What are the prerequisites for changing the curriculum, and how are these changes reflected in school development? What are the principles and practices underlying the everyday functioning of schools? Can national differences be observed? These are some of the issues dealt with in this unique collection of texts, which focuses on both the theory and practice of curriculum change in Finland. Two chapters on England provide an added comparative dimension. The book is divided into three parts. The overall theoretical context for the articles, which is set up in Part One, demonstrates two commitments, both of which lie at the centre of current Finnish policy on school-based curriculum. These are, firstly, a commitment to constructivist theories of learning, and, secondly, to alternative approaches to both the professional development of teachers and to the school as a learning organisation. Part Two of the book presents detailed case studies, illustrating the practice of curriculum change in schools in England and Finland, together with relevant context-setting chapters indicating both the pace of change in each country and, interestingly, the fact that in some respects the curriculum policies of these countries are moving in opposite directions. Part Three contains reflections on the changing curriculum experience informed by both theoretical considerations and a synthesis of research findings presented earlier. These, together with suggested follow-up activities for students, should help make the book a valuable resource for students of education and for practising teachers. Researchers and administrators in the field of education will also find the book rewarding and challenging. For readers in England, the volume has a special interest because many of the findings from the school development projects resonate strongly with the experiences of collaborative action research projects centring on teachers' professional development.
