New national core curriculum for basic education: focus on ...

1 New national core curriculum for basic education : focus on school culture and integrative approach The national core curriculum for basic education has been reformed. The core curriculum provides a common direction and basis for renewing school education and instruction. The work at national level was led by the Finnish national Board of education in an open process. All relevant stakeholders were closely involved in the process. In addition the wider public were also invited to comment on the drafts. A curricular reform is always preceded ment the objectives, core contents and Active involvement of pupils, by a renewal of the other aspects related to in meaningfulness, joy of learning distribution of les Local curricula struction with local empha and interaction in focus son hours, which states the minimum complement the ses. The needs of the pupils, local specificities as well as In the curricular reform reflection on the changes in the surrounding world statutory lessons national core results from self-evaluation and their effect on children and young to be taught in different subjects.

2 curriculum with and development work are taken into account. people, learning school work and life skills played an important part. The The main changes in local emphases school must take these changes into the new distribution of lessons hours are Decision-makers Teachers that the number of lessons in arts and crafts were increased considerably during the nine-year basic education . Lessons in civics and history also increased. The number of lessons in religion and ethics decreased. The common compulsory subjects Parents & pupils School are stated in the basic education Act. Local Researchers culture curriculum The national core curriculum defines the objectives and core contents of each subject. In addition the core curriculum defines the objectives for the learning environment as well as principles for Assesment guidance, support, differentiation and assessment. national education providers, municipalities core and private education providers, draw up curriculum local curricula and annual plans on the Learning basis of the national core curriculum .

3 The local curricula will be implemented in autumn 2016. The local curricula comple Relevant sectors Finnish national Board of education | New national core | FNBE/2016. account, not just by reacting to change promotes participation and taking care of oneself, but also by taking a proactive role in democracy managing daily life building the future. The schools also promotes equity and equality multiliteracy have an important role in defining what takes responsibility for the ICT competence kind of future they should be involved in environment and focuses on a working life competence and constructing. sustainable future entrepreneurship Answers were sought to the question participation, involvement and on how to best promote learning. The The school community interacts in a building a sustainable future active involvement of pupils, meaningful respectful and constructive manner. It ness, joy of learning and school cultures offers opportunities for individual and Multidisciplinary learning modules that promote enriching interaction shared learning for all its members.

4 All are tools for integrating learning and between pupils and teachers are at the members take each other into account for increasing the dialogue between core of the new curriculum . through a dialogic interaction, striving different subjects. For the first time it to adapt their own is compulsory for the Every pupil is unique and has the actions to the activities Multidisciplinary schools to organise right to high-quality education The fundamental value is that every of the community. This dialogue requires that modules increase one such module at least once every pupil is unique and has the right to everyone participates, dialogue between school year. The core high-quality education . Pupils are heard, valued and encouraged. They feel that listens to and hears the thoughts and needs subjects. curriculum obliges the schools to plan their learning and well-being matter. of the others. Even if and implement Pupils are guided towards a sustainable learning takes place more and more these in cooperation between different way of life and understanding the outside the school, the versatile and safe subjects and involving pupils in their learning environment offered by the planning.

5 Apart from these obligations, school provide a strong support for the the municipalities and schools have the Schools offer growth of the pupil. freedom to plan the modules according opportunities Integration and dialogue to local needs and interests. for individual between subjects Assessment for learning and assessment as learning and shared The central aims of the new curriculum , are to develop the school culture and to Pupil assessment plays an important role learning. promote instruction with an integrative in promoting the learning of the pupils. approach. The aim is that pupils will Assessment supports learning and is an importance of sustainable development. understand the relationship and essential part of the learning process. The knowledge and skills as well as interdependencies between To support teachers in the values, attitudes and will that promote different learning contents assessment, the core curriculum provides these run throughout the whole be able to combine the the criteria for good performance for curriculum .

6 Knowledge and skills provided assessment at the end of grade six and The school culture makes these by different subjects to form the final assessment in grade nine. The values concrete. It is developed through meaningful wholes foremost task of assessment is to guide common principles that are defined in be able to adopt and use these and encourage the pupil. Pupils are the core curriculum . The aim is a school in collaborative learning not compared to each other. Instead, that functions as a learning community pupils are guided to reflect on their own that The core curriculum describes seven learning against the objectives. The takes care of the safety and transversal competence areas. These teachers help the pupils understand wellbeing of each and every epitomise the aims of education and the objectives and recognise their own member of the community reflect the competences needed in strengths and development needs. systematically promotes all spheres of life.

7 Competence is The teachers provide opportunities versatile working approaches constructed of knowledge, skills, values for the pupils to develop their skills for as well as cooperation and and will. The transversal competences are self-assessment and peer assessment interaction thinking and learning-to-learn so that they can both give and receive is aware of different languages cultural competence, constructive feedback. Assessment and sees culture as a richness interaction and expression supports the pupils as life-long learners. Finnish national Board of education | New national core | FNBE/2016.