Multiliteracies in local curricula: conceptual contextualizations of transversal competence in the finnish curricular framework

Abstract

The international trend of competency-based curricula is evident in the curricular framework in Finland. In the latest effort of curricular reform, seven transversal competencies were introduced to the Finnish educational system. In this article, we analyse the ways in which multiliteracy as a transversal competency, presented in the Core Curriculum for Basic Education in Finland (2014), has been conceptually contextualized in local curricula. The study revealed that in most local curricula, the definition of multiliteracy was not contextualized within local settings. For the curricula in which contextualizations took place, most conceptual contextualizations focused on the level of practice (85%), level of definition (63%) and level of rationale (21%). Conceptual contextualizations were made through emphases, specifications, descriptions and expansions. The article contributes by highlighting the ways in which broadly defined competencies can be contextualized to local settings, offering new knowledge among growing extant literature on competency-based curricula. In addition to the contextualization process, the present study offers new insights into the ways in which the concept of multiliteracy can be understood.

Disciplinary contextualisation of transversal competence in Finnish local curricula: the case of multiliteracy, mathematics, and social studies

“…Combining the perspectives of centralised and decentralised educational steering, the Finnish curricular framework offers a suitable opportunity to study the ways in which central concepts are contextualised. As discussed elsewhere (Palsa & Mertala, 2019), the Finnish curriculum framework consists of three levels. As a national level regulation, the NCC (issued by the National Agency for Education) creates the basis for the organisation of education and for the preparation of local curricula and the annual plans for individual schools.…”

“…"It plays a key role in setting out and implementing both national targets and goals and tasks considered important locally" (FNBoE, 2014, p. 9). The way in which the concepts presented in the national level core curriculum are defined in the local setting is referred to as conceptual contextualisation (Palsa & Mertala, 2019) and is part of the larger phenomena of curricular contextualisation (see, for example, Fernandes, Leite, Mouraz, & Figueiredo, 2013).…”

“…The Finnish interpretation, however, is slightly different: while cultural diversity is mentioned briefly (FNBoE, 2014), the emphasis is on understanding multiliteracy as a text-related competency, and the definition is close to how media literacy is defined in the international research literature (Palsa & Ruokamo, 2015). More precisely, the NCC (FNBoE, 2014) approaches multiliteracy through three different perspectives (Palsa & Mertala, 2019). First, it provides a rationale for why a concept/ competence, such as a multiliteracy, is needed (i.e.…”

“…To understand how certain concepts -in this case, educational competences -are implemented in local educational policy in a way that considers the specific local setting, Palsa and Mertala (2019) introduced the concept of "conceptual contextualisation," which refers to "how a certain concept is defined in a way that considers the specific local educational setting" (p. 115). In this paper, conceptual contextualisation is applied to study how the transversal competence of multiliteracy -a broad and complex concept introduced in the Finnish educational system in the latest curricular reform -is contextualised within different disciplines with versatile theoretical backgrounds, specifically mathematics (natural sciences) and social studies (social sciences) in Finnish local curricula.…”

Monilukutaito koodin purkajana: Ehdotus laaja-alaiseksi ohjelmoinnin pedagogiikaksi

“…(Emt., 20.) Laajaalaisen osaamisen juuret voidaan paikantaa globaaliin siirtymään kohti osaamisperusteista opetussuunnitelma-ajattelua, jonka tarvetta ja merkitystä perustellaan yleisesti sillä, että se vastaa nykymaailman ja tulevaisuuden kompleksisuuteen perinteistä oppiainevetoista opetussuunnitelmaa paremmin (Palsa & Mertala 2019).…”