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УДК 378
Pavel Layus1, Vladimir Mikhailov2
Finnish Engineering Education System
lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland 2M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk, Russia
Abstract. Formal engineering education has about 150 years of tradition in Finland, but engineering as a profession has more than 200 years of tradition. Finland's higher educational system is derived from Germany's system. Two kinds of schools are recognized, the universities and the Ammattikorkeakoulus (literally vocational college, which are sometimes translated as University of Applied Sciences. The article shows the features of engineering education in Finland at the present time. Education is already using more modern methods aimed at excellence in learning, such as «Project Based Learning, «Collaborative Learning», «Learning by Doing», «No Child Left Behind», among others. These methods change the educational philosophy and teaching bases, putting the student as a central element of learning and working their specificities and self-development in a participatory and motivating environment. Thus, the authors propose to consider the possibility of reforming the system of engineering education in Russia, taking into account the experience of Finland.
Keywords: Finland's higher educational system, engineering education structure, universities, modern methods of teaching, collaborative learning, learning by doing, project based learning, concept of innovation.
Павел Лайус1, Владимир Михайлов2
Система образования инженеров в Финляндии
1Лаппеенрантский технологический университет, Лаппеенранта, Финляндия 2Северо-Восточный федеральный университет им. М.К. Аммосова, г. Якутск, Россия
Аннотация. Инженерное образование в Финляндии имеет 150-летнюю историю, при этом инженер как профессия существует уже 200 лет. Высшая образовательная система Финляндии берет начало от системы образования Германии. Здесь приняты два типа школ - университеты и Ammattikorkeakoulus, буквально, профессиональные колледжи, которые могут переводиться как Университет прикладных наук. В статье мы постарались в кратком изложении передать особенности инженерного образования в Финляндии. В настоящее время система образования инженеров использует современные методы, направленные на совершенствование обучения, такие как «обучение при разработке проектов», «совместное обучение», «обучение во время производства», «обучение на основе инновационных идей» и т.д. Эти методы меняют философию образования и основы обучения, ставя ученика в качестве центрального элемента обучения и работы с учетом специфики специальности, а также в условиях совместного участия и мотивации. Таким образом, авторы предлагают рассмотреть возможность реформирования системы инженерного образования в России с учетом опыта Финляндия.
LAYUS Pavel - Doctor of Science (Technology), Postdoctoral Researcher School of Energy Systems, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland.
E-mail: pavel.layus@lut.fi
ЛАИУС Павел - доктор технических наук, старший научный сотрудник Механико-машиностроительного факультета Лаппеенрантского технологического университета, Лаппеенранта, Финляндия.
MIKHAILOV Vladimir - Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Physics of Materials and Welding Technology, Institute of Physics and Technologies, North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk, Russia.
E-mail: mve59@mail.ru
МИХАЙЛОВ Владимир - кандидат технических наук, доцент кафедры физики материалов и технологии сварки Физико-технического института Северо-Восточного федерального университета, Якутск, Россия.
Ключевые слова: высшая образовательная система Финляндии, структура инженерного образования, университеты, современные методы обучения, «Обучение при разработке проектов», «Совместное обучение», «Обучение во время производства», «Обучение на основе инновационных идей.
Introduction
About one-third of its land above the Arctic Circle, Finland is second only to Iceland among the world's northernmost countries. The population of Finland is about 5 million people. Helsinki, the capital and largest city, has a population of about 800,000, including its suburbs, Espoo and Vantaa. Finland is a strong, stable Western-European democracy, with complete freedom of the press and freedom of religion. Although politically a socialist nation, it maintains a free enterprise, private ownership market economy. The standard of living is among the highest in the world. The Finns are 100 percent literate, and statistically they are among the healthiest people in the world.
Formal engineering education has about 150 years of tradition in Finland, but engineering as a profession has more than 200 years of tradition. The first Finnish engineers were men of practice, trained by the apprenticeship system, and used the title The Factory Master. In the year 1849, formal education began, but Finnish industry did not begin to employ formally trained engineers until the beginning of this century. The success of formally trained engineers in Finnish industry was reflected later on in the increasing value attached to research and new technologies [1]. Finland's higher educational system is derived from Germany's system. Two kinds of schools are recognized, the universities and the Ammattikorkeakoulus (literally vocational college, which are sometimes translated as University of Applied Sciences.
О tit,
О Ciw with a Technical University
Figure 1. Finnish Technical Universities location
Universities award typically 'Bachelor of Science in Technology' and 'Master of Science in Technology' degrees. Bachelor's degree is a three-year degree as master's degree is equivalent for two-year full-time studies. In Finnish the master's degree is called diplomi-insinoori. The degrees are awarded by engineering schools or faculties in universities (in Aalto University, Oulu and Vaasa) or by separate universities of technology (Tampere UT and Lappeenranta UT). The degree is a scientific, theoretical taught master's degree. Master's thesis is important part of master's degree studies. Master's degree qualifies for further study into Doctorate (PhD or Dr. (Tech)). Finnish technical Universities locations are illustrated in Figure 1.
The AMK's are municipally administered schools that traditionally award 3.5-, to 4.5-year vocational degrees called insinoori (AMK). The aim of the degree is professional competency with less emphasis on scientific study. Although they may be called «Bachelor's degrees» in English, Finnish universities do not recognize them as equal to tekniikan kandidaatti, but require approximately one year of additional study. Recently, AMK's have also begun awarding a higher AMK degrees (Master of Engineering), designed for AMK-engineers already involved in the working life (at least two years of professional experience).
AMK's do not have the right to award Licentiates or Doctorates. Similarly, AMK-degree does not entitle one to apply for academic postgraduate studies without further preliminary studies at university.
Finland trains a remarkable number of engineers in relation to its population. In a comparative analysis of eight countries, it was found that Finland had the highest figure for the number of engineering students [2]. In addition, the EU Green Paper shows that, Finland and Germany had a density of 6.1 engineers per 1000 employees-the highest figure for the density of engineers in the EU [1], [3].
Engineering education structure
Most students who attend the lukio do so to prepare for admission to an institution of higher education, either an ammattikorkeakoulu (AMK), or polytechnic, or a yliopisto, or university. The main focus of the AMK institutions are their Bachelor's degree programs, although some AMKs cooperate with a university in the granting of post-graduate degrees. The universities concentrate on granting post-graduate programs. Official Finnish-Swedish bilingualism guarantees the Swedish-speaking minority equal opportunities in education at all levels. All students must know both Finnish and Swedish. Some 90 percent choose to learn English as a third language [4]. The Finnish education system is presented in Figure 2.
Figure 2. The Finnish education system [4]
Ammattikorkeakoulu (AMK) or polytechnic education
Reflecting Finland's increased emphasis on technology, it consists of more than 30 AMK institutions, with some 100,000 students. All students who have completed upper secondary general (lukio) or vocational education are eligible to apply for admission to an AMK institution. The institutions themselves determine other selection criteria [4].
A typical AMK offers four-year Bachelor's degrees in economics and business administration, industrial and business management, information technology, nursing, and engineering. Typical AMK schools of engineering offer degrees in electrical, mechanical, civil, forest, and environmental engineering.
The AMK institutions are required to cultivate international contacts. Most of them have established close ties with European institutions, some also with institutions and businesses in Asia and the American continents. AMK students are encouraged to do some of their study at a foreign university. Some AMK institutions use English as the language of instruction, particularly in their engineering programs. At the
Mikkeli AMK, all students who study in English must both study and work abroad before receiving their degrees [4].
AMK faculty members include principal lecturers, lecturers, and occasionally full-time and parttime instructors. Principal lecturers must hold a Licentiate (described below) or Doctoral degree (a 10-year university degree). While lecturers and instructors need only a Master's degree, there is increasing pressure that lecturers possess the doctorate [4].
Yliopisto or University
Finland has 20 universities, enrolling roughly 200,000 students. Foremost in the hierarchy is the University of Helsinki, which was founded in 1640 and celebrated its 350th anniversary in 1990. The basic Finnish university degree is the Master's (maisteri), taking a minimum of five years to acquire. However, recent educational reforms have introduced the Bachelor's degree to nearly all subjects. Beyond the Master's one can study for the Licentiate degree (lisensiaatti), an optional pre-doctoral degree, which requires another three years of study. Upon defense of a dissertation, the Licentiate holder may be awarded a Doctorate (tohtori). Studies toward the licentiate or doctorate are mostly of an independent nature; there are as yet few organized doctoral programs resembling those in American academia. The entire process, from entry to the university to the award of a Doctoral degree, typically takes ten years, making the typical Doctoral recipient about 30 years old [4].
Foreign students who have not mastered Finnish or Swedish may usually take examinations in their mother tongue, as long as it is a major language shared by the instructor. In practice, this is mainly English. As at the AMKs, instruction in English is slowly expanding in an attempt to accommodate the growing numbers of incoming students on reciprocal exchange programs.
At the top of each department are one or more full professors, who wield considerable influence within the department and the university. The President of Finland officially appoints professors after a nomination process at the university level. Subordinate to the professors may be several associate professors, who are appointed, after a nomination process, by the University Chancellor. Appointment of professors and associate professors includes lifetime tenure. Faculty also includes lecturers, full-time instructors, and part-time instructors [4].
Modern methods of teaching
In countries with more developed education, such as Finland, they are already using more modern methods aimed at excellence in learning, such as «Project Based Learning, «Collaborative Learning», «Learning by Doing», «No Child Left Behind», among others. These methods change the educational philosophy and teaching bases, putting the student as a central element of learning and working their specificities and self-development in a participatory and motivating environment [5].
In this digital age, several countries started the use of new pedagogical and technological tools, and there are several "innovative" approaches to teaching that actively involve the student in a "student centered learning" perspective. There are actually a wide variety of approaches to facilitate students learning together (as opposed to learning individually). In this work we used three of this approaches that are
described in the next subsections: Collaborative Learning, Learning by Doing and Project Based Learning. These approaches are considered new and modern methods according to our reality; despite they are used in other places since years ago.
Collaborative Learning
The most common definition to collaborative learning is the situation in which two or more students learn or try to learn together some content [6]. The learning could occur in a small group, in a class, in a community with thousands of people or in a society with hundreds of thousands of people. Many authors, including [7] and [8], consider the collaborative approach more efficient then individual approach [5].
Collaborative Learning is an educational philosophy, not just a classroom technique. In all situations where people come together in groups, it suggests a way of dealing with people which respects and highlights individual group members' abilities and contributions. In the collaborative model groups would assume almost total responsibility for answering the question, solve the problem or execute the project.
In Collaborative Learning, the group determines if they had all the elements to realize their job. If not they look for other information sources until they have the necessary knowledge. A basic planning is necessary and the tasks divisions are decided by the group work. Each member contributes with his skills to obtain synergy. Although it is true that work in group is not a trivial task (especially in Brazil) and the natural leaders appear in the group to facilitate this challenge. The group would decide what to do, how to do and how to show their results, but the final product is determined after consultation with the teacher [5], [9].
The teacher has an important contribution in this process, which is not specify the actions but rather assess the progress of each group and provide suggestions about each group's approach and the results achieved. The teacher would be available for questions and would facilitate the process by asking for progress reports from the groups, facilitating group discussions about group dynamics, helping with conflict resolution; he will act as a coach.
According to Vygotsky [10], the students are capable of performing at higher intellectual levels when asked to work in collaborative situations than when asked to work individually. Group diversity in terms of knowledge and experience contributes positively to the learning process. There are several benefits to apply Collaborative Learning, and in [11] some of them are presented, based in students' feedback after a Collaborative Learning project and the results with main answers were as follow [5]:
• Benefits Focusing on the Process of Collaborative Learning
◦ Helped understanding
◦ Pooled knowledge and experience
◦ Got helpful feedback
◦ Stimulated thinking
◦ Got new perspectives
• Benefits Focusing on Social and Emotional Aspects
◦ More relaxed atmosphere makes problemsolving easy
◦ It was fun
◦ Greater responsibility- for myself and the group
◦ Made new friends
• Negative Aspects of Collaborative Learning
◦ Wasted time explaining the material to others
Learning by Doing
One of the most important problems when we are using traditional teaching methods is that students are not learning skills; these teaching methods are centered in teachers and in transferring contents that can be found in the learning goals defined in school curriculum [12].
In vocational technical courses there are the practical classes but, in some cases, this «practice» is used to confirm or valuate the knowledge. For instance, a student from Mechatronics course needs more than to know about the technological contents, he needs to know how to do a specific task [5].
The Learning by Doing approach, or experiential learning, can be defined as "the strategic, active engagement of students in opportunities to learn through doing and reflection on those activities, which empowers them to apply their theoretical knowledge to practical endeavors in a multitude of settings inside and outside the classroom" [5], [13].
The Learning by Doing method disposes the student as the central focus of learning. It makes him able to build cognitive learning through proposed problems that submit him to the motivating situations. Thus, the student ceases to be passive in the education system and becomes the central object of his own development. The teacher is no longer the only knowledge provider. The lectures with unilateral transmission of knowledge disappear to transform the class in a room for interaction with the construction of knowledge fostered by discussion and research, encouraging the participation of the student inserted in a group [5].
The choice of this work in using Learning by Doing method is to improve the student's skills to help them climb the pyramid of taxonomy of cognitive domain, as shown in Figure 1, in which the student is leaving the remembering level to achieve levels of applying, analyzing, evaluating and even creating.
Project Based Learning
In recent years Project Based Learning - PBL, one of the most effective tools used in technical subjects and engineering education, has become increasingly accepted as a useful concept in engineering education. PBL is becoming the favored pedagogical model for teaching engineering design to transform methods of teaching to address more complex real-world problems [14].
In [15] the author makes a Project Based Learning (PBL) review. PBL is a learning model that organizes learning around projects. According to definitions found in books and handbooks on the subject, projects are complex tasks supported in challenging questions or problems involving students in planning, problem solving, decision making, or investigative activities; Gives the opportunity to the student to work with relative autonomy; culminates in realistic products or presentations [5].
Projects involve students in a constructive research and an investigation is a process directed to a target that involves research, knowledge building and resolution. One question involved in this issue is, «what a project must have to be considered PBL?" There are five criteria [15] for the answer to this question. The five criteria are centrality, guiding question, constructive investigations, autonomy and realism [5].
Concept of Innovation
The concept of innovation has been considered in this article, together with innovation learning (Figure 3).
Figure 3. The innovative design process in education [16]
To create an innovation a student requires novel and original ideas, creative problem solving, knowledge and skills in planning and making a solution. Without creativity there is no novelty, without knowledge and skills there is no innovative solution etc. It seems obvious that innovation
learning as a future-oriented way to manage problems and challenges in real-life environment should be part of comprehensive education. In the future people have to produce new solutions, innovations in areas that presently do not exist. However, it is not self-evident that all students learn innovation in school sufficiently to be able to design and make an innovation as a solution to a design task on at least a satisfactory level. Due to the implementation of the Curriculum in comprehensive school it is also valuable to understand the current level of students' innovation learning [16].
Conclusion
Finland views education as the key to its future. With its few natural resources and its small population spread thinly throughout a relatively large country, Finland cannot compete in world markets with the export of raw materials or cheap labor. Therefore, Finland has based its future on the development of an educated population that can export both high-technology products and technological expertise. Engineering and international cooperation are seen as core to this philosophy. With its mandate to create foreign ties and produce international engineers, the AMK stands at the "eye of the storm," weaving the Finnish culture into the international fabric and producing practical engineers who are instantly comfortable working on the international scene. The Finnish university system, among the absolute best in the world, turns out engineers who can keep Finnish education and research at the leading edge of the world's high technology [4]. Together, the AMK and the university are producing engineers who are well qualified to lead Finland into the future.
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