Innovations in the Finnish Education

Jari Koivisto
Counsellor of Education
The Finnish National Board of Education
School as an Innovation Center

• Teacher pre-service and in-service training emphasizing

innovation in teachers’ profession
• Teachers working in teams in the school
• School administration supporting teachers’ innovative
initiatives
• School networking
• Project oriented development
• Funding available to test and implement innovations
• National curriculum supporting innovations
• Excellent ICT-services
National Curriculum Supporting Innovations

• Subject teams and extensive feedback system

• Balance between the national guidance and local
initiative
• Generic description of subject contents
• Support to local implementation of the curriculum
• Each teacher in a school has a responsibility to define
the local curriculum in their own subject area
introducing innovative ideas to school practices
Teacher Training Supporting Innovations

• Teacher students closely connected to the research at the

universities → Teacher pre-service training contents and
methods are up-to-date
• Emphasis on subject areas → Teachers are
knowledgeable in their areas and are able and allowed to
create innovations in their work
• All teachers must have a masters degree
• Teacher recruitment is free and based on competences
School Administration Supporting Innovations

• School leader ↔ school manager

• Intensive school leader in-service training
• A teacher can work as an autonomous professional
• Support for professional growth
• Teacher teams
• Control does not create excellence
Learning Environment Supporting Innovations

• School environment built to be flexible and cozy

• Space for changing learning situations
Regular classrooms adequately furnished
Space for projects, workshops and teams
Auditorium
• Interactive classroom situation
ICT available at all times, wireless networks
Interactive teaching and learning methods
• Interaction with the surrounding society
• Learning materials
• ICT