Day 7 on 19.11.2014 - Economy and Business Life in Finland

Economy and Business Life in Central Ostrobothnia

Lesson on 19.11.2014

15.10 Wrap up of pretask (blog post) and Introduction of task 3 - company interview in pairs. / Linda (note: this is not a job application interview!)

15:30-16:00 How to make a video with ipads / Petri Rautiainen

16-17.00 - practice interviews. Practice asking questions that you would ask in a real company interview. Make short video clips of the interview, practice editing and make a short video clip at the end. This short clip can be e.g.:

1. Show do’s when interviewing

2. or don’ts when interviewing,
3. how to prepare for a talking to a company
4. what questions should you ask?
5. something you think is relevant
6. something you are worried about

17.00-17:30 - share your video in class using appleTV and feedback discussion

Learning objectives for the interview:

LEARNING COMPETENCE

• is able to retrieve and analyze information and evaluate it critically
• is capable of taking responsibility for collaborative learning and sharing knowledge in teams

ETHICAL COMPETENCE

• is able to take responsibility for one’s own actions and for the consequences of these actions
• is able to work according to the ethical principles of the subject field
• is able to take other people into account in one’s actions
• is able to apply the principles of equality

WORKING COMMUNITY COMPETENCE

• is able to operate in communicative and interactive situations in working life
• is able to utilize information and communications technology in one’s subject field
• knows the working life in one’s subject field and is able to create personal contacts in working life and to operate in professional networks

INNOVATION COMPETENCE

• is able to conduct research, development and innovation projects applying the existing knowledge and methods of the field

INTERNATIONALIZATION COMPETENCE

• possesses communicative competence necessary for one’s work and for professional development in the subject field
• is able to operate in a multicultural environment
• takes into account the effects of and opportunities for internationalization development in one’s own field

Blogging and doing small scale reserach

Blogging is to write about situations and topics from a contextual but also more personal point of view. Blogs are updated regularity and are usually open to the public. Blogs can be personal, but also open to groups.
Our blog is an educational blog, where we share knowledge and reflections and learn together from each other.


Blog posts in our blog should not be too long, but the posts need to stick to the topic and the questions.  Write in your own way, but with correct language and full sentences.

Reflection means to write about one's thoughts and opinions. Write your posts so that you use full sentences and correct language.

Ethics: Remember to respect others when writing in the blog. Writing about others in a negative manner is absolutely not allowed. When commenting others posts, write in an encouraging manner.

To get started: 

In order to write in this blog, you need to provide me with you gmail account so that I can add you to the blog. Send it to me now: lindascourse@gmail.com

After that I will invite you to the blog.

After you accept the invitation, you can start writing in the blog.

To write a post, click new post. Add the suggested title and labels (in the right hand-side). In the company interview case the labels are the following: Company interview, Linda Krokfors and Peter Finell. After that you can just start writing :-)

You can save the post and continue another time. Your post will be seen in the blog when you push publish! Check always what the post looks like in preview and make modifications if needed. You can also modify already published posts by opening the post and pushing "update".

BLOG TASK TODAY 12.11.2014

Research on your own and look for the following information:
1. What are the 5 most important sectors in Kokkola region (Keski-Pohjanmaa)?
2. Are the most important sectors the same in Kokkola (Central Ostrobothnia) as in Finland?
3. What are the most important companies in Kokkola?
4. Reflect on what company would you like to visit? Why?

Write your answers to the blog, meaning that you will write a "new post". 
Title: Business introduction Linda Krofkors (your name)
Label: Business, your full name (Linda Krokfors)

Start with this in class. If you do not finish during class, have it done by Sunday 16.11.2014. 
Learning objective:
- Learn basics about blogging and how to make a post
- Learn about main business sectors in Finland and the local region 
- Learning about companies in Kokkola
- Becoming acquainted with information related to Task 3/ Business

Task 3 - Business interview - Deadline 7.12.2014!

 What is the best way to learn about Finnish businesses?

Talk to a company (owner or employee)?
Read about one in a paper or online?
Listen to a presentation?

Learning styles are different and we all have our own preferences. However, learning-by doing is always useful and in this task, I want you to do that!

Your next task is to interview one company in Kokkola region. Do it in pairs (2 people) where your final product is a text in our blog, where you will write about your interview and share what you've learnt and your thoughts (reflection). 

We will do this in two steps. On 19.11.2014 we will make training interviews based on your research done on 12.11.2014 and general knowledge. These training sessions will prepare you for the real interview! Do the real interview sometime when it is suitable for you and the company. Publish the post by 7.12.2014! Read your friends posts and comment on 3! No post, no comments = no grade for the task.

To remember:

Interview a company that really interests you!
Learn about the company as much as possible so that you are prepared for the interview.
Make an appointment with the owner or an employee, who can answer your questions.
Be responsible. Be yourself, but respect the time and the person you are interviewing! (this could be your future employer!)

Write in this sheet what company you will interview, with who! You cannot interview the same company as somebody else!!
Company interview list
 
Requirements:

Your blog post needs to include the following:
- Present the company and sector where it is active.
- Why did you choose that company?
- What are the main products/services the company offers to the market?
- What are the main markets for the company?
- Add a picture and include references from where the picture is.
 - Self-reflection: Would you like to work in that field in the future? Why?

Add Title: Company name (Kaavya Kitchen) - company interview
Add label: Company interview, full names (Linda Krokfors, Peter Finell)
Read your friends posts and comment on 3! (requirement)
Deadline:7.12.2014

Literature in general and for the Mid-term exam!

This site has been updated 24.10 at 17.15. 
For the Midterm exam on 5.11.2014 - the covered topics will be Education, Political System and Music! The text in orange is obligatory reading! To make the Music section more clear, I have inclued an article for you to read in addition to reading about one important Finnish composer, band or Orchestra!
Linda
  
Literature in general and reading for the mid term exam

Education - for mid term exam:
Finnish Educational in a nutshell
http://www.oph.fi/download/146428_Finnish_Education_in_a_Nutshell.pdf

Learning and Competences - Strategy of the Finnish National Board of Education
http://www.oph.fi/download/135542_learning_and_competence_2020.pdf

Supportive Reading among other publications by the Finnish National Board of Education:
Teacher Education in Finland
http://www.oph.fi/download/154491_Teacher_Education_in_Finland.pdf

Teachers in Finland - Trusteed Professionals
http://www.oph.fi/download/148960_Teachers_in_Finland.pdf

Providing Education for the 2020s
http://www.oph.fi/download/141438_brochure_providing_education_for_the_2020s.pdf

Reading for Business and Economy to be added
Useful links for Business and Economy:
Reading before the Business parrt: Learn about the 4 most important industrial sectors in Finland.You may choose your own source. Economy will not be inlcuded in the exam! 
These links might help you:

Invest in Finland
http://www.investinfinland.fi/why-finland/facts-on-finland/40


Ministry of Employment and the Economy
https://www.tem.fi/en/ministry

Political System

Material and reading

Main outlines of Finnish history, By Dr Seppo Zetterberg, professor of history, University of Jyväskylä, updated January 2014 http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=160058&nodeid=41806&culture=en-US

Finland’s durable democracy in action, By Vilho Harle, April 2011 http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=217770&nodeid=41805&culture=en-US

Supportive reading: 
New president won’t start a revolution, By Kyösti Karvonen, February 2012  http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=241936&nodeid=41805&culture=en-US

Parliamentarism, By Jarmo Laine, senior science counsel, Academy of Finland, July 2011 http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=160051&nodeid=41805&culture=en-US

The Finnish System of Government: From a Mixed Constitution to Parliamentarism , by Jaakko Nousiainen

The Parliament

http://web.eduskunta.fi/Resource.phx/parliament/index.htx

The Government

http://valtioneuvosto.fi/etusivu/en.jsp

The President of the Republic

http://www.presidentti.fi/public/default.aspx?culture=en-US&contentlan=2

Music
Read the article 30 Year of Music in Finland  http://www.fmq.fi/2014/09/30-years-of-music-in-finland/
and learn more about one important and famous Finnish composer, band or orchestra for the exam. Choose any site, these below might guide you:

www.musicfinland.fi

www.thisisfinland.fi

Preliminary Course plan FSC 1.10-17.12.2014

Course Plan for Finnish Society and Culture

Classes:
October: 1, 8, 22, 29
November: 5, 12, 19, 26
December: 3, 10, 17 feedback
Trip to Helsinki on 3 December!

1.1.0.2014 Introductions, requirements, assessment, learning goal questionnaire 1/3, planning for Helsinki
8.10.2014 Education: Get into the blog, team work task 1, planning for Helsinki
15.10.2014 Holiday
22.10.2014 Education presentations of the different educational units task 1 (1-6 grade, 7-9th grade, special education) and further elaborations. Political System introduction and getting started with team work task 2.
29.10.2014 Education visit in the morning to Donnerska Basic Education, grades 7-9. Allegro Talks in Pietarsaari at 14:30. We will leave at 13.00 from Talonpojankatu!.


5.11.2014 EXAM. Political System presentations of task 2. Further elaborations.
12.11.2014 Economy and Business. Blogging and making pretask (blogpost)
19.11.2014 Economy/Business Making short interviews in class and making & editing videos.Business introduction and introduction of task 3. Learning goal questionnaire 2/3.
26.11.2014 Preparation for business visit. Music introduction.


3.12.2014 Company visit
10.12.2014 Music presentations (task 4). What concert to go to between 10.12-16.12?
17.12.2014 Music discussions and reflections. Learning goal questionnaire 3/3. Feedback discussion.


This plan is subject to changes!