Background

Educational Reforms

            In the 1950s and 1960s Finland’s economy was struggling and it was clear change was necessary if they were to build a stronger, more secure society. In the article Finland’s Education System and Pisa, an explanation for this shift is offered as “Finland’s rapid transition from a sparsely populated agrarian society to a quickly developing industrial state in the 1950s and 60s called for radical changes in the education system” (Kupiainan, Hautamäki & Karjalainen, 2009). Technology and the use of ICT in educational institutions can help transform schools into modern systems as computers become an instrument for change. Recognizing a need for change, the Finnish government developed a plan to include initiatives for ICT to be embedded in schools in a comprehensive plan to prepare the nation for the information society (Ottestad, 2010). Author G. Ottestad (2010) explains, “Finland has placed the use of ICT in schools in its master plan for societal development” (Ottestad, p. 480). Their plan was outlined in a publication entitled The National Plan for Educational Use of Information and Communications Technology (Linden, 2010). The publication shows how Finland’s government set up clear guidelines and objectives related to the types of technology use that could propel their economy. The Finnish Government worked with an advisory board (called The Ubiquitous Information Society Advisory Board ) to create and implement a resolution filled with policies and policy objectives related to the use of technology in schools called the Resolution on the Objectives of the National Information Society Policy for 2007-2011 (Linden, 2010). Some of the main objectives of this policy were focused on the implementation and educational use of information and communications technology (ICT) and “to use it as a basis to estimate the opportunities to increase the use of computers and information networks in teaching” (Linden, 2010).

Educational Policy

The Ministry of Education in Finland put policies in place for the education system which were geared to the following objectives:

• develop all citizens’ information society knowledge and skills,

• enable educational institutions to use ICT in a versatile way in their activities,

• establish ICT-based procedures in education, training and research,

• promote social innovation through the use of ICT (Atjonen & Cheung Li, 2006)

Teacher Roles

            Teachers in Finland play a crucial role in the use of ICT. While the governmental policies strongly encourage the use of information and communication technologies, it is largely left up the teachers to incorporate its use into their lesson plans and it is the teacher who makes the final decision of how much or how little technology to use with their students. According to author Ottestad (2010) in Finland teachers are working toward this change by implementing new practices and he explains, “Teachers play a crucial role in redeveloping schools into modern, technology-enhanced educational institutions. Implicitly, many major policy goals carry initiatives for teachers to adopt new pedagogical practices and to utilize new technologies to support their practices” (Ottestad, 2010, p.478).

Having access to ICT equipment is necessary in order to stimulate pedagogical practice and Finland has on average 6.1 students per computer (Ottestad, 2010, p.480).  Author G. Ottestad explains Finland participated in a study called The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) SITES 2006 and information gleaned from this IEA study helps us understand more about the uses of ICT in Finland’s classrooms. Of this survey it was discovered that Finnish teachers reported the amount of time they generally use ICT in teaching and learning activities includes 46% in math and 57% in science and teachers also reported using ICT on a weekly basis including (58% of Finnish science teachers and about 23% of Finnish mathematics teachers) (Ottestad, 2010, p.480). Further, “more than 60% of the Finnish science teachers used ICT to help/advise students in exploratory and inquiry activities” (Ottestad, p.488). While not the primary sources of instructional material, ICT is used on a regular basis in their weekly lessons and learning activities.

            Finland’s teachers are not only using ICT in the classroom with their students, but also with their parents and guardians, in the interest of communication and collaboration. Teachers and administrators feel that cultivating a close relationship with families at home is important and Ottestad (2010) explains educators in Finland feel, “A good relationship between home and school is important to strengthen children’s learning and extending this relationship using ICT could open for closer collaboration” (Ottestad, p. 488).  

            While teachers in Finland are required by statute to use ICT in their practices and lessons, there is no mandates how they do so. And while teachers use ICT on a fairly regular basis, it may be more important how they use ICT than how often. 

Teachers are more inclined to teach inquiry-based lessons and have students working collaboratively to solve authentic problems. Using technology to further students’ understanding of the world and to collaborate on inquiry-based projects is encouraged through the practice of using ICT. Finland is “a school system that is anchored in a systematic culture of knowledge building where an example could be the implementation of national information strategy goals”, i.e. the use of ICT to help support knowledge building (Ottestad, p.489).