A Study of Finnish Teaching Practices: How to Optimise Student Learning and How to Teach Problem Solving

Abstract

This study helps to clarify the teaching practices used by some Finnish teachers to optimise student learning and to teach problem solving. Eighteen teachers (primary through university) from rural, municipal, and metropolitan schools were interviewed to provide insight into the teaching practices behind Finland’s successful model of equitable education. Of the eighteen teachers interviewed, nine were asked about how they optimise student learning and nine were asked about how they teach problem solving. Of the nine teachers asked about how they optimise learning, four mentioned practices that align with problem-based learning, and all of the teachers asked about how they teach problem solving mentioned practices that align with problem-based learning. A majority of the interviewed teachers stated that they incorporate individual student competencies and prior experiences into lesson design. All eighteen teachers, regardless of interview topic, mentioned practices related to socio-constructivism as a leading theoretical approach, and all eighteen teachers mentioned motivational practices aligned with the self-determination theory. Finnish teachers have autonomy over their teaching practices so there are teachers who do not teach in the ways represented in this study. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords

• equity
• teaching
• problem solving
• problem-based learning
• socio-constructivism
• self-determination theory