Justice, Equity and Quality as Leading Principles in Finnish Teacher Education

• In Event: Toward Just and Equitable Teacher Preparation: A Global Conversation

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to present (1) what are the key factors when teacher education is expected to promote justice, equity, and quality in the educational system and (2) how these factors have been implemented in the development of teacher education in the Finnish educational system.

Theoretical framework
The concept of educational ecosystem is used in the analysis. This concept provides the framework through which connections and processes are analyzed within and between macro, meso and micro levels. The framework provides three essential lenses to analysis: (1) interconnectedness between different levels of the system, (2) information flow throughout the system and (3) diversity of partners and stakeholders. Teacher education has connections to all levels of the ecosystem: macro-level school curricula and assessment systems, meso-level institutions, such as schools and universities and micro-level that comprise individuals, such as students, parents and teachers. To implement equity, quality and justice, the whole ecosystem must work in continuous cooperation and interaction.

Methods
The study is based on a literature analysis of research publications, policy-level reports and reviews on the Finnish educational system. Also included are reports from international organizations, such as the OECD, World Bank, and UNESCO, about preconditions of impactful reforms.

Findings
The Finnish educational system has already set 1970s equity as the leading principle for all education. However, no single reform can keep the system effective and dynamic in changes in society, technology and with the latest research. The educational ecosystem is a living system and changes at one level influence all other levels. Combining equity, quality and justice requires that teacher education has active connections with all levels of the ecosystem and renews its programs according to what happens in schools and society. It must also be proactive to activate changes at the policy-level, and in universities and schools. Ensuring equity, quality, and justice needs continuous partnership and dialogue in the system. In Finland, the Teacher Education Forum was established in 2016 to enhance partnerships between pre-and in-service teacher providers, representatives of national and local authorities and the labor market, teachers, students’ and parents' unions, researchers and teacher educators. The aim is to set a common vision for teacher education development and reforms. It comprises of also seeking methods on how teachers’ pre and in-service training ensure that teachers have competencies to implement school curricula with equity, quality, and justice and how to help students with learning difficulties and prevent school failure. Quality of education also needs micro-level evidence about students’ experiences of meaningfulness of learning combined with a sense of equity and justice. Teachers, parents and local communities must be contributors to joint aims, and they need a comprehensive picture of what equity, quality and justice mean in schools

Significance
The results have high significance for ensuring that equity, quality, and justice can be implemented in a systemic way in educational ecosystems. Even though the contexts vary, the interconnectedness of macro, maso, and micro levels and high partnership are needed.

Author

• Hannele M. Niemi, University of Helsinki