Web-Based International Learning in a Finnish Teacher Education Program : Building Students’ International Competence

Abstract

Web-based teaching and learning are increasing in popularity across the globe. Web-based studying and learning are both possibilities and challenges for adult students, and they require a special focus in both planning and implementation of the teaching (Sharma and Hannafin in Interactive Learning Environments 15:27–46, 2007; Wang in Interactive Learning Environments 17:1–13, 2009). Online activities are opening new opportunities for international learning experiences as well. Kokkola University Consortium at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland is an adult education campus. On a yearly basis around 45 class teachers for basic education are graduating from the teacher training program. In June 2021 the Kokkola teacher education program organized together with a German teacher training unit, an international online event for around 60 students. The aim for this event was to increase students’ awareness of international education questions related to the teacher profession. After this event an anonymous online survey was conducted for the Finnish students, and it was analyzed with systematic content analysis. From these premises a research question was designed, how is online international collaboration supporting students’ understanding of international education questions related to the teacher profession? As a theoretical framework for this chapter, we use the trialogical model of building knowledge (Hakkarainen and Paavola in Transformation of knowledge through classroom interaction, Routledge, pp. 65–80, 2009), which is based on the tradition of investigative learning practices. As a conclusion to this chapter, we discuss the benefits and pitfalls of web-based learning in building students’ international competency.