A comparative study of teacher professional development between Palestine and Finland in light of the professional development of Palestinian teachers

Abstract

The current study aimed to compare the professional development systems for teachers in Palestine and Finland, and to identify the similarities and differences between them, in order to come up with some educational procedures for the professional development of teachers in Palestine by benefiting from the Finnish experience. The researcher used the comparative method (Biriday method), and relied on the analysis of official reports and educational literature. The results of the study showed the superiority of the Finnish model in professional independence, and the link between the academic and applied aspects. The study also revealed the success of the Finnish model in strengthening the partnership between the Ministry of Education and universities, and the focus on action scientific research. The study recommended the need to institutionalize the relationship between universities and the educational field, activate the incentive system linked to the teacher's research performance, transform Palestinian schools into professional communities, and adopt the teacher-researcher model in Palestinian policies.