"Learning for school or for real life" 26th of March 2009 Taina Mäntylä, Senior Adviser Finnish Consumer Agency (Finland)

WHAT CONSUMING MEANS? central role in life skills of everday life building own identity means of influencing in society/market Being a consumer is a central role in everbody’s life. During a day we make dozens of choices as a consumer. Adequate practical skills is one aspect of consumer education. But consuming is also a significant way of building one’s own identity, which is largely used for in advertising and other commercial persuasion. Becoming aware of these mechanisms and creating the basis on which children can build their own, independent and responsible attitudes towards commercial impact is another aspect of consumer education. 19.7.2018

CHALLENGES AS A CHILD identification of advertising and other commercial persuasion own needs versus advertisers needs  social pressures, need to belong to some group where does money come from?  the art of making choices Considering all this, important questions to be handled in consumer education are: - identification of advertising and other commercial persuasion - one’s own needs versus advertisers needs   - social pressures, everybody’s need to belong to some group - where does money come from? - the art of making choices 19.7.2018

Traditional Nordic co-operation: objectives and content of CE Personal finances The right and obligations of the consumer Commercial persuasion Consumption, environment and ethics Food Safety “Consumer Education in the Nordic Countries” has since 1995 been widely used in the Nordic countries.

The Phelan, Davidson and Yu (1993) –model

The Consumer Abilities and the Themes of CE

The new objectives and contents of CE The ability to evaluate the short- and long-term impacts of individual consumption and daily choices and contribute to sustainable development The ability to evaluate the personal choices and use of technology and media as well as the ability to act with sufficient criticism and responsibility in the media and technology environment, which is saturated with new innovations. The ability to awareness of one's own rights and responsibilities as a consumer, and the ability to learn to assess the safety and quality of different products and services and utilize useful information such as various warnings The ability to obtain and use information in economic life, use resources economically, manage personal finances and act in an entrepreneurial fashion The ability to participate in one's own media environment as a critical and responsible consumer and to cope with the commercial persuasion, to which each individual is exposed; The ability to manage the home and participate in an ethical and rational way in everyday life.

CONSUMER EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS not a separate part of the curriculum but is mentioned in the syllabus as a theme The syllabus is presently being revised and themes will be replaced by wholes which can include a consumer perspective if desired. Ultimately it is up to individual teachers In Finland consumer education is not a separate part of the curriculum but is mentioned in the syllabus as a theme which should be taken into consideration in other subjects. The syllabus is presently being revised and themes will be replaced by wholes which can include a consumer perspective if desired. Ultimately it is up to individual teachers to decide what consumer matters they wish to emphasize in subjects such as social studies, for example. In practice we know that the quantity and quality of consumer education varies from school to school. Consumer education is considered important, however. In order for it to be taught comprehensively, teachers should have a better overall picture of the objectives and content of consumer education. 19.7.2018

METHODS FOR CONSUMER EDUCATION problem-based case-related exercises, dialogy, simulation and play role playing and modern and classical literature The same goes for the use of ICT (information and communication technology) in consumer education. Many useful consumer facts can be found on the internet, and activities that invite the students to explore available material on the internet, should be included in teaching Teaching material: http://www.kuluttajavirasto.fi/Page/79c334a4-b7df-4176-aaa9-3db450591f0b.aspx The teaching methods used in consumer education should involve the pupils and have their basis in their every-day life and their interests. Dialogue, role-playing, simulations and play are important. Project work provides opportunity to handle pupil-related conditions. Practical and very concrete tasks heighten the pupils´ ability to understand the usefulness of consumer education. Pupils should be made part of the planning as well as the evaluation of the activities. Teaching aids should be easily accessible for pupils and up to date. To show the results of classroom activities in special exhibitions is a way of making parents and the entire school part of the experience. To use modern information technology (ICT) is becoming a matter of course in school today. 19.7.2018