Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects

Oct 15, 2026

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The implementation of a teacher education strategy within Finland’s decentralised education system is analysed. Thirty-one pilot projects were funded to support strategy implementation and professional learning of autonomous teacher educators across all universities. Using a mixed-methods design, directors and active partners described pilot characteristics seen as enabling strategy implementation and assessed the projects’ impact. Research and goal orientation, active learning, collaboration, contextualisation, and reflection were emphasised, while common goal setting and evaluation should be strengthened.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background and policy context

Teacher education strategy implementation challenge

Adoption, social learning, and communities of practice

Implementation framework

TEDP and Finnish Teacher Education Forum

Pilot projects and professional learning

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 46 Issue 10 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | 2021
Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects
Jari Lavonen
University of Helsinki and University of Johannesburg, Soweto Campus
Seija Mahlamäki-Kultanen
HAMK School of Professional Teacher Education
Sanna Vahtivuori-Hänninen
Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
Armi Mikkola
Follow this and additional works at: [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte)
Part of the Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons, and the Secondary Education and Teaching Commons | | Recommended Citation Lavonen, J., Mahlamäki-Kultanen, S., Vahtivuori-Hänninen, S., & Mikkola, A. (2021) . Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(10) . Retrieved from [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss10/2](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss10/2) [This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[ ](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss10/2](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss10/2) Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects Jari Lavonen University of Helsinki, Finland and University of Johannesburg, South Africa Seija Mahlamäki-Kultanen HAMK School of Professional Teacher Education, Finland Sanna Vahtivuori-Hänninen Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland Armi Mikkola Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland Abstract: The implementation of a teacher education strategy in a decentralised Finnish education system is analysed. Altogether, 31 pilot projects, involving teacher educators from all universities, were funded to support the implementation of the strategy and professional learning ofautonomous teacher educators in the context of the strategy. In this mixed-methods research, the directors and active partners ofthe pilot projects were asked how they perceived the characteristics of the pilot projects that have been recognised as supportive for the implementation of the strategy. The directors were also asked to evaluate the impact of the projects. The projects have supported the achievement of the strategy’s aims. Research and goal orientation, active learning, collaboration, contextualisation and reflection were emphasised in the pilot project activities. Common goal setting and evaluation of the pilot projects should be emphasised more in the implementation of the strategy. Introduction Planning and implementing a professional standard, a strategy, a development project or areform programme in teacher education are common tools for improving teacher education and even the whole education system (Furlong, 2005 ; Panda, 2019; Young et al., 2007) . However, it is challenging to engage teacher educators in implementing new ideas into practice. For example, Révai (2018) argues, based on the standards and strategy work in Estonia, Australia and Singapore, that it is challenging to coordinate the dialogue between the strategy work, the teacher education programmes and course descriptions and, moreover, to engage stakeholders in this dialogue. Strategies are too often developed by a small group of experts without enough planning for their implementation. For example, Beach et al. (2014, p. 167) recognised, based on their long-term policy analysis in Sweden, that Swedish reforms and development projects are too strongly led by governments alone. In general, new ideas developed at the ministry level have been recognised as challenging to implement from the ministry point of view or to adopt from the individual tea

FAQs

What is the study’s main focus on teacher education in Finland?

The study analyses how a national teacher education strategy is implemented in Finland’s decentralised education system through pilot projects.

How many pilot projects were funded, and who participated?

Altogether, 31 pilot projects were funded, involving teacher educators from all universities, with directors and active partners asked about perceptions and impact.

Which pilot-project characteristics were emphasised as supportive for strategy implementation?

The study highlights research and goal orientation, active learning, collaboration, contextualisation, and reflection as key supportive characteristics.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Franzy