Finnish Education System Research Articles

Research-informed teacher education, teacher autonomy and teacher agency: the example of Finland

Finnish education has received worldwide attention due to the country’s performances in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Research investigating Finland’s positive outcomes in the assessment has highlighted not only the strength of teachers, but also the rigour of Finnish teacher education. Finnish student teachers must undertake research-based teacher education culminating in a master’s degree. The study of educational science, underpinned by empirical research, creates teacher-researchers. A Nordic/Continental view of educational governance allows for input control in terms of a national core curriculum in Finland, without surveillance of outcomes. The structure of the Finnish education system, characterised by decentralisation and the national core curriculum, entrusts teachers to make their own pedagogical decisions. This leads to autonomous and agentic teachers in terms of decision-making on the classroom, school, and professional levels, both individually and collectively. Finnish education, underpinned by social democratic values, views education as an agent of social change. Therefore, teachers enact social transformation through the agency enabled by research-informed teacher education. Finland’s political consensus regarding education and societal trust in teachers further reinforces teacher autonomy and agency. This article argues that the rigorous research focus of Finnish teacher education cultivates autonomous and agentic teachers.

Current trends in school reform in the Republic of FINLAND

School education in Finland is considered to be one of the most progressive in Europe, so using the experience of local teachers is a relevant task for the study. The article aims to characterize the main modern trends of school education reform in Finland, based on the main globalization vectors of education system development. The study uses theoretical methods of scientific knowledge. The results analyze the main aspects of Finnish education reforming (tendencies of independence, consistency, flexibility), digitalization of Finnish school education, emphasis on practicality, personality-centered approachof learning. The conclusions note that a fundamental aspect of the Finnish education system reform is the autonomy and autonomy of teachers.

The prospect of education for sustainable development ameliorating specific abiotic factors in the environment: A Finnish case study

UNESCO has indicated the need for more research to test the effectiveness of education for sustainable development (ESD). This study analyzes how ESD is included in the Finnish national core curriculum and examines four environmental indicators to determine if a correlation exists between ESD and a cleaner physical environment in Finland. The study’s results indicate that increased environmental consciousness through ESD does not completely correlate to a cleaner physical environment. Two of the environmental indicators, total CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions from household fuel combustion, reduced after the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD); however, it could not be determined if ESD or government policies are responsible for these reductions. The other two environmental indicators, municipal waste and electricity consumption, increased post-DESD. This study concludes by recommending that ESD be institutionalized in teacher education programs alongside ecopedagogy throughout the Finnish education system.

Comparative Study and Enlightenment of China- Finland Basic Education System

In previous PISA evaluations on different topics, Finnish students have demonstrated outstanding results in reading, mathematics and scientific literacy. Finland has an extremely cold geography and culture, a history and culture that has suffered from colonization and bullying, a Lutheran religious culture that is justified by faith, a political culture that builds a welfare state, and a reading culture that all people participate in. Chinese education has a long history that can be traced back to the present, and there is a strong national culture that can be explored. Compared with Finland, basic education in our country is solid and strict. The comprehensive training in the Finnish education system and the concept of "common good" are worthy of in-depth study.

Психолого-педагогическое сопровождение школьников в системе образования Финляндии

The article reviews the ways of organizing psychological and pedagogical support for schoolchildren in Finland. The Finnish education system ranks highly in educational rankings (PEARLS, PISA) and is aimed at solving two problems: qualitative education, physical and mental health of students. The article analyzes programs aimed at ensuring the psychological health and well-being of Finnish schoolchildren: a three-stage support program for children with special educational needs, health lessons, including blocks on mental health, the Kiva anti-bullying program, the career guidance and counseling system, the work of nurses. It is concluded that psychological and pedagogical support in Finnish schools is carried out by a large number of specialists: teachers, professional consultants, nurses, health education teachers, psychologists, special teachers, tutors, consolidated in special working groups to solve specific problems.

Finnish education system as seen from an Indonesian perspective

The aim of this paper is to discuss the Finnish education system from an Indonesian perspective, and consider what citizens, notably from middle-income countries, may learn from the Finnish system. The source material is the author’s book, which provides an Indonesian perspective on the Finnish education system, supplemented by discussions from webinars and weekly Instagram Live discussions on the topic. It is known that education is part of a country’s culture, thus the Finnish education system cannot simply be implemented as such in another place. Yet there certainly are elements that can be adopted to the local culture, in this case, in Indonesia. The different models of education in Finland and Indonesia are compared to conclude with lessons that we can learn from Finland, notably regarding a sustainable future and the possibility of learning simple daily life skills.

Characteristics of the Finnish education system: impact on social life

In this article, the authors highlight the achievements of the Finnish education system, the most successful at the moment, in all countries of the world. The practical significance of the research for the institutions responsible for education in the Republic of Moldova and Israel, about the activity the authors are informed, is significant. In both states we have fundamental problems with reforming the education system, developing and implementing new curricula. The authors emerge from the thesis about applying the principle of learning continuity, complete assimilation of information about the researched fields. Initially, this principle was realized in Finland. In conclusion, the authors mention: the country with a high level of economic development, with an economy open to inclusion, is distinguished by a level of education, a higher technological level. In such a country, the population benefits from advanced infrastructures, a diversity of quality services, long life, and a low birth rate.

Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects

The implementation of a teacher education strategy in a decentralised Finnish education system is analysed. Altogether, 31 pilot projects, involving teacher educators from all universities, were funded to support the implementation of the strategy and professional learning of autonomous teacher educators in the context of the strategy. In this mixed-methods research, the directors and active partners of the pilot projects were asked how they perceived the characteristics of the pilot projects that have been recognised as supportive for the implementation of the strategy. The directors were also asked to evaluate the impact of the projects. The projects have supported the achievement of the strategy’s aims. Research and goal orientation, active learning, collaboration, contextualisation and reflection were emphasised in the pilot project activities. Common goal setting and evaluation of the pilot projects should be emphasised more in the implementation of the strategy.

Finnish student teachers’ ideas of outdoor learning

ABSTRACT A reformed national curriculum has introduced transformative and sociocultural learning elements to the Finnish education system. In addition, sustainability and outdoor education remain pressing issues for Finnish educators. We conducted a content analysis of the views of outdoor education held by student teachers enrolled in first-year sustainability and outdoor education courses in Finland (n = 46). The goal was to identify the learning environments and pedagogical ideas of student teachers. The student teachers emphasised the role of nature in outdoor education and identified locality as an important learning environment. Their surrounding environments included both built and unbuilt environments. The teaching methods they wrote were appropriate outdoor education, active learning, participatory learning, making observations and multidisciplinary learning especially for sustainability issues. Notably, technology and digitalisation were not emphasised in the results. Overall, the student teachers had a strong preliminary knowledge of outdoor learning spaces and clear visions for conducting outdoor education.

Play-based learning and phenomenon-based learning in the Finnish Early Childhood Education

Since 2005, with the impact of the results of international educational assessments, Finland and its educational system has been the focus of interest for educators around the world and different aspects of the system's functioning and structure have been explored. This text presents two of the key elements in early childhood education and care, learning based on play and learning based on the phenomenon; and how these pedagogical approaches structure practices that support students' learning, and are articulated with the subsequent educational process. Going beyond the mere description of pedagogical practices and not repeat what other researchers have already narrated about the Finnish educational system, the developmental aspects of these practices and how they are articulated with the extensive training of teachers is evident throughout this text.

Revisiting universalism in the Finnish education system

The aim of the article is to revisit the principle of universalism and analyze how it has changed in the legislation on compulsory education by asking: how are different characteristics of universalism emphasized in the basic education legislation and parliamentary discussion (in 1968, 1982 and 1997)? The analysis portrays the varieties of universalism within the comprehensive school, produced by the four instruments used to govern education (legislation, economy, ideology and evaluatory). According to the analysis, the foundation of the comprehensive school system in the 1960s was laid on uniform content and aims at the ideological level, emphasizing equality of education. The 1980s was a transition phase between ‘old’ and ‘new’ universalism, when instruments of legal and economic governance enabled the expansion of universalism and increased costs. Simultaneously, the aims of the comprehensive system and its contents were increasingly set at the local level. We conclude that the ‘new’ comprehension of universalism in the 1990s entailed issues such as the rise of the evaluation of education, local economy of education and individualism.

Dismantling the Trojan Horse: Professionals and Relational Resistance Against Technological Change

Occupations face increasing pressure to implement technology in work practices. Such demands are problematic when external actors call for changes that threaten established ways of working and professional autonomy. How can occupations resist such demands for technological change? I study this question by conducting a field level study of technological policy, reform and resistance in the Finnish educational system. Analyzing archival data, I find policymakers and other actors were first successful in framing a need for technological change in the field of education, gathering wide-ranging support for their new policies. Yet, when technological reform supporting the change was implemented, new practices were quickly deemed incompatible by frontline professionals. I find teachers and key stakeholders engaged in the process of relational resistance, a coalescence of stakeholder support and criticism that allows for a profession to push back on the externally imposed change, and ultimately regain autonomy over work practices. In the end, policymakers and elected officials walked back reform discourse, and a new 2019 curriculum downplayed the importance of technology. Overall, this case allows me to explain the processes by which professionals can resist externally imposed technological change, and the role core and peripheral stakeholders play in the process. This study contributes to research in occupations and professions, and technological change at work.

What can we learn from the PISA research about the factors and parameters affecting the success of student achievements in mathematics? A Comparative study between Israel and Finland.

"Abstract. There is a crisis of many years in Israel in the subject of mathematics learning. In the last PISA tests, conducted by the OECD during the last ten years, Israel is placed 39-41 among all the countries participated the research. It was also found that all the years Israel ""won"" to be one of the first three countries with the highest grade distribution among all the countries and economic entities participating in general and among OECD countries in particular. In addition, it was found that rate of Israeli students who fail the mathematics test is one of the highest in the organization countries. The goal of this research is comparing students’ achievements in the Israeli education system and in the Finnish education system, which is considered a system with excellent achievements in mathematics and low-grade distribution rate in general and in mathematics grades in particular. This comparison is aimed to identify the Israeli education system's problems and learn the lessons to improve it. This article discusses the question what is the main success factor in mathematics in Israel compared to Finland according to the 2015 PISA test results and what can be learned from this difference? In this paper I have based on my research findings in which I analyzed the correlation between the PISA questionnaires and student achievement in mathematics."

Promoting Well-Being of Children at School: Parental Agency in the Context of Negotiating for Support

This study describes how parents experience their role in enhancing the well-being of their children and what this reveals about parental agency in the context of collaborations between home and school. In Finland, schools are among the most important environments for delivering services to children. The goal of this study is to bring into focus the parental dispositions in multi-agency interactions based on their experiences and to make sense of both their successes and the barriers they face. The Finnish education system aims to develop itself according to the inclusive principles. However, the inclusive school culture is still a work in progress. The parental agency and positions in collaboration with school personnel are ambivalent, and there are several assets and barriers that affect their ability to participate fully in discussions about the well-being of their children at school. In this article, the parental positions are connected to situations where they negotiate the process of collaborative planning of support for the learning and well-being of their children in the school environment. Participants are 13 mothers and one couple, mother and father. Their experiences are analyzed qualitatively via interviews and the concept of agency, a sociological concept that refers to the mutual relation between a culture or structure and the opportunities of human agents to interact within the given contexts. The results reveal qualitative differences in the experienced parental agency. The parental agency is connected to the given opportunities, and the key role in making the agency possible in the schools is given for the teachers. Behind everyday practices, there are deeper questions about the parental positions and their value in collaboration.

“We need to make our voices heard”: Claiming space for young people’s everyday environmental politics in northern Finland

Recent years have seen a critical shift in young people’s political participation, as young people around the world have mobilized to demand greater climate actions. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork that consist of participant observation and 47 qualitative interviews with 15–16-year-olds residing in rural and urban areas in northern Finland, the paper contributes rural, regional and mundane perspectives on the topic of young people’s environmental politics. The paper sheds light on the myriad of ways in which young people practice environmental politics and construct their environmental citizenship and also discusses young people’s political action in relation to the friction and resistance their participation stirs up in the local communities. Although promoting active citizenship is a stated goal of the Finnish education system, young people’s active participation in mundane and local environmental politics is not always embraced in local communities. The paper argues for better recognition of and support for young people’s everyday environmental politics and for youth participation as a way to spark wider social, cultural, and political change.

EXPERIENCE OF STUDYING THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM THROUGH THE EYES OF UZBEKISTAN

The article highlights the in-depth study of the Finnish education system, which has long been a world leader in the provision of quality and effective education, as well as education and training in Uzbekistan. In the process, a number of issues were covered, such as the effective use of modern educational technologies and the creation of a quality and effective education system, the appropriateness and usefulness of using world educational standards as an experiment.

The ‘spirit of the times’: Fast policy for educational reform in Finland

This article examines the nature of neoliberal influences upon educational policy making in the Finnish education system in recent times. The article draws upon key policy documents, government reports, journal articles and media articles about reforms in the early childhood, basic/compulsory school and vocational education and training sectors to evidence these processes. Analytically, these reforms are understood as instances of what has been referred to as ‘fast policy’. Methodologically, we draw upon principles of zeitgeist analysis to reveal the features and effects of these fast policy influences as they relate to educational provision in Finland. These features and effects include intensification and fragmentation of educational reform processes, increased individualisation and decontextualization of the educational reform agenda, and a trend towards increased instability, privatisation and reduction in funding for educational provision. The article foregrounds the features and effects as reflective of the ‘spirit of the times’ in which such reforms are undertaken, and cautions against these fast policy effects for the problematic consequences they appear to be having upon policy making processes, educational outcomes in Finland and the ‘spirits’ of Finnish educators.

A Student's Response to Dr. Matusov’s article, “A Student’s Right to Freedom of Education”

This essay is a commentary on Dr. Matusov’s article “A Student’s Right to Freedom of Education”, and it will reflect on Dr. Cresswell’s and Dr. Dyck’s technology-free classroom experiment as well as some of the thoughts and opinions expressed in Dr. Matusov’s article. In particular, this essay will examine and raise some objections to Dr. Matusov’s thoughts and opinions and argue for a more nuanced and tempered view of the nature of the student’s right to freedom of education. The technology-free experiment and Dr. Matusov’s objection to it will be explored and met with arguments in support of the experiment and the possible benefits of a technology-free learning environment. The remainder of the essay will largely consider Dr. Matusov’s thoughts on the student’s right to freedom of education and will offer arguments both for and against some of Dr. Matusov’s thoughts expressed in his article. Finally, an argument for a more holistic and structured view of authority and freedom in education will be discussed, using some studies on the Finnish education system as an example of one approach to improving education.

Discourses on encountering multilingual learners in Finnish schools

The study examines the narratives of Finnish lower secondary school teachers working in linguistically diverse schools by analysing their narratives’ discourses on encountering multilingual learners. The study reflects the current period when the Finnish education system is experiencing growth in linguistic diversity and a change in educational policies that require language awareness from all teachers. In the study, 16 teachers participated in semi-structured group interviews. The teachers’ narratives were analysed by applying a framework for linguistically responsive teaching (Lucas & Villegas, 2013) in combination with discourse analytical methods. The analysis resulted in six discourses concerning agency, acceptance, and change in the school culture. The findings provide insights into the complex and multivoiced ways in which teaching multilingual learners is discussed. By revealing contradictory and overlapping voices, the study deepens the understanding of the process of developing teachers’ preparedness for linguistically diverse classrooms.

Freire en Finlandia: trayectorias de la presencia de Paulo Freire en el Norte global

En este artículo nos preguntamos si el pensamiento de Paulo Freire tuvo alguna influencia en Finlandia. ¿Existe una tradición reconocida de la pedagogía freireana en este país nórdico? Para dar respuesta a esta pregunta, trazamos la trayectoria de la recepción del pensamiento de Freire en las últimas décadas. Concluimos finalmente que, a pesar de que su impacto directo no se haya generalizado, ha habido múltiples e importantes conexiones y repercusiones del mismo. En términos más generales, vale la pena resaltar que la crucial renovación del sistema educativo finlandés que tuvo lugar desde fines de la década de 1960, fue contemporánea al espíritu freireano de justicia social y educativa. Nuestra contribución es histórica y teórica en su abordaje y metodología. La misma está basada en una profunda revisión de la literatura educativa finlandesa desde comienzos de 1970 hasta los años 2000. Para ayudarnos en la búsqueda de ejemplos de la presencia de Freire en el discurso pedagógico finlandés, también nos servimos de nuestros contactos con educadores de adultos veteranos en Finlandia. Finalmente, también recurrimos a nuestros trabajos previos sobre el tema.