FCCA’s Learning Services

The FCCA’s Learning Services is part of the Finnish competence system responding to competence needs in a changing world. Learning Services implements the FCCA’s statutory task of providing consumer information and education.

The Finnish education and competence system

The Finnish education system consists of the statutory early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, nine years of general basic education and education following basic education (vocational education and training (VET), general upper secondary education and higher education, which is provided by both universities of applied sciences and universities).  The education system also includes liberal adult education.

In addition to the education provided by society, the competence system includes private education providers, employers, recreational and third-sector actors, and the developers of learning technologies.  Competence is produced together in networks and ecosystems. Alongside the competence demonstrated with qualifications, there are also various skill badges and web-based learning or other activities preparing for them.

The FCCA’s Learning Services:

• supports the education sector with consumer protection matters required in society.
• highlights topical themes and phenomena related to consumer protection
• invests in continuous learning, a coaching approach to work and systematic trials
• is interested in changes in the operating environment and foresight information, utilisation of technology, versatile learning environments and the results of research on information about consumer behaviour.
• works in close cooperation with working life and stakeholders.

People of all ages and many professional groups need competence in consumer protection

Learning is a continuous process that lasts from early childhood education and care to older age. Digitalisation and the increasingly complex markets change the operating practices of businesses and consumers. Consumers of all ages need knowledge and skills in different situations in the purchase processes, contracts and marketing that take place between businesses and consumers.

Competence in consumer protection is a professional skill required in many sectors. Knowledge of vendor’s liability is part of the modules in marketing, customer service and sales in the curricula in upper secondary and higher education.

The pedagogical model of the Learning Services

The FCCA’s activities are based on a constructivist concept of learning. In the constructivist concept of learning, the role of the teacher or the expert providing knowledge and information is to guide the learning process and coach the person obtaining information, not to transfer information. Everything is based on a learner- and user-oriented approach.

Consumers’ competence is the knowledge that consumers need in order to function in the markets actively, safely and with determination.

The pedagogical model is based on the consumer’s actions in the markets and has been divided into three areas or stages:

• before purchase
• during purchase
• after purchase.

Consumption, i.e. every acquisition of a product or a service, consists of a series of different stages or of a group of actions that together constitute the Buyer’s journey learning path for the consumer. The decisions made at the different stages of the purchase process affect each other.

Using the idea of the buyer’s journey is aimed at gradual empowerment as a consumer.

In the same way that the consumer’s natural actions are seen as the buyer’s journey, the content that promotes the consumer competence of businesses is based on the Vendor’s liability path.

Consumer competence is also needed at all stages of the Vendor’s liability path

• planning
• marketing
• concluding a purchase
• maintaining a customer relationship
• the end of a customer relationship.

 

The content offered to businesses has been divided into three knowledge levels that guide the learning and the setting of goals.

The FCCA’s Learning Services has a digital learning platform which is used by teachers and trainers in general education, VET and higher education and by independent learners. The courses on the learning platform are for everyone needing information-based content as a consumer, employee, entrepreneur or learning expert.

Further reading

Read more about the international recommendations and guidelines for teaching consumer protection

• Policy Recommendations of the OECD’S Committee on Consumer Policy 2008 
• Promoting Consumer Education: Trends, Policies and Good Practices 2009 
• Digital Competence framework for consumers
• Teaching Consumer competences 2013
• European Education Area – Quality education and training for all
• Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027)