Professionalizing in and through research Research studies and active learning promoting professional competences in Finnish teacher education Hannele Niemi University of Helsinki

The aims of the presentation What is Finnish teacher education? Why research studies in Finnish teacher education? How can research studies promote teachers’ professional development? How active learning is related to student teachers’ professional development and research studies?

Comprehensive school for all Big changes in 1970-1980 Comprehensive school for all 1980’s no streaming Mixed ability groups Special need education support Inclusion No dead ends – a learner can always continue in the system Teacher education All must have 5 years MA degree Very popular academic career Only 10 % are selected from talented and motivated applicants

What makes Finnish teachers different? All have MA degree No national high-stake testing No inspectorate All belong to Teacher Union Not high salary – moderate level Commitment to their profession

FINNISH TEACHER EDUCATION Teachers’ professional work FINNISH TEACHER EDUCATION AUTONOMY RESPONSIBILITY REFLECTION

Teachers’ professional work Human beings Society Knowledge AUTONOMY RESPONSIBILITY REFLECTION

Teachers’ responsibilities Teachers are expected to take the responsibility to develop their profession. To analyze complex situations like a researcher. To make conclusions and decisions to develop their teaching to different learners.

WIDE PROFESSIONAL ROLE – aims of the Finnish TE Local responsibility for quality: Every school must be a good school Local curriculum Teachers’ important role Supporting every students’ learning and learning skills In collaboration with parents, multi-professional groups, and social and health care providers.

3 LEADING PRINCIPLES OF TE A Research-Based Approach as a Main Guideline The Social and Moral Code of the Teaching Profession Integration of Theory and Practice

3 LEADING PRINCIPLES OF TE Teachers as independent and responsible professionals for promoting equity and LLL skills 21st century skills A Research-Based Approach as a Main Guideline The Social and Moral Code of the Teaching Profession Integration of Theory and Practice

Teacher Degrees: 3 years BA + 2 years MA = teacher qualification Class teachers: Master of Education (grades 1-6) Major in Education Minors in 1-2 subject matter disciplines Secondary teachers: Master of Sciences, Arts etc. (grades 7-9 and upper secondary) Major in subject a matter Minor in Education Minors in 1-2 subject matter disciplines

Teacher Degrees: 3 years BA + 2 years MA = teacher qualification Class teachers: Entrance directly to teacher education programs. Secondary teachers: Entrance first to the University to an academic faculty and in the 2nd/3rd year to the pedagogical studies

Communication. language and ICT Academic disciplines 45-55% Research studies 20% Pedagogical Studies Communication. language and ICT 10% A personal study plan 2% Optional studies 3-10% Teaching practice Teacher training schools in Universities Local schools

The main components of the Finnish TE Academic disciplines Pedagogical studies Teaching Practice Communication and ICT Optional studies For all Teachers 1/5 of the 5 years program Integrated from the 1st year Basic skills for the profession School Subjects Education Extensions of the qualification Research studies : research methods + BA and MA thesis

DIFFERENT PHASES OF PRACTISE

DIFFERENT PHASES OF PRACTISE MA Thesis Research Courses BA Thesis Research Courses Research methods

Teacher education on research-based foundations Teachers need a profound knowledge of the most recent advances of research in the subjects they teach. In addition, they need to be familiar with the latest research on how something can be taught and learnt. Teacher education in itself should also be an object of study and research The aim is that teachers internalise a research- orientated attitude towards their work.

Research studies in TE According to Finnish degree requirements, research studies consist of a theoretical basis for research work (e.g., reading and reviewing research literature and learning research methods) and conducting authentic research projects, as well as preparing and writing BA and MA theses.

Generic skills or focused professionalism? The academic contents and practical are not be seen as separate or exclusive; they are always complementary in the teaching profession. Teachers as experts work in complex situations research-informed knowledge + tacit knowledge + confidence to carry out their expertise in demanding unique situations. Progressive problem solving, that is, tackling problems

Teachers as researchers and knowledge creators Log roots in American teacher education history. as early as 1908 (Henson, 1996; Lowery, 1908) a tension since the beginning of the movement: “Even with encouragement to become involved with research, the type and level of involvement was limited throughout the first half of the twentieth century” (Henson). In the 1980s and 1990s teachers as researchers was quite visible in TE discussions: - the importance of reflection and inquiry-based orientation in teachers’ work (Elliot, 1990; Hargreaves, A. 1996, Hargreaves, D., 1996; Tabachnick & Zeichner, 1991). The inquiry-based orientation has had a close connection with an emphasis on critical reflection in teachers’ work the mission of making teachers critical thinkers. focused on crucial issues of social justice and inequalities in education

Since the late 20th century An important paradigm for math and science teachers Language teachers see its value as well The ideology of teachers as researchers has expanded to many other subjects. CPD (Continuous Professional development) – action and design based projects Pre-service TE in some countries

Teachers and evidence-based policy and practice Teachers should have basic competences for systematic inquiry and knowledge processes so that they can analyze their work and students’ learning like researchers. How are teachers prepared for this kind of role, in which they are active partners in research projects or conduct research-based activities on their own? Levin (2004) remarked: Very few organizations have the capacity be involved actively in research partnerships or to make extensive use of the results. Efforts to increase teacher research or action research run into problems of time and research background among teachers. Many user organizations—for example, schools, adult learning organizations or individual employers—are small and lack with training or skill in research. (p. 10)

Teachers’ professional role Is teaching and teachers’ work more a craft in which teachers are expected to follow “teacher-proof” curricula and standards that authorities have defined in detail, or are teachers open to exploring new questions? Many researchers (e.g., Darling-Hammond, 2010; Hargreaves, 1994; Hargreaves, 2000; Oser, 1994; Schön, 1991; Tabachnick & Ziechner, 1991) emphasize a broad view of teachers’ professional role in schools and society as a whole.

Commission of the European Communities (2007, p. 14) The European Union’s recommendations for basic principles of teaching and teachers’ work emphasize teachers role as knowledge creators Teachers have a responsibility to develop new knowledge about education and training: – continue to reflect on their practice in a systematic way; – undertake classroom-based research; – incorporate into their teaching the results of classroom and academic research; – evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and amend them accordingly; and – assess their own training needs.

Hannele Niemi & Anne Nevgi: Research studies and active learning promoting professional competences in Finnish teacher education Teaching and Teacher Education journal (Volume 43, October 2014, Pages 131–142). Link to the article: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X14000821

Designing own instruction Cooperation – teachers working with others Ethical commitments in teaching profession Diversity of pupils and preparing them for the future Teachers’ own professional learning TEACHER EDUCATION FOR WIDE PROFESSIONAL ROLE

Active Learning Experiences Instrument Based on theories that consider learning a constructivist, self-regulative, and collaborative processes. It consisted of 20 items comprising one scale. The items described active learning experiences according to the following themes: independent inquiry, structuring and restructuring of knowledge, problem-solving, critical orientation in studies, and the evaluation of knowledge. The scale: 1 = almost never, 2 = once or twice in a year, 3 = about once in a month, 4 = about once in a week, and 5 = nearly daily.  

As a summary of the regression analysis, we may conclude that research studies in TE have clear predictive value in terms of student teachers’ professional competences, and have a particular effect on their own professional learning. However, the effects are much higher if students also have active learning experiences in their studies. We can conclude that research studies and active learning reinforce each other and together facilitate students’ growth in professional competences.

High value of research studies—high professional competences The open-ended responses emphasized the quality of guidance and supervision. The students stressed the importance of clear objectives, well-communicated working methods, and comprehensive support for their research from research supervisors They criticized incompetent supervisors who did not have a clear idea of research studies, as well as the timing of studies that require more thought. “Topic interesting. Teachers/supervisors have been incompetent, at least in my case. It is difficult if a student does not know what should be done.” (178) “The course should be implemented in another way.” (45)

Excellent value of research studies—excellent professional competences (n=48) The main message of this group’s responses was that these studies are really needed for the teaching profession and they are an important part of TE. “It is a sum of many small factors, e.g. a theme was the freedom to select a topic in a reasonable range, and I found a topic in which I really became interested, a theme of my research thesis was really linked with my career choice, learning and teaching (unlike my pure Math subject matter research), a supervisor who was able to give me freedom and advices, demand and give space and certainly a peer researcher with whom cooperation went unbelievable easily (smoothly) and without problems.” (50)   “ I feel that research studies are the important part of my TE…. I believe that research studies also support to shape my own thinking of educational philosophy”

Low value of research—low professional competences The third-largest group (n = 42) exhibited the lowest-level values in professional competences and few active learning experiences. They did not see relevance of the research studies, particularly research for their profession. “ too many research studies and they were separate from other studies” The emphasized that teaching is quite practical and they enjoy practice and would like to learn more in this vein. “It feels like a tease that basics of research work are still taught separately in pedagogical studies. These studies should introduce recent research. To do own study is too much.” (78) “ I would hope that more lesson hours would be transferred from research studies to pedagogical subject matter pedagogy.” (238)

Intermediate value of general research but low value of research for profession capacity—good professional competences The smallest group (n = 35) was slightly contradictory. Members in this group had high levels of competences, and intermediate active learning, but they did not have good experiences related to research studies and had the lowest values in Research for Profession. The main message: research studies took too much time and work and they would like to have better supervisors for research studies. “Research studies are useful for developing one’s own thinking. However, in my case it happened that supervision was incompetent, which certainly decreases one’s engagement with research. To get deeply in touch with a topic, good supervision is required.” (43)

The quality of research studies is important How the studies have been constructed and implemented. Practical elements of research studies such as timing and credits. Pedagogy: how to integrate research studies with other elements of TE, particularly with academic subject studies and classroom practices Authentic experiences with research studies as part of their own professional learning: They need freedom and support. The role of a research supervisor is crucial as s/he must understand teachers’ professional development, make studies pedagogically meaningful, and clarify the objectives and criteria of these studies.

Research studies: research methods, BA+MA seminars, own authentic study, part of research projects Student teachers regard research studies as an important part of their education. Research studies promote student’ professional development Active learning experiences reinforce the positive effect. Research studies should be integrated with other parts of teacher education (Niemi & Nevgi 2014)

Thank you very much! Hannele Niemi Professor of Education University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland, phone (int.) +358 40 5558975   e-mail: hannele.niemi@helsinki.fi http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/hmn iemi/