University of Helsinki&World Design Capital Helsinki 2012

The University of Helsinki launched its participation in the WDC2012 year with a
comprehensive theme “Designing society through thinking”. We will communicate
the actions of the university that contribute to the cultural, economic and social
development of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and the living environment in general.
For the University of Helsinki the WDC2012 year is about social relevance, how the
university can design society through its operations. The University of Helsinki expands
the concept of design to encompass social innovations – design is seen not just in its
traditional form, but as a human-oriented way of solving challenges through learning
and research.

Future Learning Environments

Learning environments of the future are integrated, with a variety of spaces and services, contact teaching and digital tools, as well as internet- and mobile-based working and learning platforms dovetailing together. The seamless fusion of pedagogic and psychological know-how and technology supporting active learning and inclusive methodology is important.

The Finnish educational system and teacher training at the University of Helsinki create a
strong foundation for Finland’s success in PISA evaluations and they have become an increasingly export product.  As part of the universitys World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme professor of Educational Psychology Kirsti Lonka and her team have built a new classroom environment at the university. Lonka's pedagogical thinking is based on offering students opportunities to create knowledge and solutions together, much in the same manner as in the workplace, be it through social media, videoconferencing or traditional roundtable discussions.

These visions come together at Minerva House, the home of research and education in pedagogics on the City Centre Campus of the University of Helsinki. New learning space will
include features such as touch-screen workstations that also serve as drawing pads. Moreover, students and teachers will be able to communicate using tablet devices or Flinga technology, and the smart podium for teachers will even include a broad technological gadgets.