THE PRINCIPALS’, TEACHERS‘ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION" Auli Ojala, PhD. City of Tampere, (University of Tampere, Finland) Abstract 12-year old Finnish school children get familiar with working life by coming to work for one day in Me and MyCity learning environment. The children practice financial , employment and entrepreneurial skills in the miniature societies of the Me and MyCity project. In 2013, Tampere joined the Finnish Me and MyCity project, which is now also expanding to other Finnish towns. Me and MyCity societies are miniature towns with companies and public services. Pupils work in the companies of these towns for one day earning virtual salary and functioning as mini-society`s citizens and consumers. The design of this project is to investigate Me and MyCity as a teaching method of three aspects: principals, teachers and pupils. The research object comprised 37 schools and principals, teachers and 220 pupils. The schools are located in Tampere and in five municipalities around Tampere. The study of this project is: principals’ teachers’ and students’ perceptions of entrepreneurship education and Me and MyCity learning env ironment. The theoretic frame of reference is based on Phenomenal learning and Finnish core curriculum 2016 (appendix) for sixth-grades. The study employs Strauss’s grounded theory approach. The empirical material of study was gathered using various information acquisition methods: interviews, questionnaire, record interviews and field diaries based on observation. Conclusions: According the research findings the principals´ swot analysis shows their unsure to define possibilities of the schools and entrepreneurship education, the teachers consider Me and MyCity as teaching method relevant and good for the pupils, still the teaching material is looking too theoretical. The pupils like to visit Me and MyCity and like to work in the profession they had chosen. Keywords: National Finnish Core Curriculum 2016, working skills, phenomenon-based learning, computer- aided learning, self evaluation, entrepreneurship education, teaching method, working life and competence .

1. INTRODUCTION Since 2008 Europe has been suffering the effects of the most severe economic crisis it has seen in 50 years: for the first time in Europe there are over 25 million unemployed and in the majority of Member States small and medium-sized enterprises have not yet been able to bounce back to their pre-crisis levels. The Pirkanmaa region needs more small and medium- sized enterprises, as unemployment has increased at a record pace. According th e European Commission’s main report (Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan) propose the promotion of entrepreneurship education at schools and universities. Promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship in schools and universities young people who go through entrepreneurial programs and activities start more companies and earlier - the percentage of alumni who become entrepreneurs 3 to 5 years after leaving school is 3 – 5 % whereas for those who participated in any entrepreneurship education this percentage rises to 15- 20%. Also in our country, in Finland many government programs on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education has moved to the top (See: minister Jyrki Katainen government program 22.6.2011). Pirkanmaa region had 33 469 unemployed at the beginning of March 2014. (See Map of Pirkanmaa.) The unemployment rate is currently (2014) in Tampere 17,3 % and now it is lower 15 %. Tampere has 220 446 inhabitants. In the neighboring municipalities the rates of unemployment are (2014) Orivesi 12,3 %, Nokia 13,8 %, Ylöjärvi 11,6 %, Kangasala 11,2 % Vesilahti 10,4 % and Pirkkala 10,6 %.

The neighboring municipalities belong to the region with regional curriculum and were chosen into the study for that reason. This frame of reference was placed over a year ago ith Me and MyCity – learning project. Me and MyCity learning project provide young people information and positive experiences of working life e.g. Background of Me and MyCity is Economic Information Office in Finland. Economic Information Office, founded in 1947, strives to promote the future needs of Finnish industries and the service sector. Me and MyCity is one of strategic objective to provide young people experiences of working life. The three years budget of Me and MyCity for Pirkanmaa is over 1,1 million euro. Map of Pirkanmaa 2. What is Me and MyCity? Me & MyCity is a learning concept aimed at primary school students that deals with entrepreneurship, economy and society. Me & MyCity is a success story. The Me & MyCity learning environment is a miniature town where students spend a day as employees, citizens and consumers. The learning environment includes 15 –20 companies from various sectors. The student’s assignments are based on the operations of real companies. The companies may vary regionally. The visit to Me & MyCity is preceded by a training day for teachers and ten lessons in the students’ own classroom. The learning concept is based on the world-famous Finnish study curriculum (Core Curriculum Draft 2016). The concept brings together students and teachers, university students, companies and local authorities to foster young people’s employability skills. During the study module, the students start to understand their own role as a part of the community and gain information about economy and different actors in the society. (www.tat.fi)

Pupils work one day in Me and MyCity exercise environment that reaches 70 % of Finland’s sixth -graders each study year. 3. The main results of investigation A description of the study material The purpose of this investigation is to study Me and MyCity from three points of view: principals, teachers and pupils . I have interviewed 36 principals, 36 teachers and over 200 pupils covering 13,5 % of all (1526) sixth graders in Tampere in the academic year from 2013 -2014. The neighboring municipalities of Tampere in this study are: Orivesi, Nokia, Ylöjärvi, Kangasala, Vesilahti and Pirkkala. Theoretical background is based on the draft Finnish Curriculum 2016. For this study, Me and MyCity is considered as a teaching method. First I will present the results of SWOT-analysis by the principals. It should be noted that the results of SWOT analysis are to be considered indicative. The SWOT analysis of the strengths of the teaching organizations specially emphasized its professional staff. In special schools (for pupils with learning difficulties) was the fact that all the pupils had personal curricula was seen as a strength. The school’s priorities like curriculum emphasizing mats and language was seen as a strength. Additionally, if the parents had a good socio- economic status that was also seen as a strengths education as pupils’ good behavior.