In closing this section, we remind the reader that the two data sets, neither of which was
gathered with a PISA-related analysis in mind, were obtained independently. We are aware of
the limitations of small samples with respect to inferences about general populations, but
several factors indicate that our participants are unlikely to be unrepresentative of Finnish
conceptions of best practice within the domains of teacher education and classroom teachingrespectively. Firstly, with respect to the teacher educators’ data, there are only eight universities
involved in Finnish teacher education (Krokfors et al., 2011), and two well-regarded institutions
are represented in this paper. Thus, we feel confident in the authority of the teacher
educators’ voice. Secondly, the classroom teachers were working in partnership with their local
teacher education department, which was based in a different university from those of the
teacher educator sample. This, too, is well-regarded, having been nominated as a Centre of
Excellence in Mathematics Teacher Education by the Higher Education Evaluation Council.
Moreover, in addition to being construed locally as effective, project teachers would have had
“to prove they are competent to work with trainee teachers” (Sahlberg, 2011, p. 36). All four
were experienced with between 12 and 30 years’ service and had remained in close contact
with the same teacher education department since graduating from it. Thus, we feel confident
that the teachers, three males in their thirties and one female in her fifties, can be considered as
reflecting Finnish expectations of teacher expertise.