Based on findings from national and international evaluations, this article discusses the extent to which goals and reality meet in Finnish teacher education, noting that teacher research produces important information that supports teacher education and asserting that teacher education should be anchored not only in research but also in the…

Self-evaluation requires teachers to have an ability to systematically reflect on their own pedagogical activities; action research supports and helps teachers in this process. This article explores the use of action research by teachers to improve both their own expertise and their educational environment. The article begins with a discussion of…

The relationship between centrally stated educational aims and those really in use at the classroom level is addressed. A critical review is presented of what has been achieved in this area, especially in Finland, both within legislation and by recent researchers. According to the authors, the lists of educational aims produced by policy-makers as…

Deals with research at the Institute for Educational Research (Jyvaskyla, Finland) during the 1970s and compare it with other educational research in Finland during the period. Emphasis of institute activity was on primary education, with a considerable amount of research on higher education. Future research needs are noted. (MH)

This report includes all of the presentations from the fifth annual workshop on the Current State of Research on Mathematical Beliefs held in Helsinki, Finland, on August 22-25, 1997. The papers, all of which were presented in English, are as follows: "Between Formalism and Creativity: Teachers' Conceptions of a Good Computer Science…

This book contains six papers: "Studying the Teachers Life and Work" (Ivor F. Goodson); "Mindful Orientation in Teachers' Pedagogical Thinking" (Jukka Husu); "The Way Thinking is Once Again" (Pertti Kansanen); "Preparing Prospective Elementary Teachers to Teach Mathematics: A Problem-Solving Approach" (Frank…