Health education teacher training in Finland Leena Paakkari and Raili Valimaa Department of Health Sciences

Background  2001: Revised act on basic education and act on upper secondary school (general and vocational) Health education as an independent and obligatory school subject

Background  2003/2004 new national core curricula for basic and upper secondary schools health as a multidisciplinary subject aiming at promoting pupils’ competences regarding health, well- being and safety also: cross-curricular themes, pupil welfare services, cooperation between home and school, after school activities... (more information:

Background  2004: pilot schools (new health education curriculum)  2006: all schools  National core curricula, local curricula, school curricula (Cooperatation: teachers, health professionals at school, home, pupils)  2007: HE as a part of national matriculation examination (voluntary subject)

Health education teacher training  2002: master level teacher training began in the University of Jyvaskyla, HE as a second subject  2006: HE as a main subject

Health education teacher training in Jyvaskyla Includes:  Content knowledge: health related concepts, health topics  Pedagogical content knowledge: teaching methods and materials, teaching practice  Ethical thinking skills  Teacher as a reseacher  School as a context for HP (operational culture etc.)…

Health education teacher training Other universities: Kuopio, Turku, Oulu, Tampere And - in-service training

Research Research is an essential part of developing teacher training and HE as a school subject - Pupils and teachers: experiences of the subject, teaching methods and learning -Communication during HE lessons -Student teachers’ understanding about subject, its learning and teaching -Etc.