Language Teachers’ Experiences and Professional Challenges in Integrating Competence-Based Education in Finnish Liberal Adult Education

The accreditation of liberal adult education in Finland encourages teachers to integrate competence-based education (CBE), aligning with broader European initiatives that promote adult learning and the recognition of competences. Such a shift challenges traditional pedagogies and calls for educational transformation. This study investigates how language teachers in Finnish adult education centres experience and interpret CBE, focusing on its perceived benefits and practical challenges. Despite their central role in implementing CBE, little research has explored language teachers’ classroom-level experiences. The study explores (1) language teachers’ perceptions of the benefits of implementing CBE and (2) the challenges they encounter in competence-based classroom practice. Drawing on teacher professional identity theory, the study analyzes how the alignment between policy expectations and teachers’ professional identities shapes their engagement with CBE. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study combines questionnaire and interview data. Thematic analysis identified five key areas of challenge: professional development, quality frameworks, administrative policies, operational practices, and educational ecosystems. While teachers recognized certain benefits of CBE, many reported tensions between competence-based approaches and their pedagogical values and established practices. The findings highlight the complexity of CBE reform and underscore the importance of supporting teachers’ professional identity development amid ongoing educational change.