Evaluations
Our evaluations provide an up-to-date picture of important themes in education, the level of competence, the impacts of education reforms and the state of quality management in education. The aim is to determine to what extent the results achieved meet the objectives that have been set. Our evaluation evidence helps improve Finnish education.
On these pages you can find out more about our ongoing and most recently completed evaluations. All levels of education are subject to our evaluation. Evaluations may also be conducted across the levels of education, in which case an evaluation may cover several levels of education at the same time.
The themes and schedules of FINEEC's evaluations are determined in the National Education Evaluation Plan. The evaluation plan is prepared for a four-year period at a time. Read more about the National Education Evaluation Plan 2020–2023.
Our evaluation types
FINEEC conducts four types of evaluations.
- In learning outcomes evaluations, we look at to what extent the objectives set for pupils’ competence in the national core curricula have been reached. Learning outcomes evaluations also provide information on changes in the level of competence in the long term and on the realisation of equality of education.
- Thematic evaluations are always carried out on a current theme, such as how the exceptional teaching arrangements caused by COVID-19 affected the equity of learners. Often, thematic evaluations also look at whether reforms in education policy have led to the desired results.
- System evaluations look at what the strengths and development areas of the education system are at a specific level of education or at the level of the entire education system, or how the processes of reforming and enhancing the education system have succeeded.
- The evaluations of quality management examine how the organisation that is being evaluated enhances its activities.
The practice of enhancement-led evaluation
Our evaluations comply with the practice of enhancement-led evaluation. This means that the evaluated organisation may already enhance its activities on the basis of the received feedback during the evaluation. Evaluations in which the enhancement-led method is used are participatory, meaning that external experts with special knowledge of the organisation or theme to be evaluated are typically involved. Read more about the practice of enhancement-led evaluation.
In addition to the practice of enhancement-led evaluation, our evaluations are based on our four values: independence, trust, openness and interaction. Read more about our values on the page About us.
Support for Quality Management
In addition to conducting evaluations, we support those working in education and ECEC in matters concerning evaluation and quality management. Read more about support for quality management.