Curriculum reform 2016 in Finland Leo Pahkin (Finland) “What is it, why it should be done and how it is going to be done?”

Finland Population 5.5 million (2015) 338,000 square kilometers, of which 10% is water and 69% forest Two official languages: Finnish 92 %, Swedish 6 %, (Saami (0,03 %) 33,3 % of population (aged 25 to 64) have university or other tertiary qualifications Immigrants: 4,6 % of population Working life: Average monthly earning (men) 3422 euros and (women) 2807 euros (2011)

Finland is known as…

Comparison of Finnish education policy to the global education movements (Hargreaves, Earl, Shawn & Manning, 2001, Sahlberg, 2004) Global Education Reform Movement Education development in Finland Standardization Standards for schools, teachers and students to improve the quality of outcomes Flexibility and diversity School-based curriculum development, networking through steering by information and support. Literacy and numeracy Basic knowledge and skills in reading, writing, mathematics and science (= prime targets of education reform). Broad knowledge Focus on broad learning; equal value to all aspects of individual’s growth in personality, moral, creativity, knowledge and skills. Trust through professionalism Culture of trust that values teachers’ and headmasters’ professionalism in judging what is best for students and in reporting on progress of their learning. Consequential accountability The school performance is closely tied to the “inspection” and ultimately rewarding or punishing schools and teachers.

Development of the basic education in Finland Expansion Rising Integration … 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 .. 9 years basic education Frame system for lesson hours Unification of the basic education National Curriculum National Curriculum + trial of the framework Curriculum Framework Core Curriculum Core Curriculum All teacher training in university End of grouping students by their abilities End of the checking textbooks and end of the inspections of the schools Functional regulation starts Three stages model for pupils’ support Decentralization

School autonomy Curriculum National Core Curricula by NBE Guidelines by the municipality – local orientation School-based curriculum Annual work plan and budget, recruitment of teachers and staff Decisions on group forming, daily work rhythm and other practices Profiling of schools by contents Decisions on text books and other materials Central approval procedures abolished 1993 Decisions on school level Pedagogical autonomy of teachers Voluntary participation in national development programmes

Why is a reform needed? Transformation of society and mental wellbeing Increasing uncertainty Comprehensibility Problem of choice Health, subjective wellbeing (QoL) Manageability Sense of coherence Individualism, anomie, consumer society materialism & instru- mentalism Meaningfulness Source: Timo Hämäläinen, 2009 (Aaron Antonovsky, Monica Ericsson & Bengt Lindström)

Phases of the Industrial Revolutions GNP Innovation in energy sector? 1970 ICT 1880 electricity, combustion engine 1780 steam power 1800 1900 2000

The demands for skills has changed Economy-wide measures of routine and non-routine task input (U.S.) Linda Darling-Hammond

The core of change In this world, our doing, knowing and being have changed Doing – all important and most influential outcomes are produced by cooperation and networks Knowing – more and more decentralised both technically and socially Being – our identity is hard-pressed in a world of constant change and global information flows Pirjo Ståhle, 2009

Carrying out these changes to the education… Rethinking the learning conception Importance of students own experiences and activities, feelings and joy Importance of working together, learning to learn in dialogue with others 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 the roles, goals and content of school subjects Transversal competences to support the identity development and the ability to live in a sustainable way

Transversal competences Taking care of oneself and others, managing daily activities, safety Cultural competence, interaction and expression Multiliteracy ICT- competence Competence for the world of work, entrepreneur-ship Participation and influence, building the sustainable future Thinking and learning to learn National Goals for Basic Education and Transversal Competences - knowledge - skills - values - attitudes - will Development as a human being and as a citizen

What? How? If you want to increase curiosity, allow questioning If you want to develop problem-solving skills, link school knowledge to real-life problems and encourage pupils to work together to seek solutions If you want to increase understanding, combine knowledge and skills from different subjects If you want to raise citizens who will develop society, promote inclusiveness and participation, give opportunities to make a difference, and facilitate positive - not negative - critical thinking If you want to strengthen learners' self-confidence and learning motivation, give constructive and honest feedback. Never humiliate or put down a learner.

Students assessment in the learning process is better described From assessment of learning towards assessment for learning, and assessment as learning Importance of positive feedback

Teaching-Learning-Assessment From… Towards… Teaching Learning Assessment Same for all Top down To the test To cover content To the test Discipline, no initiative Competition Comparison Individual To rank, compare, screen an certify Reliability Summarize and result Focus on knowledge and skills Teaching, learning and assessment parts of the same process Continuous feedback, “feed forward” to both the teacher and the learner Shared understanding of goals and assessment criteria Flexibility of means and working methods Learner to demonstrate, teacher to validate progress

Supporting schools in their own curriculum processes The core curriculum documents to be provided in electronic and structured form in order to allow them better serve the users and to increase adaptability The text is divided into two sections: a concise section about the standards with links to relevant legislation, and a support section for explaining the standards and providing examples of implementation and links for relevant material to support teachers' work

What are the most important issues that help me to learn and enjoy myself in school? The result of discussion of 550 students in Helsinki 2013 Frendship, respect, friendliness and speace for work Thank you!