A Comparative Review of Mathematics Educational Strategies in Ontario and Finland

Angelica Mendaglio

Abstract


Finland’s education system has become the subject of much interest recently due to their sustained success on international tests such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) on which they have excelled in language, science and mathematics over the last decade. This article provides a comparison between the mathematics education provided to senior students (aged 17-18 years old) in Ontario and Finland. For this purpose, the curricula of both jurisdictions were consulted as well as the methods used to prepare prospective teachers to teach at this level. Many points of comparison are covered, including teacher education, official goals of mathematics education, course content and assessment. Although the content taught to students at this age did not differ significantly, important differences were found in the other areas of study. Resulting from this comparison, achievable suggestions for improving mathematics education in Ontario are included.

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