Bridging Educational Horizons: A South African-Finnish Collaboration in STEAM and Sustainability

University of Jyväskylä’s Innovative Learning Environments Research Team is delighted to share an enriching narrative from Nelson Mandela University’s researcher, Dr. Carine Steyn, who recently spent an insightful two weeks in Finland and Norway from September 8-24, 2023. This visit was an integral part of our collaborative professorial project with Prof. Werner Olivier from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. The focus of this international cooperation is to advance STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education and explore innovative learning environments. Here, Dr. Steyn offers a compelling look into the educational synergies being forged between South Africa and Finland.

Dr. Steyn's reflections serve as a testament to the incredible potential that lies in international collaborations, particularly between South Africa and Finland, in shaping the future of STEAM education and sustainability. We are excited about the innovative partnerships that this collaboration promises and look forward to the groundbreaking work that will undoubtedly emerge.

JYU Innovative Learning Environment’s teachers and researchers’ meeting.

Uniting Two Worlds: A Journey Through Finnish Education from a South African Lens by Carine Steyn

This trip was a dream come true. Whilst studying for my PhD in mathematics education and STEAM, I learnt about the excellent results that the Finnish education system produced with their approach to teaching. This sparked my interest but also led to questions on how the excellent results were possible. Through joint interests and the MathArt project at the Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (https://gmmdc.mandela.ac.za/), I was introduced to Dr Kristof Fenyvesi and the team at the University of Jyväskylä. The collaboration and support of our projects made it possible for me to visit the Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER) at the University of Jyväskylä as well as three schools in Jyväskylä.

JYU Innovative Learning Environment’s international seminar.

I was encouraged to see how teachers and schools approached inclusive education in their classes. The focus in schools was on more than just the academic development but on developing life skills that result in effectively preparing learner for life after school. The learners were all given equal opportunity to develop skills in music, art, craft, and home economics through excellent resources that are provided free of charge.

Visiting Leena Kuorikoski’s art class in Viitaniemi School, Jyväskylä.

I experienced a movement in the country of using the public spaces such as libraries as meeting places for communities. Libraries are not only seen as a collection of books but as an inviting space where community members are encouraged to meet and relax whilst playing board games, exercising a craft, or making in makerspaces. Staff and resources are supplied free of charge for all community members.

Meeting with Markus Hähkiöniemi, JYU’s university teacher of mathematics education.

Likewise, the Art Museum in Jyväskylä offered a programme that encouraged not only the consideration of different forms of art but also creativity and innovation in developing sustainable solutions to problems in the environment. Schools from the communities are invited to bring their learners to join workshops and programme that are offered there. This put the museum into a space of not only receiving but also giving back to the community. 

Meeting with Sirpa Turpeinen, educational curator of Jyväskylä Art Museum, the host of the South African children’s math-artworks.

During the second week of my visit, I attended the SANORD conference in Hamar, Norway with colleagues from the University of Jyväskylä .  Although Norway borders Finland there was a difference in language and in the geography of the part of the country that I experienced.  The richness of discovering how different people experience each other’s cultures and the positive impact of visiting each in their natural setting is very important. 

Through SANORD talks it was great to hear about new innovations but the willingness of people to collaborate and learn from each other. The conference was an excellent opportunity to meet people and form networks that could be unbelievably valuable for future research and growth of both the north and south.

My only regret was that the time was so short.