Administration & Leadership

Education Everywhere: School Success Stories from Abroad

Edutopia’s video series Education Everywhere profiles innovative school systems all around the world. Here you’ll find links to the videos and additional resources for learning about education systems in various countries.

January 16, 2012 Updated July 16, 2014

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Education Everywhere Video Series

Edutopia's video series takes a look at high-achieving education systems and model schools around the world to see what makes them successful. This series is a co-production with the Pearson Foundation.

Early intervention and sustained individual support for every student are keys to educating the whole child in Finnish schools.

By cultivating strong school leadership, committing to ongoing professional development, and exploring innovative models like its tech-infused Future Schools, Singapore has become one of the top-scoring countries on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests.

In Ontario, schools have raised their test scores and graduation rates by providing resources such as full-time student success teachers, who help English-language learners and other students in need.

In Shanghai, China, every low-performing school is assigned a team of master teachers and administrators to provide weekly guidance and mentorship on everything from lesson plans to school culture.

When low scores on the 2000 PISA exams revealed the inequities in their education system, many German states began to make comprehensive efforts to improve the quality of their schools.

Education Around the World

Learning from Finland

Teacher Education in Finland: What are Finnish Teachers Made Of? by Merja Paksuniemi (2013)
In conjunction with two colleagues, Paksuniemi, a professor at the University of Lapland, explains how Finland's high standards for teacher education became a significant factor in that country's highly-regarded educational system.

Penn-Finn Learnings: 2013

  • A Journey of Inquiry, by Joe Mazza (2013)

    Mazza, with members of the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, kick off their tour of three schools in Helsinki, Finland, and reflect on what they learn.

  • Setting the Stage for a Global Conversation, by Joe Mazza (2013)

    On behalf of the American and Finnish educators participating in Penn-Finn Learnings 2013, Mazza sets the stage for a global edchat live from the University of Helsinki.

  • How We Value Our Teachers, by Brandon Wiley (2013)

    Wiley, Director of Asia Society's International Studies Schools Network, blogs from Helsinki about the differences in how Finland and the U.S. value their teachers.

  • Does Student Voice Translate in Finnish? by Brandon Wiley (2013)

    Wiley writes from Helsinki about Finnish students' expectations for and involvement in their own education.

  • A Wealth of Resources for Connected Educators, by Joe Mazza (2013)

    Mazza shares the resources collected by American and Finnish educators participating in a global edchat, live from the University of Helsinki.

Lessons from High-Achieving Countries

  • International Comparisons in Digital Literacy: What Can We Learn? by Anne O’Brien (2012)

    O’Brien discusses the results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in regard to student performance in digital reading, navigation, and computer use -- and what these results mean for educators in the United States.

  • Linda Darling-Hammond on Becoming Internationally Competitive, by Edutopia Staff (2010)

    Stanford University professor and noted researcher Linda Darling-Hammond discusses what the United States can learn from high-achieving countries on teaching, learning, and assessment -- from Finland to Singapore.

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