FINNISH LESSONS 2.0 EDUCATING WORLD-CLASS MINDS: USING COGNITIVE SCIENCE TO CREATE 21 ST CENTURY SCHOOLS The Brain & Learning Conference New York City, NY, USA 9 th May 2015 @pasi_sahlberg
2000
PISA
Two Global Narratives Collaboration Individualization Trust-based responsibility Teacher professionalism Equity Competition Standardization Test-based accountability De-professionalization Choice
School choice and competition are not related to improved performance. OECD, 2013
Autonomy over curricula and assessment seem to improve performance. OECD, 2013
The % of students enrolled in private schools is not related to a system s overall performance. OECD, 2013
FINLAND
Invisible Factors: Successful Society
2014 #1 Netherlands #2 Norway #3 Iceland #4 Finland #5 Sweden #6 Germany #7 Luxemburg #8 Switzerland #9 Belgium #10 Ireland #26 USA
2014 #1 Iceland #2 Finland #3 Norway #4 Nicaragua #5 Sweden #6 Rwanda #7 Denmark #8 Ireland #9 Netherlands #10 Bangladesh #54 USA
2015 #1 Norway #2 Finland #3 Iceland #4 Denmark #5 Sweden #6 Netherlands #7 Spain #8 Germany #9 Australia #10 Belgium #33 USA
Visible Factors: Smart Policies
1 System
Grades 9 Universities General upper secondary school 10 60% Polytechnics Vocational school Apprenticeship training 50% 45% 23+ 22 21 20 Work experience 19 18 17 Age 16 Specialist vocational qualifications Further vocational qualifications Basic school Compulsory schooling Work experience 1 Preschool 7 6 Early Childhood Education 1
2 Equity
Student achievement in reading, mathema.cs and science (PISA) Quality of achievement improves Weak equity and high quality Weak equity and low quality Strong equity and high quality Strong equity and low quality Equity of educa.on system enhances Weakness of the rela.onship between achievement and family background (ESCS Index)
Shanghai Student achievement in reading, mathema.cs and science (PISA) Quality of achievement improves Singapore Hong Kong Equity of educa.on system enhances Weakness of the rela.onship between achievement and family background (ESCS Index) OECD, 2013
Highest performing education systems are those that combine excellence with equity. OECD, 2013
3 Teachers
800 8500
Neuroscience Learning theories Pedagogy Subject didactics Social psychology Research thesis Child psychology Curriculum Assessment 800 ACADEMIC MASTERS DEGREE (5 TO 6 YEARS) Teacher development Special education Philosophy of education Leadership Research methodology Clinical practice Reflective practice
Academic Profile of the 2014 Cohort in Primary School Teacher Education Program in the University of Helsinki 25 Percentage of accepted students 20 15 10 5 2300 120 The Best and the Brightest 0 1 10 11 20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 90-100 Students score points in Matriculation Examination
Academic Profile of Accepted Primary School Teacher Education Students in the University of Helsinki in 2014 25 24% 24% 20 Percentage of accepted students 15 10 5 0 1 10 11 20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 90-100 Students score points in Matriculation Examination
Lessons
1 Focus on equity.
Fair school funding Early childhood education Preventive special education School health & wellbeing Whole child approach
2 Teacher professionalism.
Right people Best programs Social capital
3 The children must play.
Typical 4 th grade schoolday in Finland Mother tongue 45 min 15 min recess P.E. 45 min 30 min lunch Science 45 min 15 min recess Music 45 min 15 min recess English 45 min Homework 8.30AM 2.00PM 0 to 30 min
THANK YOU! @pasi_sahlberg