Media bulletin 23 Feb 2011
Pupils expect that teaching would be fair, encouraging, diverse in ways of working and that pupils’ individual differences would be taken into account. Pupils prefer working in groups. They crave teachers who are more inspiring and understanding towards the pupils. Pupils would like more time to be spent on elective subjects and skill and art subjects in basic education without an increase in total weekly hours.
Parents’ satisfaction with teaching decreases with each passing school year. They expect schools to provide a better partnership in children’s upbringing and reinforcement of pupils’ welfare. Parents want smaller class sizes and more skill and art subjects. They want less dependency on textbooks and more emphasis on the significance of following the curricula in teaching.
The decision made in distribution of lesson hours of basic education is a significant resource for guidance
The distribution of lesson hours decision 2001 made by the Government is being followed. The distribution of lesson hours allows big differences in equality between education providers of some subjects and the total hourly volumes in all subjects. The distribution of lesson hours decision has always preceded the renewal of the national core curriculum. An alternative, in which the change would start with deeper renewal of aims and contents, should be considered.
The capability for guidance of curriculums is improving
The capability for guidance of the pre-primary national core curriculum 2004 has improved substantially in comparison to the curriculum of 1994. Curriculums do not have a significant impact on pre-primary and basic education leaders’ and rectors’ work. The situation is apparently better with teachers. The core curriculums as a national norm have decreased local activity in developing curriculums.
Educational transition from pre-primary education to basic education needs to be harmonized. The reformation of both pre-primary and basic education curriculums should proceed hand in hand. The local guidance of the industry should be in the hands of one administrative branch in all municipalities. There is no need for school-like activity in pre-primary education. The transition to subject-based learning during the first school year is to be softened even more.
The curriculum contains too much information in comparison with the time of teaching. The learning contents do not always correspond with age and development levels of the pupils. Thematic entities (e.g. media skills, sustainable development) are separate. No teaching time has been allocated for thematic entities and they do not have a clear status in teaching. In basic education, the content and limits of the educational task in relation to upbringing at home is to be indicated.
Satisfaction with pre-primary and basic education curriculums common
Preparation of the pre-primary national core curriculum 2000 and implementing it in the field succeeded well. This conclusion also applies to the pre-primary national core curriculum 2004. These reasons partly explain the contentment with the practical functionality of the curriculums.
The distribution of lesson hours of basic education is not functioning satisfactorily in all areas. The extent of pre-primary education (700 hours per year) is enough to reach the targets.
Curriculums function quite consistently nationwide
There is only minor regional divergence in how education providers, head teachers and teachers evaluate their curriculums. Further education increases the efficacy of the curriculums. More funds should be allocated to the continuous development of local curriculums.
The renewal of national core curriculum needs to be given time
In order to develop the national core curriculum and distribution of lesson hours in the future 1) reforms always have to contain authentic reasons and distinct goals, 2) pre-primary and basic education with their background values have to be opened properly and 3) the role of education providers as executors of curriculums, evaluators and developers should be clarified and strengthened.
The above-mentioned results and conclusions are based on an evaluation on the functionality of pre-primary and basic education curriculum system during the years 2009-2010. The evaluation was carried out by an evaluation group appointed by the Finnish Education Evaluation Council.
Additional Information
Katriina Sulonen; 044- 7388111 (katriina.sulonen@kolumbus.fi); Evaluation Team Chair
Esko Korkeakoski; 050-4016348 (esko.korkeakoski@jyu.fi); Finnish Education Evaluation Council
The Finnish Education Evaluation Council on the web: www.edev.fi
Evaluation reports (available only in Finnish, a brief abstract in English in publication 52)
Sulonen, Katriina; Heliä-Ylikallio, Ria; Junttila, Niina; Kola-Torvinen, Pia; Laine, Tuula; Ropo, Eero; Suortamo, Markku; Knubb-Manninen, Gunnel & Korkeakoski, Esko. 2010. Esi- ja perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelmajärjestelmän toimivuus. (The functionality of the Finnish pre-primary and basic education curriculum system.) Finnish Education Evaluation Council publication 52. Jyväskylä.
Korkeakoski, Esko & Siekkinen, Taru. 2010. Esi- ja perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelmajärjestelmän toimivuus. Puheenvuoroja sekä arviointi- ja tutkimustuloksia. (The functionality of the Finnish pre-primary and basic education curriculum system. Discussion, evaluation and research results.) Finnish Education Evaluation Council publication 53. Jyväskylä.
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