Finnish Teacher Education and PISA: Some R eflections

1. FinnishTeacher Education and PISA:SomeReflections Eero Ropo Professor of Education School of Education

2. Development of FinnishTeacher Education • Primary teachers • Primary teacher education started in 1863 at the JyväskyläTeacher Seminar (currently University of Jyväskylä) • Seminars were merged to universities in 1971 • Primary teacher education became a MA degree in 1979 • Secondary teachers • Were educated at the universities since late 1800 until 1974 • Pedagogical training was provided by the state owned Normal Schools after the degree during one academic year - until 1974 • Normal schools merged to universities in 1974 • Secondary teacher education was reformed in 1979 and Teachers’ Pedagogical Studies became a minor subject to MA and MSc degrees

3. FinnishTeacherEducation in EuropeanContext • Teacher education is not legislated by the EU. However, EU gives recommendations for developing common basis for all education • Some member states (e.g. Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Germany and UK) make centralized decisions (ministry or other government bodies) on standards for teacher education • In most EU countries (e.g. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden) competence requirements are outlined at national level, but are adapted or further defined at a lower level by the teacher education institutions • In few other Member States (e.g. Finland, Czech Republic, Greece, and Malta) the competence requirements are only set by teacher education institutions. • Those countries, where the decision is made at the national level, tend to have more explicit and detailed descriptions of the competences that teachers are required to possess. • Finnish teacher education is not based on lists of competences

4. Basic Requirements for Becoming a Teacher • Master’s degree including or in addition to: • Subject matter studies (min 60 ECTS ) in each subject that one aims to teach at school • Credit for subject matter studies given by the university subject departments • In primary teacher education subject matter is defined as “multidisciplinary studies” given by Schools or Faculties of Education • Teacher’s Pedagogical Studies (60 ECTS), including teacher practice • Studies are organized and credit given by Faculties or Schools of Education • Teacher practice (minimum15 ECTS) takes mainly place at University Practice Schools

5. Graduating New Teachers HaveTypically • Studied 5-6 years(Primaryteachers) or 6-7 years (Secondaryteachers) fullorpart-time • Worked as substituteteachers in differentschoolsduringtheirstudies • On average 340-360 ECTS in theirMaster’sdegree (minimun 300) • At leasttwo, but in somecasesthreesubjects (e.g. Math and Science) thatthey are qualified to teach in secondaryeducation (min 60 ECTS) • Primaryteacherscanalsoqualify to teach at secondarylevelbystudying the subjects at the universitysubjectdepartments (e.g. Math, English, Arts etc.) •  Dual qualifications

6. Contents of Teacher Education Programs • In Finland teacher education courses and contents of the program are decided by the universities • However, Ministry of Education and different stakeholders offer recommendations about the contents of the programs (e.g. inclusive education, ICT competences, multicultural education etc.) • Contents of Master programs is based on multiple decision made by subject departments, faculties of education, and practice schools • There are a few principles Finnish teacher education follows: • Strong emphasis on knowing the subject matters to be taught • Good theoretical knowledge on education, teaching and curriculum, and student learning • As extensive teacher practice as possible within the time restrictions • Individual growth to teacher identity and teacher career (reflection of experiences, portfolios evaluation, individual mentoring in the practice schools)

7. PISA Results and Finland • PISA = Program for International Student Assessment by OECD • Overall, Finland has been among the three best countries in reading, mathematics and science results in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009 PISA studies • It is difficult to say what exactly is the reason for good performance in Finnish schools • Nature of Finnish language? • Length of school year or amount of practice are not the reasons • At least Finnish students learn to answer the type of questions PISA includes

8. SuggestedReasons for PISA Success • Respect of Teachers in the society • Nature of Finnish home education • Overall Quality of Teachers and Teacher Education • Only less than 10 percent of applicants are accepted into primary teacher education programs • Secondary teacher students are selected from students enrolled already at the university • Emphasis on acquiring pedagogically relevant scientific knowledge • Professional, individual mentoring for students in the university practice schools • Scientific Basis of Teacher Education Programs • Theory as the basis for program (curriculum & learning theory, identity and autobiography) • Every student involved in research (Master’s Thesis) • Portfolio method as the way of evaluation and to enhance individual reflection • Educational culture in the schools • Trust to teachers’ work (no inspectors) • No regular national testing (teachers design and administer their own exams) • School-based curricula based on national curriculum framework; teachers participate in designing the curriculum

9. Teacher autonomy and responsibility is emphasized in the system • Developing teacher identity is one of the main focuses in the teacher education •  Teachers focus more on educating students towards the educational goals than maximizing their test performance • ”No childleftbehind” • Inclusion is the main strategy in education; municipalitiesinvestresources in helpingstudentwhohavelearningdifficulties • Stillweknowthat • Boys are notdoing as well as girls in the school • About 5 to 8 percent of primaryschoolgraduatesdonotcontinuetheirstudies in secondaryeducationaftermandated 9 years • There are social problems and problems in studentwell-being at school

10. Quality of Teachers and Schools • Weknowthat • “the quality of an educationsystemcannotexceedthe quality of itsteachers” and that “the onlywayto improveoutcomes is to improveinstruction” (Barber and Mourshed, 2007) • teacherquality is significantly and positivelycorrelated with pupilattainment (e.g. Darling Hammond et al., 2005; Greenwald, Hedges and Laine, 1996; Rockoff, 2004); • There are positiverelationsbetweenin-serviceteachertraining and studentachievement (Angrist and Lavy, 2001; Bressoux,1996).

11. Thankyou! Eero.Ropo@uta.fi