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Teaching as a Master’s Level Profession in Finland: Theoretical Reflections and Practical Solutions

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Book cover Workplace Learning in Teacher Education

Part of the book series: Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education ((PROD,volume 10))

Abstract

In the Finnish teacher education system, teachers (in grades 1–12) pass a master’s degree in the university. In this chapter, the most important theoretical aspects that underpin the Finnish teacher education programmes are described and analysed, and we consider why it may be called research-based teacher education. The primary class pre-service teachers write their master’s thesis in ‘education’, while the secondary subject pre-service teachers write it in their ‘main subject’ within their own faculty (mathematics, physics, history, language, religion, etc.). Teacher education is considered from two perspectives or strata. The first deals with everyday practice and can be called a basic level of teacher education; the other stratum may be called a conceptual level of teacher education. An organising theme, a research-based approach, is applied as an integrative principle throughout the programme. It is built on evidence of research, teachers’ pedagogical thinking, and close theory-practice relation. University practice schools have an important role connecting practical experiences with theoretical studies. These schools and their teachers, mentors of student teaching at the same time, are specialised in teacher education and work closely with the supervisors of the university department. The system is supported with a model of peer-group mentoring in order to facilitate adaptation into the profession at the beginning of the career.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Rezeptological approach: research on recipes and tips that the supervisors give and the pre-service teachers ask during their teaching practice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Prof. emer. Pertti Kansanen

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  1. Prof. emer. Pertti Kansanen
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Correspondence to Pertti Kansanen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Olwen McNamara

  2. Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London, London, United Kingdom

    Jean Murray

  3. Ed. Research & Evaluaton Serv. (CERES), Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Marion Jones

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Kansanen, P. (2014). Teaching as a Master’s Level Profession in Finland: Theoretical Reflections and Practical Solutions. In: McNamara, O., Murray, J., Jones, M. (eds) Workplace Learning in Teacher Education. Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7826-9_16

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