This year’s multidiciplinary learning module workshops consisted of different working life skills. Workshops included themes such as sustainable development, creativity and cooperation, occupations, entrepreneurship, performance and presentation skills. Pupils went around different workshops for three days learning about the skills required in the future working life.

Sustainable development workshop handled themes through a Kahoot!-quiz. The themes included production and logistics, consumption, waste management, reuse, recycling, pollution, and climate change. Sustainable development is vital in the future working life and people’s everyday lives. During comprehensive school it is important to internalize important skills regarding the globe and people’s future, as small choices can have a great impact on them. Kahoot!-quiz questions had e.g. the following examples: Recycling means: a) selling old clothes and things on the flea market; b) opportunity to speak in a group; c) a gymnastics move; d) sorting garbage into correct bins. Drugs can be returned to a) grocery store; b) chemists; c) hospital; d) they are not returned, they can be thrown into mixed waste.

The aim of the Cooperation and creativity lyrics workshop was to practice cooperation and negotiation skills, as well as use creativity to write song lyrics. The workshop was carried out by rewriting the lyrics to Toto’s Africa. The background music can be found on the Musication channel. Each group of pupils had their own part to write lyrics to. The most suitable lyrics were chosen out of the lyrics written in the class and the lyrics and verses were arranged to fit the melody of the song. Some pupils from each class sang their class verse and the recordings were combined to make a song for the entire elementary school.

Future occupations workshop started off by pupils naming different occupations. After that they pondered how already in today’s working life people’s work can be replaced partly or fully by A.I., robots or digital technology. Pupils also thought about which occupations might disappear in the future and which ones can be replaced by new titles. After the discussion, pupils were given the task of drawing a possible future occupation or a view of future workers. Year 3-6 students were also asked to write a short description of their drawing.

In the Entrepreneur workshop year 4-6 students were asked to design and execute a new product in groups of three. Materials given were felt, glue, corrugated cardboard, cardboard cups and thread. Time limit for the design project was 20 minutes, after which groups presented their new product to the others. Finally, each group was given 1300 € (play money from Monopoly) to invest into other groups’ products. Pupils had to work out in a group how much they were willing to invest and into which products. In the end pupils were told which products were most favoured by the investors. 

Younger pupils (years 1-2) put their souls into founding a restaurant: they were asked to plan meals for their own restaurant. The meals were then drawn onto cardboard plates. After that pupils did a quiz on logos of famous businesses.

In the Performance/presentation skills workshop pupils practiced different performance/presentation skills by using drama. The idea was to encourage pupils to participate in the drama/game. The biggest challenge in the workshop was to get everyone to participate and not fear performing. Drama scenes were created alone, in pairs or in groups. Pupils also thought of future working life in general in this workshop. 

In the Creative approaches to social situations workshop pupils worked on their social skills by creative expression. They worked on their cooperation skills in pairs or small groups. Pupils threw themselves into new challenges bravely, as is sometimes needed in working life.