Exploring Finnish Digital Education
Illustration of teacher teaching a class of people with different backgrounds

Principles

“It is our aim to ensure the provision of secure and high-quality digital services and content for teaching and learning. Everyone should be able to develop their digital competence seamlessly at each step of their learning path.” –Minna Kelhä, Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education

Principles and values create the base for
digitalisation in education

 

Three children looking at a laptop screen
Photo: Satu Haavisto

Digitalisation can be achieved in an education context when it is not a goal in itself but a tool to serve, support, and promote learning.   

Digital education in Finland is planted in a soil of appreciation for childhood, democracy, trust, and a culture of life-long learning. Through trust and working together, Finland aims to educate learners for a sustainable future and life that requires digital competences.

 

Trust

In Finland, teachers are respected and autonomous professionals.  Highly educated and trusted, they are encouraged to experiment with and continuously develop their pedagogical practices, as well as share experiences with their peers. Teachers are also encouraged to actively participate in regular professional development, which prepares them for a constantly changing educational landscape. 

Equity

We believe that everyone must have equal educational opportunities and access to high-quality education, training, and support according to their individual needs.  As we see it, the best way to achieve sustainable economic growth and well-being is to mobilise the competence and talents of all citizens. 

Learner-centricity

Personalised learning paths take into account students' strengths and find  the most suitable ways to learn for everybody. In early childhood education and care, learning through play is essential.  Throughout basic schooling and onwards, learners explore collaboratively, developing real-world skills and broad-based competences in the process. 

Digital competences are civic skills 

Ihminen tietokoneen ääressä kirjoittamassa
Photo: GettyImages / eclipse_images

Digital competences are essential for employment and for participation in society; this goes beyond just knowing how to use hardware and applications. The abilities to learn, judge, act, and empathise are all transferable to the digital ecosystem.

The Finnish digital education ecosystem stays true to this picture. Finland’s signature cross-curricular approach has been adapted to teaching digital literacy and skills. Teachers apply their knowledge to the implementation of digital solutions.  These factors, combined with Finland’s policies supporting innovation, have created a hospitable environment for a digital education ecosystem.

Within the learning environment, learners use digital technology for a variety of purposes. In some cases, they are encouraged to use what they have learned to try and experiment with school-approved applications. Educational technology is integrated throughout not only as a means to practise these skills, but also as a support for real-world interactions that serve learners, teachers, and families.
 

What are the guiding principles in your country?

Take some time to reflect on the characteristics of your education ecosystem. What is needed to support the growth of a digital education ecosystem?

All educational ecosystems are anchored to local cultures, practices and administration, so start by exploring the guiding principles of yours.

Below are some frameworks that are used in Finland. Are they familiar to you?
People having a mobile meeting

Global Frameworks

UNESCO & UNICEF "Gateways to digital learning" 
All children, youth, and adults deserve opportunities to learn through high-quality public digital gateways to education. At the Transforming Education Summit, UNESCO and UNICEF launched Gateways to Public Digital Learning, a global, multi-partner initiative to support countries in securing equitable access to digital learning resources.

UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub 
This UNICEF and FinCEED collaboration will leverage the technical expertise of Finnish education experts to strengthen skills in learning and development; expand mutual networks; and support the iteration and scale of solutions in five learning pioneer countries.

European, EU/EC Frameworks
Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), a renewed European Union (EU) policy initiative that sets out a common vision of high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe, and aims to support the adaptation of the education and training systems of Member States to the digital age

 

Finnish national Frameworks

Policies for the digitalization of education and training 2027 describes the measures required for the development of digitization. The guidelines are shared by the industry and concern the entire education system in Finland.

The Digital Compass was drawn up to direct and manage the development of the digital transformation in Finland. The work was steered by the ministerial working group on developing the digital transformation, the data economy and public administration and prepared by the coordination group for digitalisation.

Criteria for a high-quality digital learning solution. Digital services are developing fast. The pedagogical quality of digital learning environments varies. This criteria is aimed at facilitating the selection of digital services (applications) and their pedagogical use.

Finnish Innovation Policy 
The aim of this policy is to promote innovation and develop an innovation friendly operating environment.