**1. Introduction**

The Finnish education system offers an interesting and internationally recognised example of a high-performing system that successfully combines high quality with widely spread equity and social cohesion through reasonable public financing [1, 2]. The Finnish system differs in several ways from most other European countries and the US.

example of a teacher education programme. Finally, an analysis of teacher education reform will be offered, concentrating on how the pursuit of this goal has been supported through

Educating Professional Teachers in Finland through the Continuous Improvement of Teacher…

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

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A key goal of teacher education in all countries is to educate high-quality, *professional teachers* through a high-quality post-secondary programme and then support teachers through their career in professional development. However, different definitions and interpretations have been offered concerning teacher professionalism. Several other terms, including effective, competent, expert, or ideal teachers are used in a similar way as a *professional teacher* [8–10]. Teacher quality is typically approached by analysing (1) the knowledge base of a professional teacher (input approach), (2) the process or the interaction that occurs in the classroom between the teacher and students (process approach) or (3) the outcomes of the teaching and learning process, such as students' learning outcomes measured by national tests or graduation rates (output approach) [10]. In the first case, teachers reaching high levels of quality are typically

According to the 'input approach', a professional teacher is supposed to have a versatile knowledge base, allowing him or her to act as an autonomous professional. The term 'knowledge' is interpreted broadly in this context and is close in meaning to 'competence' or 'skill'. This knowledge base is supportive for the planning, organising and evaluation of teachers' own teaching, students' learning and their learning outcomes. Planning, broadly conceived, includes all steps from the planning of the local curriculum to the planning of a single lesson. Finland has followed this input type of orientation in the education of professional teachers.

Teacher professionalism does not only refer to the competence of individual teachers but also to their status. Overall professionalism depends on factors operating at the school level and on cultural and education policy as well as such individual characteristics as their knowledge base, teaching philosophy and interaction and collaboration skills [11]. Important school-level factors include the nature of school leadership, the culture of collaboration and the structure of networks and school-society-family partnerships. Cultural and education policy factors include the state-level context, including whether the country is following a more accountability-oriented educational policy or whether it trusts teachers without relying heavily on practices of inspection and testing.

To characterise teacher professionalism, a description of their knowledge base is the logical starting point. One well-known approach for describing this knowledge base is Shulman's work [12, 13], in which he made the distinction between different domains of knowledge for teaching, including content (subject matter) knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and curricular knowledge [14, 15]. The level and depth of teachers' knowledge in these domains

**2. Teacher professionalism as an aim in teacher education**

called professional teachers and in the third case, referred to as effective teachers.

**2.1. Shulman's model of teachers' professional knowledge**

are the basis of professionalism [16, 17].

collaborative strategies.

The quality of Finnish education has been promoted through a decentralised approach since the 1990s, in all areas of governance. Following this decentralisation, only basic guidelines are prepared at a national level, such as framework curricula and teacher education strategies. Finland has never based its educational system on standardised testing, as have many countries that follow an outcome-based educational model. Providers of education, typically municipalities, have been responsible for quality assurance and the preparation of local curricula, in collaboration with local stakeholders and families.

Teachers in Finland are highly educated. All teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels are required to have a Master's degree. In fact, the education of elementary teachers (Grades 1–6) at the Master's level has been entrenched for 35 years, while secondary teachers (Grades 7–12) have been trained at Master's-level programmes for more than 100 years. An essential characteristic of teacher education in Finland has been its emphasis on research [3]. Following this perspective, student teachers learn both how to consume and how to produce educational knowledge. This research knowledge is needed for local curriculum planning and the development of teaching and school practices, as well as for the assessment of teaching and learning. Consequently, quality is assured primarily at the teachers' level. Over recent decades, studies have indicated that local curriculum processes have inspired and empowered teachers and principals to develop the local curriculum and their own work processes and, moreover, to increase the quality of education overall. Education authorities and national-level education policymakers trust professional teachers [4, 5].

The teaching profession in Finland has always enjoyed great public respect and appreciation [6]. There are several reasons why teaching is an attractive occupation in Finland. In addition to the academic status of teachers, they enjoy collaboration with and receive support from school leaders and communities. Moreover, national education policy and its practical implementation, including the strong culture of quality and the key role of teachers in assessment activities, support the professional ethos of teachers [7]. Decentralisation allows teachers to consider local contexts and to address diversity among the students they teach. Decentralisation in education is strongly linked to the Finnish way of interpreting teacher professionalism and the status of teachers in Finnish society.

The aim of this chapter is to analyse *how professional teachers are educated in the Finnish educational context and how teacher education has improved to position the teaching profession for new and challenging contexts in the future*. First, a short overview of the research on teacher professionalism and effectiveness is introduced. Then, the successes and challenges of the Finnish educational context and the role of teachers in this environment are discussed. Third, primary and secondary teacher education at the University of Helsinki is shortly introduced as an example of a teacher education programme. Finally, an analysis of teacher education reform will be offered, concentrating on how the pursuit of this goal has been supported through collaborative strategies.
