Life Skills and Transversal Competencies: Learning from the Finnish Curriculum

Description

Young people are growing up in a reality shaped by globalization, digitalization, climate challenges, and rapid social change, and academic knowledge alone is no longer sufficient.

They need the ability to think critically, collaborate with others, manage everyday challenges, participate actively in society, and adapt to a rapidly changing world.

In short: they need strong life skills. Schools therefore play a crucial role in supporting them not only as learners, but as active, ethical, and resilient citizens.

This is where transversal competencies and life skills become essential.

In Finland, these life skills are integrated throughout school life through the concept of transversal competencies, a key element of the Finnish National Core Curriculum.

Rather than being taught as separate subjects, these competencies are integrated across all subjects and school activities.

This course provides participants with a comprehensive overview of how these life skills are understood, implemented, and supported in Finnish schools and how these same principles can be adapted to different school contexts across Europe.

Participants will explore the seven transversal competencies of the Finnish curriculum through practical examples, collaborative discussion, and reflective activities.

Among the topics that will be explored: critical thinking and learning to learn; cultural competence, interaction and self-expression; taking care of oneself; multiliteracy and media literacy; ICT competence and digital citizenship; working life skills and entrepreneurship; and participation, involvement, and building a sustainable future.

Through practical examples, discussion, and reflective activities, particular attention will be given to how these competencies can be integrated naturally into everyday teaching rather than treated as separate content areas.

In fact, one of the main course’s goals is to combine insight into Finnish educational values with practical strategies that teachers can adapt to their own classrooms and school communities.

By the end of the course, participants will have a clearer understanding of how transversal competencies can support holistic education and student wellbeing.

They will leave with practical ideas and classroom strategies to help students develop the life skills needed to participate confidently and responsibly in contemporary society.

Concept by Irena Papa

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Understand the importance of life skills and transversal competences in contemporary education and explain their role within the Finnish National Core Curriculum;
• Explore how life skills can be integrated into everyday teaching and school life;
• Identify and apply teaching approaches that support thinking skills, learning to learn, self-direction, and student wellbeing;
• Develop strategies to foster cultural competence, empathy, interaction, collaboration, and inclusive classroom practices;
• Promote responsible digital citizenship and ethical use of technology;
• Strengthen students’ critical thinking, multiliteracy, and media literacy skills, including the ability to identify fake news and disinformation;
• Promote ethical and responsible use of technology, digital citizenship, working life skills, participation, and sustainable development in the school context;
• Reflect on how Finnish educational approaches can inspire their own teaching practice.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course and to the Finnish education system

• Introduction to the course and the Academy;
• Introduction to the host city and the week’s cultural activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools and institutions;
• Introduction to the Finnish education system and its core values;
• What are transversal competences and why do they matter?;
• Exploring the role of life skills in contemporary education;
• Reflection: challenges and opportunities in participants’ own school contexts.

Day 2 – Learning to learn and cultural competence in the Finnish curriculum

• The Finnish National Core Curriculum: goals, structure, and educational vision;
• Thinking skills and “learning to learn”;
• Cultural Competence, interaction & self-expression;
• Supporting learner autonomy and self-direction;
• Cultural competence, interaction and self-expression.

Day 3 – Critical thinking, media literacy and wellbeing

• Multiliteracy and critical thinking in Finnish education;
• Exploring Media literacy:
  • Critical thinking;
  • Fake news & disinformation;
  • Explore the influence of media in society;
• Supporting student wellbeing and emotional awareness.

Day 4 – Digital citizenship, working life skills and sustainability

• ICT competence and responsible digital citizenship;
• Ethical and safe use of technology in schools;
• Working life competences and entrepreneurship;
• Participation, involvement & building a sustainable future.

Day 5 – From framework to classroom practice

• Reflecting on the 7 transversal competences and their role in everyday school life;
• Sharing good practices and challenges from participants’ schools;
• Collaborative workshop: designing activities and action plans for participants’ own contexts;
• Peer feedback, reflection and future implementation strategies;
• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussions;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.

Day 6 – Structured cultural activities

• Structured cultural activity(ies) according to the hosting location;
• Learning journal: individual written reflection on the course experience;
• Course reflection: self-reflection and review of course materials and resources.

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