Curriculum Development in Finland

1. Curriculum Development in Finland Pasi Sahlberg, PhD Senior Education Specialist World Bank

2. Brief outlook • Population: 5.2 million • The most northern corner of the EU • GDP per capita: $26,000 • 4,100 comprehensive schools (1-9 grades) • 475 upper secondary schools • 50,000 teachers • Public expenditure on educational institutions: 5.7 % of the GDP

3. Why curriculum change? • Situation in the beginning of 1990s • Teachers rarely used curriculum in their work • Teachers demanded more freedom • Teachers’ professional qualifications were increasing • Decentralization of public administration • Central administration didn’t know exactly how schools could improve performance • Paradigm shift in understanding learning

4. What was the solution? • New National Framework Curriculum 1994 • Loose conceptual framework describing intended experiences rather than content • Schools were invited to design their own curricula (but not by Law) • Increased flexibility and freedom of choice • Focus on new conception of learning • Support to schools in curriculum design

5. What happened? • Schools progressed in different rhythms • School curricula became very diverse (but still based on a common core) • Curriculum became a school improvement instrument and an active reference for schools • Schools created new identities and profiles • Fundamental curriculum change!

6. Possible impact of 1994 reform • Focus shifted from individual teachers to school as a community of professionals • The hidden potentials in schools, i.e. motivation, creativity and moral purposes were released but some got burned-out • Trusting teachers increased their working commitments • Schools became gradually learning centers