作者/Pasi Sahlberg
編譯/李明洋
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芬蘭教育的成功並非奇蹟
芬蘭自從2000年的PISA開始，以及其後歷屆PISA的優異表現，不僅讓芬蘭人對自身的教育成就改觀，也讓全世界對芬蘭的教育成就改觀。
無論是國內或國外的教育工作者莫不想瞭解，到底芬蘭教育和其他國家有何不同。結果卻是令人感到相當驚訝，因為芬蘭既沒有針對自己的教改政策進行研究，也沒有透過研究所產出的觀點來主導教育政策的執行。相反的，芬蘭的研究者乃是參照理論及借鏡他國的經驗(來進行教改)。即使如此，或是正因如此，芬蘭的教育體系乃經歷了轉型，並從中獲取了3個重要的啟示:
首先，芬蘭教育體系的成功是參酌自他國教育體系的經驗。芬蘭現代化的公共教育係1860年代，由德國和瑞典的教育體系所演化來的。學校教育的架構、課程、職業訓練乃至於就業的整套構想和模式，都深受這兩個國家的理論和實務影響。
雖然在芬蘭的教育體系中，諸如高中階段的模組化課程、以表現為本位的職業認證，以及依學生需求外加10年級課程等設計，皆為芬蘭自己的發明，然而，現今芬蘭在教學方法、學生評量，以及學校領導等方面，絕大多數都是來自於國外。
自從1980年代開始，美國的教育思潮也對芬蘭教育產生重大影響。事實上，我也是將美國教育中諸如合作學習等偉大的創新引進芬蘭的人士之一。芬蘭當局也頗常參考”經濟合作與發展組織(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD)”、歐洲委員會(European Commission)和聯合國教科文組織(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNISCO)的構想。簡而言之，芬蘭人一直都向世界各國的教育學習。
其次，芬蘭的教育政策均是在中央教育當局、地方教育主管機關，以及代表教師的芬蘭教師工會(Finland’s Trade Union of Education)三方面的密切合作下所訂定與付諸施行。早從1990年代初，這三方面歷經了4年的協商與規劃，將芬蘭的諸多教育政策予以落實。而在規劃與討論期間，商業領袖、非政府組織、研究者和家長也都參與其中。於是，在凝聚各方的共識之下，芬蘭的決策者乃遵照著各方的期盼與願景，讓改革朝向永續發展的方向前進。正因如此，雖然芬蘭從1970年代迄今，已換過了20幾位教育部長，但教育政策的主要原則卻變化不大。
最後，芬蘭的教育政策中，最為關鍵的就是要提供公平和積極的學習機會給每一位孩童，使其享有安全且幸福的福祉。每一所芬蘭的學校都提供孩童足夠的營養，使其健康、安全且快樂地成長。芬蘭教育當局無視於國際慣例，例如他們不贊同透過考試及排名來提升教育品質，而是著重於教師培訓和師資穩定；他們看重和教師及工會代表之間的相互合作；他們重視及早和持續介入學習障礙學生的學習；他們強調全方位的教育課程；他們也公平地分配經費給全國各地的學校。
有許多人認為，不可能在要求學生(學習成效)卓越的同時，又能落實公平的教育。就芬蘭的經驗，如同加拿大和日本，只要(主政者)睿智地規劃，以及持續致力於教育專業人才的培育，要讓教育臻於卓越將是可能的。就像過去，很多人不相信，甚至連芬蘭人也不相信芬蘭擁有成功的教育體系，但是PISA的結果終讓這些質疑的人閉上了嘴。
雖然芬蘭在教改過程中，有許多措施是刻意為之的，但其中也有著運氣的成分。蘇聯在1990年代早期垮台後，造成了嚴重的經濟蕭條，但這樣的結果卻促使芬蘭人重新反省過往的教育思維，於是開始廣設學校，給予教師專業自主權、落實個別化的課程，以及在中學階段規劃具彈性的學習管道。
芬蘭堅持走自己的路，著重的是公平、專業及合作，拒絕標準化測驗及學校和教師的績效責任制。當初，芬蘭的教學與課程乃借鏡於美國、加拿大、德國、英國、瑞典及其他國家，如今，芬蘭則成為其他國家制定教育政策時，汲取經驗的對象。
【作者介紹：Pasi Sahlberg】
Pasi Sahlberg為芬蘭籍教育學者，擔任芬蘭國際行動與合作中心(Finland’s Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation)主任，並兼任Helsinki及Oulu大學教授。此外，亦是國際著名教改學者，曾任職於世界銀行(World Bank)，並被許多國家聘請為教育改革顧問。著有暢銷書”Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland“及該書續集”Finnish Lessons 2.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?”。
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FINLAND’S EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS IS NO MIRACLE
Finland’s stellar results for the first cycle of pisa in 2000 and for each subsequent cycles of the triennial international test have dramatically altered domestic, as well as international opinion. Educators at home and abroad have been forced to assess what Finland does differently. What may come as a surprise is that Finland has neither engaged in researching its own, unique reform measures, nor generated change-knowledge to steer education policy implementation. Instead, Finnish researchers have relied on the theories and insights of their international peers. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, we experienced a transformation of our education system, from which three important lessons have emerged.
First, part of Finland’s success has stemmed from studying other education systems. Since the birth of public education in the 1860s educational ideas and models from Germany and Sweden shaped Finnish education system and policies. The very structure of schools, curricula, and vocational learning-for-work programs were influenced by theories and practices in these and other countries. Although there are some Finnish inventions in the current education system—such as modular rather than annual curricula for upper-secondary students, performance-based vocational qualifications, and a supplementary year of school between lower and upper secondary school for those in need—most innovation in current pedagogy, student assessment, and school leadership originates beyond our borders.
Education ideas from the United States have played an especially significant role since the 1980s. In fact, I am one of the domestic messengers who imported great American educational innovation, including cooperative learning, to Finland. Finnish authorities have likewise made significant use of ideas from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or oecd; the European Commission; and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, or unesco. In short, the Finns have been open to learning from other education systems.
Second, formulation and implementation of education policies have been built upon close cooperation with education authorities, municipalities that govern the schools, and—through Finland’s Trade Union of Education—teachers. Since the early 1990s, education development strategies have been implemented through four-year development plans that are a result of a consultation process with these parties. The voices of other stakeholders—business leaders, non-governmental associations, researchers, and parents—are always included in these development plans. This consensus-based policymaking process has guaranteed sustainability of reforms and maintained the focus on a singular, shared vision of ongoing reforms. There have been over 20 different ministers of education and government coalitions since the 1970s in Finland, but the main principles of education policy have changed little.
Finally, the key driver of education development policy in Finland has been providing equal and positive learning opportunities and secure well-being for all children. Nutrition, health, safety and overall happiness belong all Finnish schools. Finnish authorities, in this regard, have defied international convention. They have not endorsed student testing and school ranking as the path to improvement, but rather focused on teacher preparation and retention; collaboration with teachers and their union representatives; early and regular intervention for children with learning disabilities; well-rounded curricula; and equitable funding of schools throughout the country. Many have argued that it is not possible to achieve excellence in student learning and equity in education simultaneously. The experience in Finland—as well as of that in Canada and Japan—shows that with smart and sustainable efforts and professionally committed personnel in schools that excellence is possible. Even to many Finns success once seemed unlikely, but the pisa results have silenced those in doubt.
While most elements of Finnish education reforms have been deliberate, there has also been a measure of good luck. The deep economic and financial crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s created an opportunity for Finland to question its conventional thinking about education. This opened the doors to a rapid increase of school and teacher autonomy, customized curricula, and flexible learning pathways in secondary education.
By rejecting standardized testing and concomitant school and teacher accountability measures, Finland has instead charted its own path by focusing on equity, professionalism, and collaboration. Much as Finland has learned from the United States, Canada, Germany, England, Sweden, and other nations about pedagogy and curricula, Finland may now be looked to for lessons about educational policy.
【Author :Pasi Sahlberg】
Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish educator and scholar. He worked as a teacher, teacher educator, and policy adviser in Finland and was actively engaged in planning and implementing education reforms in Finland in the 1990s.
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圖片來源：The Atlantic
原文刊登於《pasisahlberg.com》，經作者Pasi Sahlberg授權編譯，未經許可不得轉載
