How can knowing about Finnish education support UK ITE students?

Cara Broadhurst, Natasha Elwood and

Emma Penn

The Presupposition

We start with the premise that good teachers are intellectually curious about pedagogy. Such curiosity requires an examination of values and beliefs as well as the strengths and techniques the teacher deploys.

- Leach & Moon, 2008, p4

What do we offer? Students entering their final year can apply

for a trip to Finland to observe in Finnish primary schools.

Two week trip Students pay for own flights Our partners are the Junior Chamber

International in Seinajoki Recently increased to six students

Why?Because Finland scores so highly in Pisa

rankings?Because the Finns seem to have ‘cracked

it’?Because we wanted to borrow their

practice?

It started off that way…

Now Are using the trip to reinforce criticality Piagetian model of challenging existing notions of

knowledge Leach & Moon (2008) explain this as learners being

enabled to ‘construct their own knowledge by testing ideas and approaches based on their prior knowledge and experience, by applying these to a new situation, and then by integrating new knowledge gained with pre-existing intellectual constructs’ (p. 58).

Integration might not necessarily mean full adoption.

NowA field trip also supports the notion of evidence-

informed approachesBased on idea that knowledge is local and

situated ‘There are no objective observations, only

observations socially situated in the worlds of – and between – the observer and observed’

- Denzin & Lincoln, 2003, p. 31Talk is powerful in constructing knowledge

Key themes for discussion

Structure of the school day Planning within the primary classroom Apparent lack of differentiation

Structure of School Day

Similarities to English Secondary School system

Timings of the dayStructure of lessons Flexibility

Planning

Textbook based teaching and learningDifferences compared to EnglandBenefits and barriers to this learning

method

Differentiation Apparent lack of differentiated learning Comparisons to England SEN differentiation

How is the Finnish education system so successful?

Conflicts Raised with existing knowledge

Impact on us following the visit

Techniques used to teach languagesAdapting our teaching appropriately Regular breaks to increase concentration

Impact The impact is clear on the students’

confidence, professional identity, and knowledge.

Strong indicators of this influencing their leadership potential and the schools they will work in.

The FutureAlso impacting on future cohorts in two

ways:Feedback to next cohortFeedforward to influence the next trip

Cycle of knowledge enhancementGot to ask the right questions!

Development Plan Producing a ‘pack’ that future cohorts of

students can take with them Purpose is to prompt thinking and

prepare lines of enquiry Example being passed around now – it is

a work in progress!Ethics considerations

References Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.) (2003). The

Landscape of Qualitative Research: Theories and issues. (2nd Ed.) California: Sage

Leach, J. & Moon, B. (2008). The Power of Pedagogy. London: Sage

Oates. T. (2015). Finnish Fairy Stories. Cambridge Assessment at www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk

Sahlberg, P. (2011). Finnish Lessons. New York: Teachers College Press

Any Questions?