Finnish non formal adult education teachers are committed to their work, master the subject they teach and implement group work a study shows. Expertise in adult pedagogy and multiculturalism need to be refreshed.

ADULT TEACHER´S DIPLOMA FROM THE 2010 ACADEMIC YEAR

EXCELLENT: contents of subject, cooperation and interaction skills
GOOD: guiding learning, evaluation and knowledge of the goals and strategies of one´s own education establishment, ability to adapt to new tasks and situations
SATISFACTORY: knowledge of students´ different starting points, ability in and desire for innovation, ability to develop as an expert
SUFFICIENT: knowledge of adult pedagogy, network pedagogy skills, multicultural skills, multiprofessionalism, working life cooperation

This sums up the expertise of Finnish adult teachers. Today, it is known how trainers understand and experience their work.

The expert body working at the University of Jyväskylä, the Education Assessment Board, produced a report on the experiences of 1,744 liberal adult education professionals. It included full-time teachers, part-time teachers, principals and representatives of education establishments.

It is pleasing that a Finnish adult education teachers can master the subject they teach as well as the implementation of group work.

"Education staff are strongly committed to their work, which creates a good basis for the development of liberal adult education and educational establishments", sums up professor Esa Poikela from the University of Lapland. He led the assessment work group.

It seems also that education staff masters their own work despite the increase in work load over the past few years. Over half of the principals and almost as many full-time teachers say that they feel rushed.

The most concerning aspect of the report is the situation of part-time teachers, of which there are as many as 30,000 in liberal adult education. In the adult education centres, for example, two thirds of the education depend on them.

The part-time teachers are usually experts in their own field, such as handicraft experts or physical education instructors, and teaching is their part-time job.

A formal competency based on pedagogic studies is not required of them. The statistics show that 90% of the principals, 80% of the full-time teachers and 50% of the part-time teachers have done pedagogic studies.

Adult pedagody and multiculturalism

The adult education centres, 90 educational establishments, are known for their immigrant education. No wonder their teachers stand out with their multicultural skills. Regardless of the education establishment, an intensive update of adult pedagogy and network pedagogy skills is required.

"Only a fifth feel they have a good knowledge of adult pedagogy and part-time teachers' knowledge of it is particularly poor. Network pedagogy is well mastered by about a quarter of all staff groups", says Esa Poikela.

There is also room for improvement in multiprofessional co-operation and working life co-operation, which the work is increasingly requiring.

"The education establishments and principals have a much better idea of the education possibilities of the education staff than the education staff themselves", Poikela states.

What about part-time teachers?

In February, Finland's Ministry of Education will start training to update teachers at a cost of 8 million euros. However, the skills programme does not guarantee that the part-time teachers will reach the update training, because under Finnish law, the employer is not obliged to take care of their training.

In addition to the official training, Esa Poikela emphasises learning at the work place, such as team work and development discussions. The new law obligates the liberal adult education establishments to further welfare and health. Poikela emphasises that the teachers must also value the welfare of their own work community by getting involved in team work.

The findings of the report from the Education Assessment Board were used in planning the adult teachers' diploma.

(InfoNet - Terhi Kouvu)