Curriculum Design and Challenges of Social Studies Program in Finland: A Macro-Perspective Analysis

The Finnish social studies program entails an overarching theme of life-long learning principles, civic involvement, and a sense of national identity in students, as well as developing them to be ideal citizens ready to face social transformations. Concomitantly, the design social studies program is highly integrative and flexible, which gives the teachers autonomy and constant collaboration in preparing instructions that will essentialize students to pass the matriculation exam. This term paper also identifies the challenges faced by the Finnish curricula, such as confronting the conglomerated social studies subject with a heavy focus on a history subject but lacking instructions on historical thinking, Eurocentric dominance in textbooks, too much focus on cognitive levels, lacking contextualization, and civic activity materialization. Despite the dilemma, the Ministry of education has strong support for teacher development. It is robust in recalibrating the social studies curriculum as holistic and adaptive in covering school life vis-a-vis academic achievement and student welfare.