Preschool Achievement in Finland and Estonia: Cross-cultural comparison between the cities of Helsinki and Tallinn

Authors: Ojala, Mikko¹; Talts, Leida²

Source: Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, Volume 51, Number 2, April 2007 , pp. 205-221(17)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Each child In Finland and in Estonia receives preschool training for a year before going to school, based on a new national framework curriculum of preschool education. The aim of the present study was to compare children's learning achievements in nine target areas, based on the teacher's evaluations at the end of the preschool year, in both Helsinki and Tallinn. The areas were Learning to learn skills, social skills, language and interaction, mathematics, ethics, science and environment, health, physical and motor development, and art and culture. In addition, the effects of gender and age on children's learning were analysed. The Finnish data were collected from 263 children in Helsinki, and corresponding Estonian data were collected from 198 children in Tallinn. The results showed significant differences between Finland and Estonia when the ratings were made of children's achievements in social skills, learning to learn skills, language and mathematics, and art and culture. Achievements in science and environment, as well as healthy sense of self-esteem, and physical-motor development, were higher in Tallinn, but in ethics children in Helsinki achieved higher scores than in Tallinn. Differences in achievements between boys' and girls' learning were stronger in Estonia than in Finland. There were specific age differences in children's achievement, both inside each country and across the two countries.

Keywords: Preschool learning; Children's achievements; Teachers' ratings; Cross-cultural comparison

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00313830701191670

Affiliations: 1: University of Helsinki, Finland 2: Tallinn University, Estonia

Publication date: 2007-04-01

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