Educational Theories
The Philosophy of Education in Finland
- Finland does not implement standardized testing.
- They have shorter school days: students spend less time in school.
- Students in Finland have higher scores in Math and Science (world ranking)
- Finland has a homogeneous population with a low poverty rate of 4%.
Reasons for Success
- Great teachers with very low turnover.
- Only 1 in 10 applicants are accepted into the Elementary Teacher Education Program.
- To be qualified, all teachers need to have a Master’s degree.
- Highly respected – like doctors or lawyers.
- Finland has a framework of learning, but do not have a standard curriculum.
- Lack of a top-down edict.
Mindshift Strategy
-Philosophy
- Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University, claims that:
o Individuals have different views of their abilities and can be placed on a continuum
- On one end of the continuum, individuals believe that their success comes from their fixed ability. (Fixed mindset)
- On the other end of the continuum, individuals believe that their success comes from their developing abilities, which can be fostered through hard work, learning, and perseverance. (Growth mindset).
-key concepts
- Mindset = A mental attitude that affects how one will assess and react to situations
o Fixed Mindset = Intelligence is an unchangeable trait (Dweck, 2008)
o Growth Mindset = Intelligence is a trait that can be developed (Dweck, 2008)
-Strategies for developing Growth Mindset in the Classroom:
Step 1: Focus on learning, not performance
This may look like: rescheduling or rewriting exams or quizzes (Ask for other suggestions)
Step 2: Hard work is key
This may look like: flexible deadlines and teaching time management strategies (Ask for other suggestions)
Step 3: Confront difficulties and setbacks. Learn from mistakes
This may look like: Earning additional marks by doing corrections and handing them in to the teacher (Ask for other suggestions)
-Intention of use for learning
- In a growth mindset students realize that their talents can be improved through hard work and persistence.
- Student with growth mindset are not afraid of failures (“risk-takers”) because they understand that they learn much from failure
- Thus, growth mindset helps a student to lead a more successful life
Students with a fixed mindset are complacent in believing that their levels of intelligence or talent are invariable, allowing themselves no room for development or improvement.
As educators we want to create a mind shift in our students from Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset.
Students who develop a Growth Mindset think of learning and intelligence as a skill that develops through hard work.
We must help to develop a growth mindset within each of our students, not only as good practice for the development of education, but also to increase self-esteem and confidence in those who are especially lacking. Not only does this mind shift have to happen within our students but it is equally important to consider for ourselves, as teachers, as we must always strive to stay relevant and better our practice.
Concept-based Learning:
As well as a summary of our teaching strategy, which was concept-based teaching and learning:
Philosophy:
Concept-based learning focuses on the overall concept and has less focus on specific topics and skill, which can fail to engage the learners.
Key Concepts:
– Creating connection to learner’s experience
– Foster global thinking
– Good concepts are abstract, timeless and universal
– Concepts are transferable through different disciplines
Strategies:
– Transform topics like “Health Care” and connect it to scientific concepts like “order, system, and organism”, or social studies concepts like “population, change/continuity, and culture”.
Intention of use for learning:
– The intention is to show students that they can apply concepts learned to different subjects and topics. This way, they will see that what they learn are not just esoteric facts that have no application in real life, which in turn will help boost their motivation for learning.
Blended Learning
*What is it?
- Integrating online and traditional face to face class activities (at the same time)
-Supplements and also transforms and improves learning process
- example: course management system used to connect with students online
-students can access videos of lectures, track assignments/progress, interact with teachers + peers
- combines the support of classroom learning with the flexibility of e-learning
*Benefit
- Less expensive to deliver, affordable and saves time
- Flexibility in terms or availability
- Self-pacing for slow or quick learners reduces stress and increases satisfaction and retention
- Learners have the ability to track their progress
*Limitation
- Some students do not have much access to online tools
- These might include little or no “in-person” contact
- Lack of a firm framework to encourage student to learn
- A high level of self-discipline or self-direct is required
- Absence of a learning atmosphere in e-learning systems
Flipped Learning
*What is it?
- Video podcast outside of class
- Homework and problems, individual assistance for students done in class
- One way for education to move in a new direction
*Benefits
- self-paced, work ahead if mastered
- students can pause, rewind, re-watch
- post questions
- Most of class time is spent on application of content
- Effective for differentiation
*Limitation
- May not access to technology
- Not all students are comfortable with independent learning
- General dislike think they are being show video rather than actual teaching
Commonalities amongst teaching theories:
Creativity-Innovation (Number one trend in education)
Personalisation-Differentiation (students progress at their own rates, different levels of instruction in one class)
Higher level learning
Student centered
Application of understanding
Synthesis of information
Teamwork
Communication skills
Problem solving
Peer-to-peer learning
Teacher acts as a facilitator of learning
Development of research skills
Critical thinking and problem solving
Technology and flipped learning
Collaboration for student success
Empowering students
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Encouraging students to want to continue to learn
Backward design
Scaffolding