Case studys

CASE STUDYHÖSMÄRINPUISTO SCHOOL

Espoo, Finland

Class teacher Tuulikki Leirimaa and Ilona Laukkanen, a teacher for language and culture groups, are using Petra’s Planet for Schools at Hösmärinpuisto school in Espoo. Leirimaa is teaching 8-year-olds, and Laukkanen teaches 6-year-olds. Both teachers and their students have been very satisfied with Petra’s Planet for Schools.

“Students have been excited from the very beginning,“ comments Tuulikki Leirimaa. “They are often asking when they can visit Petra’s Planet for Schools again.“

Leirimaa has noticed how the students have improved their skills in computing and especially in using social media.

“It’s interesting to also see that they are helping each other more in the real world, while they are exploring together in the virtual world.”

The students have quickly learned to use Petra’s Planet for Schools. They are discovering things that even the teacher hasn’t found yet.

Cultural Awareness

Leirimaa feels the product is best suited to supporting teaching of languages, environmental studies and biology. Petra’s Planet for Schools also raises cultural awareness.

Ilona Laukkanen believes that the product supports social sustainable development by promoting cultural awareness. “Realistic pictures of landscapes allow students to talk about their own culture to other students and teachers. This also helps to develop their self-esteem.”

Laukkanen’s 6-year-olds have used Petra’s Planet for Schools to learn about animals, colours and directions as well as different kinds of clothing.

Books Support the Virtual World

Leirimaa’s class has also been reading Petra books. In the books a 7-year-old girl, Petra, travels around the world, getting to know new cultures. The environments are the same as those in the virtual world of Petra’s Planet for Schools.

“I read the book after the students had explored a certain country. They were squealing in excitement, because it was the same place that was on the computer! The students liked the books a lot.”

Improving Social Media Skills

www.petrasplanetforschools.com

Dramaforum OyMetsänneidonkuja 6FI-02130 Espoo, Finland

[email protected]: +358 40 576 5801

“Everyone is communicating with everyone else. Even those students who usually don’t make contact with others in the class are talking in Petra’s Planet for Schools. They even want to become friends with their teacher!”

Students are teaching the teacher

It’s fast and easy to set up Petra’s Planet for Schools and start using it. Jenni Sipola is pleased with how user-friendly the product is. No special ICT skills are required from the teacher – the students quickly learned to use Petra’s Planet for Schools by themselves, and have been teaching the teacher.

“You just have to trust in your students and their skills.”

Jenni Sipola is a teacher at Vierumäki School, in Vantaa. She uses Petra’s Planet for Schools together with 10-year-olds.

“The first impressions were great. I linked the product URL on our school website, gave

students their passwords and let them know that they were welcome to try it at home, if they wanted to. Half of the students had tried Petra’s Planet for Schools and, the following day, showed the other half what the whole idea was. They were even advertising Petra’s Planet for Schools to make sure everyone would get excited about it.”

Sipola has used Petra´s Planet for Schools during religious and environmental education, as well as language classes. The teacher feels that the possibilities are quite diverse:

“We are learning about writing, communication skills, animal recognition, new cultures and geography.”

Petra’s Planet for Schools attracts both students and teachers with its graphics. Jenni Sipola has already recommended the product to her colleagues.

New methods of communication

Petra’s Planet for Schools allows communication between all of the students; sometimes it’s easier to express yourself through your character instead of speaking out loud in a classroom. Sipola has noticed how the students are excited about this new way of communicating with each other.

Diverse Possibilities

CASE STUDYVIERUMÄKI SCHOOL

Vantaa, Finland




CASE STUDYVAATTOJÄRVI SCHOOL

Kolari, Finland

Katariina Granat teaches a broad range of students and uses Petra’s Planet for Schools with them at Vaattojärvi School in Kolari.

“Petra’s Planet for Schools is suitable for 6- to 12-year- olds. I’ve seen the biggest

excitement on the face of the smartest 12-year-old!” Granat says.

Katariina has noticed that the students have quickly learned to use the product. She also notes that those who don’t normally play games at home are also being very cautious with Petra’s Planet for Schools.

‘No’ to the traditional division of

subjects

"For over 30 years, I’ve been trying not to think of subjects as they are. I dislike how they are divided,“ Granat says.

Granat believes that Petra's Planet for Schools is suitable for every class. She does not even think about which session is used for virtual education, as the subjects will cover religion, the environment, geography, visual arts, and many other subjects.

She also recommends the product to her colleagues."You learn something new with your colleagues, just like you do with your students."

Hard to find similar products

The first impressions of Petra's Planet for Schools were that it is inspirational, and both students and teachers are enthusiastic about it. Granat states that the product met their expectations.

"The best thing about the product is the idea itself – the virtual school. I feel that for the first time, as a teacher, I’m operating in a way that truly works.”

Having a school of their own has felt safe and fun, in the middle of the lively and colourful virtual world. Katarina Granat and her students will keep on having exciting adventures in Petra’s Planet for Schools.

"I haven’t found anything even close to Petra's Planet for Schools!"

Suitable for all ages




CASE STUDYTURUN NORMAALIKOULU/NORSSI

Turku, Finland

Petri Ahokas uses Petra’s Planet for Schools with 8- to 9-year-olds olds at Turun Normaalikoulu, Norssi. Ahokas thinks the product suits this age group perfectly, but also sees it working well for older students

“Age is not an issue for a group of students who are learning to communicate properly on the internet,” Ahokas says.

The class is multicultural and they do not have a shared mother tongue. Everyone understands Finnish, however. Petra’s Planet for Schools has been connecting students.

“Students are using a shared ‘foreign language’, Finnish, inside the virtual world – and because of that, their circles of friends have grown.”

Ahokas believes that aiding communication is one of the key benefits of the product.

Games are used for learning today

Petri Ahokas’ students have enjoyed Petra’s Planet for Schools so much that they are also using it at home.

“Students have improved language skills; their sentences have grown longer and the subject matter itself more clear,” notes Ahokas.

He has noticed the increased enthusiasm and improved social media skills in students.

Ahokas has also tried other similar products.

“Petra’s Planet for Schools is made for children. The idea of using games for learning is a more modern concept than more traditional computer-based learning.”

Learning the “netiquette”

Petra’s Planet for Schools is safe to use, because it works in a closed environment. Ahokas notes how easy and safe it is to learn to interact appropriately on the internet, following the correct netiquette, in this kind of environment.

Ahokas has noticed that children do not understand how to behave appropriately while online. They have discussed what cyberbullying is and how it needs to be handled.

“It is so easy to do the wrong thing online and think that you will never get caught,” he says, and continues: “Petra’s Planet for Schools has brought courage to my class in the use of computers, and as a means for cross-cultural communication.”

Petra’s Planet for Schools connects students




Education

Case studys