The use of experimentation in educational reform: The case of the finnish polytechnic experiment 1992–1999

Abstract

The building up of a non-university sector of highereducation in Finland was realised in a form of educationalexperiment. Polytechnic (ammattikorkeakoulu) reform contained atthe outset several elements of a genuine social experiment. Quitesoon the experimental set up was transformed into a reform inwhich experimental elements were minimal. The article exploresthe factors which hindered the realisation of experimental methodand raises general questions about the possibilities and limitsof social experiments.