Finnish Curriculum Reform 2016 - Building the Future Irmeli Halinen Head of Curriculum Development, Finnish National Board of Education CURRICULUM REFORM IN BASIC EDUCATION IN FINLAND 18.11.2015

EDUCATION IN FINLAND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE IRMELI HALINEN

EDUCATION ACTS AND DECREES LOCAL CURRICULA NATIONAL CORE CURRICULA GOVERNMENT’S DECREES TEACHING AND STUDYING LEARNING Local curricula are renewed on the basis of the national core curricula. School work based on the renewed curricula starts August 2016 IRMELI HALINEN

Pupils, teachers and the curriculum Basic Education Act 30 § Every school day, every pupil is entitled to have instruction, and guidance and counseling according to the curriculum, as well as sufficient support in learning and school attendance directly as the need arises. IRMELI HALINEN

Holistic curriculum approach Curriculum covers practically all areas of school work and describes the main principles and guidelines for providing education and organizing teaching and learning. IRMELI HALINEN

CURRICULUM REFORM 2016? IRMELI HALINEN

What is the story of Finnish basic education we would like to hear in 2036? What kind of future we want to build? How do we perceive learning? How is good learning process like? How the surrounding world chances? What is worth learning in that world? IRMELI HALINEN

Building the future together Content Way of working Shared ideas, common direction IRMELI HALINEN

Four keys to curriculum reform Changing role of pupils Working together, participation Exploratory and creative learning World of change Environment, globalization. economy, world of work, technology, diversity of society School Impact on children’s environment Changing concepts of learning and competence Wide and transversal, ethical, sustainable Interaction, learning to learn, working with knowledge Changing role of teachers and teaching Learning conception Working together and building learning entities IRMELI HALINEN

Four keys to curriculum reform 2016 Changing role of pupils Working together, participation Exploratory and creative learning World of change Environment, globalization. economy, world of work, technology, diversity of society School as a learning community Impact on children’s environment Changing concepts of learning and competence Wide and transversal, ethical, sustainable Interaction, learning to learn, working with knowledge Changing role of teachers and teaching Learning conception Working together and building learning entities IRMELI HALINEN

Essential in the curriculum reform 2016 Why? How? What? How our school could be a better learning environment and supporting and encouraging community? For meaningful learning? For meaningful being? IRMELI HALINEN

Pupils’ experiences as a starting point Competences School culture Learning IRMELI HALINEN

Rethinking Basic Education Rethinking the underlying values and the task of basic education Rethinking the learning conception, and pupils’ and teachers’ roles Renewing the idea of learning environment Rethinking the school culture and the relationship between the school and the community School as a learning community Diverse and open cooperation Rethinking what is worth learning in school - the roles, goals and content of school subjects, and their influence on the development of transversal competences IRMELI HALINEN

Main goals in the curriculum reform 2016 To enhance joy and meaningfulness of learning and the active role of pupils To strengthen the identity and well-being of every pupil To support the ability to work with others, to communicate and interact, to think and learn, and to live in a sustainable way To emphasize work across subjects towards transversal competences, using multidisciplinary learning modules as new tools for teaching and learning To renew the objectives and main content areas of school subjects To support municipalities and schools to develop as learning communities. IRMELI HALINEN

Rethinking the school culture Learning community Wellbeing and safety in daily life Interaction and versatile working approach Cultural diversity and language awareness Participation and democratic action Equity and equality Environmental responsibility and sustainable future orientation IRMELI HALINEN

Rethinking competences Taking care of oneself and others, managing daily life, Cultural competence, interaction and expression Multiliteracy ICT- competence Working life competence, entrepreneur-ship Participation involvement, building a sustainable future Thinking and learning to learn National Goals for Basic Education and Transversal Competences - knowledge - skills - values - attitudes - will/volition Development as a human being and as a citizen IRMELI HALINEN

Objectives set for transversal competences ICT competence General description and objectives Why? How? What? Focus in grades 1-2 Focus in grades 3-6 Focus in grades 7-9 IRMELI HALINEN

ICT COMPETENCE Competence in information and communication technology ICT competence is an important civic skill It is both an object and a tool for learning ICT provides a tool for making one’s own thoughts visible in many different ways and promotes the active and creative role of pupils Pupils develop their ICT competence in four main areas: Practical skills and personal production Responsible and safe action Information management as well as inquiry based and creative work Interaction and networking IRMELI HALINEN

General objective for responsible and safe action The pupils are guided in using ICT responsibly, safely and ergonomically Grades 1-2: Together with the teacher, the pupils search for safe ways of using ICT and the related etiquette. Attention is paid to the importance of how a good working posture and the appropriate duration of working periods affect well-being. Grades 3-6: The pupils are guided in responsible and safe use of ICT and the related etiquette, and knowing of the basic copyright principles. In their schoolwork, they practice using various communication systems and educational social media services. The pupils obtain knowledge and experience of the health impacts of good working postures and working periods of a suitable length. IRMELI HALINEN

Grades 7-9: The pupils are guided to use ICT in a way that is safe and ethically sustainable. They learn how to protect themselves from possible information security risks and how to avoid losing data. They are guided towards responsible activities by reflecting on, for example, the meaning of the concepts of information protection and copyrights and the potential repercussions of irresponsible and illegal activities. The pupils are instructed to adopt working approaches that promote health and ergonomic ICT use. IRMELI HALINEN

ICT as a part of the learning environments and working methods Information and communication technology is an important part of good and versatile learning environments. It supports the pupils’ participation and the development of their skills of working together. It also supports their personal learning paths. The diverse media culture is taken into account in the development of learning environments. New ICT solutions are introduced to promote and support learning. The pupils’ own ICT devices may be used to support learning in a way agreed with the guardians. It must be ensured that all pupils have possibilities for using ICT at school. Diverse and appropriate use of ICT expands the pupils’ possibilities for developing their working approaches and networking skills. This builds their abilities for independent, interactive and critical acquisition and processing of information and its creative production. IRMELI HALINEN

ICT competence and subjects 1 Promoting transversal competences ICT competence An objective in chemistry To guide the pupil to use ICT for acquiring, processing, and presenting information and research results and to support the pupil’s learning by using illustrative simulations Promoting competence in chemistry CHEMISTRY IRMELI HALINEN

ICT competences and subjects 2 Promoting transversal competences Multiliteracy, ICT-competence An objective in math To guide the pupil in preparing and interpreting tables and diagrams and using statistical key figures… Promoting math competence MATH IRMELI HALINEN

Multidisciplinary learning modules in basic education Pupils are entitled to at least one integrative, multidisciplinary learning module every school year Learning modules integrate skills and knowledge of various school subjects, teachers work together Pupils participate in the planning of these modules Goals, content and ways of working are planned and decided at the local level They should be interesting and meaningful from the pupils’ point of view They realize the principles of the school culture They promote the development of transversal competences IRMELI HALINEN

CURRICULUM REFORM 2016 in a nutshell Inclusive school Multifaceted and deep learning Transversal and subject competences Sustainable way of living IRMELI HALINEN

Links: www.oph.fi/english irmeli.halinen@oph.fi