Checklist for Inclusive Learning Environment

Finally we are able to present the materials created in this project through our blog. So here you are, the poster and handout of Checklist for Inclusive Practices (presented in ATEE seminar).

Handout can be found here.

Making acquintance with Coventry University

DIP -project actors were hoping for one more international project partner and now we can happily say that we have found it. Our visit to Coventry University made it easy to decide: we had the most interesting three days which we spent by getting to know the University and its pedagogical practices. So the next benchmarking workshop after Budapest will take place in Coventry University in January 2014.

Coventry University, main entrance (Alan Berry building). This week was aimed for first year students.

Lynn Clouder and Hanna posing next to Lynn's 2CV ("rättisitikka" in Finnish). 

Participants on Tuesday, from the left: Hanna,  Brian Goredema-Braid, Christine Broughan, sarah Wilson-Medhurst, Andrew Turner, Katherine Wimpenny, Tracy Cullis and Maija. Missing form the picture are Sarah Lewis and Gurnam Singh.

Conversation and discussion around pedagogical themes, such as inclusive pedagogy and practices, teachers professional development, curriculum design and the diversity of learners and their support, was very inspiring. Can't wait to continue this work soon.

Coventry cathedral, next to Coventry University Campus.


Among many interesting things we learned during our visit was about the student well-being. The new building, The Hub, was deigned especially for the students. At the same building located student services, such as health and wellbeing and career services.

Places for students to work.

The new building for Faculty of Engineering and Computing. The faculty is applying activity-led learning, which is now supported also via new physical surroundings (open spaces, group work facilities etc.).

The visit was defenetly worth doing, and collaboration continues. We want to thank everyone who participated our programme, the welcoming was warm and we were very well taken care of.

Visiting the Closing Seminar of Tile -project

DIP -actors - Hanna and Maija - visited a closing seminar of our "sister" project, TILE in VET   on 17th September in Jyväskylä. It was really interesting to hear and to compare the themes and indicators of "Roadmap to Inclusion" created in Tile -project, because the themes are the same than in DIP project's Checklist for Inclusive Learning Environment. The roadmap is still under development, but the first pilotes are done. Interesting to hear more when time goes on and the project developes even further.

The thing that is incommon in both of these projects is the profound aim and will to impact on the awareness and the attitudes of staff in educational organisations: starting to develope and build inclusive learning environment together in the community. These questions are important to all learners, not just the ones with special needs. Let the work continue...!

Greetings from Halden, Norway!

ATEE conference is now experienced and some useful information and contacts were recieved during this event. The poster and handout can be seenin this blog later, as we are converting them into a more website friendly form. The themes that I got to know in the conference were for example Professional Development of Teachers (especially mentoring), Teachers Learning to Personalize Student Learning and of course, Inclusion and Special needs.

Hanna concentrating and preparing for the conference.

 Visiting a secondary school in Halden, head master presenting the school to ATEE participants.

A question in professor Gert Biesta's keynote lecture. Interesting keynote, it really gave some thoughts concerning education in general.

And finally, our DIP -project's poster session "in action" with a Dutch colleague.