The Finnish Design of Folk High School Education

Abstract

In Finland, folk high school education began in 1889 and consisted of non-formal adult education in Finland. The aim of the study is to research the role of folk high school education into Finnish culture. The study introduces the history of Finnish folk high school education and discusses the role of folk high school education in the Finnish educational system, especially arts education. The purpose is to determine which developmental stages can be found in the history of Finnish folk high school education, and what role Finnish folk high school education played in the development of Finnish culture and arts education. The study approach is a historical-critical overview of the period from 1889 to 2012. Historical documents, archives and articles are content analysed to discover the trends influencing folk high school education, Finnish culture, and the arts in different time periods. The results show that Finnish folk high school education played a strong role in Finnish culture, especially in the education of people in rural areas. The influence on teachers’ education was found in both basic level and advanced education. The role of arts education, especially music education has been strong since 1970. The role and influence of Finnish folk high school education has been strong in Finnish society because it has been able to change and develop over time. Finnish folk high school education design has had a creative influence on the Finnish culture.