Browsing by Title

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to analyse the discussion around the Finnish national food vote. The views expressed with regard to the vote, the different styles of speech, and the emphases and values associated with each view constitute the main interest of the study. In particular the study examines how food shapes identity and what kind of values, attitudes and images are attached to ’being a Finn’. Previous studies show that food conveys culture and thus forms identity. Methods. The data consist mainly of discussions in the media and social media around the national food vote. In principle the data was accessible by anyone searching the internet with the keyword ’national food’. However, the actual research material consists of data compiled by the company Meltwater Finland Oy in a media-monitoring campaign commissioned by the ELO Foundation. These data, consisting of different texts in the traditional and social media, were both analysed as qualitative content analysis discussions as well as differentiated and classified into different styles of speech based on the contents thereof. Results and conclusions. Eight different styles of speech were identified as a result of the analysis. The two main styles represented positive and negative tones of speech. The other styles identified were factual, healt- and identity speech, being right speech, voting speech and other (residual) speech. These styles of speech and the values associated with each of them were examined and analyzed both before and after the national food vote. In social media the discussion was vivid especially after the results of the vote were published. The media-monitoring campaign provided in total of 2301 hits for the keyword ’national food vote’, from which 367 in the traditional media and 1934 in social media. The results show that there are strong emotions connected with Finnish culinary identity. Some essential features and characteristics of what it means to be a Finn are revealed in the different styles of speech, as well as the significance of food, one of our fundamental needs. The study adds our understanding about the Finnish food culture and its significance. The analyzed material brings forth different styles of speech that are employed on internet forums. Within home economics, this study and its results can be utilised in teaching, and corresponding mini-votes can be organised within a class. The tourism and travelling industry could also benefit from the findings as they reveal and classify some of the major parts of Finnish identity, namely culinary identity.

Aim. Existing models and theories for reading in classrooms are aimed for teaching in the classroom. In spring 2020 schools changed to distance teaching and the question arose, whether these models would function in distance teaching. Since there was no experience from such in Finland there is also very little research in this field. Therefor this study wants to review the usage of reading strategies in teaching in grade nine and how they have worked when schools went to distance teaching in spring 2020. Methods. This study is a case study. The material is collected qualitatively through a semi-structured interview and by getting access to a recorded lesson and som written material given by the teacher. One teacher and 33 pupils participated in this study. The material was analyzed using a thematic analysis. Results and conclusions. The results show that the teacher uses reading strategies and models in the teaching of reading fiction. They also indicate that the teacher manages to continue teaching online in a very similar way by creating a virtual classroom for the pupils.

The aim of this study is to examine conflicts that arise between adults and children in a certain kindergartens pre-school group that is devided in two parts. The study will determine in which circumstances and why the conflicts arise, how adult solves conflict situations and what kind of support adult gets. The study aims to describe the factors that affect to the conflicts between adults and children and the associated behavior. The theoretical background of this study tries to determine what kind of institution pre-school in Finland is and how the children are like in pre-school age. The theoretical background will also study the interaction between an adult and a child, the different styles of education between adults and the co-operation between the adults. The study was carried out for one kindergartens pre-school instructors in one group that was divided in two smaller parts. There were five instructors in the group and all of them were interviewed separately by using semi-structured interview base. Two of the interviewed instructors were early childhood education teachers, two of them were early childhood education childminers and one of them was early childhood education special needs teacher. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The results showed that the conflict arose the most in guided situations, such as the transition from one task to another, as well as free play situations. The reasons behind the conflicts were considered to be children's normal feelings, personality and temperament as well as the kindergarten’s ever-changing conditions and hectic everyday life. In addition, children’s deficient or poor self-regulatory skills and social-emotional skills were considered to cause conflicts. Some instructors shared the view that the children coming into conflict with the adult were often boys and had special needs. Adult sought to resolve the conflict through discussions with one or more children. Adults emphasized sensitive and empathetic education styles and encouraging children. Adults felt that they received the most support for conflict situations from their own team, and support most often took place in the conflict situation itself. Adults felt that there could be more support for conflict situations and the most prominent need for support was to increase human resources.

Objectives. As society sexualizes, the need for sex education grows at the same rate. The development of adolescence needs support and guidance on the way to adulthood, and young people should also be provided with useful reading material as a hobby in support of sex education in schools. In my research, I investigated how the challenges of adolescence are described in youth literature. I will first look at the concepts of adolescence, which play a key role in both books. The aim was to study how sexuality manifests itself in juvenile literature. Methods. This study was conducted with qualitative content analysis. Four works were selected for my research that deal with changes in adolescence and, in particular, the most relevant themes related to sexuality. I study the effects of the hobby of reading, and how the challenges of adolescence are described in the youth literature. I also consider how this type of literature can support youth development. The excerpts I picked up are selected for the results of my research based on how substantially they met the adolescence challenges I addressed. I selected from the works the passages relevant to my research, which I then divided into specific themes. A lot of similarities were found in the material to support each other, as well as the purpose of my research. Results and conclusions. Reading has more of an impact, and identification with the protagonists of the stories carries the ability to cope with problems. Substitute experiences in reading are at their best to help in future situations and emotional states as well. The books I have chosen are well suited to support sex education in their elements. They raised the challenges of adolescence in a variety of ways, and provided a springboard for open discussion with adults. Themes such as interpersonal relationships, emotional turmoil, family life, experimentation with physical boundaries, body image, emotions, and the search for identity are hallmarks of developmental novels, and were also head themes in the works selected for this study. The individual's focus on growth and development was also common. The hobby of reading empowers young people, and showed how its research supports young people on the eve of adolescence.

The objective of the thesis is to find out what kind of factors can be observed in the background of psychological stress of students studying in hospital school and which methods are used to regulate the psychological stress. The mental health challenges of children and youth and mental symptoms have been a social topic for a fairly long time. Effects can be seen both in individual´s free time and in everyday school life. The topic of the thesis is important, because successful schooling makes it possible for the student to learn and grow and provides the good basis for success in the future. The thesis was carried out using qualitative research. The material of the thesis consists of interviews with five teachers which were carried out using a semi-structured thematic interview. The research method is data-driven content analysis. In the hospital school pedagogy, the students' psychological stress showed symptoms both internally and externally. The research results show that teachers identify both internal characteristics and environmental factors behind the students' psychological stress. Among the students' internal characteristics that caused psychological stress, neuropsychiatric challenges, special sensitivity, weak stress and pressure tolerance, challenges in self-regulation and low resilience were identified. Among the environmental factors that caused psychological stress, the demands set by adults, school, modern society, social factors, corona pandemic, home and institutional conditions, and social media were identified. The research results show that the manifestation of psychological stress and the regulation of psychological stress are strongly linked to each other. A certain type of psychological stress symptomatology leads to the use of certain methods of support. One of the main observations of the thesis is that the methods of support can be divided into two types of activities: activities in which the activity and interaction between adults is at the center of the support and activities in which the activity and interaction between the adult and the student is at the center of the support. Regardless of the method of support, the objective is the same in all of them: individually meeting the student, calculating the psychological stress, rehabilitating and, in the context of hospital school pedagogy, returning the children and youth back to the standard basic education.

Early studies have shown that parents in modern society are living their everyday life in the middle of the cultural expectations. Studies also show that children enjoy being in day care, if they have friends there, as well as the opportunity to play and to do something meaningful. Purpose of this study was to bring children's voices heard and to describe the child's everyday experiences. The study was to find out pre-school children's everyday life experiences at home, in family and in day care center. Children live their everyday life at home and in day care centers. This study describes the child's well-being and everyday in the basis of Bronfenbrenner eco-logical theory of education. The data were collected by questionnaire in Hämeenlinna day care centre personnel and its customers in the spring of 2011. For the individual interviews participated 478 children. The data were analyzed by using content analysis and content analysis methods. The study was a qualitative and approach by phenomenographic. The results showed that children want to play both at home and in day care centers. 39 % of the children wanted to spend time with their parents at home and in day care center only 13 % of children wanted to be with adults. Importance of friends in day-care center was emphasized, because 37% of the children mentioned in their responses friends. The study also asked if children are listened by the adults and 63% of the children felt that adults listen them carefully.

Working in groups, and developing children’s group experiences and group skills, are a crucial part of primary school (Trach, Lee & Hymel, 2018). Grouping is a part of group’s developmental process, where a group gets to know one another and becomes functioning, tight, and safe for its members (Jauhiainen & Eskola, 1994; Karlsson & Riihelä, 2004). According to earlier studies, focusing on the exercise and doing one’s own part in that, working together, and using collaborative skills are important to children when working in small groups (Cera Guy, Williams & Shore, 2019; Ladd, Kochenderfer-Ladd, Visconti & Ettekal, 2012). Based on database searches of the thesis, grouping has only been studied little from the perspective of children. At child-focused research children are listened, considered, and participated into making the research (James & James, 2012). This thesis adds understanding and knowledge of grouping, shows children’s views on groups and so develops small group actions at school. This thesis studied what children think is a good small group and how it relates to the concept of grouping. The data of this study was collected at a third-grade class in Greater Helsinki by observing a few classes with small group studying and by interviewing 11 pupils. The data was analyzed with content analysis. Codes found from the data were first grouped to 12 theme categories. After that theme categories were typified to five categories which depict phenomena that occur in groups. ATLAS.ti, Microsoft Word and digital notepads were used as a practical aid with the analysis. As the results of the study was stated that according to children, groups are joint spaces where it is salient to be together, do together and plan together. Important elements were also enjoyment in a group, a common goal, safety, sense of belonging, interaction and things that relate to performing the exercise. Challenges at groups were similar to those Cera Guy and colleagues (2019) found. Challenges were, for example, related to goofing around in groups, group size and collective decisions. Being a member of a group was understood to be a relatively permanent feature. However, children thought that a group and its members could change for example if somebody changes their mind or a member talks to others about their behavior. Children’s concepts about good small groups had many similarities with grouping’s central parts and features. Therefore, grouping may refer to becoming good groups. According to what children said to be the challenges in groups, it would be good to support small groups at schools by supporting especially interaction skills and conflict solving, setting a common interesting goal, and focusing on a task.

Tässä tutkimuksessa käsitellään lapsen kielen kehitystä ja sen tukemista varhaiskasvatuksessa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää millaisia kokemuksia varhaiskasvatuksenopettajilla, kas- vattajilla ja hoitajilla on lasten kielen kehityksen tukemisesta päiväkotiryhmässä, jossa on myös suomea vieraana kielenä puhuvia monikielisiä lapsia. Lisäksi tarkoituksena oli selvittää var- haiskasvatuksen ammattilaisten kokemuksia siitä, millaisia työkaluja Varhaiskasvatussuunni- telma antaa kasvattajille lasten kielen kehityksen tukemiseksi. Tutkimus toteutettiin laadullisena tutkimuksena, haastattelemalla neljää varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaista, puolistrukturoitua teemahaastattelurunkoa käyttäen. Haastattelut olivat yksilö- haastatteluja ja toteutuivat haastateltavien työaikojen ulkopuolella. Haastatteluaineisto litteroi- tiin ja aineiston analysoinnissa käytettiin sisällönanalyysia. Aineistosta nousi esiin tärkeäksi kielen kehityksen tukemisessa erityisesti positiivinen vuoro- vaikutus lasten kanssa, yhteistyö huoltajien kanssa sekä kannustus ja rakentava palaute. Lisäksi kasvattajat pitivät oman äidinkielen kehityksen tukemista tärkeänä yleisesti lapsen kielen kehi- tyksessä ja uusien kielten oppimisessa.

Children's physical activity has a very important role for their safe growth, development and learning overall. According to Finland's national early childhood recommendation children need two daily hours of vigorous physical activity to achieve all positive effects of physical activity. However latest research in this area shows that children are inactive most of the time in day care and none of the children achieve the daily two hours of vigorous physical activity. According to the latest research outdoor activities are the most important factor for children's physical activity. In addition boys are more physically active than girls. The purpose of this study was to find out the amount of children's vigorous physical activity in day care and find the factors which affect on children's vigorous physical activity in day care. There were two research problems: (1) What factors increase children's vigorous physical activity in day care. (2) In what situations are there differences in vigorous physical activity between boys and girls. The method of this research was quantitative. The data used in this study was a part of Jyrki Reunamo's Orientation project (2010). The data of physical activity of this study (n = 19576) was observed in day care centers (n = 18335) and at childminder's (n = 1241). Physical activity was classified in three categories in this study: moderate, moderate to vigorous and vigorous. There were 1890 observations of children's vigorous physical activity in this study. 1134 (60 %) of them were observed for boys and 756 (40 %) were observed for girls. Children in this study were 1 to 7 years old. The data was analyzed using cross tabulation and the chi-square test. Children were mostly moderately physically active in day care (56,1 %). They achieved vigorous physical activity 10 % of the time. The factors that increased children's vigorous physical activity were for example: playing outdoors, higher age and children's own activity. Boys were more vigorously physically active than girls. The amount of vigorous physical activity was 11,6 % on boys and 8,3 % on girls. If the intensity of vigorous physical activity was the same through the whole day, boys were vigorously physically active a little less than an hour during a day in day care. Girls were vigorously physically active about 40 minutes during a day in day care. According to these findings children need more than an hour of vigorous physical activity after a day in day care to achieve the national recommendations.

Goals. The function of this Thesis was to find out class teachers' experiences and opinions about children's vocal education in elementary school: how do class teachers teach singing to children in elementary school, what kind of effects in children have they noticed teaching singing causes, what do they think about themselves as children's vocal educators and how do they define an ideal children's vocal educator in elementary school. My Bachelor's Thesis, Children's vocal education and its effects on children's wellbeing, in which I interviewed a professor of singing, is also a part of the results of this Thesis. There are Finnish and international researches which have shown that music has positive effects on individual's brain activity. It was important to research this subject because music education in schools and departments of teacher education has decreased, despite of the researches mentioned above. It is not unusual that a class teacher either wants to teach music or doesn't want to teach music at all. Methods. The data for this Thesis was collected by interviewing four class teachers who all teach music in the same elementary school. The interviews were analyzed, thematised and reflected with prior researches. Results. This Thesis shows that class teachers teach singing to children in elementary school in a very holistic way: both in different vocal exercises and songs they choose. According to class teachers the effects vocal education causes in children in elementary school are mainly positive. Class teachers see themselves as professionals when it comes to teaching singing to children in elementary school but they have learned their musical abilities in somewhere else than in department of teacher education. According to class teachers the ideal children's vocal educator in elementary school inspires and encourages children to sing. She or he also teaches in a holistic way, encourages the children to use their voice in a healthy way and teaches learning to learn. It would be important in teacher education to guarantee better skills for the future class teachers as music educators so that even few of these ideals would come true.