QUESTIONNAIRE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIVERSITIES OF THE THIRD AGE IN THE SPRING TERM 2000

QUESTIONNAIRE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIVERSITIES OF THE THIRD AGE IN THE SPRING TERM 2000

National Advisory Board of Finland in May, 2000.

Case Study about Activities of

UTA Helsinki, UTA Jyväskylä, UTA Joensuu

Anneli Hietaluoma, 20.6.2000

Translation

STUDIA GENERALIA TYPE LECTURES

1. What types of lectures do you organize?

1) lectures with different topics each time, no general topics

2) lectures centered around one main topic: Helsinki

3) other

Jyväskylä: loose topics in general lectures, health and self care as a separate series

Joensuu: no lectures were held

2. Lectures

1) once a week: Helsinki

2) twice a week

3) other, when

Jyväskylä: twice a month a general lecture, twice a month a health and self care lecture in U3A groups in open colleges 3-4 lectures per term

3. Are the lecturers members of your regular staff?

1) always

2) mostly: Jyväskylä, Helsinki

3) seldom

4) never

4. Where do the visiting lecturers come from? (give us some examples)

Jyväskylä: other universities, ministries, and distinguished public figures.

Helsinki: other universities, research institutes, state government, museums,

authors, artists, journalists.

5. What is the average attendance in the lectures?

Jyväskylä: 280-350 (general lectures), ca.100 (health and self care lectures),

15-100 in U3A groups in open colleges

Helsinki: 50

SEMINARS

6. Do your activities include seminar-type of work?

1) no

2) yes, what kind of seminars are under way at the moment

Jyväskylä: computer courses, research seminar, tradition seminar, writer

seminar, literature circle, drama circle, genealogy

Helsinki: Recording the Stories of Life -seminars, tradition seminar, art history seminar

Joensuu: Ethics and discussion seminar

7. On average, how often the seminars meet?

1) once a week: Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä (computer courses):

2) Twice a week

3) other, when

Jyväskylä (everything else) 1-2 times a month

8. On average how long does a seminar last?

1) one year: Joensuu

2) at least two years: Jyväskylä

3) longer than____________

4) less than______________

5) no regularity: Helsinki

9. Are the seminars scaled?

1) not at all: Helsinki, Joensuu

2) separate basic and extension seminars: Jyväskylä (in computer courses)

3) some other way, how?______________________________________

10. Are the seminar instructors members of the staff of your own university?

1) always

2) mostly: Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Joensuu

3) seldom

4) never

10. Where do the visiting seminar instructors come from? (give us examples)

Jyväskylä: The Jyväskylä Polytechnic, Museum of Central Finland

Joensuu: Researchers from various projects, an author, etc.

11. What is the average number of students in seminars?

Jyväskylä: 10 students

Helsinki: 10 students

Joensuu: 15-20 students

13. Have you used any other methods for lähiopetus, e.g. audio connection?

1) Jyväskylä, Joensuu: no

2) Helsinki: yes, Lectures on audiotapes that are listened to, under the guidance of group instructors in some old age homes and open colleges.

RESEARCH

14. Do you involve research teams or research seminars in your work?

1) no

2) yes, describe in more detail

Jyväskylä: Basic seminar of research: triangulation towers, The Old Church of Keuruu in postcards, computer studies for senior citizens, examination of earlier research

Helsinki: Tradition seminar works in co-operation with the work group of Karelian tradition, collecting and recording Karelian tradition in public archives

Joensuu: a presentation for the world congress of AIUTA by the group of global ethics

15. Have the students begun to conduct research of their own?

1) no: Helsinki, Joensuu

2) yes, what kind (on which topics)

Jyväskylä: the students’ research is further worked with in the tradition seminar or in research seminar

16. Is any research concerning UTA activities done in your university?

1) no: Joensuu

2) yes, what kind

Jyväskylä: thesises from different points of view

Helsinki: university students occasionally base their seminar work and thesises on our activities

OTHER ACTIVITIES

17. Do you organize any kind of project groups?

1) no: Helsinki, Joensuu

2) yes, what kind

Jyväskylä: a) in connection with international activity on regular basis (LiLL) b) in co-operation with social work for the aged in Jyväskylä

18. Do your activities include study circles?

1) no: Helsinki, Joensuu

2) yes, what kind

Jyväskylä: study tour group

19. Do you have any other type of activities?

1) no: Joensuu

2) for example the following:

Jyväskylä: international activities within the Learning in Later Life project and tutor training for computer classes

Helsinki: computer courses, tutoring in which more advanced students guide the others

PUBLISHING

20. Have you prepared any separate study material for the UTA?

1) no: Joensuu, Jyväskylä

2) yes, specify

Helsinki: study material for computer courses

20. Do you have series of publications or reports concerning the U3A, or do you plan to produce one?

1) no

2) yes, what kind

Jyväskylä: anthologies (12), reports and seminar works (9), studies (1)

Helsinki: Ikis-Media, in which e.g. tradition anthologies have been published

Joensuu: unfortunately not under a specific title, but with special layout

22. Do your students take part in exams?

1) no: Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Joensuu

2) yes, in which subjects

CONTACTS TO THE UNIVERSITY

23. Do you inform the public about your Open University education?

1) no: Helsinki

2) yes: Jyväskylä, Joensuu

24. Have your students earned credits in an Open University or applied for a degree in a university?

1) no

2) cannot say: Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Joensuu

3) yes, in which subjects__________________

25. Have your students had joint lectures or seminars with university students?

1) no

2) not yet, but it is planned: Jyväskylä, Helsinki

3) yes, some attend lectures in the university: Joensuu

STUDENT COUNSELING - INSTRUCTOR TRAINING

26. Do you give individual counseling to the students?

1) not at all: Joensuu

2) yes, if students ask for it

3) yes systematically

Jyväskylä: within the seminars, and tutoring in the computer courses

Helsinki: tutoring in the computer courses

27. Do you offer supplementary training or information meetings for your

teachers?

1) not at all: Joensuu

2) yes, information and feedback meetings and joint planning days: Jyväskylä

3) yes, supplementary training (e.g. joint seminar days)

4) yes, both information meetings and supplementary training: Helsinki

INFORMATION ON OTHER ACTIVITIES

28. Total number of students in spring term of 2000

Jyväskylä: 2525 (894 in Jyväskylä, 1631 in U3A open colleges)

Helsinki: 1308

Joensuu: 30

29. Number of study groups in spring term of 2000

Lectures Seminars Research seminars Study circles

Helsinki 61 16 3 42

Joensuu - 3 - -

Jyväskylä 13 8 1 1 (LiLL)

30. Locations where activities take place?

Helsinki: Espoo, Heinola, Helsinki, Hollola, Imatra, Lahti, Tuusula, (Toronto),

Vantaa, Porvoo, Hyvinkää, Vihti, Lappeenranta, Lohja

Joensuu: Joensuu

Jyväskylä: Hankasalmi, Jyväskylä, Keuruu, Kokkola, Laukaa, Pieksämäki,

Saarijärvi, Savonlinna, Suolahti, Äänekoski

31. Do the students get diplomas? Automatically or upon request? After a term or a school year?

Helsinki, only upon request

Joensuu: only upon request

Jyväskylä: only upon request

32. Do you use a study book? Who keeps the record?

Helsinki: yes, the particular course secretary

Joensuu: no

Jyväskylä: yes, the instructor of the particular seminar

33. How does the planning of curriculums take place? Who participate in the planning? Do the students participate?

Helsinki: Every study group’s curriculum includes a planning meeting once every term. In the meeting students plan the following year’s curriculum in co-operation with programme coordinator and the course secretary. Based on this, the curriculum is drafted. Finally it is brought into the management group for approval. In addition we have qustionnaires for any other wishes.

Joensuu: The amanuensis (assistant) of the Open University makes the proposals from the basis of the students’ wishes. The heads of the Open University and the Summer University make the decisions.

Jyväskylä: An idea paper is distributed in the general lectures for the basis of the planning the next year’s curriculum. All UTA students can give their opinion if they so choose, and return the paper to the coordinator. Ideas are discussed in the planning group that consists of 13 students. The curriculum is drafted in the planning group. The management group plans the activities in the long range.

34. To whom are the activities intended for? How are the students selected? Possible age limits?

Helsinki: Meant for retired people; students are accepted into the most popular study groups in the order of registration Otherwise there are no other age limits or criteria.

Joensuu: Meant for senior citizens, i.e. those who are retired or about to retire in a few years, participation is not restricted by age or any other criteria.

Jyväskylä: Meant for retired people, those still working but about to retire. Also students and other people who are interested may participate. In addition people involved in the care of the elderly may use some seminars as vocational supplementary training.

35. What is the role of the University and its Continuing Education Centre in organizing the activity?

Helsinki: The Helsinki Bureau of the Open University of the University of Helsinki is responsible for the activity.

Joensuu: The University of Joensuu is responsible. The Continuing Education Centre is in charge of the day-to-day activities.

Jyväskylä: The activity is organized in co-operation with the University of Jyväskylä, the Summer University of Jyväskylä, and the City of Jyväskylä. The Summer University is responsible for the practical work. In open colleges the particular college and its respective municipality are responsible.

ADMINISTRATION

36. Has the university set a management group or a corresponding body for the activities? Which institutions are represented in the group?

Helsinki: The activities have a management group that includes:

- 5 staff members or emeritus professors

- Representative of the co-operating organizations

- A student representative, University of Helsinki.

- The Continuing Education Centre of the University of Helsinki

- Programme coordinator (secretary of the management group)

Joensuu: At the moment there is no management group.

Jyväskylä: The activities have a management group that is set for 3 years by the board of Continuing Education Centre of the University of Jyväskylä, and the board of Summer University of Jyväskylä. At the moment it includes:

- 3 student representatives

- the Rector of the Jyväskylä Summer University

- the Head of the Open University

- planning coordinator from the Centre of Social Welfare and Health Services as the city's representative

- the professors of psychology, pedagogics, and social gerontology

- researcher from the department of Social Studies

- a personal alternate member for each regular member

37. Does your university have a programme coordinator for the UTA activities (full-time or part-time)?

Helsinki: Full-time programme coordinator, half of the work contribution of the other coordinatori. In Imatra and Saimaa the activities are coordinated by a part time employee. In Vantaa the activities are partly coordinated by a person who has retired from the city’s service.

Joensuu: The amanuensis of the Continuing Education Centre is responsible for the work among other tasks.

Jyväskylä: The coordination takes place among other tasks in Summer University of Jyväskylä. One almost full-time course secretary helping in all practical questions. In the U3A groups in open colleges the responsibility lies with the Head of the college.

38. Do the study groups have a course secretary? Which institution is responsible for his/her salary?

Helsinki: The particular course secretary is present in the meetings of the study group, The Continuing Education Centre is responsible for his/her salary.

Joensuu: There is no course secretary. The amanuensis is responsible for practical arrangements.

Jyväskylä: In general lectures the Rector of the Summer University, programme coordinator or course secretary are responsible for the practical arrangements. The Summer University of Jyväskylä is responsible for their salaries. The U3A groups in open colleges are managed with local resources.

39. If you do not have a course secretary, is there some other representative of the responsible organization present in the seminars or lectures; what is his/her role?

Joensuu: Seminars are instructed by the amanuensis of the Open University. The amanuensis is also responsible of the lectures that are provided by the Open University for the students of the U3A (Studia Generalia).

Jyväskylä: Someone responsible of the practical arrangements is always present. He/she chairs the meeting before the lecture and the discussion afterwards. In seminars the instructors are responsible.

40. Does your university have co-operating organizations in organizing the activities (summer universities, workers’ institutes, folk high schools etc.)? What the co-operating organizations are, and what tasks are they responsible for?

Helsinki: Open colleges and workers’ institutes: the colleges and institutions fit the courses into their own curriculums and are responsible for enrollment, classrooms etc.

Old Age Homes: in distance learning groups these institutions are responsible for the information and the salaries of the tutors.

Joensuu: U3A has been run by the Open University.

Jyväskylä: Summer Universities and Workers’ Institutes. The Summer University of Jyväskylä is responsible for the practical arrangements (payments, registration etc.). In open colleges a person named by the respective college is responsible.

ECONOMY

41. The University’s share in financing the activity? Where does the money come from?

Helsinki: Adult Education Centre finances travel, administrative costs, and salaries of the programme coordinator and the course secretary. Financing comes from municipal grants for the planning and organization of Open University education, and from student fees.

Joensuu: Administrative costs are financed together with the Summer University and the Continuing Education Centre. The activities are funded primarily by Open University grants, and secondarily by student fees. Student fees are fairly insignificant.

Jyväskylä: University offers the room except computer classrooms without charge. Small contributions may be acquired upon separate requests for international activities. For example from the Finnish Centre for Interdisclipinary Gerontology.

42. Co-operating organizations’ share of financing?

Helsinki: Co-operating organizations pay lecturers’ salaries and travel costs when education takes place in colleges.

Joensuu: Co-operating organizations have paid their share as agreed.

Jyväskylä: Costs are covered by student fees and a grant from the Ministry of Education, various grants for projects and the subsidy of the City of Jyväskylä. In open colleges teachers’ salaries are paid by the college.

43. Possible student fees? The payment, and is it per term or per year?

Helsinki: 100 marks per term + 300 marks per seminar for the particular college.

Joensuu: Participation fee is 100 marks per term.

Jyväskylä: Registration fee is 100 marks per term, in addition 100-300 marks per term for seminars.