CVU Storkøbenhavn - The basic characteristics of the Finnish teacher education

Pertti Kansanen Professor of Education, Dept. of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki Finland Pertti.Kansanen@helsinki.fi

Professor Pertti Kansanen ved universitetet i Helsinki karakteriserer den finske læreruddannelsen på følgende måde: Læreruddannelsen er akademisk og finder sted på alle 8 universiteter i Finland. Uddannelsen varer mellem 4½ og 5½ år, for lærere i børnehaveklassen dog kun 3 år. Basisindholdet i uddannelsen er almenpædagogik og der ud fra læses det, der på dansk hedder et linjefag som ’almindeligt’ universitetsfag dog med særlig fokus på fagets didaktik. Den finske læreruddannelse har megen praktik, der som i Danmark foregår på særlige praktikskoler ud over hele landet. Uddannelsens er forskningsbaseret – den foregår på et universitet – og en hovedopgave i denne forskning er at forsøge at bygge bro mellem et teoretisk studie og en praktisk virkelighed.

Introduction

The Finnish education system consists of the comprehensive school (9 years for the whole age group from the age of 7), secondary education (3 years of general education in the upper secondary school or 2-6 years of vocational education), higher education, and adult education. Voluntary preschool education is offered to 5-to-6-year old children.

Class teachers handle the lower stage, grades 1-6, and they are responsible for the whole age group and teach all the subjects. Subject teachers teach the upper stage of the comprehensive school, grades 7-9, or the upper secondary school and they usually teach one or two subjects. More than half of the pupils go on to the upper secondary school after completing the comprehensive school (3 years, age 16-18) and aim to take the matriculation examination. A little less than 40% go directly to different types and levels of vocational education.

Overview of the education of teachers

All eight Finnish universities have teacher education programs mainly for class teachers and subject teachers, today also for kindergarten teachers. Programs of teachers for special education are concentrated on some larger universities as well as the programs for teachers of educational guidance. Teachers for home economics, handicraft (textile and technology) and physical education also have programs in some university whereas music and art teachers have their own institutes. All the teachers for the comprehensive school take a master’s degree of 160 credits (4-5 years). Kindergarten teachers have a three-year program of 120 credits in the universities. There is also a Swedish-language university devoted to the needs of the Swedish-speaking population (about 6 %) in Finland. It is responsible for the teacher education for Swedish-speaking schools. These schools and this teacher education programs are organized according to the same principles as in the Finnish-speaking community. Teacher education for vocational education and adult education is organized partly in the universities, vocational teacher education colleges and separate institutes.

A common core in the Finnish teacher education is the teacher’s pedagogical studies, 35 credits, which are required from all kind of teachers; kindergarten teachers are an exception. This principle means that the teacher’s pedagogical studies are valid in all kind of teacher’s jobs in the comprehensive school and in the upper secondary school as well as in vocational institutions and in adult education teaching. If e.g. the subject teachers want to move to a class teacher job, they must complete their studies that are distinctive to teaching at the lower stage (classes 1-6) whereas the teacher’s pedagogical studies are valid and need not to be done once more. The same, if the class teachers want to move to the upper level (classes 7-9) of the comprehensive school. They must complete their studies in the very subject they intend to teach whereas their teacher’s pedagogical studies are valid also in this new job.

The main principles in Finnish teacher education are:

Teacher education is academic and takes place in the universities.
The pedagogical content knowledge shall be broad enough so that it is possible for the teachers to guide the development of their pupils as extensively as possible. The main subdiscipline is didactics, general and subject matter didactics; the role of educational psychology and educational sociology is important as well.
Close relation of theory and practice is aspired to in the sense that the teacher can solve everyday teaching problems on the basis of his/her theoretical knowledge.
The pedagogical studies and the content knowledge studies must be brought close to each other.
The role of the teacher in the broader societal context is stressed.
All teachers are qualified for post-graduate studies.
Teachers for the comprehensive school and the upper secondary school receive university education at master’s level comprising 160 credits (4,5-5,5 years).
All pedagogical studies for both categories are in every respect organized by the departments of teacher education within universities and their faculties of education.

As an organic part of the departments of education, there are practice schools in which a major part of the students' pedagogical practice is carried out. The remaining part of the students' practice is carried out in ordinary schools around the country.

In the field of in-service teacher education, the idea is to support the teacher’s own professional development. The main responsibility rests with the municipalities, and in organizing courses they receive state support. There has been a constant discussion going on of the possibilities and alternatives for the system of in-service education of teachers.

The idea of a research-based teacher education
The teacher education program should be built systematically. This means that the program has some basic beliefs to guide it and an organizing theme or themes as principles for the selection of the content of the program. The aim of research-based teacher education is to be able to make educational decisions based on rational argumentation in addition to everyday or intuitional argumentation. The skill to think along the lines of research principles presupposes a general understanding of all-round research methods, as well as a positive attitude towards research. Research-based thinking is to use research competencies in one's own teaching and in making one's own educational decisions.

To develop research-based thinking for everyday teaching, the principle of a continuous interaction of research studies and practice is realized, from the very beginning of the program. The final goal is the writing of a Master’s thesis at the end of the studies, but several minor systematic papers are required throughout the studies. The idea of a spiral curriculum is applied and courses of basic importance are vertically integrated into the studies. In every phase of the studies, research methods courses are integrated with other studies.

The role of pedagogical practice in research-based teacher education
There are some integrative principles to combine the essential elements of the program. The basic idea is to integrate the theoretical aspects with practice during the studies. Research-based thinking is seen as the connecting factor in this process.

The first principle is to start practice teaching as early as possible.
Secondly, the interaction between practice and educational theory studies is emphasized throughout the entire study time.
Every study period has aims and characteristics of its own. Practice teaching is organized in the special practice schools, as well as in ordinary schools.
Practice teaching proceeds from small units to larger combinations.
Every practice teaching period is combined with detailed theoretical studies that relate to the topic of the practice period.
Practice teaching in the university practice schools and in the ordinary community schools is organized in turns.

The main principle of the program is the integration of the various aspects of the teacher education program, through research-based thinking and argumentation.

Conclusive remarks
Taking a master’s degree of 160 credits in the class teacher education program gives a certificate to work as a teacher in the Finnish school system. The Nordic countries also have a mutual contract that teacher education examinations are valid in all Nordic countries with some minor additional studies according to the national and local circumstances. All the class teachers are also entitled to continue their studies in the doctoral studies program in the faculty.

The subject teacher’s degree quite often corresponds to 180 credits because many of them must take two or sometimes more subjects into their examination. That depends on the teaching post they are aiming at in the school. After completing the teacher’s pedagogical studies subject teachers may continue their studies in education and take the advanced studies in education. These are required if they want to start their doctoral studies in education (PhD).

Extended teacher competence.
Changing positions within the comprehensive school is also made easier than before. Class teachers have usually responsibility for all subjects in the grades 1–6, subject teachers teach in the grades 7–9. If class teachers want to teach older pupils they can get competence in a subject by taking the intermediate studies (cum laude approbatur) in this subject (35 credits). Class teachers may keep their teaching position but also take lessons in the upper stage in the very subject they have the extended competence. A class teacher may, for instance, have taken the intermediate studies in mathematics. It is then possible to keep the class teacher position and take some lessons in mathematics in the upper stage. The salary is somewhat higher, too. In practice this kind of extended competence is easily realized because in the minor studies the class student teacher may choose only one subject and thus take the intermediate studies in it.

The same kind of changing positions is also possible for subject teachers. Distinctive studies in the class teacher program are the subject didactic studies (35 credits). These multidisciplinary studies are needed for a position in the lower stage. The problem in practice is that these studies are not possible to take during the ordinary studies for financial reasons; in the institutes for continuing education it is, however, possible with special funding. This is, however, uncommon, the expenses are rather high. The situation is also different in practice. If the subject teachers want to change positions they must move entirely to the lower stage and take the class teacher position. It is still possible for them to keep some lessons in the upper level if they want. If the subject teachers only want to teach some lessons in the lower stage without a class teacher position, it is always possible, especially in the grades 5–6 if there is an opportunity to it.