Development of
Guidance Counselling in
Basic Education
2008 – 2010
IAEVG Conference 3.–5. 6. 2009
Jyväskylä Finland
Juhani Pirttiniemi, PhD, Finnish National Board of Education
Sanna Mäkinen, M.A. University of Joensuu
National development programs of guidance
counselling
• Evaluation on the status of guidance counselling
2001 - 2002
• 2003 – 2007 Guidance counselling
development project
• 2004 – 2007 CHANCES
(Equal community initiative)
• 2008 – 2010 Development
of guidance counselling in
basic education
Improvement of Basic Education – project included
in the government program
• The Improvement of Basic Education –program is designed to
improve especially the quality of teaching
• Procedures are targeted at functions that may support both learning
and other development areas and welfare of children
• Government subsidy is aimed at the development actions directed
and co-ordinated by the Finnish National Board of Education.
• Municipalities’ development actions are supported by national
training programmes and development evaluation
• Development actions are designed to create and establish
structures and practices that are most viable to support
municipalities’ own aims
Development areas of the Improvement of Basic
Education –program in 2007 - 2010
• Development of efficient and special support (KELPO) 2008 -2009
• Development of the quality and service structure of pupil and
student welfare 2007 – 2009
• Development of guidance counselling 2008 – 2009
• Development of extra-curricular club activities 2008 – 2009
• Development of flexible basic education 2007 – 2010
• Development of multicultural skills within a school community 2007
– 2010
• Support of Romany children’s basic education
Development of guidance counselling 2008 - 2010
• The government subsidy was received by 127 municipalities and 21
private education providers – year 2009 there were twentyfife new
providers
The aims are:
– to develop guidance counselling as a local and regional activity
– to improve young persons’ possibilities of making well-informed
decisions about their lives and offer possibilities of finding
alternative paths
– to provide multi-professional and local support for the young
people in their various paths to independence and responsibility
Special objects of development
• Guidance counselling and career guidance in grades 6 – 9 of basic
education
• Multidisciplinary procedures
• Sustainable guidance services with special attention on transition
points
• Municipal/regional guidance and counselling plan to support the coordination and implementation of local and regional guidance
services.
Special objects of development (2)
• Strengthening of co-operation with parents and carers
• Strengthening of working life connection, for example with periods of
work experience for pupils and teachers
• Connections to youth welfare and social services
• Establishment of viable guidance counselling practices
Co-operative partners
• Evaluation: The University of Joensuu
• Training and co-ordination: The Continuing Education Centre of
Tampere
• Website: http://www.edu.fi
Financing 2009 - 2010
• Guidance and counselling development continues according to
municipal development plans
• Financing – 8.5 million euros in total for regional development work
of the guidance counselling
• Development evaluation continues as part of the development of
guidance counselling
• Evaluation of efficiency
• New focus areas
Development evaluation
supporting the development of guidance
counselling
The research team in
University of Joensuu:
M.A. Sanna Mäkinen
prof. Jyri Manninen
(researcher)
(PhD, evaluation
expert)
prof. Päivi Atjonen (PhD,
evaluation expert)
prof. Marjatta
Vanhalakka-Ruoho (PhD,
guidance and counselling
expert)
Objectives of development evaluation in guidance
counselling development
• Research and analysis on the progress and
results of school and municipal development
work
• Evaluation and mapping out of viable guidance
counselling practices in schools and
municipalities
• Assessing municipalities and schools in the
evaluation process
• Evaluation of development training
implementation and efficiency
The process of evaluation and
development actions
Planning
Initial /
baseline
evaluation
Development
actions
Planning
Implementation
of development
actions
Development evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluating
the results
Development Evaluation: Methods
• Collecting national data with eQuestionnaires (2-3) in different
phases of the development (starting, during and after)
• Participatory observation in the development training
• Visiting municipalities and schools and interviewing different
interest groups (guidance counsellors, principals, teachers,
parents, pupils, development team members)
• Analysing documents produced by municipalities and schools
(such as development proposals and assessments)
• Collecting and analyzing feedback from the participants in the
development training
Development evaluation actions in 2008 – 2009:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Analysing the development proposals and plans of schools and municipalities.
Research report: “Towards a shared guidance counselling”- A summary report of
action models devised during the guidance counselling development initiative 2003 –
2007.
Planning and delivering 1) national eQuestionnaire and 2) assessment form of the
initial situation evaluation of guidance counselling services in municipalities and
schools.
Planning and delivering development training feedback form.
Participatory observation and interviews in development training
Planning of a co-operative website with the Finnish National Board of Education
Research report: “Towards a more coherent guidance counselling” – A report
containing an analysis of initiative plans and developmental observations
Representation of the research analysis and results in different seminars and
meetings
Research report: “Menossa ja mukana” – A Report on the results of the initial situation
questionnaire and interviews and observations in three municipalities taking part in
development actions
Analysing the municipalities’ and schools’ intermediate reports of guidance
counselling development work in 2008 – 2009
Observations and challenges for further
development...
 Co-operation between schools and
families / carers
 Local visibility and recognition of
guidance counselling practices
 Commitment of various local actors in
inter- and multi-professional professional
co-operation
 Standardisation of developed practices in
different administrations and organisations
Observations and challenges for further
development.. (continued)
 Utilisation of website-based
guidance and counselling services
 Ensuring the quality of guidance
and counselling
 Ensuring the voice of the users
Thank you!
More information:
• National Board of Education:
– Juhani.Pirttiniemi@oph.fi
• Development evaluation/ University of Joensuu:
– Sanna.Makinen@joensuu.fi
– DA reports availlable at: edu.fi  Perusopetus 
Oppilaanohjaus  Kehittämistoimintaa
Publications
Mäkinen, S. 2008a. Kohti entistä ehompaa oppilaanohjausta. Vuosia 2008–2010 koskevien
oppilaanohjauksen kehittämissuunnitelmien analyysi.
http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/okoraportti1.pdf (30 s.)
Mäkinen, S. 2008b. Oppilaanohjauksen kehittäminen 2008-2010. Ennakkotuloksia lähtötilannekyselyn avointen vastausten analyysista.
http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/lahtotilanne.pdf (6 s.)
Mäkinen, S. 2008c. Tuumasta toimeen. Oppilaanohjauksen tarkennettujen kehittämissuunnitelmien analyysi. http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/tuumasta_toimeen.pdf
(19 s.)
Atjonen, P. 2009. Onko ohjaus ohjauksessa? Verkostomaisesti tuotettujen palvelujen mallin
soveltaminen oppilaanohjauksen itsearviointiin.
http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/VOP_hankeitsearviointi.pdf (21 s. + 3l l.)
Atjonen, P., Mäkinen, S., Manninen, J. & Vanhalakka-Ruoho, M. 2009. Menossa ja mukana.
Arviointia oppilaanohjauksen kehittämisen tilasta syksyllä 2008.
http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/menossa_ja_mukana.pdf (42 s. + 5 l.)