Leena VAINIO is the head of HAMK eLearning Centre and research manager in HAMK University of Applied Sciences. Her research focuses especially on organizational change management and leadership when eLearning methods are used in teaching, learning and working. She has more than 25 years of experience in the learning design and development fields and public-private partnership co-operation. She is actively involved in development projects for example online pedagogical research and development at the Finnish Online University of Applied Sciences and Active citizen of the open learning environment. She has presented at many conferences, and has written many articles, and book chapters concerning e-Learning, e-mentoring, e-Working and Leadership.  Vainio has been nine years the chair of the Finnish eLearning Association.

The Finnish eLearning Association is the promoter and network-builder in Finnish eLearning branch. Our goal is to support our members, the individuals and the companies, in developing their network-teaching solutions and find suitable services for every party. The Association co-operates with the best experts and presents up-to-date information for its associates about research, development, recent trends and experiences of eLearning. We organize annual eLearning competition called eEemeli. The ultimate goal is to support and promote the domestic eLearning branch: its stakeholders, products and services and thus, to improve the quality of eLearning operations and activities. The Association organizes for its members and associates annual events such as meetings, seminars and briefings and publishes "SeOppi" –magazine, which is free for members. The magazine can also be ordered by anyone who is interested in eLearning from the Association of Finnish eLearning Centre.

What is  e-Learning TODAY ?

eLearning is

• networking
• blended learning and teaching activities and interesting pedagogic and didactic practices
• organization of support services
• more student-centric activities
• enhanced ICT skills and competences

During the last twenty years pioneering teachers, trailblazers, have utilised new information technology to develop teaching. The Board of Education  and Ministry of Education have  supported development through strategic emphases and special funding. Students are able to complete, for example, senior secondary school, vocational degrees, university of applied sciences degrees and some university degrees entirely over the internet. Teaching methodology at every level of education has been developed utilising information and communication technology.

The FUTURE of e-Learning

Social media and the collective production of knowledge on the internet create completely new challenges for the world of education. Peer-to-peer learning is now facilitated in a powerful way through new social networking tools such as blogs, wikis, Twitter, Facebook, and social bookmarking. Learning can be socially situated in a way never previously possible. The learner him/herself is at the centre of learning and the teacher’s role is changing at all levels of education. What is required is more stronger pedagogic competence and collective activity alongside technology. There needs to be a shift from teacher-centredness to an increasing student-centredness. The change in the teacher’s role creates new demands to the administration. The teachers need to be in-service trained quickly and simultaneously. Instead of lecturing, teachers should begin to work together with their students, that is, shift from teaching-centredness to learning-centredness and a ‘one size fits all’ model should be transformed into indivdual learning paths. Individual work should become doing together and learning together. For many teachers these challenges are not new and solutions have been found. However, changes in practice and a full utilisation of information technology is not tied to an individual’s ethos, but rather the passion an entire educational institution’s community has for collaborative learning. 

What type of skills is needed in work life ?

Binkley, M. et al (2010). have described the skills so well that I totally agree those. (Binkley, M. & Erstad, O. & Herman, J. & Raizen, S. & Ripley, M. & Rumle, M. Draft White Paper 1. Defining 21st Century Skills. http://atc21s.org/home/. 18.3.2010.

Ways of thinking

1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Critical thinking, problem solving and decision making
3. Learning to learn, Metacognition

Ways of working

1. Communication
2. Collaboration (team work)

Tools for working

1. Information literacy
2. ICT literacy

Living in the world

1. Citizenship – local and global
2. Life and career
3. Personal and social responsibility – including cultural awareness and competence

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