Join participants who traveled on an ISSN International Study Tour to Finland this spring to learn about their experiences meeting with the University of Helsinki, Ministry of Education, National Board of Education, and visiting local schools. Panelists will share their key take-aways from this professional learning experience and lead informal discussion based on these main themes.

1. FINLAND – ISSN
INTERNATIONAL STUDY
TOUR
APRIL 3-9, 2016
HELSINKI

2. Re-Cap of IBnerary
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
University of
Helsinki - Welcome
Dr. Kirsi Ke)ula,
Head of
Transna4onal
Educa4on
Evalua:on and
assessment of
Finnish pupils
Ms Najat Ouakrim-
Soivio, PhD
The Ministry of
Educa4on
Visit to Kilonpuisto
Comprehensive
School
Visit to the
Kasavuori School in
the City of
Kauniainen
Cultural Immersion
– Visit to
Suomenlinna
Department of
Teacher Educa:on -
Teacher Educa/on
in Finland
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki,
Associate Professor
Visit to the Playful
Learning Centre of
the Department of
Teacher Educa:on
Visit to the Na:onal
Board of Educa:on -
Global approach in
teaching and
learning in Finland
Paula MaGla,
Counsellor of
Educa4on
University of
Helsinki – Debrief
Dr. Kirsi Ke)ula,
Head of
Transna4onal
Educa4on

3. Look Fors/Group’s QuesBons
§ What is it that Finland does that I can actually implement within the parameters that principals control?
§ Teacher prepara4on – what supports are in place for teachers to be truly ready?
§ Struggling students – what does Finland do with students who are coming from other educa4on systems
who haven’t come up through the Finnish system (especially refugees)?
§ How are the school days structured?
§ How does the homework situa4on func4on? How does it work to have so li)le homework?
§ Personaliza4on from students’ perspec4ve – what does it look like?
§ Consistency and con4nuity of teacher performance over years – how to keep teachers performing well
year over year and maintaining a low a)ri4on rate.
§ Inclusion structure – what are the supports for all students to be included in mainstream?
§ Non-tes4ng culture.
§ What data does Finland collect on students.
§ What is next for Finland’s educa4on system?
§ The world is looking at Finland but who is Finland looking at for innova4ve ideas?
§ System-level - How does govt policy relate to teacher prepara4on and school prac4ce?
§ Integra4on of global competence.
§ Accountability – how does it work when teachers hold themselves accountable (innate rather than
external)?

4. Finnish EducaBon Facts
§ Basic educa4on is 9 years and students start school at age 7.
§ Na4onal educa4on spending – 6% of GDP (approximately OECD
average)
§ On average, $12,000 spent per pupil compared to U.S. average of
$16,700.
§ Star4ng teacher salary - $35,000
§ All teachers must complete a MA.
§ Lowest amount of instruc4on 4me among OECD countries.
§ Only na4onal assessment is the matricula4on exam for all students age
16yrs old who wish to pursue further educa4on. Every 3 years Math and
Finnish are evaluated by random sampling.

5. Finnish EducaBon Facts

6. Four Key Themes
1. Consistency
2. Trust
3. Equity
4. Less is more

7. Systems-Level Insights
q Looking to Sweden, the U.S., EU, and Canada
q Shie from teaching to learning
q Beginnings of school shopping
q Evalua4on concerns
q Research focus (Ministry)
q Voca4onal educa4on
q Value craemanship
q Reflec4on and research
q Reality of transi4on to PBL
“We research what we teach, and we teach what we research”

8. School-Level Highlights
q Universality
q Holis4c
q Innate accountability
q Evalua4on of learning