Me as a learner
Have you thought about how you learn? What ways are the best possible ways for you to learn? Here you will have the opportunity to reflect on yourself as a learner.
We have also included here a section where you will find more information on the courses about the Finnish language and culture in the institute you will study. Take a look at them!
Think about yourself
Before you start your studies, it is good to think about yourself and yourself as a learner. Therefore, your first task is to reflect on who you actually are by answering a few questions. In this section, you can find a few exercises for you.
Knowing yourself is the key to the success
Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses is a necessity in one’s self-development, but it also helps you in your studies and in your future job hunting. Therefore, get to know yourself with the exercises you find here.
Map of strengths
Here, you find a map of strengths. Use the questions to reflect on what strengths and competencies you use in your life. your studies.
Want to learn more?
Last but not least, we will offer you a list of courses offered by the University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences to learn more about Finnish culture and language!
Think about yourself
Before you start your studies, it is good to think about yourself and yourself as a learner. Therefore, your first task is to reflect on who you actually are by answering the questions below. Write the findings down.
- What kind of educational background/work experience do you have?
- What have you been studying recently? What did you learn there?
- What were the most suitable study methods for you? Did you learn by listening, watching videos, reading books, or writing notes for example? Do you prefer to study alone or in groups? What do you learn easily and effortlessly?
- What are your goals, for example in life, or in education?
- What are you good at? What are the things that come naturally to you?
- What are you interested in? What things are important to you? What are your values?
- Why are you interested in studying in Lapland?
Remember – it is always good to look back at these findings after a while. So do not throw them away, the findings only show how you have changed.
Knowing yourself is the key to the success
Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses is a necessity in one’s self-development, but it also helps you in your studies and in your future job hunting. It is important to know your current self because it helps in planning your next steps and also gives you confidence in different kinds of situations. Therefore, get to know yourself!
Take pen and paper and write your notes down.
Exercise 1
Let’s start with a short test you can do online. There are a few of them, you can choose only one.
https://www.16personalities.com/
After the test, read your results carefully. Then reflect on how accurate the results were. Is there something surprising? Why? Write your findings down.
Exercise 2
Then, discuss the findings with your friends, fellow students, family members, partner, someone from your hobby, etc. Ask 3-5 people you know: “What strengths and skills do you see in me?” Collect the answers and reflect: what was new to you, what surprised you, what was already familiar to you. With this tool, you will find out how other people see you and your best parts, skills, and strengths.
Source: Riikka Pajunen, Omaa tehtävää etsimässä. Löydä vahvuutesi ja intohimosi. 2019.
Remember – you can do this every year. People (also you) change, so it is always good to reflect on what has changed.
Map of strenghts
Do you know what is your superpower? What kind of experiences do you have, and what do you do in your free time? How can you use your strengths, competencies, and your own superpowers in the future? Below, you find a map of strengths. Use the questions below to reflect on what strengths and competencies you use in your life and write your notes down. Think about how you could use them in your studies.
Figure is modified from book: Hyvärinen et al. (2021) Workbook of strenghts-based future guidance.
If you want to know more how to use your strengths and competences in your studies, you will find more useful tools from the book here.
Want to learn more?
Below we offer you direct links where you find a list of courses offered by the University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences. Take a look at those, when you want to take some courses to learn more about Finnish culture and language!
Lapland University of Applied Sciences
See also information about the courses from the University of Lapland’s webpage here.