The features of teacher professional training in Finland
- DOI
- 10.5922/pikbfu-2022-4-10
- Pages
- 102-115
Abstract
An overview of the distinctive features of teacher training in Finland, which has had high international student assessment scores for more than 20 years, is presented. The authors adapted the interdisciplinary method of PEST analysis to identify the political, economic, and social aspects of teacher training that enable students of Finnish schools to get high scores in PISA. Several generalized categories of the national education system in Finland are highlighted for analysis in the research. They are the main stages or levels of education, the features of educational policy and standardization of education, the methods of teaching, the content of education, the goals and values of teacher training and the development of a teacher’s personality. The following features of teacher training at Finnish universities have been identified: orientation towards alternative educational policy in contrast to unifying global education reforms; decentralization of planning, content and focus of the curricula in teacher training as a reflection of university autonomy; the significant prevalence of practical and research components over theoretical training of pre-service teachers. The main goal of teacher training is stated by universities and the professional expert community in general; it is supported by the parliament and is defined as training a reflective responsible teacher-researcher capable of making independent educational decisions within the framework of different models and principles of teaching.