Encouraging enough? A Case Study on Parental Feedback on New Assessment in Finnish Basic Education

Jyrki Loima

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.7n.2p.189

Abstract

This is a qualitative case study of the parental feedback about participatory assessment done during the first year (2016) of the implementation of the reformed Finnish basic education curriculum. It covered grades 1-6 and was a first time to have a broader, tri-angulated teacher-student-parent assessment on learning and schooling. Consequently, parents were selected from those grades, being of various ethnic backgrounds. This case study was conducted in a Southern Finland basic education school. Resulting trends were obvious: parents regarded this kind of participatory assessment meaningful. Second, the newer the whole schooling and curricula update was for parents, the better was the participatory feedback. As a result of this study, it is clear that while the discussion and longitudinal studies on learning and assessment are still on-going, there is no rush to return into an old system and heavy, centralized assessment instruction patterns. On the contrary, this study showed beneficial elements and development triggers towards even more collaborative and encouraging assessment.

Highlights

Goals, Importance and Research QuestionsThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to analyze parental attitudes and feedback on the new assessment methods in the Finnish basic education (FBE)
This is a qualitative case study of the parental feedback about participatory assessment done during the first year (2016) of the implementation of the reformed Finnish basic education curriculum
No academic studies have been completed on this case, neither proper learning and deep assessment analyses done among the students that have studied solely or mostly according to the new FBE curriculum, which came into force 2016 (Finnish National Agency for Education [FNAE], n.d.a; see Appendix 1)

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to analyze parental attitudes and feedback on the new assessment methods in the Finnish basic education (FBE). The topic has been largely discussed in public, but not researched, in various connections, media releases and informative presentations regarding the curricula reform. No academic studies have been completed on this case, neither proper learning and deep assessment analyses done among the students that have studied solely or mostly according to the new FBE curriculum, which came into force 2016 (Finnish National Agency for Education [FNAE], n.d.a; see Appendix 1). The importance of the study arises, first, from above-mentioned unstudied freshness, and multicultural variety of “best” assessment practices FBE curriculum (accepted 2014) characteristically offered for basic education providers, meaning mainly municipalities and cities. Previous research articles dealing with assessment have focused on curricula 2004 and learning outcomes, including so-called ‘active learning’ (Berlinski &Russo, 2017; Finnish Education Evaluation Center [FINNEEC], 2015; Hendrickson, 2017; Härmälä, 2010; Moe, Härmälä, Kristmanson, Pascoal & Ramonié, 2015; Kumpulainen & Lankinen, 2016; Niemi, 2002; Niemi, 2012a; 2012c)

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Conclusion