ort building a healthy self-confidence.
Students have to undergo strict and fixed curricula long hours a day, being taught only academic knowledge without a chance of practicing and applying it in real life. The pressure often made my study attitude worse. I study for examination just to get high grade, I did not have any intention to understand the subject and I forgot everything I learnt after the exam is done.
Learning material in order to be able just to repeat it was seen as a hindrance to actually understanding subject matter and being able to apply it in practice. Many students also criticised their previous schools for not helping them to develop their own thinking and questioning.
B) Studying in TAMK
Based on the essays, the study environment in TAMK was mostly perceived as student centred, taking into account the needs of the students and giving opportunities to develop confidence and thinking skills. TAMK was seen as a place where there is room for the student’s own choices. The teaching is practically based and the students are encouraged to ask questions and to discuss issues. The students commented on the how this would develop work life skills in addition to helping to understand the substance matter. The integration of theory and practice was seen as particularly valuable for the future.
Here in TAMK I’m not only studying to get a degree but studying to understand. TAMK set student as the center in their learning process. I tend to gain more practical skills and learn to be more active in searching for new information. In class, students can express their confusion and make questions for their teacher. We are given chances to speak out loud and every assumption is taken into account. We learn collaboration, social skills, communication, group work and being self-confident.
Figure 2 Experiences of 16IDEE students on learning in TAMK.
For those used to a teacher centred learning environment the experiences in TAMK were not always positive. The student centred approach could make the class situations seem chaotic and the authority of the teacher appeared undermined. The amount of freedom of choice could also lead to a loss of direction. When life felt too free, one started to miss the old and the familiar.
This suddenly left a blank space in my new life. It is hilarious that in Finland, you can freely do whatever you want and learn whatever you think is necessary but you feel empty and you miss your education back home. Very comfortable learning atmosphere sometimes lead to disrespectful to the teachers as the students can leave or do whatever they want during the lectures. Language is the toughest challenge that I have to overcome. The Finnish accent of some teachers makes overseas students like me hard to understand and follow the lecture.
c) Experiences about studying at TAMK
Based on the identified positive and negative features of studying at TAMK three different types of reaction to a new learning culture were identified.
Confusion. Adapting to a new learning culture takes time and seldom comes easily. A sense of confusion and uncertainty may affect students without adequate preparation.
For the first two months, I had absolutely no goals at all, which meant I did not have any motivation to study and learn new things. The teacher did not push me to achieve anything. If I failed a course, I could take the retake exams. I could skip the class without being punished by any rule.
Many students came from educational systems that emphasized considerable instructor guidance and supervision. They were embarrassed or did not know which way to go when confronted with TAMK’s learning culture which involves independent learning, working in teams and active classroom participation. Each student adjusts at a different pace to new habits and expectations (Brown and Holloway, 2008; Wang 2012). According to Gudykunst (2005) culture shock is not a problem to be cured but a certain amount of uncertainty and anxiety is seen as positive and as a necessary step towards intercultural communicative competence.
Transformation.