Miracle of Education : the Principles and Practices of Teaching and Learning in Finnish Schools (Second Revised Edition)

"Finnish pupils' success in international student assessment tests and the characteristics of the Finnish educational system are the focus of interest all around in the world. The significance of Finnish educational policy and societal atmosphere are continuously discussed. This book provides explanations, answers and reflections to these questions. Over 30 expert authors have contributed to this book by bringing their own specific research-based points of view. The second edition of the book introduces the new national curriculum for basic education that now provides guidelines for school-based curricula. Students' learning with engagement and schools as learning communities are core visions of the reform. The authors also reflect on the PISA 2012 results. The book gives an example on how to use PISA information for national improvements. In Finland, all evaluations are enhancement-led and this also includes PISA measurements. The book illustrates how teaching and learning of different subjects is realized in Finnish schools and describes the essential characteristics and methods of teaching, learning materials and research on these issues. The book provides important insight and reflections to international researchers, teachers, students, journalists and policy makers, who are interested in teaching and learning in Finnish schools. It shows the results of the systematic and persistent work that has been done on education and schooling in Finland. The main features of education in Finland are: Strong equity policy. Teachers as autonomous and reflective academic experts. Flexible educational structures and local responsibility for curriculum development. Evaluation for improvements, not for ranking. No national testing, no inspectorate. Research-based teacher education. Teachers' high competence in content knowledge and pedagogy. Trust in education and teachers." TABLE OF CONTENTS......Page 6 FOREWORD:Perspectives for the Future of the Teaching Profession......Page 8 REFERENCES......Page 10 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION......Page 12 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 14 PART I: INTRODUCTION: CURRENT EDUCATIONAL FRAMING FACTORS AND CONDITIONS IN FINLAND......Page 16 INTRODUCTION......Page 17 AMONG THE TOP-RANKING COUNTRIES IN THE 2000s......Page 18 INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE......Page 20 Results Trends for Different Levels of Achievement......Page 23 Gender Differences in Student Performance......Page 24 The Connections of Students’ Socioeconomic Background to Their Performance......Page 26 Student Attitudes and Time Spent on Reading......Page 27 Diversity of Reading and Interest in Reading Activities......Page 29 DISCUSSION......Page 31 NOTE......Page 33 REFERENCES......Page 34 INTRODUCTION......Page 36 Respect for Learning and Education in the Finnish Culture – Education of a Nation and Comprehensive Schooling for All......Page 37 Educational Policy for Equity......Page 38 THE STRUCTURE AND AIMS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM......Page 39 ENHANCEMENT-LED AND FORMATIVE EVALUATION POLICY FOR PROMOTING QUALITY......Page 43 TEACHER EDUCATION AS A KEY PLAYER......Page 45 Pedagogical Studies......Page 46 A Research-Based Approach as the Main Guideline......Page 47 Integration of Theory and Practice......Page 49 TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS – TRUST IN UNIVERSITIES AND TEACHERS’ WORK......Page 50 REFERENCES......Page 52 WEBSITES......Page 53 INTRODUCTION......Page 54 TEACHERS’ WORKING SPACE IN FINNISH SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS......Page 56 Finnish Teachers’ Role Requirements......Page 58 Finnish Teachers’ Personal Characteristics and Qualities......Page 59 EDUCATING WITHIN A SOCIETY – THE MINDSET OF THE FINNISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM......Page 60 Trust in Education......Page 61 Hope for a Better Society and (Individual) Life......Page 62 DISCUSSION: NEGOTIATING FOR A HOPEFUL CURRICULUM AND SCHOOL PRACTICES......Page 64 REFERENCES......Page 65 INTRODUCTION......Page 69 Didactics......Page 70 Pedagogical Content Knowledge......Page 71 EDUCATIONAL PURPOSEFULNESS......Page 72 General Purposes in Teaching According to Teachers......Page 74 The General Purposes in Teaching According to Student Teachers......Page 75 Subject-Matter Specific Purposes in Teaching According to Teachers......Page 76 Subject-Matter Specific Purposes in Teaching According to Student Teachers......Page 77 THE CORE OF SCHOOL PEDAGOGY......Page 78 REFERENCES......Page 79 PART II: THE FOUNDATIONS: THE DESIGN OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM ON VARIOUS LEVELS......Page 81 THE UNIQUENESS OF FINNISH BASIC EDUCATION......Page 82 EDUCATIONAL EQUITY – THE FOUNDATIONAL VALUE OF FINNISH EDUCATION......Page 83 STRIVING TOWARDS EXCELLENCE AND A JOY OF LEARNING:THE FINNISH BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM......Page 84 THE PREMISES OF EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT IN FINNISH BASIC EDUCATION......Page 85 School Assessment......Page 86 Student Assessment Is Part of Daily Schoolwork......Page 87 External National Assessments of Learning Outcomes......Page 88 Responding to the Multiple Needs of Diverse Learners......Page 90 STEPS FORWARD IN ENSURING EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE FOR EVERY LEARNER......Page 91 REFERENCES......Page 92 MAIN FEATURES OF THE CURRENT CURRICULUM SYSTEM IN FINLAND......Page 94 CURRICULUM RENEWAL PROCESS IN FINLAND......Page 96 The Core Elements of the Finnish National Core Curriculum......Page 97 The Ideological and Pedagogical Background of the Finnish National Core Curriculum......Page 98 REFERENCES......Page 100 INTRODUCTION......Page 102 Statistics of Schooling in Finland......Page 103 The Everyday Life of a Finnish Teacher......Page 104 Inquiry-orientation in an Individual Teacher’s Work......Page 106 Inquiry-orientation in the Practice of the School Community......Page 110 Teacher Educators’ Views of the Research-based Approach......Page 112 Student Teachers’ Views of Research-based Approach......Page 113 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?......Page 114 REFERENCES......Page 115 PART III: TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR LIFE:ACADEMIC SUBJECTS......Page 117 INTRODUCTION......Page 118 The Core Idea of Mathematics Education According to the National Curriculum......Page 120 Teacher Education and the Main Principles of Good Mathematics Education......Page 121 Learning Materials as a Resource for Teaching and Learning......Page 124 Teaching Mathematics in Finnish Classrooms......Page 127 Talent Development for All Students......Page 128 REFERENCES......Page 130 INTRODUCTION......Page 133 SCIENCE IN THE NATIONAL LEVEL CURRICULUM......Page 135 SCIENCE TEACHERS......Page 139 SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING AT SCHOOL......Page 141 DISCUSSION......Page 144 REFERENCES......Page 147 APPENDIX......Page 149 INTRODUCTION......Page 153 THE LINGUISTIC SITUATION IN FINLAND......Page 154 MOTHER TONGUE AND LITERATURE......Page 155 CHAMELEON......Page 157 TRAINING TEACHERS OF MOTHER TONGUE AND LITERATURE......Page 161 REFERENCES......Page 163 Introduction to the Current Situation......Page 165 A Brief History of Foreign Language Teaching in Finland......Page 167 Main Aims Set in the Language Core Curricula......Page 168 Approaches and Methods in Finnish Language Classrooms......Page 171 Assessment of Learning Outcomes......Page 174 LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION......Page 176 REFORMING THE CURRICULUM......Page 177 Combining Theory and Practice......Page 178 FUTURE CHALLENGES OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING......Page 179 REFERENCES......Page 182 BACKGROUND......Page 186 THE FINNISH SOLUTION FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS......Page 187 THE NATURE AND ROLE OF RE IN BASIC EDUCATION......Page 190 RE TEACHERS IN FINLAND......Page 193 REFERENCES......Page 195 INTRODUCTION......Page 198 HISTORY, SOCIAL STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY IN THE NATIONAL CORE CURRICULUM OF FINNISH COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS......Page 200 History and History Education......Page 202 Social Studies and Social Science Education......Page 203 Geography and Geography Education......Page 205 LITERACY OF HUMANITIES (PISA, TIMMS, ICCS)......Page 206 Activating Teaching Methods......Page 208 Assessment......Page 210 THE EDUCATION OF HISTORY, SOCIAL STUDIESAND GEOGRAPHY TEACHERS......Page 211 COMMON CHALLENGES......Page 213 REFERENCES......Page 214 ARTS AND CULTURE IN EDUCATION......Page 217 ARTS EDUCATION IN FINNISH SCHOOL SYSTEM......Page 219 AIMS OF VISUAL ARTS AT SCHOOL......Page 220 CONTENTS OF VISUAL ARTS......Page 222 DYNAMICS OF INTERNAL INTEGRATION IN VISUAL ARTS......Page 223 SECURE SENSE THROUGH SOUND AND MUSIC......Page 224 HANDS-ON ART FOR CLASS TEACHER STUDENTS......Page 226 ARTS EDUCATION VISION: WE HEAR THE FUTURE......Page 228 REFERENCES......Page 229 PART IV: REFLECTIONS: FUTURE SCENARIONS AND INVESTMENTS FOR PATHWAYS OF SUCCESS......Page 232 PAST: THEATRE AND DRAMA TRADITIONS INTHE FINNISH SCHOOL SYSTEM......Page 233 PRESENT: DRAMA EDUCATION IN FINNISH SCHOOLS IN THE 2020S......Page 234 PRESENT: DRAMA EDUCATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION......Page 236 FUTURE: CHALLENGES OF FINNISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND DRAMA EDUCATION......Page 239 REFERENCES......Page 241 MEDIA CULTURE IS PART OF CHILDREN’S EVERYDAYLIFE IN FINLAND......Page 245 THE RATIONALE FOR ICT: 21ST CENTURY SKILLS......Page 247 WILL SCHOOL FADE OUT OF YOUNG PEOPLE’S EVERYDAY LIVES?......Page 248 THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE EDUCATIONAL USE OFICTS: SOME PROSPECTS......Page 249 RECENT RESEARCH FINDINGS OF THE PRESENT STATE ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL USE OF ICTS IN FINLAND......Page 251 REFERENCES......Page 253 ABSTRACT......Page 257 FROM CULTIVATION TO EDUCATION......Page 258 DEVELOPING BY NETWORKING......Page 261 STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES IN DIFFERENT LEARNINGENVIRONMENTS......Page 262 The Pedagogical Practices of Vantaa City Library......Page 263 PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS – BOTH OBJECT AND SOURCE OF LEARNING......Page 264 RESEARCH INTO PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AS LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS......Page 265 FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AS LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS......Page 266 NOTES......Page 267 REFERENCES......Page 268 AROUSING AND SUPPORT OF INTEREST......Page 271 LUMA CENTRE FINLAND......Page 273 STEM labs – Authentic and Active Learning Environments to Support Children, Youth and Teachers......Page 274 ChemistryLab Gadolin as an Example of the Versatile Learning Environment Supporting Learning and Interest......Page 275 Camps and Clubs – Interdisciplinary Learning Environments forChildren and Youth......Page 276 FINAL WORDS......Page 277 REFERENCES......Page 278 EPILOGUE:How to be Prepared to Face the Future?......Page 280 A COMMON AND EQUAL SOCIETY THROUGH EDUCATION......Page 281 EVALUATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT......Page 282 SUPPORTING THE LIFE-LONG LEARNING OF TEACHERS......Page 283 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL COHESION......Page 284 REFERENCES......Page 285 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES......Page 287