Äänekoski high school's extensive collaboration with higher education institutions is a rare treat
The city of Äänekoski has invested its own high school in higher education cooperation.
- The offer of university and university of applied sciences studies at Äänekoski high school is absolutely first-class. We have also wanted to invest financially in this, the principal of Äänekoski high school Jaana Tani says.
- Now the fourth year has started, when as part of high school studies, students have also been offered the opportunity for university studies. Depending on the year, we have had 2-3 study units organized in cooperation with the University of Jyväskylä and JAMK, from which you can get course completion for high school studies, says Tani.

High school courses truly prepare for university studies
University studies are not only intended for the best high school students, but for all those who have a clear picture of what field interests them.
- Through university studies, young people get some kind of glimpse into their possible future studies, the deputy principal of the high school coordinating the university offer Sami Kallioinen says.
- In addition, you can get a high school course or two from higher education studies, and the course credit can be credited as part of later studies. At the same time, the young person receives preparation for matriculation essays and entrance exams.
A wide variety of introductory courses are offered. For example, this school year has had the opportunity to study developmental psychology, the basics of artificial intelligence, anatomy and physiology, and the field of games. According to Kallioinen and Tan, university courses are often more traditional, while university of applied sciences studies can be more applicable, even surprising.
At Äänekoski high school, a lot of resources are directed towards higher education cooperation.
- In addition to the teacher from the university or the university of applied sciences, the courses also always have the high school's own teacher, Kallioinen says. Although the courses are implemented in an online learning environment, the teaching mainly takes place live and you get plenty of personal guidance from the teachers. Depending on the course, there may be guest lecturers or the young people may also visit on-site at a university or university of applied sciences.
We are already planning next fall's course offerings. The wishes of young people have been listened to and actively monitored which fields are now on the surface and are of interest.
- There are completely new courses planned for next autumn, Kallioinen promises.
In addition, Äänekoski is naturally involved in the joint college week of all high schools in Central Finland, which will be organized again this spring.

I'm interested in psychology
The five-credit course on the basics of developmental psychology has been offered for several years. It has been very popular, even though it is quite a large entity.
- Although the course is demanding, our high school students have done well and our students are really hardworking to complete these university studies anyway, praises Jaana Tani.
Second year students Veera Kinnunen, Nora Pollari ja Saara Paananen have been satisfied with the psychology course, which is coming to an end. With the course, they have gained confidence in what they would like to study after high school, and that they would do well in further studies.
- The studies have not been too difficult, but it does require that you have the desire to study, says Saara Paananen.
- It has depended on your own attitude, Noora Pollari agrees.
- It has been nice to get to know what university studies are like, says Veera Kinnunen.
The young people say that they have received a lot of personal guidance and help from the teacher. Pollari thanks that the study opportunity is free for young people and it will also be useful for future studies many years from now. There is also no need to purchase books for the course, and the course participants have access to all the materials of the University of Jyväskylä library for one year.
- It's a fantastic opportunity for young people, and especially if they are also interested in other fields, a high school psychology teacher Jyrki Rossi says.
- With the university, in psychology, the division of labor is such that the tasks and the operating platform come from there, and I, as a teacher, direct all the work and evaluate some of the tasks, Rossi describes.
- Indeed, this is a broad entity. One credit is 27 hours, so a five-credit course is no less than 135 hours. This is where you really get an idea of what university studies are like, Rossi says. The most important part of the course is a 10-page learning assignment, where you have to be well versed in referencing.
- We have received feedback and praise from the university about how our high school students get through the course with such good grades, Rossi says.

For more information:
Äänekoski high school principal Jaana Tani, 0400 115 205, jaana.tani@aanekoski.fi
Deputy headmaster Sami Kallioinen, 0400 115 264, sami.kallioinen@aanekoski.fi

News published 28.3.2022, modified 14.5.2024/07/53 at XNUMX:XNUMX