Why the “Silent Finns” Have the Loudest Classrooms and Implications for Japanese Universities

Finnish education may be a model for Japanese universities as they look to promote active learning pedagogies. Based on observations and interviews with influential educators from several Finnish institutions, this article overviews key aspects of education in Finland, especially those related to deep learning. The role of faculty development, learning spaces, and co-teaching are also examined. Finally, a pilot course implemented at Okayama University in which the authors aimed to apply key ideas learned in Finland will be described.