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Finland Will Become the First Country in the World to Get Rid of All School Subjects

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Finland Will Become the First Country in the World to Get Rid of All School Subjects

Finland Will Become the First Country in the World to Get Rid of All School Subjects

Finland’s education system is considered one of the best in the world. In international ratings, it’s always in the top ten. However, the authorities there aren’t ready to rest on their laurels, and they’ve decided to carry through a real revolution in their school system.
Finnish officials want to remove school subjects from the curriculum. There will no longer be any classes in physics, math, literature, history, or geography.

The head of the Department of Education in Helsinki, Marjo Kyllonen, explained the changes:
“There are schools that are teaching in the old-fashioned way which was of benefit in the beginning of the 1900s — but the needs are not the same, and we need something fit for the 21st century.“

Instead of individual subjects, students will study events and phenomena in an interdisciplinary format. For example, the Second World War will be examined from the perspective of history, geography, and math. And by taking the course ”Working in a Cafe," students will absorb a whole body of knowledge about the English language, economics, and communication skills.

This system will be introduced for senior students, beginning at the age of 16. The general idea is that the students ought to choose for themselves which topic or phenomenon they want to study, bearing in mind their ambitions for the future and their capabilities. In this way, no student will have to pass through an entire course on physics or chemistry while all the time thinking to themselves “What do I need to know this for?”

The traditional format of teacher-pupil communication is also going to change. Students will no longer sit behind school desks and wait anxiously to be called upon to answer a question. Instead, they will work together in small groups to discuss problems.

The Finnish education system encourages collective work, which is why the changes will also affect teachers. The school reform will require a great deal of cooperation between teachers of different subjects. Around 70% of teachers in Helsinki have already undertaken preparatory work in line with the new system for presenting information, and, as a result, they’ll get a pay increase.

The changes are expected to be complete by 2020.

This could be revolutionary. A whole country's education system shifts towards skills-based and not subject-based learning.

Thoughts?
 
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They're introducing it for 16 year old students? So, it will be traditional school up until the end?
 
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They're introducing it for 16 year old students? So, it will be traditional school up until the end?

My understanding is that it's traditional school up to age 16, then they get an "integrated" curriculum to prepare for work or university. Some people commented that it'll only have a lasting effect if the same approach is taken in tertiary education, but I'm not sure that's true.
 

Lord Lavender

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It seems that they are going for a more big picture and integrated way of teaching. instead of focusing on one thing they will be learning multiple subjects at the same time meaning a more well rounded education and people who are able to think more holistically.
 

Yama

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Absolutely love this.
 

Typh0n

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I like it, because it gives students freedom to study what they want but otoh it might make things more complicated for the teachers; you can't be an expert in math, physics, history, geography all at once. I'm afraid this might make it less cohesive, though the intent is opposite. But it's an interesting idea.
 

Lord Lavender

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I like it, because it gives students freedom to study what they want but otoh it might make things more complicated for the teachers; you can't be an expert in math, physics, history, geography all at once. I'm afraid this might make it less cohesive, though the intent is opposite. But it's an interesting idea.

It does seem it would be harder to mark and keep consistent standards. I however think this is far more effective than conventional methods as one problem of modern educational systems is that people are not getting stimulated. Most people will get bored just learning facts over and over without applying themselves and exploring. I think it will prepare students better for adult life.
 

cascadeco

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I think it's an interesting idea, and I do think a more wide-angle approach is more appropriate in really understanding things, since most things in the real world have links to many different disciplines (psychology and sociology / communication tie into pretty much everything / decisions, for example).

I agree finding teachers to effectively teach in this manner could be the challenge, but otoh it could just be a bias I have here in the states, where teaching (pre college, that is) isn't the thing the smartest of people go into and the career that is really respected and valued (like it was historically). Whereas I am guessing it is a totally different story in Finland.
 

magpie

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Technically this isn't new. Montessori schools have been doing this for quite a long time.
 

Magic Poriferan

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:shock:

Not sure how I feel about that idea, actually. But I'm glad someone is giving it a test drive.
 

Virtual ghost

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Finland Will Become the First Country in the World to Get Rid of All School Subjects



This could be revolutionary. A whole country's education system shifts towards skills-based and not subject-based learning.

Thoughts?


As long as they don't go into too wide perspectives and keep the whole thing properly structured this has a very good potential. There is more and more knowledge and therefore people need to diversify as much as possible, in order that collective absorbs all the data. Because equal to everybody doesn't work, since there is no enough time that everybody will learn everything. Specialization is the future.
 

Tellenbach

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Let's see how this translates into innovation, entrepreneurial risk taking, scientific advancement, etc. I do think it's necessary to teach a common history to create cultural cohesion but beyond that, I don't see much harm in trying a new method. The biggest difference between Finnish schools and American schools are the teachers. Here in the USA, we tolerate mediocre and bad teachers with the hope that they'll get better. In Finland, all teachers have advanced degrees (at least a masters) and the top achievers become teachers.
 

ceecee

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I can't argue with long term results - they do excellently but it's the teachers. They hire the very best and pay them well. That said, I'm curious to see how this works, I like the idea of economics but I wouldn't do away with math and science. These can be skill based as well.
 
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It does sound interesting, but I'm a little uncertain about the value of "skills-based versus subject-based" learning and the potential for incredibly narrow specialization...which isn't necessarily a good thing, especially not in this era.

Still, an combination of the two can definitely be useful: it's about time for schools to include real-world uses and skills rather than keeping it all in the abstract.

Because equal to everybody doesn't work, since there is no enough time that everybody will learn everything. Specialization is the future.

I disagree. You're correct that no one can learn everything, and people usually gravitate to some particular subject to focus on, but I think encouraging young people to narrow their focus into only one or two things, where if they don't like or care about something they never have to be exposed to it, does them a disservice. Innovation often comes from combining or comparing disparate elements, from examining and incorporating ideas and elements from other subjects not necessarily part of your "specialty". Theoretically, you could go to someone who does specialize in that other element and talk to them, but is that really efficient and can it get similar results as colliding ideas and concepts in one's own mind?

I think the increased specialization we see today is really rather sad, unfortunate if only for the individuals' sake. I'm rather partial to the polymathic, classical model of education, but I'm still willing to see how this method does.
 

á´…eparted

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My reaction to this is mostly curious overall. Finland has proven to be experts in education, as such I trust their judgement on how to further improve education. However, I do have some reservations and caveots about this propsal, mostly with the STEM disciplines.

STEM fields are largely separated for a reason. At the basic levels, they each need to receive focused attention to learn the principles, fundementals and expand upon it. I feel like combining them into a larger group, or combining them into other areas (particularly the liberal arts) is a mistake. One exception to this is chemistry and biology. I have always felt that when it comes to high school, the order of which it should be taught is biology comes after chemistry. The reason for this is having a more intimate and detailed understanding of biology requires an understanding of chemistry. Without it, the knowledge of biology is more surface oriented and lacks depth and memory. I would be in support of chemistry and biology taught in tandem, but it would be difficult.

I'm iffy on the mixing of math in with the liberal arts as it seems to be proposed in the article. The amount of math (particularly advanced math) is hard to envision being mixed in, and I feel like it would mask and dilute a true understanding of mathamatical principles.

Ultimately, I think I would be ok if students could choose between different types of fused coursework, or choose focused subjects. Right now I also see an objection to this for those going to higher education. It follows a subject model (as it should) and I feel like this could short change student preparedness for that direction. It's part of the reason I feel like students should have the option.

However, I am in support of the humanities being mixed. In my experience in high school, it was already sort of like that. My history, politics, and english teachers all sort of worked and timed things with each other so they built off each other. History also requires a lot of writing, politics involves a lot of speaking. You could also mix philosophy in there as well, which is not taught nearly enough. Those subjects are simply more interconnected and would benefit from a mixed approach unlike the STEM subjects. It's Finland so I doubt it's a problem, but in the US anyway there's far too much of an emphesis on US history (which was so boring and try to me), and not nearly enough on world history (which I found far more interesting and informative). Having a mixed subject matter would allow for a broader scope of history.

I think overall I support this, so long as the STEM subjects are not overmixed, as I do feel that is a mistake.
 

Lark

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Combined with a universal basic income and this could be the move into the next epoch that the human race has been waiting on.
 

Virtual ghost

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I disagree. You're correct that no one can learn everything, and people usually gravitate to some particular subject to focus on, but I think encouraging young people to narrow their focus into only one or two things, where if they don't like or care about something they never have to be exposed to it, does them a disservice. Innovation often comes from combining or comparing disparate elements, from examining and incorporating ideas and elements from other subjects not necessarily part of your "specialty". Theoretically, you could go to someone who does specialize in that other element and talk to them, but is that really efficient and can it get similar results as colliding ideas and concepts in one's own mind?

I think the increased specialization we see today is really rather sad, unfortunate if only for the individuals' sake. I'm rather partial to the polymathic, classical model of education, but I'm still willing to see how this method does.

Yes, that can be a flaw but there is just too much information these days. Therefore you can't rely on individual to do the job, what is why they will also teach them to cooperate. Since it is better that "not everyone knows everything but togather they know everything" than "everybody knows the same quarter of the stuff". These are the only options that are really on the table.
 
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