Bulletin of the 3rd International Educational Exhibition and Seminar

Issue 1 December 2012 / Safa

r 1434

Design and editing: Al Mohtaraf al Saudi

The Finnish Model

Guest of the 3rd Exhibition
An Invitation to Invest in Pedagogical Research Education under the Microscope From the Chalkboard to the Keyboard

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The Experience of Finland

The exhibition this year will present the most distinguished and successful international experiences related to the improvement of education environment and development strategies. In the first exhibition, the Singapore experience was highlighted while in the second the South Korean was under spotlight. This year the exhibition will focus on the experience of Finland in education development. The experience will be a source of inspiration and will introduce examples and give access to the world most pioneering models for furthering the education sector in the Kingdom.
of social justice - the basic requirement of this strategy is to focus on government education. This is achieved through establishing schools and universities all around the country. All education institutions are given the same budget and enjoy same infrastructure and facilities. By using this method, all students can enjoy same knowledge regardless of their social and or economic backgrounds. All students work in similar education environments and have the same education experience. A secondary strategy also works on attracting qualified young graduates and focuses on improved training for existing teachers in the sector. As a result, the qualifications of teachers jumped from bachelor degrees to master degrees. Despite the fact that the advanced education policy has given schools and teachers the ability to define the content of syllabuses, schools are required to adhere to a general development plan. The strategy pays a close attention to the books used. Outstanding writers with experienced in using advanced pedagogical methods have contributed to directing student books. The development policy in Finland has also worked in preparing the child for education by paying close attention to children with special needs, gifted children, group activities, school experiences and learning languages. The strategy includes different education grades starting from kindergarten all the way to higher education. It is astonishing to note that this strategy undergoes assessment every four years to evaluate its efficiency and rearrange priorities according to experience.

Result:

Summary

Until the late 1970s, Finland was classified as the least successful European country in the field of education. Finland, however, has managed to reverse the situation in a short time. Finland has recorded the historic achievement of topping the United Nations annual list of leading countries in education. The UN classification is based on testing the educational processes around the world through student exams distributed among pupils in different countries. This incredible and successful model of Finland has turned into a fairytale; television reports, news, and magazines are all stating that a child in public education at Finland becomes fluent in at least three languages by the age of thirteen. To achieve this, the government of Finland has implemented a new system based on the concept

This strategy has changed the education system in Fenland and has made it the most qualified system in the world. It also helped develop a rising middle class that was able to enhance and develop the economy of the country.

Supporting elements:

A number of factors helped Finland achieve this education level including its low population (approx.. 5 million), low number of children (60,000, and the strong cooperation between universities, colleges of applied sciences, research institutions, companies, factories, and the private sector, the latter contributing strongly in financing processes. Despite these supporting elements Finland experience stands as an inspiration for all countries seeking to advance their education, especially in relation to focusing on quality and stressing on activities that encourages the creativity of students.

F l p a w i w

Finnish Exhibitors in the 2013 Exhibition

Palmia Company specialized in training and promoting leaders Sanoma Institution specialized in training and promoting leaders Rediteq Company specialized in educational equipment ISKU Institution specialized in training and promoting leaders University of Helsinki, Palmena center for continuing Education Company specialized in training and promoting leaders EDucluster Finland LTD. Specialized in training and promoting leaders Easydoing oy Company specialized in educational equipment Sanako Corporation Company specialized in educational equipment Lappeenranta University of Technology Specialized in training and promoting leaders University of Turku Specialized in training and promoting leaders Omnia, the joint authority of education in the Espoo region Educational Organization Eduplus oy Specialized in establishing curricula Vahanen Gulf Limited Specialized in building educational buildings. Dramaforum Specialized in establishing curricula Innoschool Finland oy

Educational Organization

Teklab Specialized in educational equipment 10monkeys.com Specialized in establishing curricula Tampere university of Applied Sciences Specialized in training and promoting leaders Finpro, Future Learning Finland Educational Organization

A child in public education at Finland becomes fluent in at least three languages by the age of thirteen

Finnish Experience Supports Research,

Integration and Decentralization in the Education Sector

During the exhibition, we had the opportunity to interview Professor Garry Lavonen, from Helsinki University, who is presenting a paper on the Finnish experience of developing the educational system.

In your opinion, what is solid base of permanent and effective reforming and developing an educational system?

and equality between students. This means that every city or region in the state is able to decide for itself and apply the program without having to refer to the center. In fact, those who work in subsidiary offices should be trusted to do their job. The system is valid for small and big countries alike. But it should be recognized that conditions are not going to improve in a matter of days. Trusting the subsidiary offices will certainly contribute in advancing the process, though slowly. At the same time the subsidiary administrations should find ways to assess the output of the educational process, in order to discover shortages, and allocate budget to the remedy.

It is certainly research, in our experience in Finland. This experience is mainly based on investing in education. It is essential to allocate a huge budget, which requires work hard and spending a lot of time conducting basic and profound research in education and teaching that encompasses teachers, students, school environment and even the history of the educational systtem, in order to better know how teaching has evolved over time. To better anticipate the future, we are researching the potential use of cellular phones and all portable devices in education.

To what extent lack of budget might hinder the performance of a developed education that might involve state-of-the-art telecommunication devices and technology?

How do you summarize your experience in Finland, which is rated the best and most efficient in developing education, in the world?

From interactive online learning spaces to mobile phones, new technologies are changing the ways in which teachers and learners interact with each other and with peers

We realized after the World War the importance of investing in education in relation to economic progress. It has made a big difference to our experience. We created a system based on scientific research, believing in the necessity of education for all students, whatever their background. In Finland, this has resulted in all students attending schools funded by the state, in observance of the principle of equality we have no private education. In addition, our policy is to place together all students, including those with special needs, learning difficulties, and those from social different backgrounds. It has been proven that putting students together enhances their self-confidence and improves their ability to perform. It also kindle a spirit of cooperation and support between students.

Incorporating technology in education does not constitute an egregious financial burden, especially if we compare the price with what is spent on buildings and teachers salaries. Salaries in Finland are between 3000 and 4000 Euros. By the way, I support the policy of good remunerations to the teachers, and they are entitled to respect in their facing all the challenges they face. Finland does not spend a huge amount of money to incorporate technology into education, if compared to what is spent in the United States, Switzerland, or Germany, for example. The teaching day goes between 4 and 7 hours, according to the stage of teaching. We have long vacations, and we do not adopt the feeding philosophy in teaching, but rather stress on different activities that enhances abilities and skills of students.

I met several educators from many countries inspired by your experience, including some from Saudi Arabia. What do you think of the Saudi strategy for developing education?

Is this feasible in countries with much more students than those in Finland?

Decentralization is the best way to guarantee quality in education

This year I received no less than a hundred visiting delegations, mostly from Asia, and I happened to have visited the Kingdom many times to discuss the educational means and ways of developing the educational process. I am optimistic and think that the Kingdom will acquire a good and developed educational system in the coming years. I have been very pleased with what I have seen in terms of accurate and promising research, in particular in mathematics, physics, and sciences, and the private Saudi universities that I visited.

Education under the Microscope

Assessment for Improvement and Development
The 3rd Development and Education Exhibition and Forum organized by the Ministry of Education, is approaching. This will be a different successful session with 43 papers by experts from many countries besides the Saudi participation. There will also be 250 exhibitors from the Kingdom and abroad, specialized in programs establishing, educational instruments, schools buildings, training, leaders formation, global quality, academic agency, and educational programs for kindergartens, talented students, and special needs persons. Expectations is very high.. In its first session, the exhibition focused on the issue of Decentralization of Education that will ensure the required flexibility necessary for the success and quality of the educational process. The theme of the 2nd exhibition was the Character of the Teacher. This was accomplished in parallel with great efforts to make a giant educational leap in the Kingdom under the Ministry of Education which has made the exhibition the most important event of its kind. The exhibition today opens the door for an extensive participation by experts who are more informed and effective in their domain globally. It is the venue where all partners in the educational process meet including experts, teachers, students and families to formulate strategic educational plans. The venue will also group officials in charge of educational facilities, investors in the sector of education and learning tools. In its third session to be held from the 18th until the 22nd of next February (8-12 Rabi II), the exhibition will complete its pioneering role in making the educational process a success. The third exhibition will be held under a wide and important title which is Assessment for Improvement and Development. After the great and fruitful educational and academic efforts exerted in the previous exhibitions, a new mechanism of continued assessment must be sought. The mechanism will also be used to evaluate the learning means, tools and strategies so as to ensure the success of the educational process putting it on the correct path and shifting it, under the gained experiences, from reviewing the process into taking it to advance levels. This is, more or less, the crux of the exhibition.

From the Chalkboard to the Keyboard

The Role of Technology in Education Innovation
Supervised by Zeena Zakharia, Assistant professor of comparative education in the College of Education and Human Development, Boston University Online Courses - or MOOCS - offer education to an indefinite number of students who study together in online chat rooms on different continents, changing the face of education and the meaning of being a classmate.

From primary school through university, the Internet and technology-based teaching methods continue to influence education practises worldwide. Educators, students and policy makers are increasingly banking in on a technology that has inspired new forms of creativity, and given millions of people around the world access to a vault of knowledge previously limited by the doors of classrooms.
The development of technology-enabled learning methods continues to enrich the education sector, giving both teachers and students access to a vast library of materials and methods. From interactive online learning spaces to mobile phones, new technologies are changing the ways in which teachers and learners interact with each other and with peers, creating an ever changing community of learners. Inclusion of new, online tools and digital technologies in the learning environment allows a more diverse group of students to get the most out of their education. Online teaching allows students who cant physically be present in a classroom to participate in classes, while those who arent book smart in the traditional sense often find new ways to engage in learning through alternative study methods and sources made possible by web and digital tools.

From interactive online learning spaces to mobile phones, new technologies are changing the ways in which teachers and learners interact with each other and with peers

Innovation

In the hallways of universities, innovation has become the buzzword. Many invest heavily on the hardware students need to work together in the most effective ways, and adapt their curriculum to match. Harvard University recently opened their Innovation Lab, where students can utilize a fully outfitted workspace to develop their innovations and translate their ideas into working prototypes. Similarly, universities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East are stimulating their students to branch out from the traditional teacher-student formula and use their peers as a network of colleagues to work together towards a shared goal.

Change

Community of learners

These communities of learners extend far beyond the classroom, through social networking and websites such as YouTube and Wikipedia. Among the initiatives that bring the best of science from universities into living rooms and internet cafes all around the world are TED - a nonprofit bringing people in Technology, Entertainment and Design together - and the Khan Academy, an online library of thousands of free video lectures, making high-quality education accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Massive Open

While universities have embraced the culture of innovation, the techno-revolution in education still finds bumps in the road. According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, schools are only slowly waking up to all the possibilities that the Internet offers as an education toolbox. And although computers are increasingly used as part of the curriculum in both high and low-income countries and schools, the students are still educating the teachers when it comes to modern technology. Investing in hardware is only the first step in turning classrooms onto the path of technology-based learning. Training educators and administrators is key, as well as allocating funds for on-going investment in the latest technologies and programs to best serve students needs. The whole education sector - from kindergarten to university - may be tuned in to the latest developments in education. But eventually, it will take a shift in mind-sets from the chalkboard to the keyboard before the education system can fully utilize and mainstream the possibilities of a worldwide, online learning community.