Finland Seeks To Improve Its Outstanding Schools

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - When you're number one, you usually work to stay there and make little change. However, Finland is an exception.

With leading student test scores, the country has been the envy of world education experts.

There will be less emphasis on individual subjects like history and math and more focus on interdisciplinary topics - preparing students with skills for a more technological, global society beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, as part of a National Curriculum Framework in three phases.

This Phenomenon-Based Teaching will bring in the outside world, for example, lessons on the European Union blending history and economics.

Phase 2 will have students helping to plan lessons and projects and be able to evaluate their success and phase 3 will reorganize classroom seats to emphasize collaboration and promote communication.

Read more in The Huffington Post on examples and critiques of this exciting national plan.