The Role of Digi-infra and Skills in the Transition to Distance Learning in Finland During the Pandemic

• In Event: Educational Impact of COVID-19: A Comparative Perspective Examining Finland, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, and South Africa

Abstract

Objective or purposes: Teaching and learning in Finnish compulsory education during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 will be analyzed and discussed.

Perspective or theoretical framework: In order to minimize the harmful effects of the pandemic, digi-pedagogy innovations have been developed around the world. Digi-pedagogy includes the knowledge and skills needed for using digital tools and platforms for teaching and learning and skills needed to support students’ engagement, learning and well-being in digital environments (Greenhow et al., 2020). Consequently, teachers and students need appropriate digi-skills and schools digi-infra in order to develop digi-pedagogy, which help teachers in the use of digi-tools and platforms to support students’ learning, engagement, and well-being.

Methods, techniques or modes of inquiry and data sources: The analysis is based on the documents, such as the web-pages of national and local education providers, surveys and research papers. The information and insights were recognized in the documents through skimming (superficial examination), reading (thorough examination), and interpretation (Corbin & Strauss, 2008).

Results and conclusions: Ahtiainen et al. (2020) argued that the rapid transition to the distance-learning period went surprisingly well in Finland. Teachers felt that their digital skills developed and they increased collaboration with other teachers. The challenges were most often related to lack of devices. However, at the student level, decreased engagement, and at the teacher and principal levels, increased stress were identified (Salmela-Aro et al., 2020). The distance learning period weakened the educational equality.

The change happened easily because the pre-conditions, such as teachers’ and students’ digi-competences and digi-infrastructure, for effective distance teaching and learning were appropriate and availability of digi-tools good (Tanhua-Piiroinen et al., 2019). These were consequences of a long-term digi-policy and implementation of this policy. Resources have been available for implementation of the policy. For example a tutor-teacher positions was established to every schiool in year 2017, and they supported teachers in the use of digital tools in their own classrooms.

Scientific or scholarly significance: In order to be ready for the crisis in education, policy and school practice issues must be addressed. Most important is a long-term education policy that focuses on equity and quality of education. Equity means that teachers continuously learn digi-pedagogy and students digi-skills. Digital platforms are used in traditional teaching. Second, teachers and students should have easy access to digi-tools. One of the most important aspect of the policy is the quality of initial teacher education and teachers’ professional learning. This policy guarantee that teachers can easily switch to distance teaching.


References

Ahtiainen, R., Asikainen, M., Heikonen, L., Hienonen, N. Hotulainen, R., Lindfors, R., Lindgren, E., Lintuvuori, M., Oinas, S., Rimpelä, A., & Vainikainen, M.-P. (2020). Schooling, teaching and well-being in the school community during the pandemc: First results. Centre for Assessment.
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Greenhow, C., Lewin, C., & Willet, K. B. S. (2020). The educational response to Covid-19 across two countries: A critical examination of initial digital pedagogy adoption. Technology, Pedagogy and Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2020.1866654

Authors

• Jari Lavonen, University of Helsinki

• Katariina Salmela-Aro, Cicero Learning, University of Helsinki