Finland in PISA The Reasons behind the Results

Finland in PISA The Reasons behind the Results Markku Linna

5 4 3 2 1 3 COMPULSORY EDUCATION 2 1 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 Age 4 UNIVERSITIES UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOLS POLYTECHNICS (AMK INSTITUTIONS) 3 2 1 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Work experience Education System of Finland 10 9 8 7 6 5 BASIC EDUCATION 4 3 2 1 Pre-school education in schools or children’s day care centres School years SPECIALIST VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FURTHER VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Work experience

PISA COUNTRY PARTICIPATION OECD countries participating from PISA 2000 OECD countries participating from PISA from 2003 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2000 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2003 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2006

PISA PROGRAMME • • • An OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, which produces data on learning outcome in an international framework. Surveys every three years, with focus on – reading skills (PISA 2000) – mathematical skills (PISA 2003) and – science skills (PISA 2006) – problem-solving skills The 2003 PISA focused on mathematical literacy

Pisa tests: • how well 15 -year-olds master basic skills they will need in future society in order to respond to changes in working life and to lead quality lives ? • what kind of factors influence these skills and how these skills develop ? • Pisa does not assess learning of curricular content.

PISA 2003 MAIN RESULTS Young Finns : • rank highest among the OECD countries in • mathematical literacy (544 points) • science literacy (548 points) • reading literacy (543 points) • are among the top in problem-solving (548 points) • performed well and uniformly in all the areas.

• The proportion of poorly performing students was small and that of highperformers excellent. • Differences across regions and schools were small. • Gender differences have decreased in all the performance areas.

COMPARISION OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGES

Variance in student performance between schools and within schools on the mathematics scale Expressed as a percentage of the average variance in student performance in OECD countries Between-school variance Within-school variance

Annual expenditure on educational institutions per student in primary through tertiary education (2003) In equivalent US dollars converted using PPPs, for primary to tertiary education, based on full-time equivalents. Source: OECD: 2006

Cumulative number of intended instruction hours in public institutions between ages 7 and 14 This chart shows the total number of hours of instruction a student in public sector education can expect to receive from the age of 7 years up to and including 14 years. Source: OECD 2006

Background of Good Results • Equal opportunities for education irrespective of domicile, sex, economic situation or mother tongue • Instruction, books, school materials and welfare services at school free of charge • Comprehensive, non-selective basic education • Teachers highly qualified professionals (master´s degree), profession valued, position autonomous

Background of Good Results • Individual support for the learning and welfare of pupils, student counselling. Special needs education based on inclusion • Development-oriented evaluation and pupil assessment–sample -based national testing of learning outcome, no ranking lists • Significance of education in the society, broad political consensus on education policy

Background of Good Results • Supportive and flexible administration – centralised steering of the whole, local implementation. Strong autonomy of municipal authorities in providing and organizing education • The role of home-school relations and co-operation between schools and other authorities and society important– the idea of partnership • Philosophy of education, core curriculum and teaching methods are learner-oriented

Backgound of good results • Good network of public libraries • History and tradition • Trust

Future • But what about the future