The document outlines the characteristics of the Finnish educational system, emphasizing the common long-term policies, educational equality, decentralized decision-making, and a culture of trust in teachers. It provides details about the structure and components of teacher education in Finland, highlighting the qualifications required for different educational levels and the emphasis on pedagogical knowledge. Furthermore, it discusses the selection procedures for teacher education programs and the significance of sustainable and authentic assessment methods in developing competent educators.

1. TEACHERS – A MAJOR FACTOR FOR
SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
Arja Virta, Professor in History and Social Science Education,
Head of the Department of Teacher Education,Vice-Dean of Faculty of Education

2. Finland – country in
Norhern Europe
Area: 340 000 square
kilometers
Population: 5,3 million;
density 17 people / square
km
Typical: low rate of
corruption;
Stability in economy
Qualified labour force
2/26/13

3. OTSIKKO
Tekstiä

4. Characteristics of
Finnish Education

5. 5
Characteristics of Finnish Education
Laukkanen (2008), Niemi et al. (2012), Sahlberg (2011)
1. Common, consistent and long-term policy
- basic structures for teacher & comprehensive education are based on
long-term development (1970s decisive decisions)à continuous work
2. Educational equality
- need to mitigate socio/economic backgrounds
- education is free (books, meals, health care, …)
- well-organised special education (inclusion) and counselling
(personalisation of education)
3. Devolution of decision power to the local level
- leadership and management at school level (headmaster/ Principal)
- teachers are responsible for local curriculum and assessment
4. The culture of trust and co-operation are based on
teachers’ professionalism (as academic experts):
- no private tutoring or evening schools

6. The case of Finland is unique n Europe
§ The administration of Finnish schools is decentralized.
§ Most of the Finnish pupils go to the nearest schools.
§ Schools are autonomous.
§ High performance of Finnish pupils in global assessments on
students’ learning achievements, like PISA.
§ Parental trust on teachers and schools: there are no inspection or
external evaluation systems in Finnish schools.
§ On-going research projects focused on these issues:
§ Quality assurance and evaluation (QAE) as a form of governance of
basic education
§ School choice policies and their effects on restructuring of public
schooling
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7. 7
The Finnish educational system
§ The Finnish educational system
consists of
§ comprehensive school (=basic
education) (grade 1–9),
§ upper secondary school or vocational
school (grade 10–12),
§ higher education (3 + 2 years) and
§ adult education.

8. Education system of
Finland8

9. COMBINING EQUITY AND
QUALITY IN EDUCATION
§ The present learning society and
the global information society have
generated a greater need for
education and educational research
than ever before
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10. Teaching and learning in comprehensive
schools
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§ Education is provided free of
charge including all textbooks
and warm meals every day.
§ A school day is five lessons
during the first two years
and up to seven lessons after
that
(19 – 30 lessons per week).
§ A school year is 190 school
days

11. General Educational
Ideas in the Core
Curriculum
- Learning depends on the
learner's previously constructed
knowledge, motivation, and…
… learning is an active and goal-
oriented process
… collective problem-solving
… Learning is situational,
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12. School subjects in comprehensive school
(total number of lessons hours, yearly)
12
Mother tongue
and literature
(Finnish/Swedish)
42
Other domestic
language 6
(Swedish or Fin)
Foreign
languages
16
Voulntary
language
12
Mathematics
32Science
subjects
31
Civics , religion or
ethics 11
History , social
studies 10
Physical
education , music ,
visual arts, craft
56
Optional subjects

13. Special education in Finland is preventing
drop-outs
§ 8.5 % of all students are with special education
needs.
§ Special education need students:
§ 55 % are integrated into normal classes :
§ 30 % are attending special education classes,
located in mainstream schools
§ 15 % in special schools
§ An Individual Education Plan
13

14. Australia
Austria
Belgium
Czech
Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Mexico
Netherlands
New
Zealand
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovak
Republic
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United
Kingdom
United
States
400
425
450
475
500
525
550
575
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
100000
PISA Science
performance
Cumulative expenditure (US$ converted using PPPs)

15. Upper Secondary Education
§ 50 % of the students go the upper-secondary
school;
and another 50 % take vocational studies.
§ In the upper secondary schools students have
about 30 lesson hours per week
§ There are 50 mandatory courses and 15-20
courses by free choice
§ The national matriculation examination.

16. Teachers and Teacher
Education
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17. § Universities have reponsibility
for educating teachers for
compulsory education (basic
education), upper secon dary
schools, and also for
kindergartens and pre-
schools.
§ It is the responsibility of
educational faculties; some of
them have units in two cities
§ Universities of arts have also
teacher education
§ Every university has a training
school (or two), which are
administratively part of
univeristy
Oulu
Rovaniemi
Savonlinna
Helsinki
Rauma
Kokkola
Vaasa
Tampere
Jyväskylä Joensuu
Turku
Departments of Teacher
Education in Finland

18. 2/26/13
Characteristics of Teacher Education
in Finland
§ All teacher education for general education takes place in
universities
§ All these teachers take MA level degrees
§ Primary school teachers (= class teachers) (for grades 1-
6) major in education
§ Subject-specific teachers in compulsory school from
grades
7–9, and in senior secondary school (=13–19 year olds)
§ Note: Kindergarten teachers (children 1–6 year) take BA,
majoring in pedagogy
§ Teacher education for vocational schools is arranged by
colleges for vocational teacher training (and in some subjects,
in universities)

19. 2/26/13
Teachers’ Qualifications by
School Forms in Finland(based on Jakku-Sihvonen & Niemi 2006, 11)
Age School form Teachers’
qualification
0–6 Kindergarten Kindergarten teachers
(BA)
6 Optional pre-school Kindergarten teachers
(BA) or class teachers
7–12 Basic education (compulsory) grades 1-6 Class teachers (MA),
subject teachers
13–15 Basic education (compulsory) grades 7 -9 Subject-specific teachers
(MA, MSc)
16 – Upper secondary schools Subject-specific teachers
(MA, MSc)
16 – Vocational schools Vocational or subject
teachers

20. § UNIVEStructure of Academic Degrees
DEAGREESStructure of
Bachelor's degree
180 ECTS credits
3 years
Master's degree
120 ECTS credits
2 years
Doctoral degree
(Licentiate degree)
4 years

21. 2/26/13
Impact of the Bologna Process
(reform in the begining of 2000s)
§ The programmes for teacher education were reformed
on basis of the recommendations given by the national
working group in education
§ Introduction of the ECTS system
§ All programmes divided to BA and MA level degrees
(basically even before the Bologna process)
§ Analysis of core substance in every course
§ MA as basic requirement for teaching in schools from
elementary level

22. The present vision in Finnish teacher education of
the ideal teacher
§ high-level subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge,
and knowledge about how knowledge is constructed,
§ academic competences, like research skills; skills to use
pedagogically Information and Communication Technology, skills
needed in the processes of developing a curricula,
§ social skills, like communication skills; skill to cooperate with other
teachers,
§ knowledge about the school as an institute and its connections to
society (school community and partners, local contexts and
stakeholders),
§ moral knowledge and skills, like the social and moral code of the
teaching profession,
§ competence needed for developing one’s own teaching and the
teaching profession.
§ 2/26/13

23. 2/26/13
Primary School Teacher Education
(MA, teaching grades 1–6) (adapted from Jakku-Sihvonen & Niemi 2006, 38)
Components of Class Teacher Education BA 180
ECTS
MA 120
ECTS
Total 300
ECTS
Main Subject (general education):
pedagogical studies; educational research;
scientific writing; theses
60 including
teaching
practice; BA
thesis
80 (MA
thesis
20-40
ECTS
(practice)
140
subject studies in school subjects for grades
1 to )
60 60
Academic studies, minor subjects 25 0 - 35 25 - 60
Other studies (language, ICT…) 35 5 – 40 40 -75

24. 2/26/13
Education of Subject-specific Teachers
(= grades 7-9 and upper secondary) (ibid.,39)
Components BA 180
ECTS
MA 120
ECTS
Total 300
ECTS
Academic studies in the
main subject
60 (incl. BA
Thesis 10
ECTS in
main subject
60-90 (incl
MA thesis
20-40
ECTS)
120 - 150
Academic studies in minor
subjects
25 - 60 0 - 30 25 - 90
Subject teachers’
pedagogical studies
general education; subject
didactics, practice
25-30 30-35 60 (min. 20
teaching
practice)
Other studies 35 - 40 0-30 35-70

25. DEGREE STRUCTURE:
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER EDUCATION
§ BA 180 ECTS
• Language & Communication Studies 20 ECTS
• Basic 25 ECTS & Intermediate Studies 35 ECTS in Education
• Professional Studies 60 ECTS
• Minor Subject Studies or Electives 40 ECTS

26. 2/26/13
Components of Subject Teacher
Education
§ Subject Studies in the Faculties of Humanities /
Science / Social Sciences (etc.)
§ Teacher Studies:
a) educational studies
b) subject didactics
c) practical training
§ Provision of teacher training taking place in Departments
of Education / Teacher Education; and practical training
in University training schools

27. 2/26/13
Characteristics
Double qualifications:
§ Teacher education departments provide education for
teacher qualifications on two levels:
§ Primary teacher + 60 ECTS subject studies à able to
teach also at higher grades in compulsory school
(grades 1–9)
§ Subject matter teacher + 60 ECTS primary teachers’
curriculum studies (also qualified for 1–9)
§ Primary teacher + special education teaching

28. 2/26/13
Characteristics (both in primary and secondary
school teacher education)
§ Internship / teaching practice
§ Practical training / internship is mainly
organised in university training schools
(”normal schools”), which belong to the
Faculty of Education
§ Depending on resources, part of internship
can be arranged in municipal schools
§ Qualification as a teacher: directly after
graduation

29. § The quality of supervision in teacher training schools is
considered to be particularly high
§ The functional connection between teacher training
schools, departments of teacher education and other
university departments
§ Applying educational and didactical theory and know-
how in practice
Evaluation of teaching practice and supervision
2/26/13
Selection of
students to
teacher education

30. 2/26/13
Selection of students to teacher education
§ Primary school teacher education
§ A highly popular study programme (10-15 % of
applicants are yearly selected; about 20 % of
beginning students are males)
§ Entrance tests
§ the national test for educational programs (VAKAVA),
based on literature [common test for primary teachers and
some other programs with general education as major] AND
best of these applicants are invited to
§ local entrance tests at teacher education departments
(variations in test forms: interviews, group interviews,
problem-solving tasks, tests on mathematical thinking etc.)

31. APPLICANTS IN NUMBERS:
CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION, TURKU

32. 2/26/13
Selection of students to subject
teacher education
§ MAIN STRUCTURES OF SELECTION
1. Step 1: entrance tests to subject departments, and step 2:
later on, specific aptitude tests for teacher studies [main
alternative]
2. Direct selection to subject teacher studies
§ (part of) students are selected at the same time to subject studies
+ teacher education [directly aptitude tests + subject matter
tests] – in some universities: languages, mathematics, chemistry,
physics; religious education [not very usual]
§ physical education, household economy, sloyd/handicraft, music,
arts [in these subjects, the main procedure]
(VARIATIONS between universities and departments in selection
to subject studies)

33. 2/26/13
Main elements of the selection
procedures to subject teacher studies
§ Large variations between universities and
subject areas
§ SOME MAIN COMPONENTS
§ preliminary selection (in some cases)
§ aptitude tests [normally a board of three university
teachers assess the applicants]
§ additional tasks / assignments / performance tests
§ (in some cases) assignments / tasks given in advance
§ (in some cases) written tests, used combined to
aptitude tests

34. 2/26/13
Aptitude tests for subject teacher education
Different variations:
§ Individual interviews
§ Group interviews
§ Presentations (applicant has for instance task to
be done in advance and to present in test
situation)
§ Group discussions; problem-solving tasks in
group
§ Combination of a written test and aptitude test

35. 2/26/13
Assessment and supervision procedures in
subject teacher education
Studies in general
education and subject
didactics
§ Assessment as in any
academic studies:
§ Course evaluations
(examinations,
assignments, seminars,
portfolios)
§ Both formative and
summative asessments
§ Scale 5–1, or pass/fail
§ Internship / teaching
practice
§ Scale: pass /fail
§ Assessment closely
connected to feedback
and supervision
§ A teacher student can get
a description of the
contents of internship [e g
of specific skills trained]

36. 2/26/13
The purpose of assessment in teacher education
§ Assessment is not art for art’s sake but
instrumental in supporting other purposes; has a
double duty in teacher training: both assessment
of learning and for learning (feedout / feedback/
feedforward). FOCUS more and more on ’for
learning’ purposes
§ àPreparing for a profession, professional
development, life-long learning
§ à sustainable assessment (cf. Boud 2000)

37. 2/26/13
Sustainable assessment – something for teacher
education
§ Sustainable assessment can be seen as assessment for the
learning society
§ Essential:
§ confidence in the learners’ capacity to learn; telling about
strengths – not emphasising weaknesses à
§ assessment – promoting learning and development, not
preventing it
§ emphasis on self-assessment and peer assessment; self-
monitoring; assessing is not (only or mainly) a domain for
external assessors
§ effective self-assessment requires the clarification of criteria and
standards
§ à capacity to assess and to think critically
SEE: Boud, D. 2000. Sustainable assessment: rethinking assessment for the learning society.
Studies in Continuing Education 22(2),151-167

38. 2/26/13
Authentic assessment in teacher education
§ Purpose: to support the students’ professional
learning and development, reflection of one’s
own development and learning
§ Elements of this both in teaching practice and
subject didactics (portfolios, written reflections
on one’s own development, analysis of previous
beliefs and own school history; analysis of one’s
own goals; analysis of own teaching);
§ Linking theory to practice, general education and
subject didactics to own school practicies and
professional learning

39. § The quality of supervision in teacher training schools is considered
to be particularly high
§ The functional connection between teacher training schools,
departments of teacher education and other university departments
§ Applying educational and didactical theory and know-how in practice
§ Evaluation of teaching practice and supervision
2/26/13

40. 2/26/13
Examples from history didactics
1. beginning of the autumn
§ DESCRIBE your teachers (good teacher, bad teacher, teacher who
had an influence on you…)
§ What kind of teacher would you become
2. during the autumn
§ YOU AND HISTORY
§ how did you become interested in history; how did you study at school and in
university; what have been important learning experiences for you
§ describe your ‘philosophy of teaching history’ now (your goals as teacher)
§ OBSERVATIONS FROM LESSONS; “anatomy of a history lesson”
§ OBSERVATIONS FROM HISTORY LESSONS IN CULTURALLY
DIVERSE CLASSES

41. 2/26/13
3. during the winter and spring
§ CONSTRUCTING THE PORTFOLIO
§ selections from previous essays and other work
§ early reflections revisited (e g ‘philosophy of teaching’)
§ NEW THEMES
§ THEME 1: your development as a teacher (reflections on
development and learning during teacher studies, critical
incidents during the year)
§ THEME 2: history and social studies teachers’ competence;
what is it – where are you now; - here also practical examples:
lesson plans, teaching materials + analysis of them
PRESENTATION IN SEMINARS; written feedback

42. 2/26/13
Examples from teaching practice
(assessment & supervision)
§ Criteria for assessment (for example): students’
commitment, interaction skills, subject
knowledge, goal orientation, assessment skills;
responsibility; goals and criteria become more
challenging towards the end of practicum
§ FEEDBACK is a form of assessment; interactive
assessment; assessment discussions
§ SELF-ASSESSMENT; PEER ASSESSMENT

43. 2/26/13
examples
§ REFLECTION BOOK in teaching practice
§ Contents:
§ student teacher’s reflections on his/her experience,
ideas and feelings during the practicum, about the
lessons, successes and failures
§ written feedback from supervisors
§ lesson plans and other stuff created during the
practicum
§ can be used as a basis in discussions with the
supervisors

45. 2/26/13
Teacher Education
Programmes in Turku
Study Programmes:
§ Master’s programmes (major: education) qualifying for
class teacher posts in primary education
§ Master’s programmes in sloyd (handicraft)
§ Kindergraten teacher education
§ Pedagogical studies for subject teachers (minors)
qualifying for subject teacher posts in secondary
education for subject students majoring in University’s
other faculties.
§ Pedagogical studies for subject teachers, focus on adult
and vocational schools
§ Special eduction teachers

46. 2/26/13
Other Educational
Programmes in Turku
§ The Faculty of Education also offers in-service courses for kindergarten
teachers as well as class and subject teachers
§ Pedagogical Studies for higher education teachers
§ PhD studies
§ Llees – International Master’s Program

48. ACTIVE IN INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION
§ Research projects and programmes
§ Global academic networks
§ Student & staff exchanges
§ Joint curriculum development

49. All Finnish Departments of Teacher
Education are also research institutions
RATIONALE
§ The present learning
society and the global
information society
have
§ generated a greater
need for education and
educational research
than ever before
Highlights
§ Creating equity, competence
and expertise
§ Supporting individual and
collaborative knowledge and
skills in science and technology
§ National and transnational
research on educational policy
and systems assessing
§ Social equity and justice
through life course
2/26/13

50. Scope of Research
interests
§ Research at macro-level promotes
understanding of how to secure equality with
high levels of performance in Finnish
education in an increasingly competitive
global environment from local…to
global…from national…to transnational
2/26/13

51. § CENTRE FOR LEARNING RESEARCH in Turku
§ A joint research unit of the Faculty of Education and the Department of
Psychology.
§ Research focuses on the long-term development of basic competences (reading,
mathematics and science), motivation,metacognition, and social relations in
school Learning
§ Important research areas are the use of technology in developing learning
environments and the challenges of rapid technological and organizational
changes for expertise development in different fields, such as medicine, business
administration and engineering.
OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST
§ Teaching and Learning processes in various school subjects and related areas
§ Multicultural education
§ Teachers’ work; teacher education
2/26/13