EttaCookandEvanWinegardner

Dr.IsmanaCarney&Dr.DeannaStock
NatureofKnowledgeGlobalEducation(IDC201)
November12,2014
TheEducationalSuccessofFinland
NestledbetweenthecountriesofSwedenandRussialiesacountrywhosefameforitsstrong
coffee,qualityoflife,andexcellentfishinghaswontheheartofmany.Andrecently,theresults
ofthePISAtesthasshotthecountryofFinlandintoeducationalfameaswell.Theireducation
systemhasbeendeemedtheidealbymanyhowever,Finlandwasnotalwayshometosucha
remarkableeducationsystem.Itwasacountrywithalongahistoryofbeingundersubjectionto
bothSwedenandRussiaforperiodsoftime.Finlandfinallygaineditsindependencefromthe
SovietUnionin1917(Ncee.org,2014).Finlanddecidedtocompletelyrevampitseducation
systemduringthe1970s,andthereformswhichoccurredatthistimelaunchedFinlandintoa
positionofcomparativeeducationalprestige(Ncee.org,2014).
ThedemographicsofFinlandprovideaninterestingviewpointofthisunusualcountry.
Finlandishometoapopulationexceeding5millionpeople,morethan1millionofwhichreside
inFinlandscapitalcity:Helsinki(Cia.gov,2014).EveryFinnishcitizenovertheageoffifteen
canreadandwrite(Cia.gov,2014).TodaythereisapercentageofFinnswhostillusethe
Swedishlanguageastheirprimarylanguage(Cia.gov,2014).Thecountrysmainexportis
primarilyelectronicsandpaperproducts,andthemainimportpartnercountriesareRussia,
Sweden,andGermany(Cia.gov,2014).

Withinthisremarkablecountryofroughly5millioncitizens,governmentplaysavitalrole.
TheFinnishgovernmentisaRepublic(Cia.gov,2014).TheExecutivebranchconsistsofa
presidentorChiefofState,aprimeministerorHeadofGovernment,andaparliament
(Cia.gov,2014).Thepresidenthastheresponsibilitiesofdirectingmattersofforeignpolicy,and
heholdsthetitleofCommanderinChiefofDefenseForces(Gofinland.org,2014).Dutiesof
executivepowerresideinthehandsoftheprimeminister(Gofinland.org,2014).Theparliament
haslegislativepowers.ThesearepositionstowhichtheFinnishcandidatesareelected.Popular
voteelectsthepresidentfora6yearterm,andthepresidentiseligibleforasecondterm
(Cia.gov,2014).Theprimeministeriselectedbytheparliament.ThePrimeMinisteristhen
appointedtoofficebythepresident(Cia.gov,2014).Thisgovernmentvastlyenhancestheschool
experiencesinthelivesofmanyFinnishstudents.
TheaverageFinnishstudentwakesupbeforethesunrisesandenjoysbreakfastwithhisor
herfamily.Dependingontheregion,astudentcantakeuptoanhourtocommutetoschool.
Thankfully,studenttransportationisprovidedfreeofchargeinFinland(FinnishNationalBoard,
2008).Finlandsschoolsgenerallyappeartobemoderatelyanomalousincomparisontothose
Americanschoolstowhichweareaccustomed.Therearenofencesaroundtheproperty,andthe
schooliswelllitandfilledwithwarmcolors.Astudentarrivestoschoolbetweenthehoursof
8amand9am.Arrivaltimedependsupontheschoolandthestudentslessons.Learning
materialsareprovidedforthestudents.Studentscanexpecttobeinaclassroomwitharound20
pupilsperteacher.Notsurprisingly,onemightfindaFinnishclassroomtobecomprisedof
studentshailingalmostentirelyfromFinland.Inotherwords,Finnishschoolsdonotseemany
culturaldissimilarities.Whiletheteacherworkswithinthenationalframeworkforcurricula,a

teacherhasthefreedomtochoosehisorherownteachingmaterialsandmethods(FNBE,2008).
Teachersinthefirst6yearsofcompulsoryeducationhavemastersdegreesineducation,and
teachersinthefollowing3yearspossessmastersdegreesinthesubjectwhichtheyteach.
Theschoolyearlastsforamaximumof190days.Schoolweeksarecomprisedof5days,and
thenumberoflessonsvarybyweekwithconsiderationofthedevelopmentalphaseofeach
student.Inthefirst6years,studentstypicallyexperiencearound19lessonsaweek,andabout
30lessonsaweekaretypicalforstudentsinthelast3years.Regardlessofage,theschoolday
doesnotexceed7lessons(Risku,2014).
EachlessoninFinnishschoolis45minuteslongandisfollowedbya15minutebreak
betweenlessons(Walker,2014).Finnishstudentsreceiveupto75minutesoffreetimeaday
comparedtotheU.Ss27(Dalporto,2013).Teachersgenerallyteachforatotalof4hoursaday.
Mostlessonsaresingularhowever,somelessonsspananentireweek(Rubin,2011).Lunch,
whichisalsoprovidedfreeofcharge,isgiventostudentsbetweenthehoursof11amand12pm
dependingontheclass.Mostschoolsletoutbyaround2pm.
Unlikeotherinternationalhighperformers,Finnsspendlittletonotimeatalldoinglessons
comprisedofrotememorization.Theclassroomsituationisactive,andcouldseemleisurelyto
theignorantonlooker.Whatisactuallyoccurringisanencouragementofindependence.The
teacher,however,issteadfastlypresentatthehelm,masterfullyguidingstudentstoward
exceptionalacademicsuccess(Korpela,2011).
Includedintheweeklylessonsareroughly10lessonswhichwewouldcallelectives.These
lessonsarethatofart,music,craftwork,andsports(Rubin,2011).Surprisingly,sinceFinlandis

suchatechnologicalpowerhouse,thereisverylittleattentionspentonteachingchildrenhowto
usecomputersinthefirst9yearsofschool.Manystudentstypewithtwofingers(Kaiser,2005).
Withlesstimespentininclasslessons,onewouldnaturallyassumethatthehomeworkload
fortheFinnishyouthmust,indeed,bestaggeringhowever,thatisinnowaythecase.Finns
spendlessthanonehourperdaydoinghomework(Rubin,2011).Thisisanincrediblefact!How
canFinlandbeatopperformerwithoutanexcessofhomework?Withsolittlehomework,how
canteachersconceivablykeeptrackofstudentsprogress?
Forthefirst6yearsofeducation,studentsarenotgivenanymandatoryassessments(Taylor,
2011).DevaDalportostatedinherarticlethat,InFinlandweorientatemoretowardslearning
andworkingthantowardsmarkingandevaluating(2013).Thoughthechildrenarenotgiven
formalassessments,theteachersmaintainthesamestudentsfor3to5yearsconsequently,they
candevelopanunderstandingforthewaythateachstudentlearns.Thisensuresthatthestudent
istaughttohisorherstrengths.Studentsreceivetworeportcardsayear.Ingradesonethrough
four,thegradesprovideadescriptionofthestudentsstrengthsandweaknesses,ingrades5and
6studentsreceivegradesbetween4and10.Thesegradesarebasedonthecontinuous
performanceofthepupils(Rubin,2011).Inthefirstnineyearsofeducationthereisnotracking
forstudentschildrenarenotseparatedonperformance.ThishasallowedFinlandtohavethe
smallestachievementgapintheworld(Taylor,2011).
InFinland,thereisonlyonemandatorystandardizedtest.Thistestistakenwhenchildrenare
16(Taylor,2011).Teachersandfacultyfollowthestudentsprogresstofindoutwhichchildren
needadditionalhelp(Rubin,2011).Testingbeginsaroundthefifthyearwherestudentsaregiven
mathtests,andattheendofeighthgrade,thereisanothermathtest.Thereisalsoateston

chemistryandphysics.Anothermathtestisadministeredattheconclusionofninthgrade
(Kaiser,2005).Therearenoconsequences,forthestudentorschooliftheresultsarenot
good(Kaiser,2005).
Oncethestudenthascompletedthe9yearsofcompulsoryeducation,thereisanopportunity
forthestudenttoattendfreesecondaryeducation.Thisoptionalchoiceisapreparatorystage
beforeuniversityorpolytechnicinstitutes.Inclusionstothesecondaryschoolsaredeterminedby
performanceduringthefirst9yearsofschool.Uponcompletionofthesecondaryschool,
studentsthencanmoveontouniversityorpolytechnicinstitutions(FNBE,2008).

GradingScales:
5point
Grad Scale
e

GradeDescription

US
Grade

ET

5.00

ErinomainenTiedot
(Excellent)

KT

4.00
4.99

Kiitettv(VeryGood)

B+

HT

3.00
3.99

Hyv(Good)

TT

2.00
2.99

Tyydyttv(Satisfactory)

VT

1.00
1.99

Vlttv(Sufficient)

7point
Grad Scale
e

GradeDescription

US
Grade

7.00

Laudatar(Praiseworthy)

A+

6.00
6.99

Eximiacumlaudeapprobatur(ApprovedwithExceptional
Honors)

5.00
5.99

Magnacumlaudeapprobatur(ApprovedwithGreatHonors)

B+

4.00
4.99

Cumlaudeapprobatur(ApprovedwithHonors)

3.00
3.99

Lubenterapprobatur(ApprovedwithSatisfaction)

2.00
2.99

Approbatur(Approved)

1.00
1.99

Improbatur(NotApproved)

10point
Scale

GradeDescription

US
Grade

Notes

10.00

Erinomainen(Excellent)

9.00
9.99

Kiitettv(VeryGood)

8.00
8.99

Hyv(Good)

7.00
7.99

Tyydyttv(Acceptable,
Satisfactory)

6.00
6.99

Kohtalainen(Fair)

5.00
5.99

VlttvJust(Adequate,
Sufficient)

Lowestpassing
grade

4.00
4.99

Heikko,Hyltty(Weak,Fail)

(GradingSysteminFinland,2012)

BeforestudentsinFinlandarereadyoreligibleforcollegetheymustmakeachoicein
whattypeofeducationtheywanttoreceivenext.StudentsinFinlandgraduatefromoneoftwo
typesofhighschools:eithertheuppersecondaryschoolorthevocationaleducationaltraining

school.Bothtypesofschoolsrequirestudentstohavecompletedandreceivedacertificatefrom
acomprehensivebasiceducationschool.Thedecisionofwhichtypetoattendiscompletelyup
tothestudents.Thereisnearlya50/50splitinthenumberofstudentsthatattendvocational
trainingoruppersecondaryschools.(Koulutus)

Thevocationaleducationandtrainingiscreatedtopreparestudentsfortheworkforcein

avarietyoffields.FieldssuchasHumanitiesandEducation,Culture,SocialSciences,Business
andAdministration,Technology,CommunicationandTransport,andSocialServicesand
Health...tonameafew.(Koulutus)Thistypeofschoolisattendedbyyoungadultsandadults
alreadyintheworkforce.Thevocationalqualificationare120credits,including90creditsof
vocationalsubjects,20creditsofgeneralcoresubjectsand10creditsofelectivestudies.This
usuallytakesastudentaboutthreeyearstocomplete,althoughitcanbecompiledintotwoyears,
oritcanbestretchedoutoverfouryears.
(Koulutus)Theschoolisfreeotherthansupplies.Vocationalqualificationshavebeendesigned
tomeetjobmarketneedsandchanges.(Koulutus)Studentsthatgraduatefromtheseschoolsare
theneligibleforPolytechnicandUniversityschoolsiftheywishtocontinuetheireducation.
Studentsthatcompletejustthevocationalschoolcanstillfindajobrightoutofschoolifthey
wish,becausethevocationalschoolspreparestudentsforwhatisnecessarytobecompetitivein
theworkforce.Withaprogramdesignedtomeetjobmarketneedsandhandson,workbased
learningandqualityoftheeducation,studentsarepreparedforthenextstep.

Asforthestudentsthatattendtheuppersecondaryschool,theytooarebeingpreparedfor

theworkforceandhighereducationalinstitutions.Theuppersecondaryschoolsaremore
knowledgebasedtraining,insteadofworkbasedlikethevocationalschools.Itismorean

extensionofthebasiceducationwhichmustbeobtainedbeforeapplyingtouppersecondary.
Uppersecondaryallowsstudentstocontinuetheirstudiesinamoreadvancedsetting.Thistype
ofschoolismostsimilartotheUnitedStateshighschools.Likethevocationalschools,the
curriculumisusuallycompletedinaboutthreeyears,butittoocanbecompiledintotwoyearsor
extendedtofour.(Koulutus)SchoolisfreeinFinlandotherthanmaterialsandsupplies.These
studentsarebroadeningtheiroveralleducationonanonspecifictrack.TherearenoAPorhonor
classes,justnormallessons.Thistypeofschoolisrunmostlybylocalauthorities,butallupper
secondaryschoolsareexpectedtohavethesameoutcomes.(Koulutus)Studentsinthistypeof
schoolareexpectedtotaketheMatriculationExaminationwhentheyhavefinishedtheircredit
courses.Thisexamislikeafinalexamwhichincludeseverythingastudentshouldknowatthe
endofuppersecondaryschool.Allstudentstakethetestatthesametimeandittakesaboutsix
hourstocomplete.UponpassingtheMatriculationExam,studentsarethenqualifiedtoattenda
highereducationalinstitutionsuchasauniversityorpolytechnicschool.(Koulutus)

ThemaingoalofuniversitiesinFinlandistoconductresearchandtoprovide

undergraduateandpostgraduatecertificatesbasedonthatresearch.Universitiesmustpromote
freeresearchandscientificandartisticeducation,providehighereducationbasedonresearch,
andeducatestudentstoservetheircountryandhumanity.Incarryingoutthismission,
universitiesmustinteractwiththesurroundingsocietyandstrengthentheimpactofresearch
findingsandartisticactivitiesonsociety.(Koulutus)Whenitcomestouniversities,astudent
hasthechoiceof14differentuniversitiesthatprovidedaministryofhighereducationand
culture.Nearlyallstudentsthatattendauniversitywillgraduatewithatleastanundergraduate

degree.(Koulutus)Graduatesarethenassistedbythecollegeinfindingajobwheretheycan
benefitthemostfrom.

ThePolytechnicschoolsinFinlandareverysimilartotheuniversities.Theybothhave

thesamemaingoalofconductingscientificresearchandprovidinginstructionandpostgraduate
educationbasedonthatresearch.HoweverthePolytechnicschoolsdifferinthefactthatare
fairlynew.Theseschoolscameaboutassortofexperimentalinstitutionaround1991.Thenthey
becamepermanentin1996.(Koulutus)Theseschoolaremutifieldorientedregionalinstitutions,
focusingoncontactswithworkinglifeandonregionaldevelopments.Theseschoolsaremost
similartoITinstitutionsintheUnitedStates.StudentsseekingtoenrollinPolytechnicsschool
have24differentschoolstochoosefrom.(Koulutus)Somefieldsstudentsmightenterthrougha
polytechnicschoolwouldbeHumanitiesandEducation,Culture,SocialScience,Businessand
administration,NaturalSciences,Technology,andHealthandSports.Thesefieldsarevery
similartoonesastudentsmightstudyintheirvocationalschoolingpriortojoiningaPolytechnic
school.(Koulutus)Nowsomestudentsmightbeseekingadifferentfieldofwork,possiblya
fieldinteaching.ThenastudentmustseektojoinaTeacherTrainingSchool.

Finlandisveryverysuccessfulwithproducingteachers.Thishasledtotheirsuccessful

studentswhichareconsideredsomeofthetopperformersintheworldintermsofthePISAtest.
ThoseseekingtobecomeateacherinFinlandmustgothroughanextensivetrainingprogramat
oneofFinlands12TeacherTrainingSchools.(FTTS)Theseschoolsaredesignedtoproduce
teachersnothingmore.BeingateacherinFinlandisaveryhighpayingjob,andisrespectable
work.TogetintoaTeacherTrainingschoolapplicantsmustbeveryknowledgeable.Thereisa
veryextensivetestthatisgiventoallaspiringteachersbeforetheyareacceptedintothe

institution.(Sahlberg,Pasi)Oncetheypasstheexamandareacceptedintotheschooltheymust
earnamastersdegreebeforetheycanbegintoteachtheirownclass.Subjectteachersmustearn
amastersintheirsubject,andbasiceducationteachersmustlearnalargevarietyofmaterials.
(Sahlberg,Pasi)Duringthetimewhenateacherisintrainingtheyareencouragedtositinon
otherteachersclassestolearnfromateacheralreadyemployed.Teachersintrainingmustalso
gothroughanadvisementphase,wheretheyareoverseenbyamasterteacher.Theteacherin
trainingmustcreatealessonplan,havethatlessonplanapprovedbythemasterteacher,thenthe
teacherintrainingwillgivethelesson.Afterthislessonthemasterteacherwillsitdownwiththe
teacherintraininganddiscusswhatcouldbeimproveduponduringthelessons.(Sahlberg,Pasi)
Thisisveryusefulinmakingsureteachersarequalityeducators.Theextensivetrainingthata
teachermustgothroughinordertogetajobiswhyIbelievethatFinlandissuchatopperformer
intermsofMath,Reading,andSciencesonthePISAexams.
TheFinnisheducationsystemshouldbeamodeleducationsystemforall.Eversincethe
worldwasfirstevaluatedintermsofastudent'scompressioninmath,reading,andscience
throughthefirstPISAtestin2000,Finlandwasatthetop.PISAstandsforProgramfor
InternationalStudentAssessmentcreatedbytheOCEDortheOrganizationforCooperative
EducationandDevelopment.TheaimoftheOCEDandPISAtestistofindaneducational
systemwhereallofthestudentsinthatsystemsucceed,notjustaminority.Finlandmustbe
doingsomethingrightiftheirstudentsattendfewerhoursofschoolperday,andtheir
governmentspendslessmoneythantheUSperstudent,yettheirstudentsoutperformnearly
everyothercountryintheworld.Nottomention,Finlandishometooneoftheworld'sleadersin
electronics,Nokia,andLinux,aleadoperatingsystemforcomputersnexttoWindows,andIOS

(Macs).Inaddition,thecreatorsofoneofthebestsellingandmostsuccessfulmobilegames
knownasAngryBirdsandClashofClansresidesinFinland.ItisclearFinlandisstillatop
contenderandworldeducationalleadereventhoughthecountryhasfallenfromthe#1position
onthePISAexams.InthemostrecentPISAexamin2012,Finlandwasstillnearthetop.In
Math,theywere12thoutof65,inScience5thoutof65,andinReading6thoutof65countries
thatparticipatedintheexam.WhenFinlandstudentsgraduate,theycompeteonaglobalscale
forthetopcareerpositions.

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