ED 15: ISSUES and TRENDS in CURRICULUM (OTHER COUNTRIES)

Name/s: Charlene N. Llagas

Course and Year: BSED Science - 3
Date Submitted: March 14, 2022

CONTEXT:
For the past sessions, we have discussed the issues and trends faced by the Philippine Educational
System, particularly in the area of Curriculum. The discussion highlighted the challenges faced when
the Enhanced Basic Education Law was enacted and when the pandemic happened.

TASK:
1. Choose one (1) country.
2. Identify the best feature/s of their curriculum making it outstanding or remarkable.
3. Describe the changes, especially on the innovations they have made in their curriculum during the
pandemic.
4. Cite your references.

RESPONSES: (You may add additional bullet points)

Chosen Country: Finland
Best feature/s of their Curriculum:
 - Finland has a national core curriculum that includes learning objectives for the core subjects;
suggested time allotments for each subject; and requirements for assessment, with guidance
on how to grade assessments at two benchmarks.
 - Separate local curricula are required for Finnish-speaking, Swedish-speaking, and Sami-
speaking schools, in which instruction in the native language complements basic education.
 - The curriculum document states that local curricula can integrate subjects through
interdisciplinary projects, and the curriculum for basic school (grades 1-9) defines “transversal”
competencies that are infused in the curriculum in all subject areas. The transversal
competencies are thinking and learning to learn; cultural competence, interaction, and self-
expression; taking care of oneself and managing daily life; multiliteracy; ICT competence;
working life competence and entrepreneurship; and participation, involvement, and building a
sustainable future.
 - The Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Education, which was updated in 2019
and again in 2021, is designed differently than the one for basic school. Students in general
upper secondary school must complete a minimum of 75 courses, which average
approximately 38 hours each. Students develop an individual study plan when they begin
upper secondary school.
 - The curriculum requirements include compulsory courses; specialization courses that offer a
more in-depth study of a subject area; and applied courses, which include methodology
courses, vocational courses, and multidisciplinary courses.
 - The curriculum document identifies the objectives and core content for each course. It also
specifies that students should receive both formative and summative assessment and that
teachers should assess students using either a 10-point numerical scale (where 5 is
 “adequate,” 10 is “excellent,” and 4 or below is failing) or a pass-fail mark. There is no specific
grading rubric for school-based assessments.
 - The national core curriculum includes criteria and guidelines for assessment and states that
the ultimate goal of assessment is to develop students’ capacity for self-evaluation, helping
them learn to monitor their progress and design their own learning activities.
 - All Finnish schools are assigned full-time specialists to address an array of learning needs.
Teachers refer students to specialists, who work with students individually and in small groups,
as needed. Almost half of the Finnish students receive some sort of academic support at some
point during their schooling.
Innovations made in the Curriculum:
 - In Finland, excluding the non-compulsory part of the curriculum, each week of school
closures represents about 21 hours of face-to-face compulsory instruction time at school
(lower secondary school – general orientation), that is to say, 2.7% of annual compulsory
instruction time. Schools were forced to replace this time in class with online learning and
homeschooling, in most cases facilitated by teachers and parents.
 - Finland has been implementing national-level efforts towards developing digital technology
infrastructure and teachers’ digital pedagogy skills for some time.
 - The Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education emphasizes that digital
competencies should be integrated into every subject.

How Does These Innovations Help the Learners Succeed:

 - According to a report published by the International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement [6], 30% of Finnish students achieved level 3 or above in an
evaluation that demonstrates their capacity to work independently when using computers as
information-gathering and management tools.
 - Children are more able to balance school work and time for their family since they are at
home.
 - Technology and other innovations enable educational design and delivery to be adapted to
the needs and environment of students enrolled in Open and Distance learning (ODL) and
traditional educational programs. Thus, technology can also help programs shift to a 'learner-
centered' approach to education.

REFERENCES:
 - Top-Performing Countries. (2021). National Center on Education and the Economy 2121 K
Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20037. Retrieved from: https://ncee.org/country/finland/
 - Loukomies, A. et al. (2021). Primary Students’ Experiences of Remote Learning during
COVID-19 School Closures: A Case Study of Finland. Retrieved from:
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/9/560/htm
 - Kuboni, O. et al. Achieving Development Goals Innovation n Education and Development.
Retrieved from: http://pcf4.dec.uwi.edu/innovation.php