Education Systems

Alaw Meredydd 13.1*

ContentsPlanIntroductionAnalysisConclusionsEvaluationBibliographyAppendices*

PlanWhy choose Which country has the most effective education system Wales or Finland?

I have chosen this topic because:

I have strong interest in education as a careerAll three of my A level subjects combined i.e Welsh, Geography and Mathematics (statistics), will support my findings.Im interested in finding out why schools in Finland are consistently at the top of world rankings even though the pupils have the fewest number of class hours.*

Plan (continued)*Where will I find my information?

I am going to use a wide variety of resources to collect my information, Including:

Information available on websites

Books from the local library

I will contact the Finnish National Board of Education and also contact the Welsh Assembly

I am going to produce a questionnaire to get a feedback from local teachers, peers at school and also members of the general public on the education system. I can keep a brief set of questions which are simple and succinct. They will solve the purpose of my research at the same time not consume much time of the targets.

Plan (continued)*In order to manage my time efficiently, I am going to create a time management plan. This will include identifying specific targets with completion dates to enable me to finish the investigation on time.

Plan (continued)*School OrganizationCurriculum and examsQuestionnaire on educationFundingCompulsory educationTeacher training

Time Management plan

Deadline dateWhat is to be done? Was it completed by deadline if no why?Sept 11 Brainstorm ideas about different topicsChoose top 3 topicsConsider titles for investigation

Choose the best topic/title to investigate

Undecided on final title/topic because of vagueness of my choicesOct 4 Chose the best topic to investigate and considered titles/aims of investigation Am definite going to choose education. But I need to find which country to compare withOct 5Confirm title of investigation and the aims of what I hope to achieve through research.Choose 2 suitable countries

Research reliable sources of information on both countries

Yes I have chosen Wales and Finland Completed all book/internet research

Time Management plan (continued)

Deadline dateWhat is to be done? Was it completed by deadline if no why?Oct 6 Have contacted Welsh Assembly and also contacted Finnish National Board of Education for more information Via Email Think of questionnaire ideas Still awaiting response

Rough ideasOct 7 Prepare introduction Why investigate Have done research using books/internet. Still awaiting feedback.Oct 8 Design questionnaire

Detailed target setting and time management Partially I have started to draft first questionnaire I have received relevant information from F.N.B.E. Finnish research nearly finished.Oct 9 Assemble questionnaire Final draft completed. Need to have it checked before sending out.Oct 10 Review Individual Investigation so far with Ms. Ellen Williams

Time Management plan (continued)

Deadline dateWhat is to be done? Was it completed by deadline if no why?Oct 15 Conduct questionnaire given out to 30 people awaiting return.Oct 20 Analysis of the results Graphs and tablesOct 23 Conclude analysis Write up research information of education policies in Wales and Finland.Oct 30 Conclude investigation using all information gathered Prepare PPP

Oct 31 Bibliography/ Appendix

Nov 1st Review and present PP

Education*Education forms the major backbone of our society. It trains an individual, develops his reasoning power and decision making power. A well educated person does not depend on anybody else for anything. He gets confidence, knowledge and potential to acquire what he wants. If every citizen is educated then the country will certainly prosper in all fields.

Background Information - Wales*

Wales is a constituent country in the United Kingdom, South West of the Island of Great Britain, sharing a land border with England.

Wales has an area of 8023 square miles and a population in the region of 2.9 million people

Official language Welsh and English

Background Information - Finland*

The republic of Finland is in Northern Europe, and is part of the European Union, sharing a border with Sweden, Norway, and Russia.

Finland has an area of around 130,000 square miles and a population of 5.9 million people

Official language Finnish and Swedish

Comparison of Wales and FinlandAlthough Wales is a smaller country by area and population compared to Finland, I find it interesting to discover that the standard education for Wales are much lower than in Finland according to Pisa tests.*

What does Pisa stand for?

Pisa stands for Programme for International Student Assessment.

PISA assesses how far students near the end of compulsory education at 15 years old have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in society.

Reading, mathematics, science and literacy are covered not merely in terms of mastery of the school curriculum, but in terms of important knowledge and skills needed in adult life.

*

The Pisa test Each student takes a two-hour handwritten test. Part of the test is multiple-choice and part involves fuller answers. In total there are six and a half hours of assessment material, but each student is not tested on all the parts. Following the cognitive test, participating students spend nearly one more hour answering a questionnaire on their background including learning habits, motivation and family. School directors also fill in a questionnaire describing school demographics, funding etc.

Wales teenagers ranked below average, alongside the Czech Republic, in reading. Leighton Andrews called the results "unacceptable" and said everyone involved should be "alarmed".Wales again ranked lowest of the UK countries and is now cast adrift from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.The latest tests, which were conducted in 2009, show the country is now below average on all three measures and has scored worse than before in every category.Schools in Wales are simply not delivering well enough for students at all levels of ability"Problems of Pisa test in Wales

*How do Wales and Finland compare in the Pisa test?For Pisa 2009, 65 countries implemented the assessment with result publish on the 7th of December 2010.

Out of 65 countries taking part, Wales was ranked 38th for reading, 40th for mathematics and 30th for the tests for science.

Finland was ranked 3rd for reading, 6th for mathematics and 2nd in science tests. (see graph next slide)

The finns were placed second in mathematics among OECD nations and sixth among all 65 part, while in science they scored first among OECD countries and second overall.

2009 Pisa result

School organization*Finland Attend one school only between ages of 7-16 which avoids having to make any transition

18-20 hours per week in Finland (700-760 hours annual)

Child staff ratio is 18 : 1

School organization*Wales Attend two schools which can make transition difficult for some pupils

22 hours per week in Wales (4,370 hours annual)

Child staff ratio varies in Wales but can be as high as 30 : 1

Compulsary Education*Finland When Finnish children turn 7 years old they start compulsory primary school

Children dont attend school full time between 4 7 years old

They stay at school until they are 16 years old

All children start at the same level

*Compulsary Education

Compulsary Education*Wales When Welsh children are 4 years old they start compulsory primary school

4 7 years old playing and learning are part of the school curricilum (foundation stage)

They stay at school until they are 16 years old

All children start at the same level

Teacher training*Finland Strong educational profession. Only 10% of 5,000 applicants each year accepted to university. All need a Masters degree.Wales Not a strong educational profession. No limit to graduating teachers. No need to have Masters degree only GCSE C grade in Mathematics and English.

Curriculum and Exams*Finland Playing and learning are combined rather than formal teaching at the age of 7 11

No tests except at the age of 17 19 for nationwide National Matriculation Examination in mother tounge, foreign language, maths and social/natural science

Teachers make own assessment tests, not quoting numeric grades, but using descriptive feedback

We believe that the description of the Finnish system is based on trust of teachers competence and the system. Whether thats a good thing or not is up for debate.But while teachers themselves dont seem to pay too much attention to the trends of Pisa there are indications that the Pisa results are taken seriously in the upper echelons of Finnish governance

*Curriculum and Exams

*Curriculum and Exams

Curriculum and Exams*Wales 7 11 called key stage 2 in Wales. Children are assessed in Mathematics, Science, Welsh and English

Exams in GCSE (up to 10 subjects) and A level between 2 and 5 in a variety of subjects

Continuous national assessments from 4 years onwards

School funding*Finland Funding is free i.e all costs of tuition, warm school meals, educational material, transportition.Wales Funding provided for school, based in pupil numbers. Free school meals only to those on family income supplement / cost of tutition to university has to be provided by majority of famillies.

Better education in finland because change of educational steering system?

*1. GenderMale Female

2.AgeUnder 15 16-20 21-30 31-40 over 40

3. At what age do you think its beneficial for children to start full time education?4 7

4. Do you think children who struggle educationally should routinely receive individual support?Yes No

5. Do you think that children would achieve higher result in a relax atmosphere or in a more formal atmosphere?Relax atmosphere Formal atmosphere

6. Do you think that primary and secondary schooling should be combined?Yes No

7. Do you think that pupils should be kept in the same classroom regardless of their ability in a particular subject?Yes No

8. Do you think its beneficial to spend less or more hours in school?Less More

9.Do tests and exams raise standards in education?Yes No

10. Should schools plan their own curriculum?Yes No

Questionnaire answers*

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At what age do you think it's beneficial for children to start full time education?

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age 425

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Questionnaire answers*

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No

Yes

Do you think children who struggle educationally should routinely recieve individual support?

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NoYes

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17

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Do you think that children would achieve higher result in a relaxed atmosphere or in a more formal atmosphere?

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Relaxed atmosphere13

Formal atmosphere17

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Questionnaire answers*

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Do you think that primary and secondary schooling should be combined?

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Yes7

No23

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Should schools plan their own curriculum?

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Sales

Do you think that pupils should be kept in the same classroom regardless of their ability in a particular subject?

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No21

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Questionnaire answers*

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Do you think it's beneficial to spend less or more hours in school?

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Questionnaire answers*

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Do tests and exams raise standards in education?

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YesNo

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Even though PISA result in Finland shows higher success rate in Maths, reading and Science without continual tests and exams. My questionnaire showed that the majority of us in majority of the questions prefer our own educational system.Only 17% thought that starting school at 7 was best.57% thought that children would achieve higher result in a more formal atmosphereOnly 7 people out of 30 thought that primary and secondary schooling should be combinedOnly 43% thought that schools should plan their own curriculum70% thought that pupils shouldnt be kept in the same classroom regardless of their ability in a particular subject73% think it's beneficial to spend more hours in school21 out of 30 think that tests and exams raise standards in education

Questionnaire analysis

ConclusionIn conclusion I think the country that has the most effective education system is Finland.WHETHER its due to universal access to education, extensive teacher training or its largely egalitarian society the Finnish schooling model is seen as one of the best in the world.Results from the most recent samplings taken in 2009 show that while Wales languishes below all of the other UK home countries, below and alongside the likes of Latvia and the Czech Republic, Finland has maintained its stellar position near the summit. PISA RESULTS ARE BETTER (aged 15 maths, reading and science)NO CONTINUOUS TESTING AND RECORDINGTEACHERS HAVE MORE FREEDOM TO TEACHEDUCATIONAL RESOURCES/FUNDING PROVIDED CENTRALLY BY GOVERNMENTTEACHER TRAINED TO A HIGHER LEVEL I.E MASTERS DEGREECLASSES ARE SMALLER*Past tense: I have found that.....

Evaluation I felt I carried out the investigation well on the whole. I selected a relevant title; thoroughly researched into the topic from the perspective of both countries; made relevant and meaningful use of primary and secondary sources to support my findings; I presented my findings using a variety of skills and techniques.I conformed to my time management schedule on the whole but found it difficult to reach the final deadline for presentation.

Bibliography

http://www.pisa2006.helsinki.fi/files/The_Finnish_education_system_and_PISA.pdfhttp://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education-news/2011/06/30/there-are-warning-signs-that-we-have-to-heed-pisa-results-have-been-too-good-for-finland-91466-28965648/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessmenthttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11930257http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finlandhttp://bertmaes.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/why-is-education-in-finland-that-good-10-reform-principles-behind-the-success/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Wales