Preparedness and resilience in educational institutions and communities (5 cr)

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- update, apply and share current knowledge on preparedness with their colleagues and in the local community of their educational institution
- plan for local and societal crisis situations from the perspective of their own educational institution
- discuss information on preparedness with children, youth and their carers age-appropriately
- reflect on their own place as educational professionals in a society prone to disruptions (e.g. blackouts, electricity shortages)

Materials

Oppimateriaali julkaistaan ennen kurssin alkua.

Teaching methods

This continuing education course is an online training carried out on the Canvas platform. Online lectures are organised using the Zoom online meeting tool.

The general objectives of the Vary continuing education course are to familiarise students with a work culture that promotes safety in educational institutions and to inspire people to think about preparedness and maintaining community resilience in their own educational institutions and local community. The course includes four online lectures and learning assignments. The course assignments focus on maintaining and sharing security skills in one's own work community.

Autumn 2023:

Tue 19.9. at 13.00-15.30 Preparedness for emergencies in educational institutions and simulation game (Training Manager Mikko Poutala, Finnish Association of Fire Officers)
The participants will receive an up-to-date overview of educational institution safety and will familiarise themselves with maintaining preparedness skills among professionals in their own work community. The lessons learned in the training section are applied to the built and working environment of your own educational institution and a preparation session is planned for your own work community.

Tue 10.10. at 13.00-15.30 Discussing preparedness with children and young people (Lecturer Jonna Brandt and RDI Specialist Linda Hart, Laurea UAS)

The participants familiarise themselves with the discussion of preparedness topics with children and young people, latest research and the formation of communal resilience in various emergencies. The aim of the training section is to plan functional and age-appropriate exercises (e.g. blackouts, home emergency supplies) for children and youth in your educational institution.

Tue 31.10. at 13.00-15.30 Preparing for social disturbances in educational institutions (lecturer Anja Aatsinki, Laurea UAS)

The students familiarise themselves with preparedness for potential disruptions and safety planning in the educational institution environment due to the ripple effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The aim is to delve deeper into the safety and rescue plans of the educational institution, maintaining common safety competence and updating safety documents.

Tue 21.11. at 13.00-15.30 Educators as crisis actors in a disruptive society (RDI specialist Linda Hart and lecturer Jonna Brandt, Laurea UAS)

The aim of the training section is to study and analyse professional educators as crisis actors in various local and societal disruptions. The students reflect on the construction of preparedness skills and communal resilience in their own educational institution and professional field for the educational, social and societal needs of the 2020s in the form of a written final assignment.

The course will be organised again in spring 2024 during weeks 4-17.

Employer connections

The course is a continuing education course (in Finnish) for employees of early childhood, preschool, primary and secondary education, as well as some forms of adult education, funded by the National Agency for Education (RDI project)

Project webpage: https://www.laurea.fi/en/projects/v/varautuminen-ja-resilienssi-oppilaitoksissa-ja-yhteisoissa-vary/

Exam schedules

Autumn 2023:

Online lectures:
Week 38 Poutala Tue 19.9. 13.00-15.30
Week 41 Brandt & Hart Tue 10.10. 13.00-15.30
Week 44 Aatsinki Tue 31.10. 13.00-15.30
Week 47 Hart ja Brandt Tue 21.11. 13.00-15.30
Assignment due: 5.12.
Assignments evaluated by 19.12.

International connections

This is a course funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education for staff in Finnish educational institutions, no specific international dimension

Completion alternatives

Alternative assignments are given during the course to cover absences from online lectures.

Student workload

One credit equals on average 27 hours of input

Content:
Parts 1-3 (online lectures): 1 cr each, 3 cr in total
Part 4 (online lecture): 2 op (includes a final essay)

Content scheduling

To complete the course you will need:
• Participate in four online teaching events or complete alternative assignments. Some lecture segments can be saved and made available for the duration of the course.
• Familiarizing yourself with literature related to online teaching events and completing assignments individually and in groups on the Canvas platform.
• Course assignments (learning diary) and final essay, submitted to the Canvas platform for evaluation.

Evaluation scale

H-5