Chapter 6: Tools for Life-Long Learning: The Growing Emphasis on Learning-to-Learn Competencies and ICT in Adolescent Education in Finland

Educational outcomes have been a lively topic in recent public discourse in Finland, particularly because of the flattering outcomes obtained from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment. Finnish 15-year-old students were ranked first in reading literacy, third in scientific literacy, and fourth in mathematical literacy among students from 32 participating countries (OECD, 2001). In Finland, the results have been understood as reflecting our schools’ ability to create favorable conditions for future learning as well as our teachers’ ability to guide the youth toward skills for lifelong learning (Välijärvi & Linnakylä, 2002). This interpretation captures the ethos of current educational policy in Finland. Along with the general interest in subject-related learning outcomes, increasingly more stress has been placed on the development of learning-to-learn competencies and motivation for lifelong learning (National Board of Education, 1999). This new trend is one of the themes to be discussed in this chapter.