Best Finnish Schools Practices Implemented by ROBBO in Its Robotics Centers Worldwide
Finland is often ranked among the top countries in various education indicators. Many international studies recognize the Finnish basic education system as the best in the world. According to research conducted as part of the Programm for International Student Assessment (PISA), Finland has also shown very good results over the past ten years, with Finnish students consistently ranking high in international rankings. Finland is one of the few countries where high academic achievement is combined with life satisfaction (PISA 2018).
Finland is also the birthplace of ROBBO, a manufacturer of children's educational solutions in robotics, which has developed a franchising network of engineering schools around the world.
The network includes more than 150 centers for extracurricular education and 500 schools in 36 countries, with over 100,000 children trained through ROBBO programs.
The company has been recognized as one of the Top 10 EdTech Solution Companies in Europe 2022 by 'Education Technology Insights' magazine and was a winner of the EdTech Breakthrough Awards-2021 for its next-generation educational technology.
Interestingly, the recipe for the best Finnish education includes not only quality knowledge, but also soft skills and a certain culture of learning and interaction. ROBBO has incorporated the best practices from the Finnish education system into its teaching methodology at its extracurricular education centers and engineering schools, known as ROBBO CLUB.
Finland is also the birthplace of ROBBO, a manufacturer of children's educational solutions in robotics, which has developed a franchising network of engineering schools around the world.
The network includes more than 150 centers for extracurricular education and 500 schools in 36 countries, with over 100,000 children trained through ROBBO programs.
The company has been recognized as one of the Top 10 EdTech Solution Companies in Europe 2022 by 'Education Technology Insights' magazine and was a winner of the EdTech Breakthrough Awards-2021 for its next-generation educational technology.
Interestingly, the recipe for the best Finnish education includes not only quality knowledge, but also soft skills and a certain culture of learning and interaction. ROBBO has incorporated the best practices from the Finnish education system into its teaching methodology at its extracurricular education centers and engineering schools, known as ROBBO CLUB.
Personal support
Every fourth student in Finland needs personal support from teachers. On average, they receive it two to three times a week. Each child is considered individually.
This principle is also applied in ROBBO CLUB. Students can always receive individual consultations from teachers and better understand specific topics. We also offer the opportunity to sign up for individual lessons with a teacher for a deeper study of a topic or project development. This helps each student to develop at their own pace and receive support in achieving their goals.
Uniform opportunities for learning and receiving high-quality education are one of the main principles of the Finnish education system.
In Finland, it is believed that the educational environment should motivate innovation, create space for creativity, and give everyone the opportunity to "shine". Quality and equal education in Finland contributes to sustainable economic growth and the prosperity of the country.
The unified methodological basis of ROBBO, which all teachers receive in all clubs around the world, allows for the transmission of uniform high-quality knowledge in any city and in each ROBBO CLUB. Thus, ROBBO implements the principle of accessibility of knowledge and learning opportunities inherent in the Finnish education system. There is no entrance test in ROBBO CLUB, anyone who wishes to learn can join.
Strong teachers, experience and education, love for students and their work, and a decent salary.
We have previously written about the system of selecting and motivating teachers in an article. Our teachers love what they do, are motivated to prepare engineers of the future from children of the present, and are inspired by the company's mission.
If it's a "project," then it means together. Project activities and STEM approaches are encouraged and actively used in ROBBO CLUB. Together with a mentor, students plan, implement, and discuss the results of their joint work or project. We also have a practice of assisting older students to teach younger students during classes. This approach is not used in all clubs, but only in very cohesive groups around the mentor. However, it shows excellent results in involving older students in mentoring activities.
Everyone is praised and encouraged. There are no "bad" students. According to teachers, the main thing is to "motivate, not force them to study."
In Finnish elementary schools, grades are canceled. Once a month, the curator sends parents a purple sheet that reflects the student's progress. Students do not have diaries.
In ROBBO CLUB, there are also no grades or ratings. At the end of each study module, there is a quiz that students can take with the teacher on the last lesson of the module. Those students who have passed all the quizzes receive a diploma from the main ROBBO company at the end of the school year, signed by the director and methodologist of the company.
We also implement this principle through a competency ladder, with a different approach to teaching for each age group.
For example, with preschoolers, we play with technology, younger schoolchildren learn about technology, and middle and high school students learn to copy and create their own unique devices.
Every fourth student in Finland needs personal support from teachers. On average, they receive it two to three times a week. Each child is considered individually.
This principle is also applied in ROBBO CLUB. Students can always receive individual consultations from teachers and better understand specific topics. We also offer the opportunity to sign up for individual lessons with a teacher for a deeper study of a topic or project development. This helps each student to develop at their own pace and receive support in achieving their goals.
Uniform opportunities for learning and receiving high-quality education are one of the main principles of the Finnish education system.
In Finland, it is believed that the educational environment should motivate innovation, create space for creativity, and give everyone the opportunity to "shine". Quality and equal education in Finland contributes to sustainable economic growth and the prosperity of the country.
The unified methodological basis of ROBBO, which all teachers receive in all clubs around the world, allows for the transmission of uniform high-quality knowledge in any city and in each ROBBO CLUB. Thus, ROBBO implements the principle of accessibility of knowledge and learning opportunities inherent in the Finnish education system. There is no entrance test in ROBBO CLUB, anyone who wishes to learn can join.
Strong teachers, experience and education, love for students and their work, and a decent salary.
We have previously written about the system of selecting and motivating teachers in an article. Our teachers love what they do, are motivated to prepare engineers of the future from children of the present, and are inspired by the company's mission.
If it's a "project," then it means together. Project activities and STEM approaches are encouraged and actively used in ROBBO CLUB. Together with a mentor, students plan, implement, and discuss the results of their joint work or project. We also have a practice of assisting older students to teach younger students during classes. This approach is not used in all clubs, but only in very cohesive groups around the mentor. However, it shows excellent results in involving older students in mentoring activities.
Everyone is praised and encouraged. There are no "bad" students. According to teachers, the main thing is to "motivate, not force them to study."
In Finnish elementary schools, grades are canceled. Once a month, the curator sends parents a purple sheet that reflects the student's progress. Students do not have diaries.
In ROBBO CLUB, there are also no grades or ratings. At the end of each study module, there is a quiz that students can take with the teacher on the last lesson of the module. Those students who have passed all the quizzes receive a diploma from the main ROBBO company at the end of the school year, signed by the director and methodologist of the company.
We also implement this principle through a competency ladder, with a different approach to teaching for each age group.
For example, with preschoolers, we play with technology, younger schoolchildren learn about technology, and middle and high school students learn to copy and create their own unique devices.
If a building becomes architecture, then it is art
The principle of the 4 Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity
Knowledge is not the ultimate goal of education. It is more important to learn how to learn, think critically, and understand the principles behind solving different tasks. Communication, creativity, and collaboration are essential components of modern learning. In Finland, the principle of the 4 Cs is complemented by a fifth C: culture. Being part of a larger cultural context and understanding one's role in society is an important step towards becoming a well-rounded adult.
These principles are also implemented in ROBBO CLUB. Specifically, creativity and artistic taste are fostered through the creative programming aspect of the ROBBO curriculum (which is different from traditional programming, as discussed here) and 3D modeling and printing. Communication and collaboration skills are developed through joint classes and projects, as well as preparation for competitions and events. Critical thinking is the foundation for developing knowledge in natural sciences, which is emphasized in our engineering school since understanding how to control and create devices in ROBBO CLUB requires knowledge in math and physics.
This brings us to another important principle of education: learning based on real-life phenomena.
Phenomenon-based learning is gradually being implemented in all Finnish schools and involves active project-based learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and a natural context that intersects with each student's real-life experiences.
As Kirs Mulyumyaki says, "When faced with a problem, we often find that solving it requires knowledge from multiple fields."
This program encourages independent learning and provokes students to ask questions. Children learn to analyze and filter information by separating what they already know from what they don't know yet.
In ROBBO CLUB, we have thematic modules with practical and project-based applications. We learn programming and microelectronics not through simulators but on real objects using ROBBO equipment (link). Each module concludes with a project, whether it's a small program, a phone app, a game, a robot, a circuit, a 3D component, or a smart home made from circuit kit components.
Every project has a real-life foundation, whether it's a loading manipulator, a smart home where you can control lights with clapping, a smart farm where watering is scheduled based on the time of day, an app for managing an animal shelter, or a quiz about landmarks in your city. Each project is always complete, relevant to real life, creative, and positive!
Thanks to this approach, ROBBO CLUB provides excellent motivation for learning and improving academic performance in natural sciences. We also develop soft skills and communication, learn how to create and learn how to learn, and have access to the best knowledge in children's robotics worldwide.
Knowledge is not the ultimate goal of education. It is more important to learn how to learn, think critically, and understand the principles behind solving different tasks. Communication, creativity, and collaboration are essential components of modern learning. In Finland, the principle of the 4 Cs is complemented by a fifth C: culture. Being part of a larger cultural context and understanding one's role in society is an important step towards becoming a well-rounded adult.
These principles are also implemented in ROBBO CLUB. Specifically, creativity and artistic taste are fostered through the creative programming aspect of the ROBBO curriculum (which is different from traditional programming, as discussed here) and 3D modeling and printing. Communication and collaboration skills are developed through joint classes and projects, as well as preparation for competitions and events. Critical thinking is the foundation for developing knowledge in natural sciences, which is emphasized in our engineering school since understanding how to control and create devices in ROBBO CLUB requires knowledge in math and physics.
This brings us to another important principle of education: learning based on real-life phenomena.
Phenomenon-based learning is gradually being implemented in all Finnish schools and involves active project-based learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and a natural context that intersects with each student's real-life experiences.
As Kirs Mulyumyaki says, "When faced with a problem, we often find that solving it requires knowledge from multiple fields."
This program encourages independent learning and provokes students to ask questions. Children learn to analyze and filter information by separating what they already know from what they don't know yet.
In ROBBO CLUB, we have thematic modules with practical and project-based applications. We learn programming and microelectronics not through simulators but on real objects using ROBBO equipment (link). Each module concludes with a project, whether it's a small program, a phone app, a game, a robot, a circuit, a 3D component, or a smart home made from circuit kit components.
Every project has a real-life foundation, whether it's a loading manipulator, a smart home where you can control lights with clapping, a smart farm where watering is scheduled based on the time of day, an app for managing an animal shelter, or a quiz about landmarks in your city. Each project is always complete, relevant to real life, creative, and positive!
Thanks to this approach, ROBBO CLUB provides excellent motivation for learning and improving academic performance in natural sciences. We also develop soft skills and communication, learn how to create and learn how to learn, and have access to the best knowledge in children's robotics worldwide.
Main office info:
ROBBO FINLAND Oy
02150 Espoo, Finland
Otakaari 7b
ROBBO FINLAND Oy
02150 Espoo, Finland
Otakaari 7b
ROBBO is our registered trademark
Email: info@robbo.world
Phone: +358 40 4187890
Phone: +358 40 4187890