General Background History on Estonia

The Republic of Estonia is located on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, just south of Finland, west of Russia and north of Latvia. Slightly larger than Switzerland, Estonia has a population of about 1.5 million, with a significant Russian minority. A low-lying country with a gently rolling landscape, Estonia's principal natural resources include peat, amber, oil shale and timber. The area has many rivers and lakes and approximately 40% of the land is still forested. Despite traditionally close ties to Finland, Estonia has been subject to foreign rule - German, Polish or Russian - since the 13th century. Independence was won in 1920 in the aftermath of WWI; however, by 1940, Russia and Germany were again taking turns occupying this strategically located country.

After WWII Estonia was incorporated into the Soviet Union, and a large influx of Russian immigrants contributed to the development of Soviet-style industrialization. One of the three Baltic States (with Latvia and Lithuania) that became independent from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia is now a democratic parliamentary republic, and held its first elections under a new constitution in 1992. Estonia is currently in the process of moving from a planned economy to a free-market economy. The food-production and clothing industries are the fastest growing sectors of an economy in which unemployment is relatively low. While there have been some difficult economic times during the transition, Estonians are carefully examining options and alternatives for the economic, social and political future of their country.

The "Estonian Education Scenarios 2015" have been compiled to facilitate a national discussion on the future of education and to invite public support for a long-term education strategy. These Scenarios are being reviewed by the Estonian President, Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament, among others.

It must be noted however that this is not an official document of "The Estonian Forum '98 of Education." This is a draft, and this English version has been edited by the 21st Century Learning Initiative.

Education from the viewpoint of current trends in Estonian society

Currently, learning and teaching are seen as activities carried out by professionals who change people through providing them with new knowledge, skills, values, etc. Various forms of social recognition such as certificates and diplomas reward successful acquisition of prescribed curricula. Such rewards enable individuals to find their places in the social and economic structure of society.

Education is delivered, from pre-school through university, according to recognized syllabi and institutional requirements. The system is well-organized and structured and, consequently, education is highly institutionalized. However, not all learning is confined to schools. It takes place in homes, in electronic environments, and through various organizations and associations. When discussing education, therefore, we must also consider the mass media, advertising and other informal means and what impact they have on learning and education.

The following scenarios were developed with the understanding that, in order to have a learning society, it is necessary to create a level of agreement and cooperation between society at large and institutions of learning. In developing the education scenarios we considered the viewpoints of the different generations and ethnic groups that make up Estonia. We also considered insights from research in psychology, pedagogy, neuroscience, philosophy, economics and other research areas that influence learning and teaching. From these many considerations we have designed four scenarios describing what education in Estonia might look like in 2015.

Key factors of the Estonian education scenarios 2015

The "Estonian Education Scenarios 2015" have been developed by considering the combined influences of two key factors which determine the nature of Estonian society. These are: 1) the cohesiveness of the society - its integration and, 2) the innovative capabilities of the society - the quality and intensity of social striving.

1. The cohesiveness of a society is determined by whether it works to unite or disunite different people and groups.
   1. A disunited society is strongly polarized and is based on Corporatism where the super-successful are antagonistic towards the stragglers and "everyone dies on their own." Interpersonal relations are highly competitive and political power is perceived as remote. The level of trust within society is low and officials are perceived as opposed to the wishes of people. Society as a whole is characterized by political passivity and civic initiatives do not play a significant role in the organization of social affairs.

   2. A united society, in contrast, is highly coherent and possesses a strong middle stratum, the proportion of stragglers is comparatively low, and the top echelons do not oppose the interests of the majority. Cooperation and learning between groups thrive. Different viewpoints and positions are respected at both the personal and group levels. Power is seen to reside locally. A common Estonian identity is accepted by all citizens. Non-Estonians have been integrated and new immigrants adopt an Estonian identity. The public sector is efficient, transparent, and controlled by citizens. There is a high level of trust among individuals, organizations, and the state. NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are well-rooted and civic organizations play a significant role in the regulation of social life. All citizens accept and respect democratic mechanisms for decision-making.

2. A society's ability to be innovative is characterized by high levels of creativity and striving for success exhibited by its citizens - whether they are oriented towards the implementation of new ideas, technologies, skills or the maximum use of global opportunities.
   1. The development of a highly innovative society is accompanied by a rapid influx and distribution of high-level innovations and a conscious favoring of experimentation. Highly innovative societies develop revolutionary inventions and have many people motivated to learn continuously. Citizens are personally motivated, self-confident and possess a strong business ethic. An ethic of excellence and success prevails. In the Estonian context "Test Site Estonia" and "Pathfinder Estonia" have become trademarks. (These are national trademarks in which the international community recognizes Estonia's willingness to innovate and to lead the world in positive change.)

   2. A society with low levels of innovation is dominated by economic "realism" and narrow utilitarianism. Self-confidence and creativity are lacking and the nation compares itself to less developed parts of the world. There is a tendency to avoid problems and very few people are willing to take risks. Xenophobia is rampant and a general distrust of things, people and ideas, new and foreign is widespread. There is little (self)-criticism and an orientation towards the past predominates. Experimentation is left to others and only solutions already proven elsewhere are adopted.

In light of these basic factors we can develop four models of future Estonian society and their corresponding education scenarios (Figure 1). The ongoing globalization and openness observed in today's world are assumed to continue in all the scenarios. In the real-world future a combination of the various scenarios may well emerge rather than simply one or the other.

We would like to point out that we regard the goals of society and education as mutually dependent and mutually reinforcing. We consider it foolhardy to attempt to create an education strategy without considering possible changes in other sectors. Ignoring the larger social context could lead to decisions that adversely affect education.

Figure 1. Four visions of Estonia's education in 2015

Scenario A: ESTONIA OF "TRADITIONAL" SCHOOLS
Low innovative capacity and the joining society - "Nation-centered Estonia"

In this scenario Estonia is dominated by conservative values and united by a national (Estonian) identity based on perceived glories of the past. Estonia is rather homogenous in ethnic makeup because most non-Estonians have left the country and those remaining have been fully "Estonianised."

Estonia is part of the Information Age with information/communication technologies (ICT) used primarily for functional and entertainment purposes (mass media, distance learning, accounting, communications, etc.). Computer networks are accessible to a majority of the population through schools. Most families have home computers and tele-commuting is popular. Information technologies are also used to provide learning and employment opportunities for the disabled.

The labor market, however, is relatively closed. Few Estonians actually benefit from the global labor market. The personal service and public sectors provide most employment. The majority of intellectuals and risk-taking entrepreneurs have left the country. Foreign firms rarely invest in Estonia and there are few, if any, globally competitive enterprises located here. Estonia has lost the struggle to become the main East-West transit corridor between Finland and Russia. Agriculture (dairy) is Estonia's principal economic activity and its main export.

Demographically the Estonian population is decreasing and the percentage of the population that is elderly is increasing. Estonia resembles a Soviet-period village with the young either having not been born or leaving as soon as they can. Those remaining have already lived their lives, and don't have much energy to offer the country. The country is slowly fading away.

The public sector dominates the economy. It has been networked through ICT and is flexible and efficient. Cooperation between various ministries is efficient and almost all citizens have access to basic education. Mechanisms have been created to compensate for the inequities of the labor market. There are relatively few rich or poor individuals, but, in comparison to the West, Estonia is poor and introverted. Taxes are high and deter enterprising individuals from investment and innovation.

Estonia is recognized internationally as being on the periphery of Europe.

Implication for Schools: Estonia of public schools.

The primary purpose of education is the preservation of traditional Estonian values. Compulsory schooling lasts 12 years, and decisions concerning education are made at the state (Ministry) level with local governments and civic organizations playing only a supportive role. Nearly all children complete basic schooling. Subject areas are well-defined, narrowly focused and disconnected from each other.

Regional studies and ethnic history courses dominate a curriculum that stresses civic education. In early education little attention is paid to the development of creativity or the skills required for life-long learning. Teacher-centered education follows a traditional model and is oriented towards factual knowledge and rote memorization. Learning is organized around the school, classroom, and 45-minute lessons. Students are passive recipients in the learning process. An authoritarian or guru-like position of the teacher-tutor prevails. The schools are oriented towards molding individuals with deep-rooted moral values and behaviors. Children are prepared for life as passive consumers whose role in democracy is simply that of a voter.

The development of the individual is subordinated to the perceived needs of society. Alternative schools, home schooling and other non-traditional forms of education are regarded with suspicion.

A large percentage of graduates from the nine-year basic school (60-70%) study in vocational schools. Approximately one third of basic school graduates continue their studies in grammar schools that teach traditional academic subjects (mainly the sciences and humanities). Estonia takes pride in the teaching of languages and other humanities courses and many schools teach Latin and formal logic. Strict graduation examinations complete the grammar school curriculum. Employers increasingly want graduates with technical skills. Vocational schools operate in every region of Estonia and respect for skilled workers is high. Traditional professions and skills, such as housekeeping schools for girls, are well-represented in vocational education.

Secondary education, whether general or vocational, is delivered in face-to-face situations between pupils and teachers in classrooms (by "physically" attending schools), since the majority of students are not prepared for independent study.

In Universities, engineering and natural science students make up a small percentage of all students (perhaps 10 to 12%). New ideas in the sciences always come from outside of Estonia. The best-known Estonian researchers are the "social scientists" (literature, art and language study, folklore study, etc.) who have crossed the language barrier and are "selling" the analysis of somewhat archaic and exotic forms of Estonian society and culture. They are quite successful and attract the interest of foreign scholars.

Integration and cooperation between universities, R&D and industry hardly exist. High-tech businesses can barely make ends meet. Public sector officials consider most scientists and researchers irresponsible dreamers who are out of touch with "reality." University professors, scientists and experts are never invited to participate in government commissions. Few loans are available for university studies so most students must combine study with work.

Informal education and non-traditional forms of learning are not considered equal "partners" in the formal education system. There is no significant exchange of information or ideas between these two sectors. Adult education is systematic, specialized, primarily vocational and job-related. It is utilitarian and principally used to help workers cope with new equipment and technologies.

Scenario B: ESTONIA OF "CONTINUOUS" EDUCATION REFORMS
The disuniting society and limited ability for innovation - "Corporate Estonia"

In this scenario Estonia lacks a vision of its mission and role in Europe and the world. Estonia has lost any sense of shared values or common interests and has become a battleground of different groups fighting for political and economic power. People are seen as either winners or losers - the strong and the weak. Political power rests in the hands of ever-changing groups of special interests. Political parties are shaky and the government chronically unstable. There is the constant threat of "early elections." Citizens do not trust the government or the officials they themselves have elected. Competition and success at all costs are the dominant social ethic. Winners are glorified and show no compassion towards society's "losers."

Economic growth is stagnant. Few foreign-owned, globally competitive companies operate in Estonia. Smaller local businesses, mostly in the service sector, struggle to survive. Transit services provide a significant part of the national income. The dairy industry has a primary position in the economy - Helsinki and St. Petersburg import a significant share of their dairy products from Estonia. Due to political and economic instability foreign investment is rare.

The public sector - ministries, local governments and specific departments - lacks a culture of cooperation. There is no exchange of information, data bases, experiences, problems, etc. Lack of cooperation and coordination at all levels leads to many people "dropping through the cracks."

Estonia is firmly on the periphery of Europe and is dependent on European Union aid programs. European financial support (especially in the social and education sectors) has proven ineffective because of narrow economic interests in the society and the dysfunctional nature of the public sector. Civic organizations play a very modest role in society and have failed to become initiators of innovation or to promote new ideas of international cooperation.

Society functions according to the principles of a threshing machine - remove the chaff (the weak, the losers) and promote the grain (the winners).

Estonia becomes a land of the "lumpen proletariat" as a perpetual underclass swells. There is no social mobility. The economic and social winners and losers have segregated themselves in boroughs, counties and townships as well as entire towns and city districts. Unemployment and crime rates are high.

Estonia's population is aging. Birth rates are low and those with the best "brains" and ambition are leaving the country. Estonia is seen by the rest of the world as a troublesome little country, which cannot be trusted or allowed to participate in global affairs. We are left outside all international decision-making bodies.

Implication for Schools: Estonia of continuous education reforms.

Fear of being left behind prompts the pursuit of educational credentials. Political rhetoric is filled with the importance of education in order to ensure voter support. Education has become a weapon for political power struggles. Campaign promised educational "innovations" are implemented but are usually short-sighted reforms that go nowhere. With every new government comes a new series of reforms. The absence of a "uniting vision" for Estonia's development and education makes the society unstable. People feel unsure of themselves and are deeply concerned about the future.

Education is dominated by a powerful central authority that has established a strict system of state examinations and oversight. Local authorities are powerless and are under constant scrutiny. Local innovations or experimentation are not encouraged.

Private schools are gaining popularity and educational institutions compete fiercely for resources and students. Education has been bifurcated into that of winners and losers. Traditional learning environments (schools) predominate. The infrastructure necessary for individual and distance learning is only beginning to develop and is by no means accessible to everyone. Some public schools have gained advantages thanks to foreign aid and resources they have raised on their own, which results in several "elite schools."

Most public schools face permanent crisis and operate as storage facilities where education is synonymous with disciplinary and social problems for the children of the poor. Truancy is rampant. Distinct differences have developed between the curricula and learning environments of the Èlite schools and the ordinary public schools. The latter fluctuate between the tried and true basics and new fads, while elite schools work to meet children's individual developmental needs and are oriented towards enabling children to continue their studies abroad.

The learning environments of ordinary public schools are generally technologically outdated and morally discredited. Consideration of individual learning styles has been subordinated to the requirements of "expert" state supervisors and a rigid examination system. Creativity and innovation are deemed "disturbing factors." "Non-standard" pupils are undesirable and cooperation between teachers and pupils is rare. Fear is pervasive. Many ordinary public schools have earned the scorn of the public and their best teachers have quit. Teachers in these schools are held in low regard while those in the Èlite schools are well respected and admired.

Universities face financial difficulties and compete for limited resources and the most talented students. Few foreign students attend Estonian Universities and the most talented Estonian students study abroad. A significant number of foreign universities, or more accurately their training centers, have come to Estonia. An increasing number of students are studying in foreign universities through distance education. The Estonian academic community, headed by the Tartu University, is actively fighting in favor of an Estonian national accrediting system and against the automatic acceptance of education obtained in other languages.

The research community, too, is fiercely competing for limited resources. Much academic work is published abroad as there are few partnerships between domestic industry and science. Businesses rarely commission scientific research. The social sciences have been inadequately financed since the turn of the century and the universities have remained relatively isolated from the economy. Companies organize training courses, developed in other countries, for their key personnel. Businesses employ in-house research teams and keep all their innovations and insights confidential.

Scenario C: ESTONIA OF MARKET EDUCATION AND ELITE SCHOOLS
The disuniting society and high innovative capability - "Estonia of the rich and the poor"

Estonia is succeeding in terms of increased GDP and other macro-economic indices. A large number of Russian businessmen have invaded Estonia, making use of its solid communication infrastructure. Estonia serves as a transit point for goods and services between Eurasia and Northern Europe. Several Estonian "superbanks" support these businesses.

Publicly expressed social values are neo-liberal and there is a belief that the free market should determine all matters. There is much ridicule of allegedly "socialist" and "left-wing" values such as "common interests," "solidarity," and "welfare." Estonia's international identity is based on the recognition of one or two high-technology firms ("Estonian Nokias" - high tech company) which are well-known international corporations. Although Western technologies are rapidly adopted in these companies, rarely are new ideas or technologies invented in Estonia.

Only a thin layer of symbolic analysts (those who identify, solve, and broker problems by manipulating knowledge) has easy access to global information networks and efficient handling and selection of information. These people are successful within global markets and participate in many global research networks or work at firms developing and producing high technology. The successful earn high wages, live in Estonia's most picturesque areas and have houses protected by the latest security technologies.

Most public sector services are delivered electronically. Electronic data files have led to the efficient delivery of public services. All major innovations in the public sector are based on foreign know-how and software. There is great opposition in the public sector towards developing and providing new services, with the exception of those in the interests of the "Estonian Nokias." Government officials direct their extensive powers at providing an advantageous business environment for large international firms that ensure Estonia's international success and tax base. Officialdom and management of successful firms are closely interlaced. These groups actually rule Estonia together.

Civic organizations (NGO's) are elitist and play only a minor role in the development of a democratic civil society. The most prestigious NGOs are ones registered as societies of learning and professional groups that operate in the various niches available to them.

The labor market is global and sharply polarized; the divide runs between those working in the few top international firms and those outside the global labor market. Gender and other forms of discrimination in the labor market are prevalent and unemployment among the "unskilled" is high. Little effective adult education is available. Successful employees, however, receive continuous support from their employers and life-long, high-quality training is available and encouraged.

The social structure is determined by negative reproduction circles. Global employment combined with elitist educational opportunities have created an elite stratum which works successfully in global markets and generally ignores the problems of the rest of the society. They have "opted out." More than half of the population lives in poverty.

Estonia has split into sub-societies - the natives and recent immigrants, the rich and the poor, the rural and urban, the employed and the unemployed. Some groups of people - including many young people, but also immigrants and pensioners - have severed all ties with their communities and exist solely in virtual environments.

Taxes are low and competition is ruthless. The value of a person depends on the quality of the skills and knowledge he can sell on the global labor market. Small locally based firms frequently go bankrupt. Trade unions are in suspended animation.

Estonia is increasingly multi-ethnic. The population in Estonia is growing, but the number of ethnic Estonians is actually decreasing. The birth rate is low, as is the average male life expectancy. Mortality is high among the lower classes and is extremely high among the underclass.

English is the lingua franca, spoken by the successful. The Estonians still use their native language, but the use of Russian has decreased as English has become the primary language. Local English-language newspapers and magazines are published in Estonia and the demands of the "Language Act" have been significantly reduced.

Crime, particularly that involving computer network break-ins, is alarmingly high.

Estonia is considered a "tiger cub" of Eastern Europe. The Western media periodically mentions Estonia as a model state of classical capitalism in the information society. The IMF and the World Bank recommend Estonia as a safe place for foreign investment.

Implication for Schools: Estonia of market education and elite schools

A majority of Estonia's residents are furiously studying, seeing education as the only means of survival in the competitive global economic environment. Private tuition is widespread and covers up to 40-50% of gymnasium and university education. Numerous private kindergartens and expensive private nursery schools serve the children of the richest parents. The best teachers combine comfort with the fostering of multi-sided development. Much attention is paid to the development of creativity. Educational institutions have become semi-business enterprises. Differences between the elite and ordinary schools are vast (different educational paradigms, different learning environments, teachers of different qualification, etc.).

Education is discussed in market terms but no flexibility has been achieved in its financing. Gaps in educational opportunities begin at birth and increase at every level thereafter. Children from the underclass find it very difficult to get an education that enables them to compete in the global labor market. The concepts of state curriculum and comprehensive schools have been dropped. …lite schools and ordinary public schools are contrasted by their own and very different curricula. The amount of education provided in English is increasing.

Kindergartens for five to seven year-olds have developed into preliminary schools. Admission examinations to the first class are highly competitive. Parents do not spare their meager resources to place children in Èlite kindergartens, hoping to ensure their admission to Èlite primary and secondary schools and universities. Children commonly have private tutors or attend private preparatory classes after regular school.

Small rural elementary schools have largely disappeared. Only the lower social strata agree to send their children to schools near their homes. The "Estonian Nokias" have adopted a system of "high-tech" tests that use the latest scientific measurements to rate children's innate abilities for the early identification of talented children from poor families. Thus, exceptionally talented children of poor parents can also have access to elite schools. Some foreign countries consider adoption of the selection system developed in Estonia due to its efficiency in allocating human capital and compare it to the system of breeding elite athletes once used in the German Democratic Republic.

Nine-year basic education is generally accessible and compulsory for everyone. The number of dropouts, which reached record levels at the turn of the century, has been reduced to a minimum. A majority of the basic public school graduates continue their studies at the secondary level - approximately 50% continue in a gymnasium and the others in various vocational schools. The quality of gymnasium education varies according to regions or city districts.

Following the European model, comprehensive general secondary schools providing professional training have also emerged. Approximately half of the gymnasiums provide paid education and offer purely academic curricula. They are basically preparatory schools for the university. Competition is fierce for the few slots available in the best gymnasiums. Gymnasium ends with "examinations hell." The multiplicity of school types favors the emergence of compensatory - religious and other alternative - schools, especially for the underclass. Professional education prepares young people to work for local enterprises and as "cheap human resources" for foreign corporations.

Contradictory demands from employers fuel debates over standards and efficiency in primary and secondary education. Top companies stress the need for students who can see the "big picture" and have a global perspective. They want young people who are creative, problem-solving and innovative, while smaller companies are more interested in the development of disciplined workers who know how to do what they are told. Due to these differing demands, secondary education is increasingly fragmented. The number of suicides among young people is on the rise, and violence and drugs in the schools are a real problem.

The teacher-learner relationship differs in schools according to their type and pedagogical-philosophical background. Authoritarian, democratic and "laissez-faire" relations between teachers and pupils are all represented. A similar pluralism characterizes the curricula and the organization of education.

Teachers in a typical public school are quite distanced from the students and the school's efforts are directed at scoring maximum points on standard examinations. Development of self-respect, self-confidence and creativity has become a secondary consideration at best. The same applies to the development of children with special needs. Only Èlite and private alternative schools address such skills and needs.

Less than half of all graduates enter institutions of higher education. The share of vocational (applied) college education has increased rapidly. Approximately 50 to 60% of newly admitted students begin their studies in professional vocational universities/colleges. The best gymnasium graduates prefer to study abroad. Branches of several prestigious Western and Russian universities have been founded in Estonia where visiting professors hold lectures and offer courses through distance education.

All the major universities in Estonia have become polarized - faculties working on subjects related to successful economic sectors are quite wealthy, other faculties have only local significance and survive through state support. The humanities are struggling to survive because they cannot ensure students great incomes or successful careers. Miraculously, the specialties connected with the arts have managed to survive and some have achieved international recognition.

Technical subjects are the most popular, especially those where an alliance with high-technology production has been formed. Top technical specialists usually work on highly classified research projects in international corporations R&D departments.

Students are responsible for financing their University education. Many students must work and attend university at the same time, as funding is scarce. Children of wealthier families, those who have attended elite secondary schools and individuals with above average talents, energy and enterprise have an advantage.

Scenario D: LEARNING ESTONIA
The uniting society and a high innovative capability - "Interactive Estonia"

Egalitarian attitudes prevail in society and the rights of all people are respected. All members of society are valued and attempts are made to help everyone find an economic niche. Estonians value and support sustainable development and the conservation movement.

Estonia is treated as a "pilot country" in transit to becoming a learning and knowledge-centered society. It is a country where new ideas, technologies, new forms of economy, human coexistence, learning and teaching are developed and tested. A large number of enterprises in Estonia, some as well known as Netscape or Nokia, produce software. Estonia's excellent communications infrastructure and business environment attract major pharmacy and food industry investments. The service sector also attracts large amounts of foreign investment. Estonia is a junction of East-West transit and a logistical and financial center. "Test Site Estonia" is a well-known international trademark.

Profound changes have taken place in the power structure and organization of society. The traditional trade unions, which used to bring together representatives of separate and distinct occupations, have lost their influence, as the parameters of professions have become vague. Trade unions, and to some degree political parties, are being replaced by civic organizations. Civic organizations have created independent research and development centers. Society functions more effectively as these centers fill the gaps between the state and private sectors in several spheres (for example: the development, implementation and monitoring of educational policy; monitoring of the natural environment; and helping to coordinate the activities of the public sector).

The state is primarily responsible for promoting communication and cooperation between and among sectors within and outside society. It acts as a training strategist and as a guarantor of international agreements. State employees develop new services in response to the population's rapidly changing requirements. Sale of the products and know-how created in the public sector has become a substantial part of Estonia's exports.

The extensive development of information/communication networks and increased responsibility of citizens encourage the spread of direct democracy. Well developed telecommunication networks enable a wide use of forums and voting for the solving of nearly all vital problems.

The most sought and best-paid work is that of the symbolic analysts, systems theoreticians and developers, managers of complex organizations and designers. These professionals develop new information services, telecommunication systems, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and bio-technologies. The nature of work has changed profoundly. Lifetime employment with a firm, standard working hours and work weeks, and a specific workplace have become rare. Many people tele-commute with colleagues in Estonia and around the world. There are many part-time workers. It is common for work to be interspersed with study, and adult training has become linked to the processing of information necessary for the solving of current problems, data gathering and designing new products and services. Living standards are satisfactory if not high.

Estonia's population is growing. The number of ethnic Estonians is also increasing. Although the pressure of the English language is strong, there is no direct threat to the Estonian language or to the existence of the nation.

The foreign press pays an amazing amount of attention to Estonia's image as an "experimental republic." Estonia's economy, (learning) technologies, culture of communication, and forms of cooperation are closely observed by foreigners. A new term, "Estonian club," has emerged besides "Irish pub." The members of this "club" are interested in the balanced and sustainable development of Estonia, Europe and the world and form a large global virtual community joining representatives of many fields of life.

Implication for Schools: Learning Estonia

Lifelong learning defines education in Estonia. Learning is integrated into nearly all social activities. Estonia's learning communities serve as pathfinders for the rest of the world.

Innovation is rampant in the development of new paradigms and models of learning. Particular attention is paid to the development of a child's creativity in the early years of life. This is based on the shared knowledge (among families, educators and communities) that failures in early education, particularly in the development of personal creativity and motivation, are much more difficult to reverse later in the educational process. Estonia is striving to develop all young people so that, by the time they leave secondary school, they will be able to learn independently and to take full responsibility for their continued study. Teenagers are considerable generators of new ideas and play a critical role in the development of their local communities. Older students work as tutors for younger students and help them in the use of new technologies. Crime among young people is rare.

Education is partly public and private. The proportions between the two sectors vary, depending on local communities. As in most of society, educational alternatives can be rapidly rearranged to meet new needs and opportunities. Attendance is high at the varied and affordable courses offered by numerous civic associations.

Education legislation is centered around children's needs and observance is strictly monitored. Of particular concern is the need to develop creative, flexible and motivated learners who can take control of their own learning.

All children and young people between the ages of five and 18 either attend school full-time or learn in various combined learning environments (home-learning, distance education or other forms). Schools are open to the public. Many schools serve as local information and training centers, providing meeting space for civic associations and parents offering instruction in different extra-curricular activities. Teachers also work with adults who had either interrupted their studies earlier or are now interested taking new courses. Schools are frequently engaged in business activities. Several student firms operate in Estonia and some of them provide private coaching or tutoring.

Nearly 100% of graduates continue their studies after leaving secondary school. Post-secondary education, including university education, has undergone significant changes. This level of education has greatly differentiated internally so that it is quite difficult to define exactly where higher education begins. Many secondary school graduates continue learning in various private work-training courses that compete with the universities in terms of quality and choice. The credentialing of education has been liberalized in most fields, and a majority of universities recognize the accredited training courses completed by students.

Cooperation between Estonia's public sector and the universities has resulted in one of the most effective and respected governments in the world. Government institutions are considered some the best examples of learning organizations anywhere. Intellectuals and artists are more closely than ever connected with the universities via teaching (particularly various workshops) or common development projects. Estonian university education and science have become internationally respected and researchers participate in a number of international projects. The social sciences and other research and development spheres important to Estonia are considered a priority for the improvement of the quality of life within Estonia.

Adult education is widespread and interlaced with the professional and everyday activities of workers, covering individuals of all ages. There is much choice in opportunities of study and the main problem facing people is how best to navigate the multiplicity of choices. A career consulting system helps citizens make well-informed decisions about what is best for their own learning needs.

Teachers and professors are held in high regard. Teachers are reflective practitioners and their ongoing learning is inseparable from their work as teachers. Teachers are creative, innovative and free to implement the newest findings into the nature of effective learning into their courses.

At press time, the Estonians told us the next step in developing "ownership" for these scenarios is on-going. Their future conclusions will be posted on the Initiative's website as soon as possible.

For further information on these scenarios, please contact Ene-Silvia Sarv, Tallinn University of Pedagogical Sciences, Viru Vo/ooljak 2, Tallinn EE0001, Estonia (enesarv@lin2.tpu.ee) or Raivo Vilu, Professor, Tallinn Technical University, 5 Ehitajate tee, Tallinn, Estonia (raivo@kbfi.ee).

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21st Century Learning Initiative

http://www.21learn.org

mail@21learn.org