Chinese pupils built legobots at TUAS

Altogether 22 primary and secondary school pupils from Tianjin, a twin city of Turku, participated in the two-week science and technology camp. The camp programme included, for example, producing ice cream out of liquid hydrogen, picking blueberries and building bird houses. In addition to Turku, the participants visited Stockholm, Velkua and Helsinki.

In China, participating in different camps is a part of the summer for many pupils. Finland was an interesting destination especially because of its northern location.

Zhao Hui,who works in the teaching department of Tianjin, travelled to Finland with the pupils.  Hui says that for many of the Chinese it is new that studying does not always have to take place in a classroom.

“The camp has proved that you can learn also by playing or wandering in the nature.”

TUAS’ engineering students assisted in building the legobots.

“When instructing the schoolchildren, the students had to think how they can pass on their knowledge. This deepens their own competence, too”, says Taru Kakko from TUAS. Kakko coordinated the legobot workshop.

Oliver, 17, says that the highlights of the camp had been fishing and baking a blueberry pie. Both experiences were new to him. Also working in a group, for example in building the legobots, was fun according to Oliver.

“Before, the only things I knew about Finland were the cold climate, forests and Angry Birds. Now the image has changed quite a lot!”

The visit was coordinated by Turku Region Development Centre. The programme of the science and technology camp was implemented in cooperation by Turku University of Applied Sciences, the University of Turku and Turun aikuiskoulutuskeskus (Turku Adult Education Centre). 

Photo: Mira Pitkänen