OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING ADULTS’ BASIC MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: THE CASE OF FINLAND

1. OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING ADULTS’ BASIC MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: THE CASE OF FINLAND Marja-Liisa Hassi, Ph.D Unversity of Colorado Aino Hannula, Ph.D Central Ostrobothnia University Laia Saló i Nevado, Lis.Ped. University of Helsinki

2. FINLAND IN BRIEF • Area: Situated in northern Europe • Population: 5,3 million • Density: 17 inhabitants per square kilometre. • More than 2/3 of the population reside in the southern third of the country. • Capital: Helsinki, 560 000 inhabitants • Economy: EUR 28 643/capita (2004) • Compulsory education: comprehensive school (9 years) (Basic education)

3. ADULT EDUCATION IN FINLAND • Bases: - Nordic tradition of liberal education - principles of equality, democracy & lifelong learning • Significant aspect of educational, developmental, labour and social policy • All forms of education and training offered for young people are also provided for adults; usually with the own curriculum for adults

4. WHO PARTICIPATE IN ADULT EDUCATION? • 52 % of the 18-64 year old population (1,7 million people) in 2006 • Women • 60 % of women • 45 % of men • Middle-aged • 56-61 % are 24-44 year old people • Well educated • 71 % with university or college degree • 35-36 % with basic or secondary education

5. Working people • 70 % of employed • 40 % of enterprisers • 30 % of unemployed • People living in south and in cities • 55 % of people in southern Finland • 45-50 % of people in northern Finland

6. Informal education • About 1,6 million (54 % of 18-64 year old people) • Ways to study: books, computers, TV, libraries, museums, different kinds of study groups • Most popular subjects: computer technology, engineering, languages

7. IDEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND • “Public enlightenment” 1800-1900 • Roots: Finland's independence movement & national awakening • Goal: to improve people’s mental growth and civil facilities • Equality and continuing education1970 • Systematization of adult education • Opportunities to participate in education for all ages with any level of education • e.g. Municipal Adult Education Centres enlarge

8. Self realization, lifelong learning 1980 • Both formal and informal education increased; labour political education increased • Citizens’ welfare, social cohesion, democratic society, EU 1990 • Open University, open polytechnics, labour political education developed • Distance education, TV lectures and courses, new instructional methods

9. Information society, globalization 2000 • Self-directed networks • Skills for Information Age • Current governmental adult education policy • Philosophy of equality • Principle of lifelong learning • Democracy • Responsibilities to local level • Cooperation with different school organizations and social partners • Education and training at upper secondary level for everyone • Education and training for people with poor education

10. ADULT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND • Liberal adult education (free civilization) • Ideology: “public enlightenment”, personal development & civic action • The law of 1998: “On the basis of the principles of life-long learning, the task of liberal education is to support the diversified development of individuals’ personality and their capability to act in a community as well as to promote the realization of democracy, equality and pluralism in the Finnish society.”

11. Organizations of Liberal adult education • Folk high schools • Civic and worker’s institutions (Municipal Adult Education Centres, 57% of all students) • Various kinds of ideological study centres • Summer universities • Covers the whole country • Most popular form of adult education (1 million adults, 70% women) • 1,6 million courses (2004)

12. Degree oriented education • Basic education and upper secondary general schools • Comprehensive school • Matriculation examination • Vocational adult education and training • Upper secondary vocational school and polytechnic bachelor’s degree • Labour market training • Procured by the Ministry of Labour for unemployed people

13. ADULTS´ BASIC STUDIES • Adults have their own curriculum • Degree oriented education is arranged by: - ordinary schools in adults’ classes - Adults’ schools (e.g. Adults’ High School) - Adult Education Centres

14. Mathematics basic studies as adult:most practical ways to study systematically mathematics are • to participate in basic education for adults (APOP) and to continue in Adults’ High School (upper secondary general school) • to study professional courses in mathematics in a vocational school

15. LACK OF BASIC SKILLS AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES WITH ADULTS • Lack of the discussion about adults’ poor basic skills in literacy or in mathematics and about learning difficulties • Special education is offered for children and youth, but the adults have been neglected • No larger studies can be found clarifying the situation of adults’ poor basic skills in mathematics

16. Who have difficulties in basic skills? • Older adults who were at school at the time when the special needs were not yet well known. E.g. adults having problems in reading seem to have had traumatic experiences during their schooling. • Immigrated adults with poor basic skills and inability to study in regular Finnish classroom • Prisoners with reading difficulties

17. RECENT EFFORT FOR IMPROVING ADULTS’ BASIC SKILLS • Governmental programs (NOSTE & APOP) aim at: - improving the level of education - training for adults with weak education • NOSTE • 30-59 year old adults without post-compulsory education • improve poorly trained adults’ career prospects and satisfaction at work • offers counselling with learning difficulties or with poor learning skills also in mathematics

18. APOP (Adult basic studies): second possibility • Comprehensive school for 18-59 year old adults • Suits for people without some part of basic education, for immigrated, for older adults with poor education, for those who like to improve their grades in basic education • Offers possibility to learn mathematics systematically starting from the elementary courses; • The participants are encouraged to continue their studies in upper secondary schools

19. MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN FOLK HIGH SCHOOL AND IN PRISON CONTEXTS

20. FOLK HIGH SCHOOLS • Institutions of liberal adult education • Usually ideological • Boarding schools • Flexible and student-centred programs • From Finland’s 90 folk high schools 30 arrange APOP studies (adults’ basic education) and 6 arrange general upper secondary education (Adults’ High School)

21. RAUDASKYLÄ CHRISTIAN FOLK HIGH SCHOOL • Located in Finnish northern country-side • Offers folk high school for young with special needs, open university studies, vocational schooling, music education, 10th classes for young • APOP studies • Adults’ High School

22. JAANA: • MATHEMATICS TEACHER • Her mathematics classes include: • APOP group • 10th class with young students • High school classes with young and adult

23. APOP groupin the small group learning is individual • Started 2 years ago with 4 students • Student’s age varies 21-24 years • Motives: - lack the basic school, - interest in studying - plans to take later high school courses • Adjust adults’ curriculum • The books are the same as those for young, but Jaana prepares material suitable for adults

24. AUNES EXPERIENCES AS A MATHEMATICS LEARNER • Aune is 65-year old pensioner • Matriculated in 2006 in Raudaskylä Adults’ High School • She was 57 years when she started her studies in APOP-program with an aim to have also the high school degree

25. “…I waited and waited… and promised to my children that I continue my studies…” “…I had high enthusiasm for studies” • In order to be able to pass high school, Aune took courses in mathematic and Swedish in the APOP group.

26. Aune found mathematics • challenging and not at all easy “When I travelled in train I immediately opened the book and began to do exercises... I worked hard. I had ahaa-experiences and ‘that can't be true, I got it!’” • Teaching was individual and encouraging “Jaana worked very hard for me; she explained and advised me. She demanded me to do the exercises and told that they help me to understand them. And I learnt. I was terrible enthusiastic.”

27. Fears and difficulties • Aune didn’t have any fears or negative attitudes to mathematics. • According to Jaana • the adults have often either negative or positive view of mathematics or about themselves as mathematic learners. • Her APOP groups have needed a lot of encouragement in the beginning.

28. Benefits • Not any economical benefit • A lot of joy • Able to do homework with the grandchildren • Possibilities to continue mathematics learning • more advanced courses in high school • informal studies in the local Adult Education Centre; because “Such subject as mathematics, there is something in it…”

29. STUDYING SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS BY PRISONERS • Principles • Chances to encounter the society outside the prison after the exemption • Obligation to work study • Social learning context in prisons • Education in prisons is part of the general Finnish education system (Adults’ Schools) • General goals, curriculum • Problems

30. “PEKKAS” EXPERIENCES AS MATHEMATICS LEARNER IN PRISON “When you are in prison you have a lot of time to spend doing nothing and thinking. You waste it and often you end up crazy. I like to put my head into something, and since I have been given the opportunity to study, I do my best.”

31. Pekka, 30 year old male, already 5 years in prison • Excellent student graduated from the upper secondary school in prison • Expected more challenges during the courses • He complained about: - the level of the lessons - the material available - not adequate textbooks

32. “ANNA” - THE TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE • Anna, female mathematics teacher in prison • 15 years of experience • Considers: - easier to teach adults than to teach children - her studies to be of no use when facing adult education - one of the main problems is poor reading and writing skills of prisoners - there is a lack of material for teaching and for adequate mathematics books

33. “BELINDA” - STUDENT COUNSELOR’S PERSPECTIVES • Belinda, female student counselor in prison • 10 years of experience as social worker • 5 years as student counselor • According to her: • Most students had been problematic kids during their basic education • 5 –10 % of prisoners lack basic education • The prison has nothing to offer to illiterate prisoners • Only 20% of students in prison finish their studies

34. FUTURE ISSUES • Discussion of adults´poor basic skills have recently increased/started. • Increased interest also in adults’ learning difficulties. • How to improve the weakest adults´ basic skills (e.g., students in prisons, older men and immigrants with poor education)? • How to adjust the basic school´s curriculum, instruction and material to adults’ needs?

35. Thank you !