FINNISH LESSONS: What can the world learn from education change in Findland. By Sahlblerg, P.

Donna McLean-Grant

Doctoral Student

EDD 1206

Book Precis

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

Finland has been ranked as one of the top performing countries in PISA for the past decade. During the same period it has been cited as one of the most competitive economies. Nokia and Peruskoulu represent Finnish

Icons in economic and education. Finland is the first country to make

broadband internet connect a human right for all.

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare StateFinland did not always excel in education and have a thriving economy.

Education Challenge

1960s barely 10% of adults in finland had earned a secondary degree or higher.

1970s and 1980s poor reputation of math and science

Solution:

1980s Peruskoulu led to the expansion of upper-secondary education and created pathway to free higher education.

1980s Finland adopted pedagogies from other countries and with the support of government policies was able to tailor a free education system for all with public services along with well trained teachers with masters degrees.

Ecomomic Challenge

Overcoming three (3) major problems in 1990s:

1. The collapse of the Soviet Union a country (a major trading partner) which forced the Finnish to diversify export strategies moving away from reliance on forest products.

2. Economic recession triggered by a Finnish banking crisis.

3. Finland’s integration into the European Union.

Solution:

Finland transformed itself out of economic crisis in the 1990s to develop into an information & knowledge society.

Public & Private sector promoting innovation invested in R & D. Education focused on fostering better knowledge and skills in coherence with creativity and problem solving. Leading to national acclaimed math and science PISA scores. Nokia pioneered into the world’s leading mobile telecommunication industry.

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

Why is the “Finnish Way” called a Competitive Welfare State?

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

Finland is a country that invests in its human capital. Interdependent social, economic and education policies are developed incorporating public services to support a good education for all to raise the wellbeing and prosperity of the society.

State –Generated Social Capital (public services for all) Free education system with supporting social services and special

education promoting individuality, creativity and innovation.

high income equality

70% of workers are unionized

Welfare , Equality and Competiveness

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT

(GERM) Off spring of globalization in education.

Evolves from increased international exchange of policies and practices.

unofficial educational agenda that relies on a certain set of assumptions to improve education system

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT

(GERM)

The areas of focus that have characterized global policies.1) Central prescibed curricula

2) Frequent testing of students and teachers

3) High stakes accountability with merit-based pay

The Finnish Way is an alternative to the GERM approach.

Global education reform movement(GERM)

The Finnish way

1. Standardizing teaching and learning

Setting clear high and centrally prescribed performance expectations for all schools, teachers, and students to improve the quality and equity of outcomes. 

Standardizing teaching and curriculum in order to have coherence and common criteria for measurement and data.

   

Customizing teaching and learning Setting a clear but flexible national

framework school-based curriculum planning.

  Encouraging local and individual

solutions to national goals in order to find best ways to create optimal learning and teaching opportunities for all.

  Offering personal learning plans for

those who have special educational needs.

2. Focus on literacy and numeracy Basic knowledge and skills in

reading, writing, mathematics, and the natural sciences serve as prime targets of education reform. Instruction time of these subject is increased.

Focus on creative learning Teaching and learning focus on

deep, broad learning, giving equal value to all aspects of the growth of an individual’s personality, moral character creativity, knowledge, and skills

3. Teaching prescribed curriculum Reaching higher standards as a

criterion for success and good performance.

Outcomes of teaching are predictable and prescribed in uniform ways.

Results are often judged by standardized and externally administrated test.

Encouraging risk-taking School-Based and teacher-owned

curricula facilitate finding novel approaches to teaching and learning, and encourage risk-taking and uncertainty in leadership, teaching, and learning.

Global education reform movement(GERM)

The Finnish way

4. Borrowing market-oriented reform ideas

• Sources of educational change are management and administration models brought to schools from corporate world through legislation or national programs.

 • Such borrowing leads to aligning

schools and local education systems to operational logic of private corporation..

   

Learning from the past and owning innovations• Teaching honors traditional

pedagogical values, such as teacher’s professional role and relationship with students.

 • Main sources of school improvement

are proven good educational practices from the past.

5. Test-based accountability and control

• School performance and raising student achievement are closely tied to processes of promotion, inspection, and ultimately rewarding schools and teachers.

 • Winners normally gain fiscal

rewards, whereas struggling schools and individual are punished. Punishment often includes loose employment terms and merit-based pay for teachers.

Shared responsibility and trustGradually building a culture of responsibility an trust within the education system that values teacher and principal professionalism in judging what is best for students. Targeting resources and support to schools and students who are at risk to fail or to be left behind. Sample-based student assessments.

The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

GERM FINNISH WAY

Competition Collaboration

Standardization Individualization

Test-Based Accountability Trust-Based Responsibility

Privatization Public Good

The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

INTERDEPENDENCY BETWEEN PUBLIC SECTOR POLICIES AND EDUCATION OVER 3 DECADES

STRATEGY ECONOMIC POLICIES

SOCIAL POLICIES

EDUCATION

1970’sInstitutionalizationConsolidation of the pillars of welfare state and strengthened state-driven social capital

Open economy that depended on exports and was state-regulated.

Systems for unemployment, work-life balance, access to further education and housing

Peruskoulu – Compulsory education grades 1-9. Wrap around services for all.

The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

INTERDEPENDENCY BETWEEN PUBLIC SECTOR POLICIES AND EDUCATION

STRATEGY ECONOMIC POLICIES

SOCIAL POLICIES

EDUCATION

1980’sRestructuring Restructuring economic regulations, information technology infrastructure and public administration

Rapid public sector growth. Instructrial production concentrates on metal and wood sectors.

Student welfare services , medical, loans and social benefits.

Restructuring upper secondary education developing the new polytechnical system.

The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

INTERDEPENDENCY BETWEEN PUBLIC SECTOR POLICIES AND EDUCATION

STRATEGY ECONOMIC POLICIES

SOCIAL POLICIES

EDUCATION

1990’sIdeas and InnovationDiversification of exports through innovation-driven markets and dissemination of ideas through a network society.

Public sector decreases and Private service sector grew. ICT industries emerged. Investments in R & D increased. Restructure of banking sector. “Nokia diversifies to emerge as leader of mobile communication”

Fix of social consequence of recession.Retraining and further education of unemployed.

Developed a knowledge based economy. Focus on better knowledge and skills in coherence with creativity and problem solving. (Science,Math & Technology)

The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

INTERDEPENDENCY BETWEEN PUBLIC SECTOR POLICIES AND EDUCATION

STRATEGY ECONOMIC POLICIES

SOCIAL POLICIES

EDUCATION

2000’sRenewalStrengthening well-performing parts of economy and renewing social policies

Focus on services increases.

Renewing immigration legislation.

Renewing education legislation, strengthening evaluation policies, and tightening state control over schools and productivity in education

Is the Future Finnish?

Exporting Educational Reform

Sahlberg states successful change and good educational performance often require improvements in social, employment, and economic sectors.

“Education system performance has to be seen in context of other systems in the society. Ex: health, environment, rule of law, governance, economy, and technology.

The Future of Finnish Education

Educational change in finland has been driven by culture and emotion in the context of social, political, and economic survival.

(Renewal requires energy and energy is driven by emotion)

Is it then fair to be measured to the standards of a country that does not have similar population size, culture, government and economic structure.

The Finnish Way:Competitive Welfare State

In my opinion U.S. needs to revisit its federal policy concerning education. The right to a free public education is found in the various state constitutions and not in the federal constitution.

The fact remains that education is not a fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution.

If education becomes a fundamental right then there can be a national movement to ensure that all children be provided with a good education and receive the needed resources to reach attainable goals. I also believe that Educators should be given more respect, trust in guiding student learning and compensation for the work that they are charged to do.

FINNISH LESSONS: What can the world learn from education change in Findland. By Sahlblerg, P.

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