The study concerns learning during the life-span of Helsinki citizens and approaches the subject from the angle of lifelong learning. Learning is seen as something that concerns a person's everyday life lifelong. It is analysed from the angles of both formal, traditional learning at school and of everyday learning. The framework of the analysis is Helsinki with all its numerous and varied opportunities. In the background there was the idea of a social development which, at an accelerating rate, calls for an extension of people's ideas of learning.

Those people in Helsinki who were interviewed defined learning in many different ways. It was most common to describe learning in terms of understanding and acquiring skills. But most also defined it as a change that takes place in yourself either in your thoughts or actions. The importance of learning at work was highlighted. In future, work and studies should alternate through, for example, internal training in companies. The skills of retired people, too, should be fostered. One way would be to engage them as mentors. A future form of learning could be to develop apprenticeship contracts so that the apprenticeships would become as interesting as possible for both apprentices and the employers.

Learning is a life-long process - the older you get, the more you learn. Today, this is the theme of many development projects that have provided references for this study, which is an extensive joint project within Helsinki City's cultural and personnel authorities on the theme of learning across the life span of Helsinki citizens. From the angle of learning, a big city emerges as a varied forum for service and learning experiences. It is often emphasized that learning can and should happen elsewhere, too, than just at school or other arranged learning situations.

The present study draws on an extensive literature survey and on interviews with 53 people, and concentrates on qualitative information. An extensive picture of the great variety of learning in Helsinki is given through a presentation of the city as a learning environment, learning forms in various age groups and a typification of learners. The study gives an idea of what roles various service forms play for in the life of citizens and what can be learnt in various environments such as the National Opera or the Central Park.

The concept of everyday learning was unexpectedly unfamiliar to the interviewees. Thus, one mission of the study is to highlight everyday learning and emphasize its importance for raising the level of skills of society and Helsinki citizens. The study contains several examples of how everyday situations can teach people many useful skills for work, social contacts and personal growth.

The study sees Helsinki as a learning environment and approaches it through various places, spaces and events that are felt vitally important for learning. The basic assumption is that learning can happen anywhere in Helsinki. There are free public events, libraries, concerts, natural sites, museums, exhibitions and sports events where anyone can extend their everyday learning. Formal education establishments may, for example, send their students on excursions to the Korkeasaari Zoo with its exotic animals, the Ateneum art gallery with its art treasures and the Keskuspuisto central park with its wild flowers. In Helsinki, people have concrete access to many things that you do not find elsewhere in Finland. Obviously, there are many meaningful learning experiences to be gained in other parts of Finland, too.

The interviewees were classified into six types of "learners" on the basis of their own and their parents' level of education.

Palmenia Centre for Research and Continuing Education
University of Helsinki
Finland
Mr. Jyri Manninen (Director of Research)

15/06/2004

Eija Mannisenmäki and Jyri Manninen

research

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Skills improvement