The Future of Education (6cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

Studies are implemented as online studies and are based on independent work with materials and learning tasks. Studies include three webinar meetings:

- start-up webinar on Tue 27.1.2026 at 15 - 17
- guidance webinar on Thu 19.2.2026 at 15 - 16
- guidance webinar on Thu 9.4.2026 at 15 - 16

You will familiarise yourself with the study unit and its contents in the start-up webinar. This webinar will be recorded. In guidance webinars, you have the opportunity to receive peer comments from other students and guidance from teachers. Guidance webinars are not recorded. Otherwise you can follow your own schedule with the studies.

Note! We recommend that you start your educational studies by starting with the Understanding Learning and then moving on to The Future of Education studies.

Objective

The purpose of the study unit

In this study unit, you will consider the relationships between society and education. You will familiarise yourself with the basic concepts and perspectives of the Sociology of Education and based on these you will consider current phenomena related to education and their significance for the work of a teacher. You will learn about the future of education and current research on this topic.

Study unit competences

In this study unit, you will promote and develop your professional pedagogical competence, future orientation and reflection skills.

Professional pedagogical competence refers to the theoretical, ethical, and philosophical principles for vocational competence and learning. It refers to your ability to act in different learning guidance sessions in accordance with the set learning objectives, and the documents that define teaching. It refers to your ability to analyse and justify your own facilitating learning activities.

In teacher education, future orientation refers to the history and current trends of Finnish vocational education. It refers to your ability to perceive the changes in your own field, and the impact of these changes in the professional competencies. It also means the ability to understand the opportunities in education for promoting social equality, culture, and sustainable development. 

Reflection skills refer to your ability to recognise and assess your own pedagogical assumptions, and working methods as a facilitator of learning. It refers also to an ability to assess in realistic way your own learning and competence and ability to set new goals as a facilitator of learning.

Learning objectives

You will be able to examine issues related to education and upbringing from the educational sociology perspective as societal and cultural phenomena. You will also be able to assess your own assumptions and objectives as an actor within the sphere of vocational education and training and as a facilitator of learning.

Content

You will familiarise yourself with the basic concepts and perspectives of the Sociology of Education, and with current sociological phenomena and their significance in the work of a teacher. You will learn about the future of education and current research on this topic.

Items of Assessment:
The assessment material consists of four separate learning tasks (a book exam and various online tasks) and a self-assessment.

Materials

Antikainen, A., Rinne, R. & Koski, L. 2015. Kasvatussosiologia. E-kirja. PS-kustannus.

You will find additional learning materials and assignments in the online learning environment.

Teaching methods

Open UAS students and Master's Degree education students: You can acquire the competence required in this course by self-directed learning, prescribed reading, online learning sessions and assignments.

During this course collaborative and participatory methods are implemented. The implementation methods deepen your professional competence and the development of your own professional field.

This course includes online guidance. It has has three online webinar meetings: a start-up webinar and two peer-to-peer guidance webinars. Otherwise, the learning assignments are completed and the guidance is implemented online and through independent work.

Student workload

In total, the course consists of 162 hours (6 x 27h) of students’ work
- Orientation 6 h
- Self-directed learning in online environment, reading the learning materials, completing the learning assignments 146 h
- Peer tutoring and self-assessment 10 h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The criteria for assessing the pass (S) level are as follows:

Professional pedagogical skills and knowledge
- You will utilise in your teaching work your knowledge of professional competence and of the theoretical, ethical and philosophical foundations of learning.

Future orientation
- You will examine the current state of education and training from a critical and research-based perspective.
- You will get an understanding of the future trends for education and for your own field in order to develop your own teaching work and your work community.

Reflection skills
- You will assess your pedagogical perspectives, ways of thinking and operating methods
- You will realistically assess your own learning and competence and
- You will set yourself new goals as a facilitator of learning

0 (Fail):
The student does not achieve the competence goals of the course

Further information

The assessment is qualitative and is based on learning objectives. The methods for evaluation of the learning process are feedback and self-assessment. Competence assessment is based on criteria and the teacher educator makes the assessment decision once all the learning tasks have been completed. The assessment material consists of the learning tasks of the course and self-assessment tasks.