Valkeakoski Adult Education Centre

28.10.2009Dr Juha SihvonenDirector

1923 Valkeakoski became an independent municipality when it was separated from the parent community Sääksmäki. The town was built around the paper mill.

1963 Valkeakoski received town rights

1973 Sääksmäki was merged with the town of Valkeakoski

History of Valkeakoski

Population (2008) 20 531

Population density 75 inhabitants/km2

Total area 372 km2

Land area 272 km2

Lake area 100 km2

Tax rate 18,75 %

Unemployment 15 %

Facts and figures

1,6 million students in Liberal Adult Education (2006) 226 Adult Education Centres: 600 000 students 91 Folk High Schools: 114 000 students 21 Summer Universities: 36 000 students 11 Study Centres: 224 000 students 11 Sports Institutes: 82 000 students

Liberal Adult Education in Finland

● Valkeakoski Adult Education Centre: ca 3,500 students● Päivölä Folk High School: ca 110 residential students, 1700 students on

short courses● Valkeakoski Upper Secondary School for Adults: ca 150 students● Valkeakoski Vocational Adult Training Centre: ca 1600 students● Study Centres: ca 250 students

Adult Education in Valkeakoski

The building was completed in 1973.

VALKEAKOSKI-OPISTO

Liberal Adult EducationNational Curriculum

In Arts (Children and Youth)

Music School Art school

Ballet Handicrafts

Dramal Creative writing

Business Unit

Our organization 2010

Founded in 1924 Owned by the Town of Valkeakoski Staff: 46 full-time employees (18 in liberal adult education) Annual budget in state-subsidized training about € 3,3 million

50 % government subsidies 30 % municipal subsidies 20 % other sources, including course fees

Our organization 2010

Students

● Liberal Adult Education 3 400 75 % women Average age of students: 40-60

● Business Unit 600● Music school 540● Fine Arts school 200● Drama school 110● Ballet school 80● Handicrafts school 60● Creative writing school 10

Annual total approx. 5,000 students or 20 percent of town residents

Teaching hours

● Liberal Adult Education 11 500● Business Unit 2 500● Music school 20 500● Fine arts school 2 450● Ballet school 1 000● Drama school 800● Handicrafts school 760● Creative writing school 80

Annual total approx. 39 500 teaching hours

Languages 21 % Arts and music 20 % Handicrafts 21 % Social studies 12 % IT skills 7 % Other subjects 19 %

(incl. open university)

Subject areas in liberal adult education

E-learning, blended learning

● Projects since 2002● Courses using Moodle, Optima

Art, handicrafts, English, ICT, genealogy● Social media

Experiments in ICT, English

Our main aims for this project

● To increase teachers’ skills and motivation to experiment with new tools

● To increase students’ skills and motivation● To bring social media into everyday teaching situations● To provide students with opportunities to use social media to

interact with people in other countries