Finnish 9th graders’ health education learning outcomes – Results of national assessment

Author(s):

Anna-Mari Summanen(presenting / submitting)Leena Paakkari Mika Puukko Juhani Rautopuro

Conference:

ECER 2014

Network:

08. Research on Health Education

Format:

Poster

Session Information

08 SES 05.5 PS, General Poster Session

General Poster Session

Time:

2014-09-03

12:30-14:00

Room:

Poster Area E (in front of B001-B003)

Chair:

Contribution

Over a decade ago the Finnish government ratified a law: health education was to be included as an independent and obligatory school subject into Finnish basic education and upper secondary education (Hallituksen esitys 142/2000, Valtioneuvoston asetus 1435/2001). The subject health education is based on multidisciplinary foundation having aspects of health sciences, sociology, psychology and education. In the national core curriculum for basic education it is stated that the aim of the subject is to “promote pupils’ competence regarding health, wellbeing, and safety”, and “the task of the instruction is to develop pupils’ cognitive, social, functional, and ethical capabilities, and their capabilities for regulating emotions” (Finnish National Board of Education, 2004, p. 196). The objective is to develop health literacy among the pupils. The various content areas of health education have their foundation in pupils’ growth development, the human lifespan, and pupils’ daily living. The different health topics are divided into four main themes: growth and development, health in choices in daily living, resources and coping skills, and health, society and culture.

The Finnish National Board of Education has assessed learning outcomes in basic education since the year 1998. These assessments form a part of the national assessment on education and they are based on the education assessment plan prepared by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö 2012). The Finnish National Board of Education assessed health education learning outcomes in basic education during the spring of 2013, and it focused on 9^th graders’ learning at the end of their last semester in basic education. The aim of such an assessment is to monitor how well pupils have reached the objectives that have been stated for health education learning in the national core curriculum.

This presentation will describe the main findings of the learning outcomes assessment. The following research questions are posed:

How did the 9th graders’ perform in the health education learning outcomes assessment?
Did the pupils reach the objectives stated in the national curriculum on health education?
What is the effect of different background factors in the health education learning outcomes (e.g.. gender, language of instruction (Finnish/Swedish), geographical location, parents’ educational background, and plans for future studies)?
How useful do the pupils rate health education as a subject, do they like it and how do they consider themselves as learners?

Method

This assessment was conducted for 9th grade students on the basis of a sampling carried out on 24 April 2013. It covered 90 Finnish and 15 Swedish-speaking schools. The sample schools represented various parts of the country, as well as different kinds of municipal structures and the two official language groups (Finnish and Swedish). A two-stage sampling was used to select 9th grade students for the assessment. The sample included 3,652 students, whose performances were assessed as the basis of the analyses and results in the resulting assessment report. Assessment assignments were prepared on the basis of the goals, core content areas and criteria defined for a final assessment grade of eight (8) in health education, based on the National core curriculum for basic education (2004). The purpose of the assessment was to analyse how the goals set for health education under the National core curriculum were met and what the national level of competence was in this particular subject. Both in terms of assignment type and level of difficulty, account was taken of the variability of the assignments when preparing them for the assessment. The assessment included 55 assignments (37 multiple-choice questions, 18 production assignments). Depending on their level of difficulty, three categories were formed: easy, medium and difficult assignments. The definitions were based on the criteria defined for a final assessment grade of eight (8) in health education, expert evaluations and pre-testing. In addition to the set of assignments for students, assessment data was collected through a questionnaire issued to students, teachers and principals. The background questionnaire for students examined their attitudes to health education as a school subject and their subjective views on competencies related to health education topics. The health education learning outcomes were analysed mainly by using quantitative methods. The results are reported principally as average success rates (percentage of correct answers). The data was analysed by using various statistical methods and most common descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. In addition, also more sophisticated statistical methods were applied (e.g. multilevel modelling).

Expected Outcomes

The so far confidential findings of the national assessment will be published in March 2014. The teaching providers related to the surveyed schools received preliminary results and feedback for their school or schools in September 2013. They also received school-specific feedback for forwarding to the individual schools included in their samples. In this way, principal and health education teachers were informed about the results for their schools and about their students’ attitudes towards health education as a subject. In the feedback, these aspects of the results for each school were compared with the results for the entire sample. The findings of the research can be used in the national- and school-level curriculum development, and in developing health education teacher training to better meet the learning challenges of the pupils. In addition, suggestions are given for the development of health education instruction and grading practices as well as for issues related to teacher education.

References

Finnish National Board of Education (2004). National core curriculum for basic education 2004. Helsinki: Finnish National Board of Education. Hallituksen esitys Eduskunnalle laeiksi perusopetuslain 11 §:n, lukiolain 7 §:n ja ammatillisesta koulutuksesta annetun lain 12 ja 17 §:n muuttamisesta 142/2000. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö 2012. Koulutuksen arviointisuunnitelma vuosille 2012–2015. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön julkaisuja 2012: 14. Helsinki: Kopijyvä Oy. Valtioneuvoston asetus perusopetuslaissa tarkoitetun opetuksen valtakunnallisista tavoitteista ja perusopetuksen tuntijaosta 1435/2001.

Author Information

Anna-Mari Summanen (presenting / submitting)

Comprehensive school of Saimaanharju, Finland

LAPPEENRANTA

Leena Paakkari

Research Center for Health Promotion, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Mika Puukko

Finnish National Board of Education, Finland

Juhani Rautopuro