Anneli Rautiainen: Developing Tomorrow’s Futuremakers

Anneli Rautiainen: Developing Tomorrow’s Futuremakers

Guest Profile:

Anneli Rautiainen works as a councilor and Head of Innovation at the Finnish National Agency for Education. The Innovation Centre is part of larger transformation effort towards more nimble governance at the national and local level – with the goal of being able to provide better services through experimenting and innovating. Anneli has graduated from Helsinki University with Master´s in Education. Prior to this position at the Innovation Centre since 2017, she has been developing Finnish education as a teacher and a principal, in addition as a head of General Education, ECEC and professional development of education personnel at the government level. Anneli has been a keynote speaker and panelist in over 25 countries and five continents at various international conventions. She has been a member of international education networks; ISC, GELP, NPDL, ITE, ARC, OECD Education2030 Working Group and a member of OECD High Performing Systems for Tomorrow, HPST -group.

Episode summary:

In this conversation, Anneli and I discuss about the future of education and the story behind the innovative approaches adopted by the Finnish education system. The focus on 21st century skills and phenomenon based learning are core to it to nurture and develop tomorrow’s futuremakers. We also cover impact due to COVID ,flexibility teachers have to focus on personalised learning and guidance to new teachers.

Key questions and topics covered:

Finland is rated in one of the top countries in education. Please can you share the context behind that and what makes Finland so unique?
You were involved in co-creation of the Basic Education National Curriculum; please can you share your key insights from that?
Do you see enough focus on application of knowledge in the current education system?
What is your view on Phenomenal based learning?
How has COVID impacted the schools, teachers and students?
What has been the biggest learning you had from COVID ?
The future is so dynamic and uncertain, how can we prepare the children to be ready for such a future?
Do you think the flexibility teachers have in designing curriculum, is a key differentiator for future of education?
What are the biggest opportunities you see in the education system today?
What advice will you have for new teachers?

Sound bites from the podcast:

(please listen to the podcast for full context)

‘The national curriculum for basic education was created in a very collaborative approach. Nearly every citizen of our country had an opportunity to say, what should be included, how teaching should be done, and what are the issues concerning good education and schooling. It was created in a very collaborative process with teachers, students, parents, researchers, administrators’

‘ I think there is enough knowledge but the problem is more or less that there is so much knowledge available very quickly in this world right now.’

‘we are still convinced that the teachers are the best resource that we have, and we're very happy about how they have taken the challenge and challenge their skills and share their competencies so that they have helped each other…’