National core curriculum and
biology education in the Finnish
secondary school
Anna Uitto
Senior lecturer in biology education
Department of Applied Sciences of Education
University of Helsinki
FINLAND
EMBO workshop ‘From School to University’
11–13 May 2006, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
 The aim of this lecture is to describe:
 What are the general aims and challenges of biology
education? What kind of working approaches are suggested?
 How the development of students’ scientific knowledge,
thinking and skills are taken to account in National Core
Curriculum of Finnish Secondary School?
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Back to basics - what is the nature of biology as science?
The big questions of biology (Ernst Mayr 1997)
For instance:
What? - the structure
 What is a bird (for instance a swallow)?
How? - the function
How swallows fly? How is a migrant bird?
Why? - the ultimate or proximate reasons for biological phenomena
 Why swallows fly? Why swallows migrate to Africa? (The ultimate,
evolutive reason)
 Why swallows migrate now? (Proximate reason; e.g. the weather)
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What is the nature of biology education?
Big questions of biology education:
 Knowledge – what are the essential concepts that should be learned?
 Thinking skills – how students should learn to use biological concepts?
 Working skills – how and what students should learn to plan and carry
out small-scale biological investigations independently?
 Interest and attitudes – how to enhance students interest and positive
attitudes towards science and work in science?
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Biological concepts and conceptualization
Hierarchical knowledge structure
Concepts are basic units for thinking
 Human body (structure)
Organ systems
Digestive system
Small intestine
Intestinal cells
Cell organs
Enzymes
 Human body (function)
Digestion
Degradation of carbon hydrates
Entzymatic activity
Conceptualization is the
forming of organized
constructions of biological
concepts
 Human body (evolution)
Mammals
Heterotrophy
Omnivory
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The difficulties to understand biological concepts, examples
(Eloranta et al. 2005 and Uitto unpubl.)
Lower secondary school (grades 7- 9)
 Cell biology and genetics: cells, mitosis, gene, genetic
information, chromosomes, heredity phenomena
 Plant physiology; water management of plants
 Upper secondary school (grades 10-12)
 Anaerobic and aerobic respiration
 Human physiology: reproduction, menstruation, relation between
the functions of blood circulation and digestion systems
 Plant physiology; water management of plants
 Biotechnics
 Conceptualization, the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ questions:
 How energy flows and elements cycle within the nature?
 Why photosynthesis is important for the life on earth?
 Why fish are adapted to live in the water?
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Dimensions of ‘inquiry-based learning’
(modified from Wellington 1998)
‘Traditional approach’
CLOSED PROBLEM
(one working approach, one right answer)
STRUCTURED AND
GUIDED WORKING
(Control in every stage
of working)
STUDENT-CENTERED
(the student
formulates the
research questions)
UNSTRUCTURED
WORKING
(No guidelines,
no control of
working)
TEACHER-CENTERED
(the teacher
formulates the
research questions)
OPEN PROBLEM
(many working approaches, several
solution possibilities)
‘Constructivistic approach’
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Example of inquiry-based learning environment;
modified from 5E model by R.Bybee (2004)
Teacher
 Engage: demonstrates the
phenomenon, arouses curiosity
Students
 Engage; meet kognitive conflict,
want to know more, state
questions, hypotheses, team work
 Explore: helps to carry out
 Explore: make their own small-
investigation
 Explain: Connect students
explanations to science, scientific
explanations
 Elaborate: Helps students to
transfer their new knowledge and
skills to similar situations
scale investigations, report the
results
 Explain: Describe the results and
causalities, make concepts
 Elaborate: Try to adjust their new
knowledge and skill in new
situations
 Evaluate: Assess students
 Evaluate: Assess own learning
learning and own work
and what has been learned
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Problem-based learning (PBL) Example 1
‘How abiotic factors regulate plant growth?’ 22 - experiment
Experimental unit 1
Experimental unit 2
Experimental unit 3
Experimental unit 4
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Problem-based learning (PBL) Example 2
“What would happen to the fish in the closed enclosure within a day,
week or month?”
Light
Light, plants
EMBO workshop, biology education, Heidelberg, 2006
Light, plant,
other fish
Darkness,
plant, other
fish
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National Core Curriculum and biology education
 How the development of students’ knowledge and analytical
thinking are taken into account in biology education?
 What kind of working approaches are suggested?
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Biology education and the Finnish school system
Grade
Pupils’
age
Level
Science
subjects
Compulsory/
Optional
1
7
2
8
3
9
4
10
5
11
6
12
primary school
Comprehensive school, Basic education
Integrated:
Integrated:
Environmental and natural
Biology and
studies is a subject group
geography
comprising the fields of
3 hours
biology, geography, physics,
chemistry, and health
Integrated
education.
Physics and
chemistry
Altogether 9 hours
2 hours
C
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13
8
14
9
15
10
16
11
17
12
18
lower secondary
school
upper secondary
school
Separate:
Biology
3,5 hours
Geography 3,5 hours
Physics
3,5 hours
Chemistry 3,5 hours
Health education
3 hours
Separate:
Biology 2+3 course
Geography 2+2 course
Physics 1+7 course
Chemistry 1+4 course
Health education
1+2 course
C+O
O
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The structure of National Core Curriculum
 Biology education in the lower secondary school is defined by
National Core Curriculum for Basic Education (2004)
 Biology education in the upper secondary school is defined by
National Core Curriculum for Secondary Schools (2003)
 Assessment
 During the course of studies
 During a biology course (diagnostic, formal)
 After the course (summative)
 In the end of a grade (progress in in studies)
 Final assessment at the end of the comprehensive school
and the upper secondary school
 The grade depicts the level of performance
10=excellent, 9=very good, 8=good, 7=satisfactory,
6=moderate, 5=adequate, 4=fail
 Verbal assessment
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National Core Curriculum for Basic Education
Grades 7-9
 Goals of instruction:
 Develop pupils knowledge of nature
 Understanding of basic natural phenomena
 Environmental awareness and responsibility
 Gore contents:
 Introduction to evolution
 Fundamentals of ecology
 Structure and function of human being
 Environmental protection
 Biology instruction:
 Inquiry-based learning
 Develop thinking skills in natural sciences
 Observation and investigation of nature
 Positive experiences of nature studies
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National Core Curriculum for Basic Education
Core contents in biology education for grades 7-9
 Compulsory courses have to contain core contents:
 Nature and ecosystems
 Life and evolution
 The human being
 The common environment
 Inquiry-based approach is assumed at least:
 Independent research on one ecosystem
 Investigating the status of, and changes in, one’s
immediate environment
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National Core Curriculum for Basic Education
Final assessment criteria for a grade of 8 (good)
Grades 7-9
 Biology study skills
 use microscope when studying samples
 work in a laboratory in accordance with the instructions given
 how to collect plants as directed
 carry out small-scale investigations independently (forest,
aquatic or marsh ecosystems)




Nature and ecosystems
Life and evolution
The human being
The common environment
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National Core Curriculum for Secondary schools
Grades 10-12
General goals
 Provide students with an understanding;
 of the structure and development of organic world
 human being as a part of organic world and the significance
of human activity to the environment
 the opportunities of the life sciences to promote the wellbeing of humanity, other living organisms, and living
environments
 Instruction will develop;
 students scientific thinking
 arouse their interest in the life sciences
 encourage them to behave an environmentally responsible
manner so as to sustain natural diversity
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National Core Curriculum for Secondary schools
Compulsory courses for grades 10-12
1. Organic world (BI1)
Core contents
 Biology as science
 Manifestations of natural diversity
 Evolution – the development of life
 How does nature work?
2. Cells and heredity (BI2)
Core contents
 The cell as a basic unit of life
 Cell energy metabolism
 Regulation of cell functions
 Cell reproduction
 Basics of inheritance
 Population genetics and the synthetic theory of evolution
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National Core Curriculum for Secondary schools
Speciation courses for grades 10-12
1. Environmental ecology (BI3) – core contents
 Ecological research
 Biodiversity and its significance
 Ecological environmental problems, reasons and potential solutions
 Vulnerability of Finnish nature
 A sustainable future
2. Human biology (BI4) - core contents
 Special characteristics of human cells and tissues
 Structures, functions and significance of organ systems
 Regulation of vital functions
 Human reproduction
 Significance of genetic heritage
 Adaptation and defence mechanisms of organ systems
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National Core Curriculum for Secondary schools
Speciation courses for grades 10-12
3. Biotechnolgy (BI5) - Core contents
 Cell ultrastructure and intercellular communication







Cells as protein-makers
Gene functions
Genetic engineering and its opportunities
Microbes and their significance
Industrial technology
Plant and animal breeding
Ethics and legislation in genetic engineering
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National Core Curriculum for Secondary schools 2003
Assessment
Compare to EMBO question: ‘What knowledge and skills do school-leavers
need in order to embark on a university degree in the biosciences, and later
turn into good researchers?
Knowledge assessment
 Abilities to master and use key biological concepts
 Applying biological knowledge
 Understanding the laws of natural science and causal relationships
 Insight into the significance of interdependencies
 Perception of extensive wholes
Skills assessment
 Aptitude for scientific work
 Team behaviour
 Ability to use different sources for acquisition of biological
information
 Assess information critically
 Proven interest in different areas of biology may also be taken into
account as part of assessment
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Conclusions I
“What knowledge is important and what analytical thinking must they
develop at school?”
 Knowledge and concepts
 understanding of biological concepts
 conceptualization of biological entities
 The nature of biology as science
 understanding biology as science (what, how, why questions)
 how biology differs from chemistry and physics, and what they
have in common
 Scientific method
 skills to state questions about biological phenomena
 skills to plan and carry out small-scale experiments
 skills to independent work and skills to team work
 Motivation and interest to know and learn more on biological
phenomena
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Conclusions II
What could biology education in the secondary school offer?
 Expert teachers
 high-quality teacher education in the university; subject
mastery, good skills in biology education
 High-quality teaching and learning environments at
school; basic working facilities (laboratory and field work
equipments)
 High-quality teaching and learning material for teachers and
students
 Possibilities to out-of-school education: visits, co-operation
and learning for instance in biological research institutions
(Uitto et al. 2006)
 Information on possibilities of research in biology as future
career
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Thank you !
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References:
 Bybee, R. W. (2004). Scientific Inquiry and Science Teaching. In L. Flick,
L. & N. G.Lederman (Eds.), Scientific inquiry and nature of science
implications forteaching, learning, and teacher education (volume 25, pp.
1 – 14). Series: Science & Technology Education Library, Dordrecht:
Kluwer.
 Eloranta, V., Jeronen, E., Palmberg, I. (2005). ‘Make biology living. The
dicactics of biology’. [Biologia eläväksi. Biologian didaktiikka]. Jyväskylä:
PS-kustannus, 312 - 317. In Finnish.
 Mayr, E. (1997). This is Biology: The Science of the Living World. Harvard
University Press.
 Wellington, J. 1998. Secondary Science. Contemporary issues and
Practical Approaches. London: Routledge.
 National Core Curriculum for Basic Education 2004. Finnish National
Board of Education.
 National Core Curriculum for Secondary Schools 2003. Finnish National
Board of Education.
 Uitto, A., Juuti, K., Lavonen, J. & Meisalo, V. (2006) Students interest in
biology and their out-of-school experiences. Journal of Biology education:
124-129 (in press).
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Applying in Faculty of Bioscieces, University of Helsinki
 Student selection in different degree programs, requirements:
 Marticulation examination in upper secondary school
 Points can be attained from examination in biology, chemistry,
physics and geography (degree program in biology)
 Points can be attained from examination of biology, chemistry and
physics (degree programs in biochemistry and Biotechnology
Master Programme (HEBIOT)
 Entrance examination
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