University of Lapland and University of Lapland and the Teacher Trainingthe Teacher Training

Edited byEdited byPrincipal Eija Valanne, Principal Eija Valanne,

PhD.PhD. Teacher Training School Teacher Training School

of the University of of the University of LaplandLapland

Finland in BriefFinland in Brief Situated in northern Europe with an area Situated in northern Europe with an area

of 338 145 km2 of which of 338 145 km2 of which 68 % forest, 68 % forest, 10 % water and10 % water and 8 % cultivated land8 % cultivated land

5,2 million people with average density of 5,2 million people with average density of 17 persons per square kilometer17 persons per square kilometer

Sovereign parliamentary republicSovereign parliamentary republic Official languages Finnish (91,9 %) and Official languages Finnish (91,9 %) and

Swedish (5,5 %)Swedish (5,5 %) GPD 28 643 € / capita (in 2004)GPD 28 643 € / capita (in 2004)

Basic EducationBasic Education Finnish children start their Finnish children start their

actual schooling at the actual schooling at the age of seven at a age of seven at a comprehensive school.comprehensive school.

Basic education is Basic education is provided free of charge provided free of charge including all the school including all the school material and warm meals material and warm meals every day. every day.

The nine-year education The nine-year education is the same for all pupils.is the same for all pupils.

The leaving certificate The leaving certificate gives eligibility for all gives eligibility for all types of upper secondary types of upper secondary education and training.education and training.

A A school year is 190 school days, starting in school year is 190 school days, starting in mid- August and ending in early June.mid- August and ending in early June.

The maximum duration of a school day is five The maximum duration of a school day is five lessons during the first two years of basic lessons during the first two years of basic education and up to seven lessons after that education and up to seven lessons after that (19 – 30 lessons per week).(19 – 30 lessons per week).

The government determines The government determines the national objectives of basic the national objectives of basic education and the allocation of lesson hours education and the allocation of lesson hours between different subjects.between different subjects.

Schools’ curriculums are based on the national Schools’ curriculums are based on the national core curriculum drawn up by the National core curriculum drawn up by the National Board of Education.Board of Education.

Upper Secondary Upper Secondary EducationEducation

After the basic education half of the age group After the basic education half of the age group choose the upper-secondary school (another half choose the upper-secondary school (another half continue education in vocational studies).continue education in vocational studies).

General upper secondary education is course-General upper secondary education is course-based and ends in a national matriculation based and ends in a national matriculation examination – generally in three years.examination – generally in three years.

Before graduating, a minimum of 75 courses have Before graduating, a minimum of 75 courses have to be passed.to be passed.

The national matriculation examination comprises The national matriculation examination comprises exams in the mother tongue, the second national exams in the mother tongue, the second national language, the first foreign language, mathematics, language, the first foreign language, mathematics, humanistic studies and science studies.humanistic studies and science studies.

Four of the exams have to be passed for the Four of the exams have to be passed for the matriculation certificate, which provides eligibility matriculation certificate, which provides eligibility for universities and higher vocational education.for universities and higher vocational education.

PISAA three-yearly global assessment that…

…examines the performance of 15-year-olds in key subject areas as well as a wider range of educational outcomes

• Including students attitudes to learning, their beliefs about themselves, and their learning strategies

…

collects contextual data from students schools, parents and systems to identify policy levers

Coverage Representative samples of between 3,500 and

50,000 15-year-old students drawn in each country

Most federal countries also draw regional samples

PISA covers roughly 90% of the world economy .

300 350 400 450 500 550 600FinlandCanadaJ apan

New ZealandAustralia

NetherlandsKorea

GermanyUnited KingdomCzech Republic

SwitzerlandAustriaBelgiumI reland

HungarySwedenPoland

DenmarkFrance

IcelandUnited States

Slovak RepublicSpain

NorwayLuxembourg

I talyPortugalGreeceTurkeyMexico

Mean science scores – OECD countries

OECD (2007), PISA 2006 – Science Competencies for Tomorrow’s World, Table 2.1c

300 350 400 450 500 550 600Korea

FinlandCanada

New ZealandI reland

AustraliaPoland

SwedenNetherlands

BelgiumSwitzerland

J apanUnited Kingdom

GermanyDenmarkAustriaFrance

IcelandNorway

Czech RepublicHungary

LuxembourgPortugal

I talySlovak Republic

SpainGreeceTurkeyMexico

Mean reading scores – OECD countries

OECD (2007), PISA 2006 – Science Competencies for Tomorrow’s World, Table 6.1c

300 350 400 450 500 550 600Finland

KoreaNetherlandsSwitzerland

CanadaJ apan

New ZealandBelgium

AustraliaDenmark

Czech RepublicI celandAustria

GermanySwedenI relandFranceUnitedPolandSlovak

HungaryLuxembourg

NorwaySpain

United StatesPortugal

I talyGreeceTurkeyMexico

Mean mathematics scores – OECD countries

OECD (2007), PISA 2006 – Science Competencies for Tomorrow’s World, Table 6.2c

Reasons for the learning Reasons for the learning resultsresults Basic teaching can be characterized as efficientBasic teaching can be characterized as efficient

The time students spend studying was one of the The time students spend studying was one of the lowest in the countries surveyedlowest in the countries surveyed

The resources allocated to education are OECD The resources allocated to education are OECD averageaverage

Teachers’ commitment and high ethics are the Teachers’ commitment and high ethics are the key strengths of our educationkey strengths of our education Teacher’s profession is highly appreciatedTeacher’s profession is highly appreciated All the basic education teachers have a Master’s All the basic education teachers have a Master’s

degreedegree Teachers are quite independent and trustworthyTeachers are quite independent and trustworthy There are There are

no inspectionsno inspections no obligatory national testing during no obligatory national testing during

basic educationbasic education no public ranking listsno public ranking lists

The University of LaplandThe University of Lapland The northernmost university The northernmost university

in Finland and in the European Union. in Finland and in the European Union. The University of Lapland is located in The University of Lapland is located in

the city of Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle.the city of Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle.4,500 Students4,500 Students600 Employees600 Employees (teaching and research 48 %, other personnel 52 %)(teaching and research 48 %, other personnel 52 %)

Annual Annual BudgetBudget 48 million euros 48 million euros Lapland University FoundationLapland University Foundation promotes promotes teaching, research, and the activities of the student teaching, research, and the activities of the student community.community.

Five Faculties:Five Faculties:• Art and Design• Education• Law • Social Sciences• Tourism and Busines

Faculty of EducationFaculty of Education

Degree Programmes– Education– Adult Education– Media Education– Teacher Training

Special characteristics of the Northern regions: inclusive education and teaching in sparsely populated areas

Substantial research in women’s studies and media education

The Main Elements of Teacher The Main Elements of Teacher Education Consist of Studies in:Education Consist of Studies in: Academic disciplinesAcademic disciplines Research Studies consisting of Research Studies consisting of

methodological studies including a BA thesis methodological studies including a BA thesis and an MA thesisand an MA thesis

Pedagogical studies: obligatory for all Pedagogical studies: obligatory for all teachers and include teaching practiceteachers and include teaching practice

Communication, language and ICT studiesCommunication, language and ICT studies A personal study planA personal study plan Optional studiesOptional studies

Abilities needed in Abilities needed in teaching professionsteaching professions

The ability to support different learnersThe ability to support different learners The ability to co-operate with other teachers The ability to co-operate with other teachers

in schools or other educational settingsin schools or other educational settings The ability to promote co-operation with The ability to promote co-operation with

parents, authorities, businesses, etc.parents, authorities, businesses, etc. The ability to develop and improve the The ability to develop and improve the

curriculum and learning environmentscurriculum and learning environments The ability to solve problems in school life The ability to solve problems in school life The ability to reflect on one’s own The ability to reflect on one’s own

professional identityprofessional identity

The Unique Way of Organizing The Unique Way of Organizing Teacher Training in FinlandTeacher Training in Finland

• Every university organizing teacher education has a Every university organizing teacher education has a teacher training school.teacher training school.

• There are 13 teacher training schools, which are There are 13 teacher training schools, which are administratively part of the faculties of education.administratively part of the faculties of education.

• The quality of supervision in teacher training The quality of supervision in teacher training schools is considered to be as particularly high.schools is considered to be as particularly high.• The functional connection between teacher training The functional connection between teacher training

schools, departments of education and other university schools, departments of education and other university departmentsdepartments

• Applying educational and didactic theory and know-how in Applying educational and didactic theory and know-how in practicepractice

• Evaluation of teaching practice and supervisionEvaluation of teaching practice and supervision• Schools’ operations are governed by universities Schools’ operations are governed by universities

and financed by the Ministry of Education.and financed by the Ministry of Education.

Teacher Training Schools in Teacher Training Schools in Finland Finland

Duties of Teacher Training Duties of Teacher Training SchoolsSchools

Basic and upper secondary education

Student teachers guidance

Teaching experiments and research

In-service training

Teacher Training School of the University of Lapland

7126 m2 in three buildingsTwo old buildings from the years 1948 and 1952

One new wing from the year 2000

Music classesMusic classes

From the third grade onFrom the third grade on 4-5 lessons of music per week4-5 lessons of music per week Instrumental learningInstrumental learning School choirSchool choir Performing Performing

experiencesexperiences

Environmental studies Environmental studies including outdoor activitiesincluding outdoor activities

Experiences of natureExperiences of nature Knowledge of natureKnowledge of nature Taking care of the natureTaking care of the nature Outdoor activities that get Outdoor activities that get

more challenging the older more challenging the older the children getthe children get Exploring the neighborhood Exploring the neighborhood

woodswoods Camping out in the woodsCamping out in the woods Canoeing tripsCanoeing trips Hiking in the wildernessHiking in the wilderness

Physical education classesPhysical education classes Gives the pupils Gives the pupils

possibility to learn to possibility to learn to enjoy different kind of enjoy different kind of sports by having time to sports by having time to really learn the skillsreally learn the skills

Gives student teachers Gives student teachers possibility to concentrate possibility to concentrate on physical education on physical education lessonslessons

Enables experimental Enables experimental studies in the classstudies in the class

Teaching practices Teaching practices in the university of laplandin the university of lapland

References and further References and further information:information:

Reseach-based Teacher Education in Finland –Reseach-based Teacher Education in Finland – Reflections by Finnish Teacher Educators, 2006, Ritva Reflections by Finnish Teacher Educators, 2006, Ritva Jakku-Sihvonen and Hannele Niemi (eds.)Jakku-Sihvonen and Hannele Niemi (eds.)

Education in Finland 2006, Statistics FinlandEducation in Finland 2006, Statistics Finland Teacher education in Finland, www.oaj.fiTeacher education in Finland, www.oaj.fi PISA 2003 –tutkimus, http://ktl.jyu.fi/pisaPISA 2003 –tutkimus, http://ktl.jyu.fi/pisa Education and Science in Finland, 2006, Ministry Education and Science in Finland, 2006, Ministry

of Educationof Education http://www.minedu.fihttp://www.minedu.fi http://www.oph.fi (curricula)http://www.oph.fi (curricula) http://virtual.finland.fihttp://virtual.finland.fi http://www.eurydice.orghttp://www.eurydice.org