Gradia’s international online training pilot that started in April 2020 culminated last week in an event arranged by learners in Shanghai.  At SCAS (Shanghai Accounting School), a group of students and their teachers completed modules of the Finnish Vocational Qualification in Business. The students completed modules in event production and entrepreneurship and their teachers completed a 15 credit point module in project work. This is the first time complete Finnish Vocational Qualification modules have been completed 100% virtually.

In total 11 students received certification for the modules in event production and entrepreneurship and two teachers and an expert for the module in project work.   Assessment of the learning outcomes was performed by a tutor teacher and a representative from industry over five days using for example live video streaming.

Best practices are created together

The training benefitted greatly from Gradia's awarded entrepreneurship training model and expertise. All modules focused strongly on an entrepreneurial mindset and teamwork. Competence for creative thinking and innovation were also developed in practice when planning, marketing and implementing the final event.

"A virtual implementation of training requires a lot of joint planning, mutual trust and cooperation between experts. Cooperation where both parties can also learn from each other. Real time teaching and communication between learners in an online environment requires also new forms of linguistic and cultural interaction, digital skills and courage to use creative methods,” said Pauliina Holm, Gradia’s Global Partnerships Manager.

Virtual implementation highlights the quality of Finnish vocational education

Virtual implementation of Finnish vocational education requires paying attention to its’ key elements. The best practices of the Finnish vocational education; broadness of expected learning outcomes, personalised guidance, work-based learning and competence assessment were strong elements also in the virtual implementation.  

"Learners succeeded very well in a new digital environment and the virtual meetings were all very warm and congenial. The participants excelled both in teamwork and in independent study with the support of their local teachers. The learning processed according to the agreed timetable and the outcomes look impressive. Successful cooperation with the local experts in Shanghai was vital for the success of the virtual implementation and the quality of learning outcomes", says Johanna Ärling, the Senior Expert responsible for the training programme at Gradia.

Picture:  Virtual vocational modules were implemented over the spring and autumn terms using entrepreneurial learning and co-teaching methods. Final evaluation discussions were held online on 12 November 2020.

For more information: Pauliina Holm, Global Partnerships Manager,  pauliina.holm@gradia.fi, tel. +358 40 341 5889