Teacher Professional Development in Finland : Towards a More Holistic Approach

The article reflects on teacher professional development as a continuum that starts during pre-service time, continues into the first years of newly qualified teachers’ induction phase, and spans a career-long development throughout their teaching careers. Finnish teachers work in contexts that provide high professional autonomy and agency in their work. Pre-service teacher education prepares them for this responsible role. In earlier years, in-service training occurred on training days and through short courses. The new trend sees teachers as developers in the whole school community. Teachers have research-based orientation in pre-service teacher education, which makes them capable to design school-based projects and their own development as it relates to school development. The article introduces four cases in which new trends have already been implemented. These best practices are examples how to (1) support the school community to cross boundaries towards multi-professional cooperation, (2) design an innovative school community using a design-based approach together with many partners, (3) connect pre-service and in-service research-based teacher education in science, technology and math (STEM) teaching, and (4) promote induction for new teachers.Peer reviewe

Educating student teachers to become high quality professionals – A Finnish case

For decades, the Finnish orientation toward teacher education has committed itself to the development of an inquiry oriented and research-based professional culture. The aims of teacher education are to train students to find and analyse problems they may expect to face in their future work. This study consists of a survey of student teachers (n=545) in two universities in Finland. Web-based surveys with quantitative and qualitative questions were sent to all student teachers in the beginning of May 2010. Students assessed how teacher education had provided them with the competences they need in a high standard profession, what kinds of active learning experiences they had in their TE studies, and how research studies of teacher education had contributed to their professional development. The participants of the study assessed that they had achieved good skills in planning teaching and curricula. They were capable of using different teaching methods. They were aware of their own teaching philosophy and their responsibilities as professionals and life-long learners. They consider the research component of TE valuable to their independent and critical thinking. They were very engaged in studies. Finnish pre-service teacher education seems to function very well and to be effective in providing the skills teachers need to work as independent professionals. The results of the study show, however, that students also need more supervision and guidance on how to collaborate with parents and other stakeholders outside school, such as representatives of working life as well as partners in business life and culture.Peer reviewe

Desarrollo profesional docente en Finlandia: hacia un enfoque más holístico

The article reflects on teacher professional development as a continuum that starts during pre-service time, continues into the first years of newly qualified teachers’ induction phase, and spans a career-long development throughout their teaching careers. Finnish teachers work in contexts that provide high professional autonomy and agency in their work. Pre-service teacher education prepares them for this responsible role. In earlier years, in-service training occurred on training days and through short courses. The new trend sees teachers as developers in the whole school community. Teachers have research based orientation in pre-service teacher education, which makes them capable to design school-based projects and their own development as it relates to school development. The article introduces four cases in which new trends have already been implemented. These best practices are examples how to (1) support the school community to cross boundaries towards multi-professional cooperation, (2) design an innovative school community using a design-based approach together with many partners, (3) connect pre-service and in-service research-based teacher education in science, technology and math (STEM) teaching, and (4) promote induction for new teachers.El presente artículo presenta una reflexión sobre el desarrollo profesional docente (DPD) entendido como un continuo que comienza durante la formación inicial de los profesores, continúa durante sus primeros años de inducción a la profesión y abarca el desarrollo a lo largo de toda su carrera docente. Los docentes finlandeses trabajan en contextos que proporcionan una alta autonomía y agencia profesional en su trabajo. La formación docente inicial les prepara para cumplir dichas funciones con responsabilidad. Hace años, los cursos de formación continua tenían lugar durante días específicos a través de cursos de corta duración. En el enfoque actual, los profesores son considerados como promotores de la comunidad educativa. Durante su formación docente inicial, reciben formación basada en la investigación que les permite diseñar tanto proyectos escolares como su propio desarrollo profesional. El artículo presenta cuatro casos en los que se han implementado prácticas innovadoras de desarrollo profesional. Los casos constituyen ejemplos de cómo (1) apoyar a la comunidad escolar para superar sus limitaciones en cuanto a la cooperación entre profesionales, (2) diseñar una comunidad educativa innovadora a partir de un enfoque de investigación con numerosos colaboradores, (3) conectar la formación inicial y continua del profesorado, con base en la investigación sobre enseñanza de las ciencias, tecnología y matemáticas (STEM), y (4) promover la inducción a la profesión en profesores noveles

Equity and Quality as Aims of Education : Teachers’ Role in Educational Ecosystems

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Education reforms for equity and quality : An analysis from an educational ecosystem perspective with reference to Finnish educational transformations

The article starts with the serious question of why educational reforms do not lead to better learning. Although access to education has increased remarkably, the quality of education can be very low. The reality is that by 2030 there will be 800 million young people who do not have basic skills in reading and math. The answers will be sought from the concept of the educational ecosystem and how different subsystems, such as curriculum system, evaluation systems, teacher education policy, and the labour market, should be interconnected, and the systemic changes supported by all these subsystems. The basic conditions are that different actors and stakeholders work in collaboration, there are active interactions within and between different subsystems for supporting both equity and quality in education. Educational reforms are complex processes and need diverse partners and governance in which trust is present. The article also provides a brief case description in Finnish contexts of how educational reforms have been implemented in the frame of the ecosystem concept. In the end, the article summarises how educational ecosystems could help in overcoming global learning crises.Peer reviewe

Teacher education at the crossroads - Educational ecosystems for equity and quality of learning

The chapter will draw a comprehensive picture of the foundations necessary for equity and quality of learning for all learners. Teachers and teacher education play a key role in ensuring inclusiveness and high-quality learning outcomes but their work happens in a bigger picture of educational systems. The chapter introduces the concept of educational ecosystem and highlights the importance of interconnectedness and information sharing between different parts of the system. The solutions can be sustainable only if the complex issues have been discussed and various involved partners seek joint solutions to education-related problems. The Finnish case, as an example of the actions which strengthen the interaction between teacher education and the whole educational system is introduced. At the end of the chapter, reflections on teacher education in the educational ecosystem will be summarized.Peer reviewe

Towards Induction : Training Mentors for New Teachers in Finland

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Newly qualified teachers' support needs in developing professional competences : the principal's viewpoint

This study investigates principals’ viewpoints on the support needs of newly qualified teachers. As pedagogic leaders, principals play a central role in organizing support activities for new teachers at local level and can offer insights into new teachers’ situation and support needs. On that basis, the authors investigated how Finnish principals (N = 104) prioritized and described the support needs of newly qualified teachers. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire that included both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis, and responses to open-ended question were analyzed using deductive content analysis. The study revealed that new teachers need particular support in working outside the classroom, cooperating with parents and colleagues and enhancing holistic support for students. The results contribute to knowledge of salient issues in planning and organizing school-based support for new teachers, as well as in initial teacher education.Peer reviewe

The Role of Lutheran Values in the Success of the Finnish Educational System

found in the original principles and practics of the Lutheran religion, which set reading as a basic requirement for both men and women. Our aim is to reflect on how the Lutheran religion and the Finnish educational system have been interwoven. We use path dependence as a paradigm for understanding the course of history of Finnish education and identify three processes as key junctures in the long path of Finnish history from the Reformation to the current Finnish educational system. The first was the influence of Mikael Agricola, the father of Finnish literary language. The second was the establishment of The Royal Academy of Turku, which became fertile breeding ground for the Finnish national awakening. The third was the establishment of the public education system, which was built on strongly religious foundation. A combination of religious values, national identity formation, and respect for education and teachers created the value basis on which the Finnish educational system was established in the 1900s. As Finland has moved towards multicultural education, it remains true that many of its basic educational values, such as equal learning opportunities, derive from its Lutheran history.This chapter analyses how the roots of recent Finnish educational success are found in the original principles and practices of the Lutheran religion, which set reading as a basic requirement for both men and women. Our aim is to reflect on how the Lutheran religion and the Finnish educational system have been interwoven. We use path dependence as a paradigm for understanding the course of history of Finnish education and identify three processes as key junctures in the long path of Finnish history from the Reformation to the current Finnish educational system. The first was the influence of Mikael Agricola, the father of Finnish literary language. The second was the establishment of The Royal Academy of Turku, which became fertile breeding ground for the Finnish national awakening. The third was the establishment of the public education system, which was built on strongly religious foundation. A combination of religious values, national identity formation, and respect for education and teachers created the value basis on which the Finnish educational system was established in the 1900s. As Finland has moved towards multicultural education, it remains true that many of its basic educational values, such as equal learning opportunities, derive from its Lutheran historyPeer reviewe