The Future of Schools and Teacher Education

Abstract

Abstract This is not a book about praising Finnish school education. After a brief introduction to Finnish education and culture, the book delves into details about the new curricula changes, the workings of schools, and the thoughts and educational approaches of Finnish educators. Given the curricula changes effective as of August 2016, the book includes 14 school cases to exemplify the way schools are implementing policy changes and the way principals and teachers see the future of education and learning in Finland. The book also includes one in-depth analysis of curriculum changes for preservice teacher education and three more preservice teaching education programs at four universities in Finland. In this way, the book presents the views of changes in schools and universities not only from teachers and principals but also from professors, researchers, and lecturers. The book is unique because is based on ad hoc field research, comprising schools across all levels of education. The book shows in slow motion how the concepts of schools, teaching, and learning are fine-tuned in Finland. The title of the book, The Future of Schools and Teacher Education: How Far Ahead is Finland? summarizes the direction Finnish educators see teaching and learning toward the third decade of the twenty-first century.