Overview of the Finish Education System from the University of Finland.

1. INSIGHTS INTO
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
AND RESEARCH-BASED
TEACHER EDUCATION
IN FINLAND
Auli Toom, PhD, Adjunct Professor, University of Helsinki
auli.toom@helsinki.fi

2. INTRODUCTION
 Orientation
 The basic principles of Finnish educational system
 The intended competencies and qualifications of a future
teacher
 The basic ideas, structures and contents of Finnish
research-based class teacher education
 Conclusions

3. FINLAND
 independent since 1917, member of
the European Union since 1995
 total area 338,000 km2, population
5.4 million (15,7 inhabitants / km2)
 two official languages:
Finnish (91 %), Swedish (5,4 %)
Sámi (0,03 %)
 Lutheran (80,7 %), Orthodox (1,1
%)
 immigrants: 2 % of population

4. ORIENTATION
 The wide international interest towards Finnish schools and
teacher education among researchers and in public
 PISA results
 The specific characteristics of Finnish teacher education
 The huge amount of applicants in teacher education
 Current challenges and teacher’s responsibilities
 High goals of the national core curriculum
 Size of classes
 Pupils with needs of special education
 Multicultural issues

5. EDUCATIONAL POLICY DEFINITIONS
 A central aim of the Finnish educational policy is to
provide all citizens with equal opportunities to receive
education irrespective of age, domestic place, economic
status, sex or mother tongue.
 regional accessibility of education
 equal opportunities to education for both language
groups, Finnish and Swedish
 no separation of the sexes
 free of charge

6. ADMINISTRATION
 The broad national objectives and the division of teaching
time between school subjects are decided by the
government
 The National Board of Education defines the objectives
and core contents of teaching by confirming the national
core curriculum
 Local schools prepare their own detailed curricula
 In Finland, each local authority is obligated to provide
basic education for all children living within the
municipality

7. SCHOOL AUTONOMY IN PRINCIPLE
 Profiling of schools
 Text books and other teaching materials
 Teachers choose and decide the materials
 Since 1993, no state official control of the materials
used at schools
 Broad pedagogical autonomy of teachers
 Schools decide on group forming, work schedules, daily
work rhythm and other practices
 Voluntary participation in national development programs
(e.g. ICT use at schools, pedagogical innovations etc.)

8. CURRICULUM
 National Core Curriculum (2004)
 determines the national objectives and guidelines for
instruction and main contents in all school subjects
 is based on the basic ideas of socio-constructivist
conception of learning
 guidelines by the municipality – local orientation
 School-based curriculum
 schools are required to develop their own visions,
aims and strategic actions within the nationally
determined guidelines and goals
 contents are determined in a more specific way

9. STEERING SYSTEM OF BASIC EDUCATION IN
FINLAND
(Vitikka et al., 2012)

10. THE STRUCTURE OF
THE FINNISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
 Higher Education
 Universities
 Polytechnics
 Upper Secondary Education
 General Upper
Secondary
 Vocational Education
 Basic Education
 Pre-School Education

11. PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
 is intended for six-year-olds, who will
start their comprehensive school in the
following year
 participation is voluntary, about 90% of
all six-year-olds participate
 is provided mainly in kindergartens,
but also in pre-school classes
operating in connection with
comprehensive schools
 kindergarten teachers
 are focused on play and a positive
attitude towards life

12. BASIC EDUCATION
 the general and compulsory education
provided for each age group
 is intended for children from 7-16
years
 comprehensive school lasts 9 years
(with voluntary 10th grade)
 during the first 6 years, class teachers
teach most of the subjects
 in the 3 highest grades, different
subjects are taught by subject
teachers

13. BASIC EDUCATION
 The aim is to support pupils’ growth towards humanity
and ethically responsible membership of society, and to
provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary in
life.
 Features of basic education ~ comprehensive school
 no admission requirements
 no charges
 instruction arranged in schools near the home
 provides eligibility to upper secondary education
 every Finnish citizen is required to complete this
education

14. SUBJECTS IN BASIC EDUCATION
 mother tongue (i.e. Finnish or Swedish)
 other national language (i.e. Swedish or Finnish)
 foreign languages
 mathematics, physics, chemistry
 biology, geography and environmental studies
 history, social studies
 religion or ethics
 physical education, music, arts, crafts
 health education
 home economics

15. UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION
- GENERAL UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL
 offers general education for students
of about 16-19 years of age
 more than half of each age group
complete upper secondary school
 curriculum is planned for 3 years,
possible to finish in 2-4 years
 ends to the matriculation examination
 gives eligibility for studies at the next
educational level

16. UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION
- VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
 instruction is given in multi-field or
specialized vocational institutions in
almost all fields of working life
 completion takes 2-3 years
 aims primarily at the acquisition of the
vocational skills necessary in working
life
 in addition, the three-year
programmes give general eligibility for
further studies at universities and
other institutions of higher education

17. HIGHER EDUCATION
- UNIVERSITY STUDIES
 characterized by scientific research and
the teaching based on it
 about one third of the age group
 academic degrees:
 Bachelor’s degree (3 years)
 Master’s degree (3+2 years)
 scientific postgraduate degrees:
 Licentiate
 Doctorate

18. HIGHER EDUCATION
- POLYTECHNIC STUDIES
 oriented towards working life
 provide vocational higher education in
multi-field environment
 high vocational skill requirements are
emphasized
 the completion of a polytechnic degree
takes 3,5-4,5 years

19. TEACHER EDUCATION IN FINLAND
 The characteristics of Finnish teacher education have
come into discussion as a part of the qualities of Finnish
educational system
 How does the teacher education influence into the
Finnish comprehensive school?
 What is the relationship between Finnish
comprehensive school and teacher education?
 What does it mean that Finnish teachers are
academically educated?
 What kind of strengths, possibilities, threats or
challenges include in this relationship?

20. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
SCHOOL TEACHING AND TEACHER
EDUCATION?
CIVILIZED CITIZEN
humanity – ethical responsibility – zest for life
TEACHER SCHOOL TEACHING
EDUCATION curricular demands – needs for special education –
multiculturalism – pedagogical challenges
FINNISH SOCIETY
diversity – economic issues – support for education

21. THE QUALITIES OF A FUTURE TEACHER?
COMMITMENT
Motivation
Personality
Educability
SUITABILITY
(vrt. Kansanen, 2004)

22. THE CORE COMPETENCIES OF A FUTURE
TEACHER?
 Self-confidence
 Interaction skills
 Pedagogical skills for creating relevant teaching-studying-
learning environments
 Ability to tolerate uncertainty
 Metacognitive skills

23. DIFFERENT TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES
(Kansanen, 2005)
DEDUCTIVE
The way of organizing activities
RATIONAL
INTUITIVE
School based Research-based
Pedagogical thinking
Experiential, Problem based,
personal case approach
INDUCTIVE

24. TWO LEVELS OF RESEARCH-BASED
TEACHER EDUCATION
- the characteristics of twofold practice
PRACTISING TEACHING PRACTISING RESEARCHING
GENERAL metacognition producing research
LEVEL reflection expertise
pedagogical thinking
BASIC everyday thinking adaptation
LEVEL skills-based teaching consuming research
teaching recipes, routines, tips knowledge-based
Making pedagogical decisions Inquiring one’s own work
RESEARCH-BASED TEACHER EDUCATION
Krokfors et al., 2007

25. THE MAIN IDEA OF
CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION
 The central idea is to support the students’ professional
development by evolving
 collective working and action culture
N  different working methods
ACTIO
IN TER  students’ argumentation skills
 The graduated class teacher’s expertise is based on
 pedagogical thinking
 active and wide knowledge base
T ISE
EXPER  ability to work as a researching teacher
 The class teacher education guides the students
 to think on the ethical issues of education
 to be active agents of change in school community,
ETY
S OCI teacher education, and society.

26. THE MAIN IDEA OF
CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION
S O C I E T Y
INTERACTION EXPERTISE
Collegiality Teacher as researcher
working and action culture
different working methods pedagogical thinking
argumentation skills mastery of methodological skills
personal practical theory
(Krokfors 2005)

27. RESEARCH-BASED APPROACH
IN TEACHER EDUCATION
 Every study unit connected with research
 The conceptualization of practice
 Continuous courses of research methods
 Quantitative methods – qualitative methods
 Overall competence of research methods
 “All are known generally, one is known specifically.”
 Master’s thesis
 Teachers as practitioner researchers
 Producer of the research: ability to conduct the research
 Consumer of the research: ability to understand and use
research results and information in own work
 Direct access to doctoral studies

28. RESEARCH-BASED EMPHASIS
AT THE HEART OF PRACTICUM PERIODS
 The research-based approach is integrated into every
course of the education, also into practice periods
 The aim is to achieve a balanced development of the
teacher's personality in which the teacher’s pedagogical
thinking is essential
 by applying the theory into practice
 by conceptualizing the practice towards the theory
Teacher as researcher viewpoint

29. PRACTICUM IN CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION
General aims
 curriculum and intentionality as a basis for teaching process
 understanding of the phases of instruction: planning,
implementation and evaluation
 continuous professional development and reflection
- ability to justify and explain own pedagogical decisions
 understanding of the teacher’s role in society
Two practice periods
 Minor subject practicum (12 sp), 3rd study year
- various didactical issues concerning different subjects
- different teaching methods, materials and aids
 Main subject practicum (8 sp), 4th or 5th study year
- the knowledge of pupil and ability to support them
- the ability to co-operate with different instances
- the ability to be responsible of the wholeness of teacher’s
work

30. TEACHER TRAINING SCHOOLS
Two teacher training schools at the University of Helsinki
 Viikki teacher training school
 comprehensive school, upper secondary school
 Helsingin Normaalilyseo teacher training school
 upper levels of comprehensive school, upper secondary
school
The characteristics of teacher training schools
 On the one hand “normal schools”…
 pupils apply to the schools in the same way as to other
schools
 function according with National Core Curricula
 On the other hand “not so normal schools”
 are administratively a part of the functions of university
 teachers are required to have a PhD degree
 school is didactically emphasized
 teaching is done by student teachers to a great extent

31. FIELD SCHOOLS IN CO-OPERATION
Several field schools co-operate with University
 normal schools that have a special contract with
university to organize the practice periods and supervise
student teachers
 the principals and teachers are willing to be in
collaboration
 teachers are educated to supervise student teachers at
our Department
 teachers are paid for the supervision
The advantages of the field school system
 variation in teacher student training contexts
 possibility for the student teachers to get to know different
schools with different emphasis
 appropriate solution to avoid a too big amount of students
in teacher training schools

32. SUPERVISION AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
DURING THE PRACTICE PERIODS
Supervision during the practicum
 class teacher of training school
 university lecturer
 other student teachers
Observations of the lessons
 teacher student’s teaching is observed
 teacher student observes others’ teaching
Group discussions, feedback discussions
 analyzing the lessons
 structuring the practical experiences
Teacher student’s portfolio work
 analysis of own aims, goals and their realization
 construction of one’s own pedagogical thinking and practical
theory

33. THE LEVELS OF RESEARCH-BASED
TEACHER EDUCATION:
Organising theme – theories – action
SCIENCE OF
EDUCATION
Research-based
approach THEORETICAL
KNOWLEDGE
GUIDING PRINCIPLE – GENERAL IDEA BASE OF TEACHING
Theories
models
IC
AC ADEM SE THEORY – PRACTICE
TI
XPER INTERACTION
CONCEPTUALISATION OF ACTION
E
Teaching
Planning Evaluating
PRACTICAL
KNOWLEDGE
EVERYDAY ACTION
PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS OF TEACHING
(Kansanen, 1994; Krokfors, 2005)

34. THE PROCEDURE OF GUIDED REFLECTION
IN TEACHING PRACTICE PERIODS
HOT SYSTEM COOL SYSTEM
Incident CRITICAL INCIDENT
LESSON Incident Commonplace classroom event
Chosen by the teacher
Classroom Incident
events Criticality is defined according to
teacher’s conscious intentions to
Incident develop her-/himself
professionally
PORTFOLIO
max STIMULATED RECALL weeks,
VIDEOTAPING REFLECTIVE DISCUSSION
2 days INTERVIEW months, years
Focus on What happened? What happened in this incident?
teacher’s Why?
Why this incident important and
action
What did you think about? meaningful?
Why?
How has this incident affected to
your thinking and actions?
What is the more general meaning
chers
dent tea aching
of this incident in wider context?
tu
 four s al te
uring fin
What can/will you do
 d with that you have understood?
practice

35. CHANGES IN THE FOCUS OF REFLECTION:
RESEARCH RESULTS
 Reflection in STR-interviews – a hot stance
 Reflection in reflective discussions – a cooler stance
 Reflection in portfolio presentations – a coolest stance
The procedure of guided reflection
100
90
80
70
60 self
50 task
40 impact
30
20
10
0
str rd portf

36. TEACHER EDUCATORS’ UNDERSTANDING
OF THE RESEARCH-BASED APPROAC
(Toom et al., 2008; 2010)
Four dimensions
 I The context – Academic teacher education
 II The approach – Main organising theme of teacher
education
 III The content – Curriculum of teacher education
 IV The aim – Teacher’s pedagogical thinking

37. THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH-BASED
APPROACH TO TEACHER’S WORK
(Toom et al., 2008)
 The research-based approach is seen clearly relevant to
the teacher’s work.
 Teachers are actively involved in curriculum development
and different evaluation processes.
 Teacher’s work includes multi-professional collaboration.
 The school is no longer a static workplace for which the
teacher education prepares students: future teachers
need dynamic competencies.

38. THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS
OF CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION
COMMUNICATION AND ORIENTING STUDIES 25 ECTS
300 ECTS
MAIN SUBJECT STUDIES CULTURAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND 50 ECTS
PEDAGOGICAL BASES OF EDUCATION
Education
RESEARCH STUDIES IN EDUCATION 70 ECTS
140 ECTS Research methods
Bachelor’s thesis
Master’s thesis
MASTER’S DEGREE
TEACHING PRACTICE 20 ECTS
MINOR SUBJECT STUDIES MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 60 ECTS
IN SUBJECTS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL
120 ECTS
OPTIONAL MINOR SUBJECT STUDIES 60 ECTS
OPTIONAL STUDIES 15 ECTS

39. THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS
OF SUBJECT TEACHER EDUCATION
COMMUNICATION AND OPTIONAL STUDIES 60 sp
300 sp
MAIN SUBJECT STUDIES A SCHOOL SUBJECT
A degree in the respective faculty
120 sp Includes a Master thesis
MASTER’S DEGREE
MINOR SUBJECT STUDIES ANOTHER SCHOOL SUBJECT 60 sp
120 sp
PEDAGOGICAL STUDIES 60 sp
Education
Subject didactics
Teaching practice

40. HOW TO BECOME – AND STAY – AS A REFLECTIVE TEACHER
(Krokfors 2005)
Pedagogical core contents
RESEARCH STUDIES
Reflective teacher
STUDIES IN EDUCATION
THEORY PRACTICE
PRACTICUM
STUDIES IN SUBJECT DIDACTICS
Pre-service education In-service education

41. WEB SITES
Department of Teacher Education/Helsinki
http://www.helsinki.fi/teachereducation/
Finnish National Board of Education
http://www.oph.fi/english