Cultural Diversity & Learning Theory
Part 1
Introduction
I selected the Finnish culture group because I have little knowledge about its culture and customs and etiquette. According to my little understanding of this culture group, this culture is common in Northern Europe Scandinavia. I want to get in-depth knowledge of the Finnish culture customs as well as etiquette. I assume that such a community is very committed and values education as well as their religion. The Finnish culture could be associated with features of their culture; I believe that the finish has attitudes toward school, child rearing additionally these community has excellent interpersonal relationships, and are characterized with beliefs and values of the community.
Group cultures differ I, therefore, believe that Finnish differs from American. According to my knowledge, I assume that my American culture varies from the finish culture since the American focus on working hard to build and have strong economic status while in Finland every one focuses on improving the children and themselves for the benefit of the whole community.
The challenge that may exist for the culture group
The challenge facing the culture could be issues of adoption of the western culture among some of the community members who might be interested in getting adopting the American education system. Another challenge could be a high level of education status as this could result in demoralizing the student teachers (Nauman, 2018). Not many of the students will be able to go up to master’s level. Consequently, they acquire the relevant skills as it means that with bachelors education level students won’t be able to work anywhere this is not the case in America as evidenced in some of the bachelor’s students can secure well-paying jobs and lead a better life. The way people interact within the finish culture the respect they show to their cultural tradition and taboos, their perception to development projects as well as education system helps in measuring the artistic achievement (Nauman, 2018). Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
After coming across all the research, I have genuinely come to better my understanding on these culture as I could be able to reflect and improve the knowledge that I had before on this culture. I fundamentally believe that other cultures from all over the world could come and benchmark as well as learning from this culture which is a perfect example of the better and established society.
Part 2
Refection on finish education and culture
Finland values education very well interestingly there are very clean and well-maintained school environments. According to researchers, each class has students 20 to 25 students, additionally to finish school has no standardized tests (Walker, 2017). According to the school education system in Finland, a single lesson takes only 45 minutes .additionally shall ensure that there is healthy eating since children get free lunch irrespective of their family background. This state has a literacy rate of 100% interestingly at the age of 7 formal instruction are started. Teenagers who are unable to proceed to college level get chances to a vocational school where they enhance their skills (Walker, 2017). There is a big difference in the Finland education organization and American education structure, in America English language is the critical language used in teaching while in Finland they make use of finish language which is the primary language used in teaching in finish education systems (Walker, 2017). Finish culture is known to have some strengths such that it highly values the education system as well as respecting their cultural norms.
Additionally the main focus of the society It is without a doubt that professional teachers in Finland make their decisions on how they should teach. The organization believes that school is the society highly respects the place where students grow .most of the teachers since they have a master’s degree in their profession (Hautamäki et al. 2013). The schools have developed individual work plan where tutors discuss with those in authorities, and interestingly there are no inspections in the school aimed at evaluating teachers. According to Rauhansalo, and Kvieska (2017)., the success of the educational system in the region is due to collaborative and cooperative teachers, who are focusing motivating the children, they treat students with equality and practice autonomy in a professional manner since they are qualified and fit in their career.
In Finland society students are never compared with one another, that’s why there is no gap between the high performing and worst performing institution in Finland. Finns community believe that any student’s progress can be judged against their respective characteristics (Naison, 2014). Since their tutor focuses on student evaluation, this is different from the U.S culture, where the judgment comes from outside the school in adult judgment.
Failure and Success
According to the research, teacher retention is affected by teacher perceptions in society. In America since we have the responsibility to shine and motivate the young in society to join the profession. In case of inadequate teachers in schools, there is likely hood of employee’s semi-skilled teachers who will not help the student achieve their goals. In Finland, there are highly revered teachers at all levels of education (Hautamäki et al. 2013). In this society, the teaching profession is regarded to as prestigious and noble profession just like law and other marketable businesses.
There is the availability of all resources required in the teaching profession since the teacher’s qualification is a master’s degree (Veigel, 2015). Interestingly teachers in Finland take fewer hours in classroom 600 hours per year as compared to 1000 hours in the US. Meaning that they could finish the syllabus in time and help students master what was taught in class.
Comparing U.S and Finland
Values and Purpose
According to the studies it is true that in Finland the public education development is perceived as citizen and human being, the associated goals make the professional education focus on the type they would like the children to become in future. American only perceive the purpose of knowledge as to raise workers who could secure chances in the global economy this is very different from Finland. American relate the value of education to one’s income (Burg, 2018). Based on American cultural beliefs there is a mentality that people become wealthier because they work hard and smart than others. Despite the efforts of starting a carrier in teaching with full force, the orders from above could dictate what U.S teachers should follow in the classroom even if it is not relevant to coursework.
Finish education system
Finnish Education System in Integrated Social Education Context
Based on the recent research in Finland has integration of the education system with social education context. In this area, the critical priority of school is sustainable development and entrepreneurship. Currently, the education system of this state has a core curriculum, community, and homing programs as well as leaner based learning with progressive student’s self-reflection and constructive feedbacks (Burg, 2018). According to history since 1970 there was a new national curriculum framework which provided teacher guidelines as well as education enforcement of education improvement where there was developed a unified education structure, and all schools were restructured.
There was decentralization of the education system in the 1980s aiming at creating a new curriculum. In the modern era, the ministry of education, as well as the government, have responsibilities of supporting the public school in this state (Lavonen, 2017). They as well draft the laws and policies in education budgeting. There are local authorities which make effective programs of the schooling as well as local based curriculum. Children are having 16 -19years are mostly in upper secondary and vocational colleges. Student’s selection is determined by the basics education and experiences they have in work.
At the end of the upper secondary school, there is matriculation examination that makes the students proceed to university, colleges or polytechnics. The matriculation examination is comprising of some important exams such mother tongue, as well as subjects based on the choice of the student’s choice, mathematics or natural science, second language and foreign language.
The integrated learning
Additionally, in Finland, they have an integrated learning system, the school is responsible for controlling the knowledge as well as individual tutors. It is the responsibility of the teachers to decide the learning approach as well as the teaching environment. Finish school have highly qualified teachers who as stated above have master’s degree; there is a specific procedural program followed while selecting students two exams are emphasizing on academic qualifications, the candidates’ motivation and suitability towards education (Naison, 2014). The approaches used in the school system ensures that there is a lot of accountability and centralized norms which help to increase trust in teachers as well as local education system aimed at delivering better outcome It is true that the ministry of education has a specific requirements on the number of students expected to graduate from different universities this is to reflect on the future labor market.
There are nine years of primary education in Finland which is categorized into grade 1-6, grade 7-9. In teacher’s specialization, some have majored in lower level grade 1-2 while another concentrate on 7 -9.but other can do all classes. The organization of junior secondary school is based on the model used by the teacher in every subject, though courses of 25-30 students have a coordinating teacher (Rauhansalo, & Kvieska, 2017). Both junior and primary teacher work in several school building with their principles. In many municipals, there are have several primary schools near learner’s residence than the junior secondary schools. The education system has a long-standing policy that resulted in situations in which many parts of the state the teacher’s position are respected due to their qualifications.
According to the recent statistics in this state over 76 percent of teachers are qualified to their work .recently applicants for class teacher education is 7000 while approximately 900 students got admitted. Upon being admitted in class work, students have low chances of changing their courses .importantly class teacher, and student commitments could be seen as several graduation times are comparing to another direction it takes five years. Additionally after graduating there is teacher retention programs which are very incomparable to the American system. Interestingly, to show that the culture is sufficiently interested in their occupation teacher in this state do not show interest in transferring to other occupations (Nauman, 2018).
In the year 2007, the ministry of education come up with a new test program called VAKAVA. It aimed at reforming preselection phase across the state. There is a multiple choice test as well as an academic article which focus on evaluating memorization and how a student can comprehend as well as their ability in applying knowledge in materials. After receiving university invitation letter there is aptitude test that is administered to those who asked, it is merely aiming at evaluating their ability as well as suitability commitments and how they are motivated to teacher education, and teachers work it includes group discussion and interview (Hautamäki et al. 2013).
Research-based model of teacher education
According to research in 1979 it was declared that a primary school teacher to have a master’s degree, this is a program taking approximately five years. This policy was aimed at reforming the education system as well as unifying the core aspect of secondary and elementary school education and also develop a very high level of academic standards. Teacher use research-based approach in education development as there is increased teacher education (Naison, 2014)
This helps them in developing teacher oriented attitudes to their work. Meaning that it will guide them in their analytical and open-minded approaches to teaching. Additionally, it equips teacher with concluding centered approach towards observations as well as their experience and development of education and cleaner environment that have systematically been arranged (Lavonen, 2017). These approaches are also conventional in the university courses both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as optional course chosen by students with regard to their master’s thesis this help to equip students with the ability to read pedagogical researches critically so that they can be able to use proper methods in their master and bachelors programs (Lavonen, 2017).
Generally, from the research, it is evident that in Finland a research-centered approach in teacher education is appreciated as being a critical section in one’s academic progress though it is implicit to value and understand research roles in studies. Integration of theoretical studies and practice teaching is an essential key method to develop the teacher-student teacher competency. Three programs guide academic studies including the integration of practice teaching with pedagogy as well as multidisciplinary subjects, equipping students with teacher readiness to make them keep their profession growing as they exercise their career.
Students teacher mostly, face difficulties when connecting practice and theory. To overcome this kind of obstacles student tea hers are required to be reflecting on the experience they come across while in class. Supervisor’s feedback and comments help to support them (Nauman, 2018).
The Finnish response to external pressures for teacher education
According to Walker, (2017), it is authentic that Finland faces alternatives methods while reacting to key global strategies such as pay more attention to numeracy and literacy, consequential accountability and standardizing education. This state’s education system does not rely on national exams. I can see that mostly there is verbal evaluations on the progress of the students and parents are included bi-annually in discussing their children’s development. Interestingly it is only from grade six when numbered classes are provided in schools. Finish schools rely on their trust on the professionalism that is intellectual accountability thus is built through the culture of trust.
Additionally, it is very accurate that in finish culture school system does not follow the similar mainstream path to increase standardization of other school systems around the globe but gives the best outcome in this society, teacher education has become so prevalent in the youth, and entirely teacher education is more competitive. Teacher education offers the potential to get the best among the best applicants to be successful future teachers (Walker, 2017).
Part 3
Learning theory
I have decided to select a behavioral learning theory. In my trust, this is a passive process mainly focusing on observable traitors and not the mental activity of the leaners. This theory is based on intrinsic motive, and for one to come up with the conclusion, there is a need of having an observation on inherent behavior.
The theory is used to show that for one to be able to learn there is need of having reinforcing. The moment a child has been exposed to this approach of learning they develop [p better understanding. There is a need for reinforcement for learners to acquire the better knowledge and the purpose of whatever was advocated for during the learning process (Walker, 2017). As such this has a regular drill and skill repetitively; students develop a tendency of understanding what is taught through repetition the knowledge is easily transferred from the tutor to the leaner. It is, therefore, the role of the tutor to listen to what is being taught.
In the classroom context it is very accurate that this theory can be applied as it will mainly focus on the students capability to understand what is being taught, students are limited to being autonomous in selecting what they would like to be taught, but professional theory tutor is granted the opportunity, this defines the tendency of students interfering with other as far as understanding what happens between the leaners and teaching is concerned. There has been a weakness of this theory; for instance, the children might lose interests I the learning environment (Walker, 2017). It is also genuine that learning could not be but this does not necessarily mean that they will capture all that will be taught in the class.
Generally, from the above elaboration, it is very real that finish culture is strongly upholding education system and structure, it is only focusing on improving the student’s wellbeing and not focus on the economic or financial benefits.
References
Burg, C. A. (2018). Finnish Education in the 21st Century: Paradoxes and Visions. ie: inquiry in education, 10(1), 8. (Burg, 2018).
Hautamäki, J., Kupiainen, S., Marjanen, J., Vainikainen, M. P., & Hotulainen, R. (2013). Learning to Learn at the End of Basic Education: Results in 2012 and Changes from 2001. University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, Research Reports, 347. (Hautamäki et al 2013).
Kõiv, K., Zuzeviciute, V., Rone, S., & Liduma, A. (2013). Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian students’ in higher education perspective towards experiences in other countries and migration. Identities and citizenship education: Controversy, crisis and challenges, 124-136. (Kõiv, Zuzeviciute, Rone, & Liduma, 2013).
Lavonen, J. (2017). Governance decentralisation in education. RED: Revista de la Educacion a Distancia. (Lavonen, 2017).
Naison, M. (2014). Badass Teachers Unite!: Writing on Education, History, and Youth Activism. Haymarket Books. (Naison, 2014).
Nauman, A. D. (2018). Could It Ever Happen Here? Reflections on Finnish Education and Culture. ie: inquiry in education, 10(1), 7. (Nauman, 2018).
Rauhansalo, T., & Kvieska, V. (2017). Finnish Education System in Integrated Social Education Context. Social Education/Socialinis Ugdymas, 46(2). (Rauhansalo, & Kvieska, 2017).
Veigel, M. (2015). FORMATION OF YOUTH WORKER PROFESSIONALISM: PROBLEMS IN ESTONIA. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 68. (Veigel, 2015).
Walker, T. D. (2017). Teach like Finland: 33 simple strategies for joyful classrooms. WW Norton & Company. (Walker, 2017).