Teachers' Climate Change Forum

University of Helsinki Science Education (a part of LUMA Centre Finland) and Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) are organizing the international Teachers' Climate Change Forum 2024 (TCCF) a continuous professional development program for teachers at all levels of education.
International Teachers’ Climate Change Forum

TCCF deals with climate science, climate education and the connection between these two domains. The forum has been organized since 2017. In 2019, it was arranged in the Hyytiälä Forest Station, and in the years 2020-2022 online.

Teachers’ Climate Change Forum is held on 2.-3. September 2024 in Hyytiälä. 

Morning sessions are on site in Hyytiälä Forest Station, where there is hands on work with teachers. There is a possibility to create hubs outside Finland where local teachers can attend the forum together, meet each other and discuss on afternoon workshop topics.

Early bird  registration fee for Teachers Climate Change Forum is 75€ and is valid until 30 June 2024. After that, the fees rise by 10 euros. Registration is open until 11th of August 2024.

The accommodations will be payed in Hyytiälä Forest station. The price for one night's accommodation in a shared room is €105. The price for a two-night stay in a shared room is around €180. The price for four nights' accommodation in a shared room is around €345 (TCCF + Art & Nature). The price includes full board for one-night stays from Monday lunch to Tuesday afternoon coffee, and for two-night stays from Sunday evening to Tuesday afternoon coffee. 

Program

Sunday September1st

Arrival to Hyytiälä

16:56 minibus transport from Juupajoki train station

16:00-17:30  Dinner, A-building

Room division info and keys to rooms from A-building 

19:00-19:30  (Optional) Silent Walk. Getting familiar with Hyytiälä surroundings, start in front of A-building

20:00 Get together and evening snacks

Monday September 2nd

7:00-8:00 Breakfast, A-buiding

8:00  On-site session, Old Dining Hall 

Opening words - Professor Maija Aksela and Senior University lecturer Taina Ruuskanen, University of Helsinki

8.10 Finnish youths’ perceptions of climate change competence -  Doctoral researcher Janina Taurinen, University of Helsinki 

8:35 Climate change education in Estonia, Professor Piia Post, University of Tartu

9.00-11.00: On-site session with parallel workshops in Hyytiälä 

  1. Forests and carbon – University researcher Pauliina Schiestl-Aalto, University of Helsinki 
  2. IPCC-interactive Atlas – Doctoral researcher Janina Taurinen, University of Helsinki 
  3. Smear II OpenData in schools' climate education – Doctoral researcher Peitsa Veteli, University of Helsinki 
  4. Climate Warriors - climate action by young people  - Teachers Jarmo Lehtinen, Aulikki Laine, Merja Kuisma and their students

11.15-12.00  Lunch, A-building 

12-13.30 Introduction round at SMEAR II measurement site, Senior University lecturer Taina Ruuskanen, University of Helsinki

14.00-16.30 Keynote lectures and group discussion

Chair, Professor Maija Aksela, online moderator Julia Friedrichsen, University of Helsinki

14.10: Co-designing for innovative climate change education - Professor Ying-Shao Hsu, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU)

15.00 Insights to Hyytiälä Living Lab research

Climate impacts of sustainable wood constructions, professor Pasi Puttonen, University of Helsinki 

Wooden buildings as learning environment, professor Tuula Jyske, University of Helsinki 

15.30 Climate education networks, University lecturer Laura Riuttanen, University of Helsinki

15.45 Climate mobilities education: The power of art-science-school collaboration in Finland and Greece - Post doctoral research fellow Vilhemiina Vainikka, Tampere University

Dinner, sauna and evening programme

  • Climate education network development University lecturer Laura Riuttanen, University of Helsinki
  • Hyytiälä Science trail 
  • Periferia art exhibition walk, Senior University lecturer Taina Ruuskanen, University of Helsinki

Tuesday September 3rd

8.00-11.15: On-site session with parallel sessions in Hyytiälä 

8.00-9.30 Finalizing workshop outcomes and discussion

9.30-10.15 GreenComp and ECF4CLIM Roadmap for sustainability education - Postdoctoral researcher Niina Mykrä, University of Jyväskylä 

10.15-11.15  Identifying core beliefs underpinning climate action. Findings from a European study, University lecturer Inkeri Rissanen, Tampere University

12.00-16.00 Keynote lectures and group discussion

12:00-13.30 Visioning sustainable futures through creative methods, Hybrid workshop - Postdoctoral Researcher Anna Lehtonen, University of Jyväskylä     

13.30-14.00 Coffee break

14.00-14.45 Oranssi Lumi - an exploratory journey through atmospheric events - Ana Álvarez Piedehierro, Finnish Meteorological Institute

14.45-15.30 Teaching and learning climate related issues in discipline based upper secondary school through project-based learning - Professor Jari Lavonen, University of Helsinki

15.30-16.00 Closing discussion - Professor Maija Aksela, University of Helsinki

Dinner and departure from Hyytiälä 

17.25 train from Orivesi to Helsinki

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Program continues for those staying in Hyytiälä until 5.9. and participating Art & Nature part 

Sauna and evening snacks

Wednesday September 4th

7.00-8.30 Breakfast
9.00-11.00 Excursion to Siikaneva peatland  
11.15-12.00 Lunch
12-13.30 Climate Whirl and Periferia –art exhibition
13.30-14.00 Coffee break
14.00-16.00 mushroom picking in the forest
16.30-17.45 Dinner
20.00-22.00 Evening snack in cabinet

Thursday September 5th

7.00-8.30 Breakfast
10.00 Ride to the Juupajoki train station
train from Juupajoki 10:59 – to Helsinki airport 13:33

Lecturers

Dr. Ying-Shao Hsu (M.S., Ph.D.) is a Chair Professor at the Graduate Institute of Science Education at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). Her primary research interests include socio-scientific issues (SSI) learning, technology-infused science education, curriculum design, metacognition, and STEM education. She specializes in developing SSI-based curricula and investigating scaffolds that improve students' decision-making and metacognition in SSI contexts.

Dr. Jari Lavonen is a Professor of Physics and Chemistry Education at the University of Helsinki. He has been researching science and technology education and teacher education for the last 31 years and his main research interests are science and technology teaching and learning, curriculum development, teacher education and use of ICT in education. 

Dr. Maija Aksela is a Professor of Science Education at the University of Helsinki. She is the Director of national LUMA Centre Finland. She has more than 35 years of experience in developing both teaching and teacher training in STEM subjects. Current research topics include the modelling of contemporary research and future issues in the natural sciences, as well as questions pertaining to climate change.

Steering group
Climate.now -MOOC

Before the Teachers' Climate Change -Forum we recommend you to orientate towards climate change education with Climate.now -MOOC. It is a course on the basics of climate system, its change and effects of the change, how to mitigate and adapt to changing climate. In addition to providing the basic knowledge, another equally important goal is to reinforce the student’s understanding of climate change as a deep human and societal challenge and to give everyone the means to participate in resolving it.