1. CASE STUDY
HÖSMÄRINPUISTO SCHOOL
Espoo, Finland
Class teacher Tuulikki Leirimaa and Ilona Laukkanen, a
teacher for language and culture groups, are using
Petra’s Planet for Schools at Hösmärinpuisto school
in Espoo. Leirimaa is teaching 8-year-olds, and
Laukkanen teaches 6-year-olds. Both teachers and
their students have been very satisfied with Petra’s
Planet for Schools.
“Students have been excited from the very
beginning,“ comments Tuulikki Leirimaa. “They are
often asking when they can visit Petra’s Planet for
Schools again.“
Leirimaa has noticed how the students have
improved their skills in computing and especially in
using social media.
“It’s interesting to also see that they are helping
each other more in the real world, while they are
exploring together in the virtual world.”
The students have quickly learned to use Petra’s
Planet for Schools. They are discovering things that
even the teacher hasn’t found yet.
Cultural Awareness
Leirimaa feels the product is best suited to
supporting teaching of languages, environmental
studies and biology. Petra’s Planet for Schools also
raises cultural awareness.
Ilona Laukkanen believes that the product supports
social sustainable development by promoting
cultural awareness.
“Realistic pictures of landscapes allow students to talk
about their own culture to other students and teachers.
This also helps to develop their self-esteem.”
Laukkanen’s 6-year-olds have used Petra’s Planet for
Schools to learn about animals, colours and directions as
well as different kinds of clothing.
Books Support the Virtual World
Leirimaa’s class has also been reading Petra books. In the
books a 7-year-old girl, Petra, travels around the world,
getting to know new cultures. The environments are the
same as those in the virtual world of Petra’s Planet for
Schools.
“I read the book after the students had explored a certain
country. They were squealing in excitement, because it
was the same place that was on the computer! The
students liked the books a lot.”
Improving Social Media Skills
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Metsänneidonkuja 6
FI-02130 Espoo, Finland
sales@petrasplanetforschools.com
Tel: +358 40 576 5801

2. “Everyone is communicating with everyone else. Even
those students who usually don’t make contact with
others in the class are talking in Petra’s Planet for
Schools. They even want to become friends with their
teacher!”
Students are teaching the teacher
It’s fast and easy to set up Petra’s Planet for Schools
and start using it. Jenni Sipola is pleased with how
user-friendly the product is. No special ICT skills are
required from the teacher – the students quickly
learned to use Petra’s Planet for Schools by
themselves, and have been teaching the teacher.
“You just have to trust in your students and their
skills.”
Jenni Sipola is a teacher at
Vierumäki School, in Vantaa.
She uses Petra’s Planet for
Schools together with
10-year-olds.
“The first impressions were
great. I linked the product URL
on our school website, gave
students their passwords and let them know that they
were welcome to try it at home, if they wanted to. Half
of the students had tried Petra’s Planet for Schools
and, the following day, showed the other half what
the whole idea was. They were even advertising
Petra’s Planet for Schools to make sure everyone
would get excited about it.”
Sipola has used Petra´s Planet for Schools during
religious and environmental education, as well as
language classes. The teacher feels that the
possibilities are quite diverse:
“We are learning about writing, communication skills,
animal recognition, new cultures and geography.”
Petra’s Planet for Schools attracts both students and
teachers with its graphics. Jenni Sipola has already
recommended the product to her colleagues.
New methods of communication
Petra’s Planet for Schools allows communication
between all of the students; sometimes it’s easier to
express yourself through your character instead of
speaking out loud in a classroom. Sipola has noticed
how the students are excited about this new way of
communicating with each other.
Diverse Possibilities
CASE STUDY
VIERUMÄKI SCHOOL
Vantaa, Finland
www.petrasplanetforschools.com
Dramaforum Oy
Metsänneidonkuja 6
FI-02130 Espoo, Finland
sales@petrasplanetforschools.com
Tel: +358 40 576 5801

3. CASE STUDY
VAATTOJÄRVI SCHOOL
Kolari, Finland
Katariina Granat teaches a
broad range of students and
uses Petra’s Planet for
Schools with them at
Vaattojärvi School in Kolari.
“Petra’s Planet for Schools is
suitable for 6- to 12-year-
olds. I’ve seen the biggest
excitement on the face of the smartest 12-year-old!”
Granat says.
Katariina has noticed that the students have quickly
learned to use the product. She also notes that those
who don’t normally play games at home are also
being very cautious with Petra’s Planet for Schools.
‘No’ to the traditional division of
subjects
"For over 30 years, I’ve been trying not to think of
subjects as they are. I dislike how they are divided,“
Granat says.
Granat believes that Petra's Planet for Schools is
suitable for every class. She does not even think about
which session is used for virtual education, as the
subjects will cover religion, the environment,
geography, visual arts, and many other subjects.
She also recommends the product to her colleagues.
"You learn something new with your colleagues, just
like you do with your students."
Hard to find similar products
The first impressions of Petra's Planet for Schools were
that it is inspirational, and both students and teachers
are enthusiastic about it. Granat states that the
product met their expectations.
"The best thing about the product is the idea itself –
the virtual school. I feel that for the first time, as a
teacher, I’m operating in a way that truly works.”
Having a school of their own has felt safe and fun, in
the middle of the lively and colourful virtual world.
Katarina Granat and her students will keep on having
exciting adventures in Petra’s Planet for Schools.
"I haven’t found anything even close to Petra's Planet
for Schools!"
Suitable for all ages
www.petrasplanetforschools.com
Dramaforum Oy
Metsänneidonkuja 6
FI-02130 Espoo, Finland
sales@petrasplanetforschools.com
Tel: +358 40 576 5801

4. CASE STUDY
TURUN NORMAALIKOULU/NORSSI
Turku, Finland
Petri Ahokas uses Petra’s Planet for Schools with 8- to
9-year-olds olds at Turun Normaalikoulu, Norssi.
Ahokas thinks the product suits this age group
perfectly, but also sees it working well for older
students
“Age is not an issue for a group of students who are
learning to communicate properly on the internet,”
Ahokas says.
The class is multicultural and they do not have a
shared mother tongue. Everyone understands
Finnish, however. Petra’s Planet for Schools has been
connecting students.
“Students are using a shared ‘foreign language’,
Finnish, inside the virtual world – and because of that,
their circles of friends have grown.”
Ahokas believes that aiding communication is one of
the key benefits of the product.
Games are used for learning today
Petri Ahokas’ students have enjoyed Petra’s Planet for
Schools so much that they are also using it at home.
“Students have improved language skills; their
sentences have grown longer and the subject matter
itself more clear,” notes Ahokas.
He has noticed the increased enthusiasm and
improved social media skills in students.
Ahokas has also tried other similar products.
“Petra’s Planet for Schools is made for children. The
idea of using games for learning is a more modern
concept than more traditional computer-based
learning.”
Learning the “netiquette”
Petra’s Planet for Schools is safe to use, because it
works in a closed environment. Ahokas notes how
easy and safe it is to learn to interact appropriately on
the internet, following the correct netiquette, in this
kind of environment.
Ahokas has noticed that children do not understand
how to behave appropriately while online. They have
discussed what cyberbullying is and how it needs to
be handled.
“It is so easy to do the wrong thing online and think
that you will never get caught,” he says, and
continues: “Petra’s Planet for Schools has brought
courage to my class in the use of computers, and as a
means for cross-cultural communication.”
Petra’s Planet for Schools connects students
www.petrasplanetforschools.com
Dramaforum Oy
Metsänneidonkuja 6
FI-02130 Espoo, Finland
sales@petrasplanetforschools.com
Tel: +358 40 576 5801