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This book examines continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers in Finland. As one of the best-performing countries in terms of education, the Finnish education system is often revered and held up as an example to follow. However, the authors argue that CPD actually constitutes the Achilles' heel of this 'miraculous' system, demonstrating that in fact it is a victim of contradictory discourses and actions among decision-makers, teacher educators and practitioners. Including extensive interviews from CPD providers, teachers and other educational actors, the authors critically discuss the 'wonders' of Finnish education, in the process debunking various myths created both inside and outside Finland. The authors also call for a new approach to comparative and international education. Based on over 20 years of experience in Finnish education, this pioneering book will be of interest and value to students and scholars of Finnish education, continuing professional development and international education branding more generally.
List of contents
Chapter 1. Introduction - Contextualizing Teacher Continuing Professional Development in the 'Miracle' of Finnish Education.- Chapter 2. Framing CPD to understand and explore the Finnish context.- Chapter 3. Finnish Initial Teacher Education and CPD.- Chapter 4. Data and Methodologies.- Chapter 5. Providers: Offerings and Critiques.- Chapter 6. Teachers' Views on CPD.- Chapter 7. Paratexts to CPD: Decision-making, leadership, teacher education and project work.
About the author
Yongjian Li (李咏健) is Researcher at the School of Education of Renmin University of China and the University of Helsinki, Finland. His research interests include public affairs in education management.
Fred Dervin is Professor of Multicultural Education at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He is the director of several research groups, and holds several professorships in Australia, Canada, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia and Sweden.
Summary
This book examines continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers in Finland. As one of the best-performing countries in terms of education, the Finnish education system is often revered and held up as an example to follow. However, the authors argue that CPD actually constitutes the Achilles’ heel of this ‘miraculous’ system, demonstrating that in fact it is a victim of contradictory discourses and actions among decision-makers, teacher educators and practitioners. Including extensive interviews from CPD providers, teachers and other educational actors, the authors critically discuss the ‘wonders’ of Finnish education, in the process debunking various myths created both inside and outside Finland. The authors also call for a new approach to comparative and international education. Based on over 20 years of experience in Finnish education, this pioneering book will be of interest and value to students and scholars of Finnish education, continuing professional development and international education branding more generally.
