Yes, Sloyd Teacher Education or in the other words Craft and Technology Teacher Education is one programme in the University of Turku, Department of Teacher Education, Rauma Unit (sorry for this long name:). You will find a little more information in http://www.edu.utu.fi/laitokset/rokl/en/ The electronics course mentioned in my blog is one of the first year courses (4 credit points) in our programme. Crafts, technology and product design basic courses consists of 35 credit points in the first year studies... during these courses the students learn different contents of craft and technology, including woodwork, metalwork, electronics, product desing and different textile contents or technologies/techniques. Also educational sciences are being studied... I'm sorry that we don't have the curriculum in English, but the Finnish (only the main headings in the left of the site are in English) version can be seen in https://nettiopsu.utu.fi/opas/tutkintoOhjelma.htm?rid=8919&uiLang=en&lang=fi&lvv=2012 Also the classroom teacher students can take these basic studies or even the larger subject studies as their second subject studies.

The students graduated from us will be employed in the Finnish comprehensive schools as the craft teachers. If they have made the minor subject studies that lead to a qualification as a class teacher, they will be employed also as classteachers (grades 1 - 6) in the Finnish comprehensive shools. In Finland, crafts is a compulsory subject for all students in the grades 1 - 7. In the grades 1 - 4 the instruction is implemented with the same contents for all pupils, and encompasses technical and textile work. The Finnish curricula and core contents are available in English in http://www.oph.fi/download/47673_core_curricula_basic_education_4.pdf ... you can find them in the chapter 7.17, on the pages 240 - 244 (pdf document pages 38 - 42). I found two blogpages which give some examples about crafts in one Finnish school: http://saaksintekninen.blogspot.fi/ and http://saaksinkassy.blogspot.fi/

That's a good question. TPACK is a theoretical framework, and perhaps technology integration is only one part or a sub-domain of it. I like TPACK framework because of the flexibility and large coverage of it. Still, technology itself is quite many sided concept. For example, what is technology within TPACK framework in technology education? In general, the "T" means different kinds of educational technology: devices and hardware, digital learning environments, software, knowledge presentation tools, social media and so on… Do you know any other meanings? Further, in technology education the "technology" is also a part of the learning contents. For example, it could be knowledge about how to use a cnc-cutter. What is the suitable rotational speed of the cutter, e. g. So, technology is very large and discipline situated concept :).

Thanks for your comment Evrim. I try to give an example. Technological content knowledge: The teacher has knowledge about electronics and programming. He expects the students to learn this knowledge. The teacher is capable of using different kinds of software to make ICT based material for the students learning. Pedagogical content knowledge: The teacher knows, that the students need some kind of learning material, with which they can learn the expected knowledge contents. He knows that for students to learn, they need illustrations, patterns and explanations about the contents (electronics). The teacher knows also, that engaging the students in spontaneous practice and conversations with each other, they would learn better. Technological pedagogical knowledge: The teacher is aware, that the students have used a virtual learning environment with their own classroom teacher in different projects and contexts. So he expects that using this environment is a good idea also in technology education electronics project. He makes learning material inside the virtual learning environment, and plans exercises about how the students will use the environment. He expects that students are capable to communicate through the environment. TPACK: The teacher doesn't have earlier experience about this kind of using virtual environment in technology education. The students are not accustomed for using it in technology education: they think that the lessons are just for practice and making artifacts and different kinds of things with their own hands and tools. So, in this sense the teacher has a lack of TPACK. The point is that working culture inside/outside the classroom doesn't enable so rapid changes. The better co-operation with other teachers and support by the classroom teacher may help in the transformation of learning praxis.

Themes and topics of the conference: 1. ICT in Teaching and Learning 2. 3D, Virtual and Simulation-Based Learning 3. Playful and Game-Based Learning 4. Pedagogical Models in Educational Use of ICT's 5. Internet and Social Media in Everyday Life 6. Personal Learning Environments 7. Digital Media Literacies 8. Mobile Learning and Work

I think that the treshold to use educational technology also in their inservice lives is lower, if they have used it in preservice education. I have introduced my students for example some interactive contents related to technology education, and I think the students have seen these kinds of materials valuable and usefull also in their future teacher work. Some examples: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/new ... the second one is in Finnish, and it relates to security and economy with electricity: http://www.3tratkaisut.fi/satky/index.html ...it is a game, and you can start by choosing "pelaamaan" = playing in English ;)