International experience of Hungarian school headmasters in Finnish continuing professional teacher training environment

Abstract

In this paper we compare Finnish and Hungarian approaches and practices based our own experiences collected in frames of visiting the Finnish School of Vocational Teacher Education at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.
We have studied the Finnish educational system and their teacher training methods from several aspects. It was found that the expectations in the Hungarian career model show certain similarities. The characteristics of the related paradigm shift in Finland has also been studied and considerations made for their application in Hungary. The important aspects found as worth considering were: research based planning, trust based approach, career path, open learning environment - which competences are needed for LLL paradigm change.
The issue of trust should be highlighted in the national comparative context. In the Hungarian practice this term is not too frequently used. The Finnish society is characterized by high levels of trust. Teachers are also entrusted with considerable independence in the classroom. European innovation scoreboard shows that Hungary is a Moderate Innovator and Finland belongs to Innovation leaders. We have found a clear positive correlation between trust and innovation. The Year 2008 Social outcomes of education indicator included measures of self-reported health, volunteering, interpersonal trust and political efficacy, assessed in the Survey of the OECD Programme These four outcome measures are considered among the key indicators of individual and national well-being. Nowadays one may feel lack of trust between education stakeholders and teachers in Hungary which creates unreceptive environment for the professional development process.
In consultations with the Finnish partners about the 21st Century Skills, the following items have been emphasized: Ways of thinking, Ways of working, Tools of working, Living in the world. This listing was completed with these paradigms: system thinking, from disciplinarity to multi disciplinarity, from local to global, from simplicity to complexity. It’s easy to identify these terms among the expectations toward teachers both in Finland and in Hungary. It was agreed that at the same time these changes support and develop the teachers’ competences needed for Lifelong learning. Each of these items can be found in the Hungarian practice as well, whilst not in all aspects with the same emphasis as in the Finnish context.