Teaching Educational Psychology in an International Setting: Exploring the Finnish Education System

Abstract

The emphasis of this paper is on the importance of teaching teacher preparation courses, specifically educational psychology, through a study abroad trip to Finland. This experience allowed American preservice teachers to see theories applied in an international setting while also allowing preservice teachers to compare the United States education system to the Finnish educational system. The current study includes sixteen female, preservice teachers’ perceptions of the trip. Development of the activities abroad occurred with a Finnish university and included multiple school visits, panel discussions, and guest lectures. These experiences allowed for full immersion in the Finnish education system. The data include observations, student papers, and student survey responses, which present changes in students’ views of education, views of the Finnish education system, and the application of theories in a real-world setting. This experience not only provided preservice teachers with an opportunity to see one of the best educational systems in the world but also pushed the preservice teachers to rethink how teaching and learning can look in a classroom.

Individual and Collaborative Online Learning – Reasonable Compromise

“…The new teacher preparation system has ensured the successful implementation of a new style of teaching in schools. Teachers learn techniques for building student group motivation, become familiar with a range of techniques developed within educational psychology (Pressley 2020). 'The new trend sees teachers as developers in the whole school community.…”