Finland To Scrap Subjects in Education

[Mighty AC]

The Finnish education system, widely considered to be the gold standard, is set to scrap the idea of subjects in favour of topic or 'phenomenon' based learing. Rather than spending an hour on history, followed by an hour of math, etc. the Fins plan on teaching multiple skills connected to a central topic or project. For example students would cover a European Union topic, which would merge elements of economics, history (of the countries involved), languages and geography. Vocational students may cover a topic like cafeteria services which would include lessons on math, languages, writing and communication skills.

This approach basically takes the very successful concept of project based learning (PBL) a large step further. By learning skills and concepts as needed to advance a project based on real world scenarios, students are far more engaged and achieve higher retention rates. Finland will simply attach all required learning concepts to a series of cross curricular topics.

Secondary schools have already been required to complete one or two cross curricular topics per year for a couple of years now. The early results have been positive as student outcomes have improved.

Is this something our provincial educations systems should consider?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/finland-schools-subjects-are-out-and-topics-are-in-as-country-reforms-its-education-system-10123911.html

[guyser]

They have the best results so I imagine this too shall work and work fine.

[Big Guy]

Slotting subjects into labels like History, English, Geography etc evolved through the attempt to standardize curriculum.

It is time to completely re-think our approach to education.

Traditionally, we "taught" facts, rules, relationships etc that students were to memorize and the "facts" were categorized by subject area. To-day we have the Internet. It takes very little time for a student to learn how to search for and access all of the information of the world. Now that the students have that the ability and power to find all the answers, as teachers our role should be how to put that information into context. How to use that information to solve a problem or understand a reason why things happen.

We are in a situation to-day where we can ask an average student; "Who really won World War II - Using Internet searches and In your own words (including using examples), explain your answer." An assignment that could be 100 words or 100 volumes of text.

I still have problems with the term "learning concepts".

[jacee]

Concepts are fundamental.

Standardizing curriculum content is too constraining.

Outcomes are defined by curriculum though, standardized and assessed best on broad tasks scored in a variety of ways and reported.

This Finland approach is awesome ... and can be constraining ... have to watch out for too much pressure on streaming to jobs.

.

[overthere]

They have the best results so I imagine this too shall work and work fine.

Past results + change don't guarantee anything.

Alberta had the highest PISA scores in Canada and some of the highest in the world a few years back. They changed their teaching methods to 'discovery learning' and scores have dropped significantly. They continue to pour money into failure.

[Ash74]

The problem is that it is always an all or nothing approach.

The discovery learning is the hot learning tool and its supporters will not tolerate anything that says "it might not have all the answers"

Seriously it is like saying "Not everybody needs a grenade launcher" at a NRA meeting.

When schools are sneaking work home with the kids (can't prove it but my oldest brings simple math home that they do not do in school)

[socialist]

Past results + change don't guarantee anything.

Alberta had the highest PISA scores in Canada and some of the highest in the world a few years back. They changed their teaching methods to 'discovery learning' and scores have dropped significantly. They continue to pour money into failure.

Finland has used discovery learning for years. The OP highlights another form of discovery learning. Discovery learning is the best method for teaching learners. If I need facts I use my smartphone. We need to focus on critical thinking and collaboration because those are the skills businesses want.

[socialist]

The Finnish education system, widely considered to be the gold standard, is set to scrap the idea of subjects in favour of topic or 'phenomenon' based learing. Rather than spending an hour on history, followed by an hour of math, etc. the Fins plan on teaching multiple skills connected to a central topic or project. For example students would cover a European Union topic, which would merge elements of economics, history (of the countries involved), languages and geography. Vocational students may cover a topic like cafeteria services which would include lessons on math, languages, writing and communication skills.

This approach basically takes the very successful concept of project based learning (PBL) a large step further. By learning skills and concepts as needed to advance a project based on real world scenarios, students are far more engaged and achieve higher retention rates. Finland will simply attach all required learning concepts to a series of cross curricular topics.

Secondary schools have already been required to complete one or two cross curricular topics per year for a couple of years now. The early results have been positive as student outcomes have improved.

Is this something our provincial educations systems should consider?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/finland-schools-subjects-are-out-and-topics-are-in-as-country-reforms-its-education-system-10123911.html

I enjoyed reading the comments after the article than the article itself. It's always beneficial to read the different viewpoints. This could actually be another fad in which kids are simply lab rats to be experimented with. Who really knows what the agenda is.

Edited March 24, 2015 by socialist

[jacee]

I enjoyed reading the comments after the article than the article itself. It's always beneficial to read the different viewpoints. This could actually be another fad in which kids are simply lab rats to be experimented with. Who really knows what the agenda is.

I'm surprised. Is this not 21st century learning?

.

[socialist]

I'm surprised. Is this not 21st century learning?

.

What do you know about 21st century learning?

[Mighty AC]

I enjoyed reading the comments after the article than the article itself. It's always beneficial to read the different viewpoints. This could actually be another fad in which kids are simply lab rats to be experimented with. Who really knows what the agenda is.

As with any major shift in pedagogy this will require tweaking for quite some time, however, the research heavily supports the concept they are striving for. This approach is really just full time PBL. Now if they also get rid of grades and go with a mastery concept the Finns could end up with a near perfect system.

[overthere]

What do you know about 21st century learning?

21st century learning in Alberta, using discovery learning, has been an unqualified disaster based on objective and factual outcomes of third party testing. You can look that up on a smartphone.

[Ash74]

21st century learning in Alberta, using discovery learning, has been an unqualified disaster based on objective and factual outcomes of third party testing. You can look that up on a smartphone.

lol.

I do not agree with the concept facts are useless.

I believe kids should know who the first prime minister was. Why Hitler is not a nice person. Why socialism does not work,etc,etc

We still teach spelling and spell check is around everywhere. Why have facts become such an outdated issue?

[overthere]

lol.

I do not agree with the concept facts are useless.

I believe kids should know who the first prime minister was. Why Hitler is not a nice person. Why socialism does not work,etc,etc

We still teach spelling and spell check is around everywhere. Why have facts become such an outdated issue?

I believe what actual, qualified and experienced teachers believe: that different students need different approaches to learning.

[Ash74]

I believe what actual, qualified and experienced teachers believe: that different students need different approaches to learning.

Yes but that makes sense.......

But governments feel the need to micro manage everything. Their has to be regulations and charters for them to feel they have done something useful.

Plus they can't change anything because it would be admitting the plan was not perfect.

[Mighty AC]

lol.

I do not agree with the concept facts are useless.

I believe kids should know who the first prime minister was. Why Hitler is not a nice person. Why socialism does not work,etc,etc

We still teach spelling and spell check is around everywhere. Why have facts become such an outdated issue?

Reciting facts is useless. Analyzing and evaluating information is not. So asking a student what year Germany invaded Poland is a waste of time. However, asking why the Germans waited until Sep 1 39 to do it would have more value.

In education we used to program too many automatic responses. Students could quickly spit out certain facts and figures without really understanding the hows and whys surrounding the answer.

[Mighty AC]

Yes but that makes sense.......

But governments feel the need to micro manage everything. Their has to be regulations and charters for them to feel they have done something useful.

Plus they can't change anything because it would be admitting the plan was not perfect.

Some governments have micro-managed education. Texas, for example, leaves almost zero room to explore topics more deeply, differentiate lessons or even projects, assignments and evaluations. That's not an issue with our various provincial curricula though. Teachers here have a respectable amount of freedom.

[Mighty AC]

The best part of this Finnish 'phenomenon' or topic based idea is that students acquire skills as they need them to advance their project. This helps to make learning less theoretical and thus more meaningful to students. As we take in new knowledge we attach it to a framework of what we already know. The more we know, the easier it is to understand new information and concepts, thus cross curricular learning like this just makes sense.

Geography, history, economics and languages are a natural compliment. A world wars project could easily act as the common framework for each subject area while also enhancing the learning of each through a greater understanding of a multifaceted topic. Science, tech and math are another complimentary group. Each can be learned in a vacuum, but combining them around a robotics project, urban vertical garden, aquaculture, environmental rehabilitation, solar powered vehicle project, etc. makes the learning real as they need to acquire knowledge to reach a tangible goal.

The Finns taking the lead on this should allow us to learn from their method of implementation and copy it in a few years.

[socialist]

21st century learning in Alberta, using discovery learning, has been an unqualified disaster based on objective and factual outcomes of third party testing. You can look that up on a smartphone.

No, it has not been a failure. Alberta is getting ready to roll out Inspiring Education. Here's a blog by a teacher in Alberta who understands the importance of discovery learning. A person like you who lacks knowledge on the subject would benefit greatly by reading the excellent points of view presented in this blog. Good luck in your quest to at least have a minor understanding o discovery learning.

http://realteachingmeansreallearning.blogspot.ca/

[socialist]

The best part of this Finnish 'phenomenon' or topic based idea is that students acquire skills as they need them to advance their project. This helps to make learning less theoretical and thus more meaningful to students. As we take in new knowledge we attach it to a framework of what we already know. The more we know, the easier it is to understand new information and concepts, thus cross curricular learning like this just makes sense.

Geography, history, economics and languages are a natural compliment. A world wars project could easily act as the common framework for each subject area while also enhancing the learning of each through a greater understanding of a multifaceted topic. Science, tech and math are another complimentary group. Each can be learned in a vacuum, but combining them around a robotics project, urban vertical garden, aquaculture, environmental rehabilitation, solar powered vehicle project, etc. makes the learning real as they need to acquire knowledge to reach a tangible goal.

The Finns taking the lead on this should allow us to learn from their method of implementation and copy it in a few years.

Project Based Learning is the new rave. Much better than sitting in isolated rows answering useless test questions.

[Queenmandy85]

PBL seems to be an interesting idea. I'm not sure how you could teach history through discovery.

If it could teach the difference between 'their' and 'there,' many posts on these forums would be improved.

[socialist]

PBL seems to be an interesting idea. I'm not sure how you could teach history through discovery.

If it could teach the difference between 'their' and 'there,' many posts on these forums would be improved.

I often use PBL in my classrooms. The educator is more of a learning facilitator in the PBL model. Educators are no longer expected to simply transfer knowledge to students. Many people are relics of the past and aren't up to date with trends in education that are working wonders.

[GostHacked]

Fresh out of Teachers college and you consider yourself an educator? That's like me getting a specific cert in IT and claiming I am an expert. Laughable at best.

[overthere]

No, it has not been a failure. Alberta is getting ready to roll out Inspiring Education. Here's a blog by a teacher in Alberta who understands the importance of discovery learning. A person like you who lacks knowledge on the subject would benefit greatly by reading the excellent points of view presented in this blog. Good luck in your quest to at least have a minor understanding o discovery learning.

http://realteachingmeansreallearning.blogspot.ca/

Discovery learning has been running for nearly a decade in AB and it is an abysmal failure.

There has been a steady decline in PISA testing results- the same tests where AB students nearly matched the Finns for years.

There is no doubt why.

But you don't have to believe me, and I certainly don't believe you, but you can believe these guys: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/

[socialist]

Discovery learning has been running for nearly a decade in AB and it is an abysmal failure.

There has been a steady decline in PISA testing results- the same tests where AB students nearly matched the Finns for years.

There is no doubt why.

But you don't have to believe me, and I certainly don't believe you, but you can believe these guys: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone mentioned the PISA tests. I'm certain you know very little about the PISA tests. They are not the be all to end all. Here, educate yourself on PISA.

And this is written by an award wining Alberta educator.

http://www.joebower.org/2013/12/the-pitfall-of-pisa-envy.html

Edited March 25, 2015 by socialist