Bringing Education and Support to Children and Teachers in Need
We introduce a repurposed bus transformed into a mobile Fun Learning Center (FLC). This mobile FLC combines the principles of Fun Learning with practical educational tools, providing a dynamic and supportive environment for children, families, teachers, and therapists—especially valuable in remote locations and regions impacted by crises where the fixed infrastructure has been destroyed.
A Unique Strength: Mobile Professional Development
An undeniable and differentiating strength of this mobile solution is its ability to tour and support geographically dispersed communities, enabling professionals to join professional development courses without being pulled away from their work for extended periods. The on-location mentoring enhances the effectiveness of the online courses, creating a highly effective hybrid training system.
Design and Layout
Fun Academy Learning Environment
The interior of the bus is transformed into a model Fun Learning environment, accommodating up to 10-12 children at a time. This indoor space serves as a practical training site for teachers as well as a dynamic learning environment for children.
Therapy Room
Located in the back of the bus, this separate therapy space is equipped with video conferencing capabilities, ideal for training, coaching, and therapy sessions.
Snack Kitchen
A small area with a microwave oven/cooker.
Toilet; Accessible from the outside of the bus.
Features and Utilization
Presentation and Training
A presentation video for staff will demonstrate potential activities within the bus, tailored to meet local needs. This material introduces some of the professional development use-cases behind the idea of this solution.
Onsite coaching for staff is available, though the bus itself is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, easily adjusted to support delivery of local PD courses and curriculum.
A “Users Manual” meeting, either online or in person, is arranged once the staff receives the vehicle. This process ensures the use of the vehicle is aligned with local context and curriculum, while ensuring that the foundational objectives of the UN Rights of the Child and applicable SDGs are recapped and met in all activities. Fun Learning principles are recapped as an underlying approach.
Educational and Psycho-Social Support
Activities
The hybrid solution provides various activities and resources aligned with the local curriculum, promoting play, physical activity, and psycho-social well-being.
Outdoor Play and Sports
The bus carries sports equipment for outdoor activities, enhancing the learning experience with physical exercise at core, and offering Fun Learning activities for those outside the vehicle. The recommended use-case is, in fact, outdoor pedagogy with the vehicle classroom as a support and shelter. However, the balance between indoors and outdoors is always locally decided case by case.
Staffing
The bus is managed by a two-person team, a teacher and assistant teacher with locally approved degrees. A sports coach is ideally assigned to support, when possible. The recommended staff would be three persons, but this varies depending on the locally relevant chosen use.
Visual and Functional Appeal
The bus is designed to resemble a storybook, inviting play and creativity, and conveying the message that every child deserves a playful childhood and high-quality learning opportunities.
Inside, the bus is equipped with furniture and materials to create a vibrant, engaging learning environment that supports the curricular objectives. The pieces are chosen to support the contents of the offered professional development course. The interior is interchangeable—a new setup can be stored in the storage compartment.
Operational Strategy
Staff is provided with adaptable lesson plans and instructions on utilizing the space effectively.
Flexible session durations (e.g., from three-hour club sessions or whole-day projects to stationary school term stops) can accommodate different groups and needs.
The bus can offer resources and support also to parents and caregivers.
Offering onsite mentoring to complement professional development content delivered digitally or in print.
Components and Resources
Implements the Fun Learning Approach
Combines Finland-inspired educational excellence with local context and curriculum.
Serves as a training site for teachers, supporting continuous professional development and bringing professional development opportunities to the region.
Hosts onsite professional training courses supported by the Campus online platform, providing a hybrid model of training.
Offers a variety of courses tailored to local needs, ensuring high-quality teaching practices and improved student outcomes.
Therapy Room
Equipped for online courses and therapy sessions, providing a quiet space for mental health support and professional development.
Innovation Lab and Testbed
Serves as a space for testing and sharing educational solutions and co-creating resources with teachers and students.
Encourages problem-solving and creative thinking, connecting students with STEAM professions.
Content Creation Hub
Participates in the production of educational materials, including books, handouts, and digital content aligned with the curriculum by actively scanning local needs in the remote areas it visits.
Collaborates with various partners to create high-quality resources for the mobile FLC.
Community Center
The low-entry sport equipment package provides an easy and inviting setup for inclusive gatherings.
Includes sports programs like disc golf, floorball, cornhole, mölkky, and hobby horsing.
The bus easily carries and delivers resources like the Worry Booklet and organizes community events to foster social learning and community engagement.
Global Citizen Education
Provides cultural experiences and extracurricular activities, promoting global awareness and inclusion: the video conference equipment connects children and/or teachers to peers in other countries, providing authentic cultural and social interactions—as part of the development of important life skills.
Content Examples
Parent Program: Supported by the Parent App, providing easy-to-follow activities for parents.
Curricular Lessons: Adaptable to the local curriculum and sharable with visiting professionals.
Teddy Hospital Method: Instructions for therapeutic play activities.
Online Training: For staff to effectively operate the vehicle and its resources.
Sports Equipment: Including disc golf, floorball, cornhole, and hobby horsing.
Educational Materials: Worry Booklet, Body Boundaries booklet, a little library, a snack kitchen, learning manipulatives, and toys.
Staffing Requirements
Team Composition: A local two-person team with locally relevant training and required degrees.
Child Capacity: The bus can host 10-15 children indoors, with additional staff for outdoor activities and larger groups.
Commitment to Excellence
This mobile FLC is designed to offer versatile and comprehensive educational and psycho-social support, bringing the principles of Fun Learning to children and communities in need. We are committed, together with local partners, to ensuring that this mobile solution meets the highest standards of care, education, and support.
The First Fun Academy on Wheels: A Flexible Learning Hub
The first Fun Academy on Wheels serves as a kindergarten, therapy and training center, demonstrating its flexibility to cater to any grade level and subject matter. We will share more details about the first FLC on Wheels in an upcoming article, so stay tuned! This initiative celebrates remarkable partnerships and underscores the importance of childhood and our unwavering respect for the Rights of the Child in all circumstances.