Browsing by Subject "uusliberalismi; vocational education and training"

Topic and purpose. The topic of this thesis is Finland’s ongoing process of reforming legislation on vocational upper secondary education. According to the government, the objective of the reform is an effective, competence-based and customer-oriented VET (vocational education and training) system. The aim is to increase the amount of on-the-job learning and vocational colleges should create more personalized learning paths for each individual student. I attempt to describe the reform in its societal, historical and ideological context. I also critically examine the key themes of political narratives for this reform. Materials and methods. Political discourse can be examined both as the instrument and as an effect of power. I used rhetorical analysis when I examined the draft (dated November 8, 2016) of government bill for The Vocational Education and Training Act and some acts related to it, and some stakeholders’ reactions to it. Results and conclusions. The draft of government bill is associated with neoliberal ideas, in which a student is personally responsible of his/her own employability. In this rhetoric, a student is a customer of a vocational institution, who is helped to plan educational and workplace pathways. Instead of pedagogical, educational or cultural goals, the student-customer is offered an opportunity to show his/her vocational skills. The neoliberal ideals of effectiveness, individualization and flexibility are emphasized in targets set to educational organizations.