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

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

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OTSIKKO Tekstiä

Characteristics of Finnish Education

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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

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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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.

Education system of Finland 8

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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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

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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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 32 Science

subjects 31 Civics , religion or

ethics 11

History , social studies 10

Physical education , music ,

visual arts, craft 56

Optional subjects

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

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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)

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.

Teachers and Teacher Education

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§  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

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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)

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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

§ 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

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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

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.

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

§  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

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Selection of students to teacher education

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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.)

APPLICANTS IN NUMBERS: CLASS TEACHER EDUCATION, TURKU

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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)

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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

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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

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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]

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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

§  àPreparing for a profession, professional development, life-long learning

§  à sustainable assessment (cf. Boud 2000)

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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

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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

§  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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

ACTIVE IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

§  Research projects and programmes §  Global academic networks §  Student & staff exchanges §  Joint curriculum development

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

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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

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§  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

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