Music pedagogy education for 20 years

For 20 years, Haaga-Helia's vocational teacher education has been responsible for the 60 credits of pedagogical studies included in the degree of music pedagogy together with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Music pedagogy now and in the future

The 20-year cooperation was celebrated at Haaga-Helia's Pasila campus on 29 April 2022. The celebration was hosted by music pedagogue (YAMK), violin lecturer Heidi Mantere.

Markus Utrio, Vice Decane of the Sibelius Academy, pondered in his speech how the work of the music pedagogy has changed and how it will develop in the future. Although Finnish music education has been an internationally acclaimed success story, structural changes have also contributed to this.

" The student-centredness, research base and ethics of pedagogy describe today's music education. In the future, music education will also focus on sustainability expertise, which is currently being considered very much in the field of teaching," Utrio stated.

Utrio asked the question of how attention to sustainability could also be reflected in music pedagogy in the future. He added that the role of art and artist education in society is also one of the issues of the future.

" I would like to see that we artists are active in building the society of the future," Utrio hopes.

He also praised the 20-year teacher training of music pedagogies in Haaga-Helia.

" I thank Haaga-Helia for already seeing it strongly at the level of student recruitment if she has been involved in this pedagogical training."

A long history of educational cooperation

More than 2,000 students have already participated in Haaga-Helia's music pedagogy education. In addition to strong subject pedagogy, the cooperation has highlighted common teaching and teaching issues.

Jari Laukia, Director of the School of Vocational Teacher's Education, spoke about the history of education, which started at the initiative of the Ministry of Education in 1999. The working group set up to prepare the matter proposed that the training be carried out in cooperation between vocational teacher universities and polytechnics providing music education.

" Based on the plan, cooperation with the School of Vocational Teacher Education, Stadia (now Metropolia) and Turku University of Applied Sciences began in 2001. Dance teachers and theatre expression directors from the theatre and circus fields have also joined the Turku University of Applied Sciences later on," he said.

" Such cooperation, combining the studies of different universities of applied sciences, could also be used in some other trainings," he said.

Paula Turkia, Head of Competence at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences , thanked Haaga-Helia for the years of cooperation and the desire for continued cooperation.

" Especially now the world needs skilled teachers. The world expects you to teach and build this field for a better future, Turkia encouraged students.

Music pedagogue students were also able to speak at the celebrations in their own speeches. Jutta Virtanen and Heta Ikonen shared their own experiences of Haaga-Helia's studies. Other students  also participated in the panel discussion.

The speeches heard that students with a strong pedagogical base now have a strong desire to get into practical work.

In addition to the celebrations between Haaga-Helia and Metropolia, the Turku University of Applied Sciences celebrated remote celebrations in March 2022. Cooperation between the three universities of applied sciences will continue in the future. Teacher trainers from Haaga-Helia are responsible for the pedagogical education of music teachers.