Preface

Chapter 7 **Preparing Educational Hackers 101**

Mikko A. Niemelä and Kirsi Tirri

Chapter 8 **Teachers' Knowledge of Curriculum Integration: A Current Challenge for Finnish Subject Teachers 119**

Maya Wizel

**VI** Contents

As with most dynamic activities that are based on social and cultural contexts and rely on interactions, education is a complex and often ambiguous endeavor. Despite this complexi‐ ty, however, scholars and educators are often required to find ways of defining and explain‐ ing what "good" teaching is and to incorporate these conclusions into teacher education. What are the characteristics of "good" teacher education? What sorts of knowledge and skills should it include? How might these elements be introduced, as pedagogical amend‐ ments, into existing programs for teacher education? This book offers some comprehensive ideas in response to such questions, based on an international overview.

The book contains eight scholarly chapters from various countries around the world: Finland, Ireland, Israel, Taiwan, Australia, and the United States, which offer unique and up-to-date perspectives on relevant practices and pedagogies for teachers' professional education and development in the present age. Methodologically, the chapters are mixed—half of them based on theoretical research and an extensive literature review, and the other half on the findings of empirical studies in various educational fields. The chapters are divided into two sections based on content. The first section presents strategies, models, and policies that represent sys‐ tem-level factors that can support teacher education or professional development programs. The second section offers several examples of innovative learning and teaching practices im‐ plemented at the level of the individual teacher in a variety of educational settings.

The first section begins with Jari Lavonens' chapter "Contemporary Pedagogies in Teacher Education and Development," which presents a comprehensive, collaborative endeavor in Finland's educational system, designed to analyze and to improve pre- and in-service teach‐ er education. This extended brainstorming process emphasizes the need for an ongoing search for appropriate ways of updating educational processes and the crucial role of the teacher in the education system. An important aspect of system-wide change is the partici‐ pation of teachers, so that they can be involved in generating solutions, receive professional support, take responsibility for the design of teaching and learning, and later take owner‐ ship of processes and successes. Professionalization processes of this type are a source of strength and considerable empowerment for teachers.

The issue of teachers' power and empowerment is discussed in depth by Aishling Flaherty in her chapter "Power and Empowerment in Schools." The author stresses the significance of power and empowerment as features of teachers' professional knowledge and illustrates how the effective and aware activation of power shapes all individuals' experiences in an educational institution.

Another crucial aspect of teachers' professional knowledge is their ability to address the di‐ versity and multiculturalism that characterize present societies. Marita Mikinen discusses this in her chapter "Curriculum Ideologies Reflecting Pre-Service Teachers' Stances toward Inclusive Education." In this chapter, Mikinen points out two types of tension between preservice teachers' curriculum ideologies—"knowledge versus experience" and "adoption ver‐ sus reconstruction"—and suggests some ways to enhance the implementation of inclusive education in teacher education. The pedagogy of inclusion does not only emphasize the im‐ portance of offering individualized attention to each learner, but also, more significantly, cultivate all learners' interpersonal, social, and emotional competencies.

suggestions for schoolwork and teacher education designed to better prepare teachers for the challenge of meaningful learning, addressing the particular kind of knowledge and preparation that is required. Compared to traditional learning, addressing the curriculum from a multidisciplinary perspective requires teachers to be innovative, flexible in their thinking, and, above all, to maintain distinct competencies in the field of metacognition, in‐

In summary, this book suggests contemporary perspectives for pedagogy in teacher educa‐ tion and development, emphasizing lifelong learning, collaboration, empowerment, inclu‐ sion, dialog, innovation, meaningful learning, and metacognition. Many of the chapters in this collection reflect on the impact and implications of globalization, and the ever-present need it has created for us to learn from and about each other. On the one hand, there is clear evidence that education, and especially teacher education, is a distinctly context-reliant en‐ deavor. On the other hand, there are also benefits to taking a more international perspective, which offers a wider range of perspectives and interpretations of educational theory and practice. In this international book, it is argued that there is a significant benefit to investi‐ gating the policies and practices of *other* teacher education systems from all over the world, not to imitate them, but to be inspired and enriched by them through a strategic bridging

> **Dr. Yehudith Weinberger and Prof. Zipora Libman** Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts

> > Tel Aviv, Israel

Preface IX

cluding pedagogical knowledge that is specific to that field.

between different cultures and traditions.

In this section's final chapter, "Facilitation of Teachers' Professional Development through Principals' Instructional Supervision and Teachers' Knowledge-Management Behaviors," Chen Chien Chin suggests practical tools for improving teachers' abilities to establish collab‐ orative relationships and strengthen their self-regulation to benefit their students. This chap‐ ter highlights the central role of the principle in this process as well as the importance of collaboration and the ability to work in a team by engaging in productive dialog with differ‐ ent people who think differently.

Section 2 opens with Christine Edwards-Groves' chapter "Knowing Pedagogical Dialogues for Learning: Establishing a Repertoire of Classroom Interaction Practices as Core Teaching Practice." In this chapter, she presents the value of dialog and the meta-awareness of dialog‐ ic approaches, as well as meta-language, to meaningful dynamics and productive learning among pupils and student teachers.

This emphasis on the value of metacognition is continued in Anat Zohar and Elina Lustov's chapter "Challenges in Addressing Metacognition in Professional Development Programs in the Context of Instruction of Higher-Order Thinking," which focuses on teaching higher-or‐ der thinking in science classes. In this chapter, Zohar and Lustov explain why metacognitive teaching is very rare and stress the necessity of fostering teachers' metacognitive knowledge, strategies for employing metacognition, and the pedagogical capabilities required for teach‐ ing higher-order thinking.

As the first two chapters in this section suggest, educational programs at every stage (for both teachers and their students) should emphasize the development of a core set of intellec‐ tual competencies. These include not only critical thinking and creativity but also the ability to solve complicated problems in unconventional ways, cope with complex situations, and formulate a position and make decisions in situations that are contradictory and sometimes ambiguous. Examples of such capabilities are featured in Maya Wizel's chapter "Preparing Educational Hackers," which describes her study of teachers' innovative approaches to ef‐ fective teaching and learning. In her research, Wizel examined the characteristics and condi‐ tions under which teachers "hack" their classroom pedagogy and found recurring elements in their professional identity, educational idealism, and motivation. The framework of hack‐ ing offers a fresh lens through which to view and reconstruct teacher education.

The final chapter in this section, "Teachers' Knowledge Integrating the Curriculum: A Cur‐ rent Challenge for Finnish Subject Teachers," delves into the notion of promoting meaning‐ ful learning by connecting a number of subjects and creating integrated learning opportunities. Meaningful learning obligates the learner to go through a process of change. Despite the traditional separation between cognition and emotions in learning, neuroscience studies have shown that cognitive and emotional processes are intertwined, so that emo‐ tions influence learners' understanding during the learning process, and learning processes influence learners' emotional state. In this chapter, Mikko Niemela and Kirsi Tirri offer some

suggestions for schoolwork and teacher education designed to better prepare teachers for the challenge of meaningful learning, addressing the particular kind of knowledge and preparation that is required. Compared to traditional learning, addressing the curriculum from a multidisciplinary perspective requires teachers to be innovative, flexible in their thinking, and, above all, to maintain distinct competencies in the field of metacognition, in‐ cluding pedagogical knowledge that is specific to that field.

this in her chapter "Curriculum Ideologies Reflecting Pre-Service Teachers' Stances toward Inclusive Education." In this chapter, Mikinen points out two types of tension between preservice teachers' curriculum ideologies—"knowledge versus experience" and "adoption ver‐ sus reconstruction"—and suggests some ways to enhance the implementation of inclusive education in teacher education. The pedagogy of inclusion does not only emphasize the im‐ portance of offering individualized attention to each learner, but also, more significantly,

In this section's final chapter, "Facilitation of Teachers' Professional Development through Principals' Instructional Supervision and Teachers' Knowledge-Management Behaviors," Chen Chien Chin suggests practical tools for improving teachers' abilities to establish collab‐ orative relationships and strengthen their self-regulation to benefit their students. This chap‐ ter highlights the central role of the principle in this process as well as the importance of collaboration and the ability to work in a team by engaging in productive dialog with differ‐

Section 2 opens with Christine Edwards-Groves' chapter "Knowing Pedagogical Dialogues for Learning: Establishing a Repertoire of Classroom Interaction Practices as Core Teaching Practice." In this chapter, she presents the value of dialog and the meta-awareness of dialog‐ ic approaches, as well as meta-language, to meaningful dynamics and productive learning

This emphasis on the value of metacognition is continued in Anat Zohar and Elina Lustov's chapter "Challenges in Addressing Metacognition in Professional Development Programs in the Context of Instruction of Higher-Order Thinking," which focuses on teaching higher-or‐ der thinking in science classes. In this chapter, Zohar and Lustov explain why metacognitive teaching is very rare and stress the necessity of fostering teachers' metacognitive knowledge, strategies for employing metacognition, and the pedagogical capabilities required for teach‐

As the first two chapters in this section suggest, educational programs at every stage (for both teachers and their students) should emphasize the development of a core set of intellec‐ tual competencies. These include not only critical thinking and creativity but also the ability to solve complicated problems in unconventional ways, cope with complex situations, and formulate a position and make decisions in situations that are contradictory and sometimes ambiguous. Examples of such capabilities are featured in Maya Wizel's chapter "Preparing Educational Hackers," which describes her study of teachers' innovative approaches to ef‐ fective teaching and learning. In her research, Wizel examined the characteristics and condi‐ tions under which teachers "hack" their classroom pedagogy and found recurring elements in their professional identity, educational idealism, and motivation. The framework of hack‐

The final chapter in this section, "Teachers' Knowledge Integrating the Curriculum: A Cur‐ rent Challenge for Finnish Subject Teachers," delves into the notion of promoting meaning‐ ful learning by connecting a number of subjects and creating integrated learning opportunities. Meaningful learning obligates the learner to go through a process of change. Despite the traditional separation between cognition and emotions in learning, neuroscience studies have shown that cognitive and emotional processes are intertwined, so that emo‐ tions influence learners' understanding during the learning process, and learning processes influence learners' emotional state. In this chapter, Mikko Niemela and Kirsi Tirri offer some

ing offers a fresh lens through which to view and reconstruct teacher education.

cultivate all learners' interpersonal, social, and emotional competencies.

ent people who think differently.

VIII Preface

among pupils and student teachers.

ing higher-order thinking.

In summary, this book suggests contemporary perspectives for pedagogy in teacher educa‐ tion and development, emphasizing lifelong learning, collaboration, empowerment, inclu‐ sion, dialog, innovation, meaningful learning, and metacognition. Many of the chapters in this collection reflect on the impact and implications of globalization, and the ever-present need it has created for us to learn from and about each other. On the one hand, there is clear evidence that education, and especially teacher education, is a distinctly context-reliant en‐ deavor. On the other hand, there are also benefits to taking a more international perspective, which offers a wider range of perspectives and interpretations of educational theory and practice. In this international book, it is argued that there is a significant benefit to investi‐ gating the policies and practices of *other* teacher education systems from all over the world, not to imitate them, but to be inspired and enriched by them through a strategic bridging between different cultures and traditions.

**Dr. Yehudith Weinberger and Prof. Zipora Libman**

Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts Tel Aviv, Israel

**Section 1**

**Strategies, Models and Policy in Teacher**

**Education**

**Strategies, Models and Policy in Teacher Education**

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Educating Professional Teachers in Finland through the**

The chapter analyses teacher professionalism and how professional teachers are educated in Finland and will be educated in future. Second, successes and challenges in the Finnish educational context and the role of teachers in education are discussed. The third section examines shortly primary and secondary teacher education at the University of Helsinki as an example of a teacher education programme in Finland. The main topic concerns how Finnish teacher education is aimed to be improved through broad-based collaboration. The Minister of Education nominated 100 experts from universities, the ministry, the teachers' union, student unions and municipal union to a *Finnish Teacher Education Forum* and asked them to analyse research outcomes related to teacher education, to identify best practices based on teacher education strategies and policy documents in other countries, organise a national brainstorming process related to the renewal of teacher education and, finally, prepare a *Development Programme for Teachers' Pre- and In-service Education* (life-long professional development) in Finland. Furthermore, the forum was asked to identify key actions to undertake to improve teacher education and support the implementation of the development programme, and also to create the conditions through financing pilot projects and organising meetings for the renewal of Finnish

**Keywords:** teacher education, education policy, professional teacher, effective teacher,

teacher education through professional development projects.

strategy and strategy implementation

**Educating Professional Teachers in Finland through** 

**the Continuous Improvement of Teacher Education** 

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77979

**Continuous Improvement of Teacher Education**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77979

**Programmes**

**Abstract**

**Programmes**

Jari Lavonen

Jari Lavonen

#### **Educating Professional Teachers in Finland through the Continuous Improvement of Teacher Education Programmes Educating Professional Teachers in Finland through the Continuous Improvement of Teacher Education Programmes**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77979

#### Jari Lavonen Jari Lavonen

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77979

#### **Abstract**

The chapter analyses teacher professionalism and how professional teachers are educated in Finland and will be educated in future. Second, successes and challenges in the Finnish educational context and the role of teachers in education are discussed. The third section examines shortly primary and secondary teacher education at the University of Helsinki as an example of a teacher education programme in Finland. The main topic concerns how Finnish teacher education is aimed to be improved through broad-based collaboration. The Minister of Education nominated 100 experts from universities, the ministry, the teachers' union, student unions and municipal union to a *Finnish Teacher Education Forum* and asked them to analyse research outcomes related to teacher education, to identify best practices based on teacher education strategies and policy documents in other countries, organise a national brainstorming process related to the renewal of teacher education and, finally, prepare a *Development Programme for Teachers' Pre- and In-service Education* (life-long professional development) in Finland. Furthermore, the forum was asked to identify key actions to undertake to improve teacher education and support the implementation of the development programme, and also to create the conditions through financing pilot projects and organising meetings for the renewal of Finnish teacher education through professional development projects.

**Keywords:** teacher education, education policy, professional teacher, effective teacher, strategy and strategy implementation

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
