Finnish teachers as adopters of educational innovation: perceptions of programming as a new part of the curriculum

Abstract

Background and context: In 2016, programming was introduced as part of the revised National Core Curriculum for Basic Education in Finland. Over five years after implementation there has not been substantial increase in teacher or student competencies in programming. Objective: This study explored the perceptions, attitudes, and emotions of Finnish pre-primary, primary and secondary school teachers regarding programming being integrated into the national curriculum at the time when it was first introduced. Method: The perceptions of Finnish teachers were surveyed via a questionnaire (N =943) administered at the end of a one-day in-service training. The study used a mixed-methods approach, where responses were examined through content analysis and part of the data was quantified for quantitative analyses. Findings: Teachers perceive programming as a new part of the curriculum based on the advantageousness, complexity and compatibility of the innovation and various internal and external factors. Their attitudes towards the integration of programming into the curriculum, which range from negative to positive, relate to their emotions. Implications: We propose that it is vital, when planning supportive measures, to take into account the holistic and affective nature of educational change and teachers’ perceptions, various factors, and their dependencies that influence the adoption process.