Harry CostnerSynthesis Research Report

FinlandUMUC EDTC 645

April 2014Dr. Tamara Blesh

Photo used by creative commons. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/15133799@N02/5436213119/

A simple Google search tells the story. Type in Finland education success

and you will find thousands of articles describing the “Finnish Miracle” or common

use of the term “education superpower”. Currently, the world is beating down a

path to the door of Finland’s Education Ministry to learn their secrets. Most of this

success is judged on the extremely high scores Finland delivers on the international

PISA tests. (Programme for International Student Assessment) There are many

basic educational and philosophical concepts that set Finland’s education system

apart. Below is a wonderful infographic created for Pasi Sahlberg’s lecture “Finnish

Lessons” at the recent Teaching and Learning Conference in Washington DC in

March of this year.

Photo retrieved from https://storify.com/susaw/teaching-and-learning-2014

As noted in this graphic, Finland values equity in education, supports daycare and

preschool, believes in the power of play, encourages the female voice in governance,

respects and supports the profession of teaching, discourages standardized tests,

and ignores teacher accountability measures.

So the question for this synthesis report is, how does this unique education

philosophy manifest itself in levels of technology integration, 21st century skills for

Finnish students, and the ability to promote ed-tech changes through teacher training

and professional development? To begin to answer these important questions, I have

examined scholarly articles from the early stages of Finnish ICT global awareness

(1999-2003), read current scholarly articles and reports on the levels and success of

ICT skills, implementation and teacher training, read recent Finland Ministry of

Education reports on long-term ICT education strategy, interviewed Finnish

teachers and education administrators, and finally investigated current journal

articles on recent Finnish global technology successes. Most all of this data,

information, and research all point to the same conclusion, Finland has been slow to

integrate technology and 21st century skills and learning methods into their teacher

training programs and curriculum, all they way through to the university level. In

2008, the Finland Ministry of Education presented their explanations and approach

to this lag in ICT integration. Below is a slide from this presentation. I think it says a

lot about the Finnish point of view on technology and education.

Slide image Retrieved from http://www.ebaltics.com/forum2008/Presentations/Kangasniemi.pdf

A thorough examination of Finnish scholarly articles from the early years of global

ICT awareness (1999-2003) reveals vast understanding and optimism about the

future technology could play in Finnish schools. In 2001, University of Helsinki and

Turku published a valuable study titled, “Teachers’ Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) Skills and Practices of Using ICT”. This study showed three

important facts. First, only a small number of teachers had adequate ICT skills.

Secondly, the issue was not access to technology but rather training and experience.

They lastly were able to show that “in the classroom, teachers who actively used ICT

emphasized (more than other teachers) the importance of using information technology

for supporting a research-like process of inquiry, collaborative learning, learners’ active

engagement in the knowledge-formation process, and the learnability of intelligence.

(Hakkarainen et al., 2001) This study was important in that it directly correlated the use

of technology in teaching with deeper levels of learning. In 2000, the Finnish

Government published a new ICT strategy in the “Information Strategy for Education and

Research.” This document sets an agenda for transforming Finland into an “information

society”. This strategy consisted of ten projects to achieve this goal including, ICT

teacher training, virtual schools, updating of technology infrastructure, and 21st century

skills for all citizens. The most important aspect of this document is the teacher training

initiative called OPE.fi. Below is a chart illustrating the three stages of Finnish ICT

teacher training.

(Niemi, 2003)

In, 2003, Hannele Niemi from the University of Helsknki, published a scholarly article

titled, “Toward a Learning Society in Finland: information and communications

technology in teacher education”. In her work, she praised the Finnish Ministry for

adopting these ICT goals. However, she was cautious about the methods of the

implementation. She states, “ICT is not a separate component in a teacher’s work. It

must be integrated as a natural element in teaching and developing instruction in

schools. ICT should also be a connecting factor, creating a culture of collaboration

and sharing in schools and teacher education” (Niemi, 2003). This is a vital clue to

understanding why Finnish ICT was slow to be adopted and integrated. As we look

at the next era we can see how viewing ICT as a separate entity, disconnected from

learning, proved to be a disservice to Finnish education.

All of the interviews we conducted with Finnish educators and

administrators all report the same conclusion. Finland has a lack of technology

integration, differing access to technology between regions/districts, and low “buy-

in” from veteran, traditional Finnish teachers. When asked about levels of ICT in

schools, a Finnish teacher and Fulbright scholar stated, “I think we could have

MUCH more.  For being such an advanced country with a highly regarded

educational system, I am shocked at the little bit of resources our school has.”

(Marita J. interview 2014) A high level ICT administrator explained to me the

different levels of technology resources.

“The State funds municipalities and municipalities can quite freely decide what they do with the money. In big cities/municipalities there is an  “Education department” (~school district)”

that guides how schools spend the money. “Education department” in the city is often responsible for buying computers etc. for schools etc. coordination.

There are big differences prioritizing technology and numbers of computer labs, tablets, laptops in schools.”

(Interview 2014, Helsinki ICT administrator)

This funding inequity is another vital clue to understanding this issue. Finnish

education is obsessed with equity except in technology funding. I am not sure why

this is the case. Perhaps it coincided with the global economic issues of the mid

2000’s. Perhaps it was a necessary way to spread costs and responsibilities through

national, regional, and school entities. Below is the organizational responsibility

chart for ICT strategies.

Slide image Retrieved from http://www.ebaltics.com/forum2008/Presentations/Kangasniemi.pdf

A further concept is to examine is the roll national attitudes toward technology

training as it relates to the concept of “digital natives”. A new study in 2012 by

Teemu Valtonen et al. titled “Facing Challenges with Teachers’ Use of ITC in Teaching

and Learning” states, “Today’s students have been described as digital natives and

net generation [3], [4]. The assumption is that these students have automatically

gained skills to use ICT as they have grown up in the knowledge society. Tapscott [4]

assumes that the net generation students are ready and willing to study with ICT

and that they also prefer discovery-based and collaborative learning practices.”

(Valtonen, 2012) In a recent education country study by the International

Federation for Information Processing, Finnish High School Director, Jari Koivisto,

states,

There have been no ICT teacher qualifying programmes in ICT at the Finnish teacher training universities since the beginning of 90’s when the new type of national framework curriculum was

published for the first time. The official doctrine at that time was that the students will excel in using computers by using the computers in connection with studies in different subjects, and no additional ICT

subject will be needed. The school children are skillful in surfing in the internet and they know how communicate in social networks. However the students have difficulties in creating a convincing written

document containing graphs and tables.(Koivisto, 2014)

As a media literacy educator, I have learned this lesson from Renee Hobbs. She states in

her Plan of Action, effective media literacy education helps schools move “beyond

the idea that access to media and technology is synonymous with the skillful use of

it.” (Hobbs, 2010)

Lastly, the technology attitudes of veteran teachers must be researched. The

technology education official from the city of Helsinki I interviewed put forward a

valid point. He argues that the very notion of unparalleled teacher autonomy

actually prevents technology innovation from taking hold in the country. He writes,

“In Finland principals, administration level, government, policies, national boards of

education, ministry of education etc. really see the importance of implementing

technology in schools and try to facilitate it in all means. On the other hand, teachers

in Finland are pedagogically autonomous and it is very difficult to give directions

that they’d have to integrate educational technology in learning and teaching.”

(Anonymous source 2014) Pasi Sahlberg, Harvard expert in Finnish education

echoes this sentiment when he talks about how Finnish teachers are reluctant to

give up the “the monopoly and authority of knowledge and information from

teachers and move teachers into a new role, that is to lead all students to their

sources of curiosity and passion, and to discovering what they really want to be."

(Rubin, 2013)

In conclusion, technology integration levels in Finnish schools and ICT teacher training

in Finland presents a complex situation. Government statutes and Ministry of Education

plans are all in place. The Finnish ed-tech community has presented a compelling

argument for the need and value of using technology to improve learning, address 21st

Century skills, and streamline workflow. (The national education tests in Finland are still

not scheduled to go fully digital until 2016 or 2019 depending on whom you believe.)

The net effects seems to be a lagging of implementing these plans due to funding issues,

attitudes toward technology, and the veteran teachers reluctant to adapt to a new role that

focuses on personalized learning. It must also be stated loudly that Finland ranks 7th in

global happiness (USA is 17), has low levels of income inequality, and rocks the PISA

tests. What more should be expected? What is the real incentive for Finland to engage in

systematic change for the sake of some iPads and increased email?

Additional information that would be helpful to fully understand Finland’s technology

use concerns recent successes in new technologies. Finland is investing in teaching

student’s coding in elementary education. Finland has also developed a wonderful niche

in game App development. I am curious if the “newness” of these fields has motivated

teachers and what if any changes have been made in the pedagogical approach to

teaching these technology skills. It would also be helpful to examine the political

climate of Finland. I feel a lot of USA global competiveness, capitalism, and fear has

driven increased American technology spending. Is there a fear of losing markets, jobs,

and money in Finland as there is here in the USA?

References:

Scholarly

Hakkarainen, K. et al.(2001) Teachers’ information and communication technology (ict)

skills and practices of using ict. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. 9(2), 181-

197

Hobbs, R. (2010). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. Washington D. C.:

Aspen Institute.

Meilsalo, V. et al(2011) ICT in initial teacher training: Finland country report.

Department of Teacher Education University of Helsinki. Organization for Economic

Co-Operation and Development Report.

Niemi, H. (2003) Towards a learning society in finland: Information and

communications technology in teacher education. Technology, Pedagogy, and

Education. 12(1)

Rubin, C.M.(2013) The global search for education: Got tech?- Finland. Retrieved

from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/c-m-rubin/the-global-search-for-

edu_b_4257202.html

Rasinen, A.(2000). Developing technology education: In search of curriculum elements

for finnish general education schools. Jyaskyla Studies in Education, Psychology, and

Social Research. 171.

Valtonen, T. et al. (2012) Facing challenges with new teachers’ use of ict in teaching and

learning. Bulleting of the iEEE Technicak Committee on Learning Technology. 1(4)

Additional Resources and References:

Finland Ministry Of Education Presentation.(2008) Role of ICT in long term education

strategy in Finland. Retrieved from

http://www.ebaltics.com/forum2008/Presentations/Kangasniemi.pdf

Finland National Education Policy News. (2000) Retrieved from

http://etb.eun.org/eun.org2/eun/nl/print_preview.cfm?oid=1222

Kelly S. (2013) Finand eyes programming classes for elementary school students.

Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2013/11/16/finland-tech-education-schools/

Koivisto, J. (nd.) Education Country Report: Finland. Retrieved from http://ifip-

education.ning.com/page/country-report-finland

Kuittinen, T. (2013) 5 reasons why finnish apps are beating American rivals on the ipad

market. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/terokuittinen/2013/11/22/5-reasons-

why-finnish-apps-are-beating-american-rivals-on-us-ipad-market/

OECD and PISA(2014) Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/pisa/

Rubin, C.M.(2013) The global search for education: Got tech?- Finland. Retrieved

from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/c-m-rubin/the-global-search-for-

edu_b_4257202.html

Sahlberg, P. (2010) The secret to finland’s success: Educating Teachers. Retrieved from

https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/secret-finland%E2%80%99s-

success-educating-teachers.pdf

Storify on Teaching and Learning Conference. (2014) Finnish Lessons. Retrieved from

https://storify.com/susaw/teaching-and-learning-2014