Subject Teacher Education in Finland Collaboration between subject departments, teacher education department and practice school Optek Opetusteknologia koulun arjessa Jari Lavonen Professor of Physics and Chemistry Education, Department of Applied Sciences of Education, University of Helsinki, Finland
The Finnish education system The Finnish education system consists of comprehensive school (grade 1 9), upper secondary school or vocational school (grade 10 12), higher education (3 + 2 years) and adult education. According to PISA 2006 School Questionnaire data: in 49.9% of the classes less than 20 students Other statistics: - 3393 comprehensive schools and 578 918 students - 53.3% of the students continued their studies in upper secondary school and 41.8% in vocational schools 2
Science teacher education in Finland
A primary school teacher teaches at grades 1 to 6 (ages 7 to 13) teaches typically almost all 13 subjects A subject teacher typically teaches at grades 7 to 12 (ages 13 to 19) teaches typically one major and one minor subjects (e.g. math and physics) 4
Structure of the master degree of a subject teacher: 3 + 2 years Bachelor s level (180 p.) Master s level (120 p.) 180 Study points 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 Masterthesis In addition to thesis there are other elements in the studies which emphasises researchbased approach in the programme Ped. thesis 20 0 Major Subject Minor Subject Pedagogical studies Communication and language studies 5
Preparation of the teacher education curriculum collaboratively
Subject teacher education at the University of Helsinki University of Helsinki (11 faculties, 38 000 students, 7 400 staff members) Faculty of Behavioural Sciences Teacher Training Schools Dept. of Applied Sci. of Education Faculty of Arts Faculty of Science Faculty of Biosciences Curriculum planning for pedagogical studies 40 experts from various organisations Subject teacher education section, pedagogical studies Faculty of Theology Faculty of Social Science 7
Framework for designing and implementing the teacher education programme at the University of Helsinki Research on teacher education - Structure of teacher knowledge - Forms of knowledge: professional practical Research on teaching and learning -Teaching, learning, assessment National strategies Student evaluations of the programme Co-operative planning of the programme: Teachers from the subject departments, Department of teacher education, school teachers and the students Physics and Chemistry teacher education programme Own research on teacher education Collection of students evaluations 8
Teacher knowledge Two main perspectives to teacher knowledge: The structural perspective is based on different domains of teacher knowledge, such as - subject matter knowledge, - Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and - general pedagogical knowledge (Shulman 1987, Carlsen, 1999 and Hashweh, 2005). The epistemological perspective is connected to the dilemma of way of knowing : Practical and professional knowledge 9
Carlsen (1999) has further developed the Shulman s model Teacher knowledge is divided into five categories in his study on pedagogical content knowledge: (1) knowledge on general educational context, (2) knowledge about special educational context, (3) general pedagogical knowledge, (4) subject matter knowledge, and (5) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) 10
Basic strategies guiding planning of the teacher education Teacher Education Development Programme (Ministry of Education) Wide pedagogical competence through teacher education: from primary schools to polytechnics (Ministry of Education) Research-based teacher education (University s strategy) Based on national and local strategies science teacher education have been developed in Finnish universities locally 11
Teacher Education Development Programme (2002): The teacher education programmes should help students to acquire: high-level subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, and knowledge about nature of knowledge, academic skills, like research skills; skills to use ICT, skills needed in processes of developing a curricula, social skills, like communication skills; skill to cooperate with other teachers, knowledge about school as an institute and its connections to the society (school community and partners, local contexts and stakeholders), moral knowledge and skills, like social and moral code of the teaching profession, skills needed in developing one s own teaching and the teaching profession. 12
Expertise needed in the profession of a science teacher Agreed together with university teachers working in science teacher education in the University of Helsinki 1. Subject knowledge and skills: well organised knowledge structure (expert) understanding nature of knowledge and how knowledge is acquired in the subject (e.g. nature of experiments), 2. Pedagogical knowledge and skills: an expert teacher can plan, implement and evaluate learning activities and learning (psychological, philosophical, historical and sociological background) competence to choose a variety of teaching, evalaution and motivation methods 3. Competence for continuous professional development: readiness to learn new subject and pedagogical knowledge and skills (teacher as a researcher) skills for reflective thinking and collaborative working 13
Pedagogical studies 14
Content of the pedagogical studies 60 ECTS credits equal to one study year Education (20 %) Psychology Special needs education Social, historical and philosophic grounds Subject pedagogy/didactics/pck (50 %) Organisation of education: national and local level, Science curriculum, Science learning, teaching methods, motivation, evaluation, use of ICT, Educational research and pedagogical thesis Teaching practice (30 %) 15
Four module process model E ducation Subject didactics Practice Autumn (Bachelor s level 25 sp) Module 1 (15 sp.) E II: Psychology of development and learning. 4 sp. E I: Special needs education 4 sp. E + S I: Theoretical, psychological, and didactical basis related to teaching and learning a subject 7 sp. Module 2 (10 sp.) S II: Seminar on teaching methods and planning, 3 sp. P I: Supervised teaching practice in Teacher Training School, 7 sp. Spring (Master s level 35 sp.) Module 3 (18 sp.) E III: Social, historical, and philosophical basis of education 5 sp. S III: Seminar on curriculum work and evaluation of learning and teaching, 7 sp. P II: Supervised applied practice in Teacher Training School, 6 sp. Module 4 (17 sp.) E IV + A IV: Teacher as a researcher-seminar,10 sp. P III: Supervised Master s level practice in Teacher Training School, 7 sp. 16
Pedagogical studies General educational courses (13 cp) 17
Social, historical, and philosophical basis of education; 5 cp. Objectives: A student can analyse the historical and society base of the school system. The student develops readiness to estimate conflicting claims which are directed to the school system, to meet the change demands of the society and actions to develop the school system actively. 18
Psychology of development and learning; 4 cp. Objectives: A student becomes familiar with development of an individual and group and identifies the special characteristics of the different groups. The student develops readiness to understand different views on the growth, development and learning of the human being and from the significance of the interaction between an individual and a group and takes the psychologic principles of the learning into consideration in the teaching. 19
Special needs education; 4 sp. Objectives: A student knows the basic concepts and structures of the special education, learn to operate as a part of the other professionals supporting students growth and behaviour, and to identify different needs for the pupils' and their learning difficulties. The student develops readiness for the understanding of the significance of the different pedagogic solutions 20
Student point of view: What I should do during one course Special needs education 4 ECTS creditd/sp = 104 hours of work Contact teaching Lectures Group teaching (max. 20 persons) 16 hours 6 hours Student's independent working Literature (600 pages, eg. two books) Reports and essays (one essay) Preparing for exams (0,5 x contact) Total 22 hours 40 hours 10 hours 8 hours 102 hours 21
Pedagogical studies Courses in physics/chemistry/biology education (27 cp) 22
Theoretical, psychological, and didactical basis related to teaching and learning a subject; 7 cp. The student learn to design teaching and supervision of pupils by taking into consideration - the curriculum, - the research based knowledge about teaching and learning, - the epistemological and ontological assumptions of the subject. The student develops readiness - to examine the school as an learning and operating environment,, - to understand the basic values of teaching and the education, - to use versatile teaching methods and information and communication technology, - to analyse social situations and - to analyse development of his/her own teacher profession. 23
Development of curriculum and evaluation of learning and teaching; 7 cp. The student can design, evaluate and develop teaching by taking into consideration - the curriculum, - the research based knowledge about teaching and learning, - the epistemological and ontological assumptions of the subject, - the challenges of multi-cultural and networked society. The student can analyse development of his/her own teacher profession The student develops readiness - to participate in the development of local curriculum - to use, the different evaluation methods of teaching and learning, - to use i use versatile teaching methods and information and communication technology - to cooperate with the interest groups and homes of the school 24
Teacher as a researcher seminar; 10 cp The student - learn to make a pedagogical research plan, - make a study which deals with the teaching, studying and learning of his/her own subject - use a research methodology in education -learn to write a research report The student develops readiness - to read and to analyse educational studies, - to apply research based knowledge in the schoolteaching and - to study the problems of the education field - to grow in his work into the researching and developing expert 25
Pedagogical studies Supervised teaching practice periods (20 cp) 26
Basic teaching practice in Teacher Training School; 7 cp. The student learn - to design and to carry out teaching periods under the supervision of a mentor teacher according to the objectives that have been indicated in the curriculum of the educational institution, - to use the different teaching methods or approaches and to justify the solutions made pedagogically in teaching situations and studying situations, - to identify many kinds of learners, - to think and to analyse own and others teaching, - to give and get feedback in the peer group. 27
Basic teaching practice in Teacher Training School; 7 cp. The student develops readiness - to use as a support the theories of education, pedagogy and learning while analysing and developing own teaching, - to analyse theories of education, pedagogy and learning with the help of practical experiences, - to utilise information and communication technology in the teaching, - to work in the cooperation with special education specialist and teachers and other experts helping pupils in their difficulties (medical, social and learning), - to participate in the workday of the school and in the working in the expert as a part of network from the teacher's point of view. 28
Applied practice 5 cp The student learns to adapt what he or she has learned to the practical situations in the new environments (e.g. an ordinary school). The student develops readiness to analyse his or her own teaching and working from the point of view of a pedagogical theories (rserach based knowledge on teaching and learning). 29
Advanced practice, 8 cp. The student learn - to design and to carry out teaching periods independently and responsibly following the ethical principles and according to the objectives that have been indicated in the curriculum of the educational institution, - to use the effectively different teaching methods or approaches and to justify the solutions made pedagogically in teaching situations and studying situations, - to utilise information and communication technology in the teaching, - to operate as a reflective teacher and learn how to develop ones own teaching, - to meet many kinds of learners and design teaching according to their needs, - to give and get feedback in the peer group, - to work in a expert network of the school and take into 30
Advanced practice, 8 cp. The student develops readiness - to participate co-operation with teachers of other subjects - to utilise and produce research based knowledge, - to analyse critically teaching and educational system - for developing ones own teaching and the whole school society - for operate in a multiculutural school - for participating in decision making in a school and co-operation with network aroung svhool 31
Education Students evaluations of the program Psychology of development and learning (4 cp.) Special needs education (4 cp.) Social, historical, and philosophical basis of education (5 cp.) 06-07 05-06 04-05 Pedagogy Teaching practice Psychological basis related to teaching and learning science (10 cp.) Curriculum work and evaluation of science learning and teaching (7 cp.) Research Methodology and making of pedagogical research (10 cp.) Basic Teaching Practice in a Teacher Training School (7 cp.) Master s Level Teaching Practice in a Teacher Training School (8 cp.) Portfolio assessment 1 2 3 4 5 Significance of a course small for development of a teacher profession significance big for development of a teacher profession 32
Studies in the subject 33
Courses at the Bachelor level: Physics as an example The basic undergraduate studies for major or minor in physics include courses Fundamentals of mechanics Electromagnetism and wave motion Laboratory works of basic studies Only for major physics Fundamentals of the theory of relativity Thermal physics Structure of the matter Electronics Laboratory works of the intermediate studies 34
Special courses at the Master level Concepts and structures of physics I: Classical Physics Concepts and structures of physics II: Modern physics History and philosophy of physics Structures and processes of school physics Experimentation in school laboratory Physics teachers' Master thesis seminar Concepts and structures of physics: The structure and methods of physics are discussed. The viewpoint is how the physics' knowledge structure guides the solutions of physics teaching. Special attention is paid on the interplay of theory and experiments. The practical goal of the course is to develop the physical way of thinking and such a viewpoint to physics that directs the planning of teaching. 35
Thank you! 36