Browsing by Subject "opetussuunnitelmaprosessi"

Objectives. Curriculum reform is currently taking place in Finland and the new national core curriculum is to be put into operation in August 2016. In Finland local curriculums are drawn up on the grounds of the new national core curriculum. These local curriculums need to be approved by the beginning of August. The national core curriculum states the principles regarding local curriculum work but does not define the ways the process is to be organized. The objective of this study is to describe the local curriculum processes and teachers' experiences of these processes. The study worked out how local curriculums are built, which factors affect the curriculum process and how teachers view local curriculum work. Methods. The nature of this study is a qualitative one and it aims to describe and understand the phenomenon in question. The research data was collected by using a semi-structured themed questionnaire. The themes arouse from the new national core curriculum and from its chapter concerning local curriculums. The questionnaire was conducted in an electronic form and it was shared in three groups of education professionals on Facebook. The total of 29 answers was received. The informants came from different parts of Finland and most of them worked as a class teacher. The data was structured and analysed by theory-oriented content analysis with computer assistance. Results and conclusions. The study revealed that local curriculums in Finland are built with diverse methods but with very different practices. A variation between informants was definite regarding the time used in curriculum work, the recompense for the work and the optionality of the curriculum work. In addition, the agents and their chances to influence local curriculums varied a lot. The teachers' views on local curriculum processes were twofolded – the curriculum work was mostly seen rewarding and at the same time regarded as a burden. The conclusion is that the curriculum work can be hindered by a lack of time and by poor management and leadership. When the local curriculum work is explicit from its beginning and the local curriculum is thought to have importance in one's work, the teachers feel inspired and motivated in building a curriculum.