Information production on focus areas

Producing information on focus areas is one of the tasks assigned to FINEEC. This means producing information on predefined and socially significant focus areas to support decision-making and development work at all levels ranging from Finnish society and the education system at large to the local level. The focus areas of information production are specified in the National plan for Education Evaluations, which guides FINEEC’s work.

During the plan period 2020–2023, the focus areas of the evaluation activities are as follows:

• Learning and competence development
• Promoting equity
• Improving the effectiveness of the education system
• Supporting continuous improvement

Learning and competence development

The evaluation data aimed at developing learning and competence seeks to answer the following questions:

• How well are the objectives set to learning and competence achieved?
• Which factors enhance or hinder learning and strengthening competence?
• How is the development of learning and competence towards future competence needs and continuous learning enhanced?

In the picture below, you can see at a glance the projects that produce evaluation data especially for learning and competence development. 

Promoting equity

The evaluation data aimed at promoting equality seeks to answer the following questions:

• What is the state of equality and equal opportunities in education in Finland?
• Which factors enhance or hinder the implementation of equality in education?

In December 2021, FINEEC published a summary publication on the topic: Equality and participation in education – an overview of national evaluations. Finnish Education Evaluation Centre. Summaries 16:2021. 

In the picture below, you can see at a glance the projects that produce evaluation data especially for promoting equity. 

Increasing the functionality of the education system

The evaluation data aimed at increasing the functionality of the education system seeks to answer the following questions:

• How does the education system work as a whole?
• What have been the effects of the education reforms?
• What is the capacity of the education system to react to changes in the operating environment?

In the picture below, you can see at a glance the projects that produce evaluation data especially for increasing the functionality of the education system. 

Supporting continuous improvement

The evaluation data aimed at Supporting continuous improvement seeks to answer the following questions:

• How does quality management work and support management and continuous development?
• How does the operating culture support the achievement of the goals set for the activities?
• How is sense of community and participation of various actors in the development efforts achieved?

In summer 2023, FINEEC published a summary of the elements and practices of well-functioning quality management of education. The publication deals with all levels of education. FINEEC has previously published a summary entitled Quality Management in the Finnish Education System, which provides an overall picture of the current state of quality management and the focus areas of support needs in quality management in the Finnish education system. In addition, FINEEC has published reports describing the state of quality management at different levels of education, such as Survey of the current state of quality management in basic education (2022) and Status of vocational education and training providers’ quality management (2022).

In the picture below, you can see at a glance the projects that produce evaluation data especially for supporting continuous development. 

Many projects provide evaluation data for more than one focus area. Our Plan for Education Evaluations describes the focus areas on which each evaluation project will produce information.

Information on focus areas is also produced in the context of FINEEC’S expert statements and policy briefs.