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Despite many attempts to promote gender equality, the working life is still gendered. Although much research has been done on gender equality, the impact of outsourced recruitment on gender equality needs to be further explored in the Finnish context. Previous research on the impact of recruiters on gender equality shows that recruiters' work and assessment of job applicants is influenced by many unconscious assumptions. Recruitment can be seen as a process that maintains inequality with the recruiter acting as a gatekeeper to the working life. The concept of the ideal worker has also been widely studied as a phenomenon where the ideal worker is something that no job seeker can achieve. This thesis examines equality as part of recruiters’ work and the recruiter as the producer of the concept of ideal worker. The research data was collected from interviews with professionals of recruitment conducted during the summer and autumn of 2023. A total of three recruiters from three different outsourced recruitment companies participated in the interviews. The interviews were conducted as semi-structured qualitative interviews. Critical discourse analysis was used to analyze the interview data. The critical discursive approach allows for the examination of potential structures of power emerging from the data. Three different discourses emerged from the interviews with recruiters: the discourse of responsibility, the discourse of gender neutrality and the discourse of the ideal worker. Recruiters' discourses conveyed a mixed picture of who is responsible for promoting gender equality in recruitment. In the interviews, the importance of gender in the recruitment process was downplayed. However, the ideal worker was created through strong contrasts between different genders and job positions. In the light of this thesis, the recruiter is seen as a gatekeeper of gender equality as is also stated in previous research. This thesis creates an image of recruiters as strong actors in gender equality who have the power to influence people's work situation but at the same time do not acknowledge the importance of gender in the recruitment process. Further research is needed on the competence of recruiters' regarding equality and on the impact of outsourced recruitment on gender equality in recruitment

The aim of this thesis is to explore parents’ experiences of well-being in everyday life after the birth of their first child. The transition to parenthood with the first child is a unique time, as all the changes in everyday life are experienced for the first time, and it can surprise you in many ways. Family formation after the first child has been described as a critical transi-tional phase, in which everyday practices and rhythms change and adjustments are made in the relationship to meet the challenges of parenthood. Previous research has highlighted declining birth rates, parental exhaustion and experiences of uneven distribution of house-hold tasks. Therefore, there is a perceived need to increase honest discussion about par-enting and how well-being and feelings of equality could be enhanced in parenthood. The thesis was conducted using a qualitative research approach. The data were collected in October 2023 by interviewing seven (N=7) parents on parental leave with their first child. The data were analyzed using theory-based qualitative content analysis. The results of the study are not quantitatively generalizable. The transition in the families was seen as significant compared to the past. In the context of parenting a newborn, many factors contributed to and supported satisfaction and well-being in various ways but also presented conflicting and challenging experiences. New tasks such as breastfeeding, putting the baby to sleep and childcare were seen as rewarding in many ways, fostering a connection with the baby. Challenges highlighted the learning of these tasks and experiences of uncertainty. Personal time took on new meanings and was seen as a very important factor supporting personal identity and emotional well-being. Regularity in the rhythms of daily life with a baby made it easier to anticipate everyday life, but modera-tion and flexibility were seen as necessary. Everyone described equal parenting as im-portant, but there was variation in its implementation. When equality was achieved, parents' basic needs were met, household chores were evenly distributed, sufficient personal time was available, and a sense of gratitude, a willingness to prioritize the spouse and good communication also increased satisfaction in the relationship. Parents experiencing inequali-ty highlighted increased workload, negotiating while tired, lack of empathy and appreciation, and communication challenges as factors that undermined the well-being of the relation-ship. Support from relatives and society increased satisfaction if trust was felt and help was available when needed. Parental well-being experiences were seen to be influenced by ba-by-related characteristics. The experience of smooth everyday life was mirrored in expecta-tions and perceptions, and the fear of colic had been unfounded in each interviewee. As a result, most felt that everything could go well for the most part and that the occasional chal-lenges of parenting a newborn were seen as a natural part of everyday life that one could overcome. The pressures of parenthood emerged on several occasions, although at the same time most expressed confidence in their parenting and did not perceive the pressures as burdensome. As a topic for further research, it would be important to explore these pres-sures and perceptions in more detail. It would also be important to explore the experiences and changes in the well-being of parents’ that have resulted from the family leave reform. The results of this study bring theoretical insights and a deep understanding of early parenthood to the field of home economics research, in which context the findings can be utilized, for example, to provide empathy and support.

Home economic textbooks reflect the educational goals of a specific era within a certain cul-tural context. Examining home economic textbooks helps to understand what content and values society wants to emphasize in home economics education. This thesis explores the topics related to baking and baked goods as presented in home economic textbooks from 1980s to the 2020s. The aim of the study is to examine how food culture traditions and globalization are portrayed around themes related to baking. The background of the study is formed by historical and societal themes, including authenticity, exoticism, culinary cosmo-politanism, as well as everyday life and holiday tradition. The study was conducted as a qualitative content analysis. The data was collected from eight textbooks and the presentation of baked goods were compared to Finnish culinary cul-ture. The research also examined how exotic global culinary trends have become visible in the textbooks. Data analysis was performed using a theory-driven content analysis ap-proach. As a result of globalization baked goods may gradually become part of our own food cul-ture. If a pastry originally considered exotic is included in a home economic textbook, can it then be seen as integrated into Finnish food culture? All textbooks presented historical as-pects of our culinary culture, although these were more emphasized in older textbooks. The textbooks reflected the spirit and the curriculum values of their time. This was particularly evident in the emphasis on authenticity and exoticism related to baking and culinary culture in textbooks before the 2000s. Textbooks from the 2000s are more international and reflect the arrival of culinary trends and culinary cosmopolitanism into Finnish food culture and textbooks. Culinary cosmopolitanism can be seen as a dialogue between cultures. Culinary cosmopolitanism can facilitate discussions about different food cultures and ways of eating and find commonalities between different food cultures.

In this study, the actions of teachers are examined in the light of attachment theory. Attachment theory explains individual behavior based on early childhood caregiving experiences, leading to the formation of either a secure or insecure attachment model that influences an individual's behavior in close relationships throughout their lifespan. In attachment theory, the teacher-student relationship is seen as an attachment relationship closely resembling the bond between a child and a parent. The focus of this study is on the role of the teacher, aiming to investigate how the teacher's insecure attachment model affects the teacher-student relationship and whether it influ- ences the use of specific disciplinary methods in the classroom. Discipline is categorized into five common methods, as identified in previous research: angrily shouting at students, sarcasm, humiliation, collective punishment, and removing students from the classroom. The study employs a quantitative research approach, gathering data through an online survey from 134 teachers. The survey includes the use of ECR-R, STRS, and Discipline Scale instru- ments to examine teachers' attachment patterns, the quality of the teacher-student relationship, and the use of five different disciplinary methods. Data analysis involves analysis of variance and correlation testing. Respondents are categorized based on their attachment patterns, resulting in 101 secure and 33 insecure individuals, including 12 with avoidant attachment, 10 with ambivalent attachment, and 11 with fearful attachment. The results of the analysis of variance indicate that there is a statistically significant or nearly significant difference between teachers with secure and insecure attachment models in three var- iables measuring the quality of the teacher-student relationship. In the closeness variable, a nearly significant difference is observed between securely and ambivalently attached individuals (p = .040). In the conflict variable, a nearly significant difference is observed between avoidantly and ambivalently attached individuals (p = .024). In the dependence variable, statistical signifi- cance is found between securely and ambivalently attached individuals (p = .008) and between avoidantly and ambivalently attached individuals (p = .002). According to the correlation test, in- secure attachment has a statistically nearly significant correlation with angrily shouting at students (r=.35) and collective punishment (r=.377). Additionally, it is observed that secure attachment has a statistically significant correlation with the use of sarcasm (r=.311) and humiliation (r=.308), and a nearly significant correlation with angrily shouting at students (r=.229), collective punishment (r=.225), and removing a student from the classroom (r=.215). The findings indicate that teachers with secure and insecure attachment models impact the teacher-student relationship both positively and negatively in terms of conflict, closeness, and dependence. Securely attached teachers use disciplinary methods in a more diverse manner, while insecurely attached teachers primarily use yelling and collective punishment as effective means. The research emphasizes the importance of considering the teacher's attachment model in educational research, as its role in teaching is significant.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of primary school teachers on school´s readiness to accommodate all diverse learners. The subject topic captivated my interest due to the emphasis placed by the interviewed primary school teachers in my bachelor's thesis on the readiness of the school, even though the actual research focused on children´s school readiness. Additionally, since the 2000s, discussion in Finland regarding school readiness have shifted towards the organization of education rather than solely focusing on children's readiness for school. Several research also support this shift. Readiness of the school has been extensively investigated as part of inclusive education. On the other hand, in the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education (2014), the word inclusion is mentioned only once. The aim of this study was to determinate the requisite preparedness of educational institutions to accommodate the diverse needs of incoming students, and to clarify the strategies of implementation of inclusion. In my qualitative research, six primary school teachers who work in elementary education participated. Thematic interviews were used as data collection method, as they allowed clarifying questions to be asked from the participants. The interviews were recorded, videotaped and transcribed for further analysis. The chosen method for analysis in my research was theory-guided content analysis, supported by thematic categorization. The data was then categorized into seven themes, which will be referred to as "upper-level categories" in the following study. These upper-level categories consist of resources, competent teacher, leadership, collaboration with preschool teachers, inclusivity, resources, and differentiation. My research findings strongly imply that primary school teachers considered resources to be the most important factor in the readiness of the school and the implementation of inclusion. However, primary school teachers described school resources as inadequate to meet the needs of all incoming students. Primary school teachers discussion about the most important readiness factors for accommodating all incoming students were centered around resources, teachers' professional skills, leadership, and collaboration with preschool teachers. Primary school teachers instead reported focusing on the implementation of inclusion through various inclusion-related actions, available resources, and diverse differentiation. Generally, five out of six primary school teachers had a positive attitude towards inclusion and the readiness of the school to accommodate all diverse learners. This study provides valuable information especially for primary school teachers, but also for principals interested in inclusion and implementing inclusive education.

From the year 1999 every government has aimed to support parenting (Sihvonen, 2020). Inadequate parenting has been seen as a cause for distress and unfavourable development in children and youth, which parenting support aims to prevent (Sihvonen, 2020). However, the concern directed at the quality of parenting is an old phenomenon. Concerns about upbringing at homes has influenced the founding of finnish home upbringing association (current parenting association) in the year 1907 and the founding and spreading of cribs and nurserys (current early childhood education) (Parjo, 2003; Antikainen, Rinne & Koski, 2021). Although parenting has been around through the history of humankind, the term “parenting” has formed along the societal modernization (Sihvonen, 2020). Parenting can be observed as multidimensional construct that is genetically and socially formed relation between a parent and a child and on the other hand culturally formed phenomena, that is build, learned and developed through social interaction with the surrounding community (Arell ym., 2019; Sihvonen, 2020). The quality of parenting has been proved to have long lasting effects on the child´s development. Especially the parents ability or inability to respond to the child´s needs in the right time and in an appropriate quantity and quality has long-term effects on the child´s emotional life, brain development and physical health (Kalland & Salo, 2020; Viljamaa, 2003). The purpose of this study is to identify family policy measures that targeted to parenting support, aims of parenting support and parenting support development goals. This study is conducted as a qualitative content analysis using a systematic approach and the literature consists of 22 publications from the governmental publication archive. According to my study, parenting support is implemented primarily through informative support (parenting- and family counselling, guidance), early childhood education, multi-professional cooperation, study-based parenting programs and social support. Parenting support aims to influence the overall wellbeing of families and to prevent children´s negative development, which in addition to personal challenges, causes significant costs to society. The challenges of parenting support were identified as scarce resources, availability of services, timely identification of needed support, individual-oriented culture, the increased diversity of society and the lack of cooperation between service providers. According to the study, the role of early childhood education in parenting support seemed to be conflicted.

Objectives The research task of this thesis is to examine how former and current primary school teachers perceive the teaching of species knowledge in schools and what experiences and attitudes they themselves have towards species knowledge. Additionally, the thesis investigates whether the teaching of species knowledge and teachers' attitudes have changed during the existence of the Finnish comprehensive school. Methods Qualitative research methods were employed in this thesis. Data collection was conducted through interviews with six former and current primary school teachers. A semi-structured thematic interview approach was used, and the data were analyzed inductively using techniques of data-driven content analysis. Results and Conclusions All interviewees felt that they possessed sufficient skills to teach species knowledge but expressed a desire to further develop these skills. Participants implemented species education using a variety of teaching methods and emphasized the significance of various materials and field trips in teaching. Teachers identified studying species in nature as the best teaching method, although they faced challenges related to outdoor teaching. Teachers considered species knowledge important for various reasons, including safety, environmental awareness, and practical application. Good species knowledge was seen as enhancing students' motivation to study environmental science, biology, and geography. Interviewed teachers noticed the impact of curriculum changes on species knowledge education, particularly with an emphasis on plant species identification. Many felt that the teaching of species identification at school had increased quantitatively. Several teachers raised the question of whether new technologies and the abundance of information could reduce students' profound interest in nature.

Objectives. This paper examines the epistemic activity of a small group of 7th grade comprehensive school pupils in a single session of innovation. The pupils work together to design and build a "smart pillow". The pupils' handicraft combines electrical engineering and sewing. The study analyzes epistemic search sequences (ESS): situations in which pupils fill in gaps in their knowledge. In these situations, the pupils ask and answer questions in an informed way. The paper explores how pupils negotiate shared epistemic expertise and knowledge construction in their interactions. The paper analyzes the verbal, gestural, and material interactions of pupils. Methods. Conversation analysis (CA) looks at interaction moment by moment. It is based on pupils' interpretations of each other's verbal and nonverbal actions. The primary data for the study is video footage recorded with a single camera and microphone, which was then transcribed. The same group of pupils was previously studied (Davies et al., 2023; Mehto et al., 2020b) using mostly theory-driven methods with focus on a longer time span of collaboration. However, CA brings the pupils' interactions into a data-driven focus that includes microanalytical study of verbal, gestural, and material activities during a single meeting. Results and conclusions. The epistemic interaction between pupils was learning oriented. The analysis showed that the pupils made progress in their work by frequently asking and answering questions (F=157). Through question-answer adjacency pairs, pupils positioned themselves as epistemically knowledgeable (K) in different ways. The analysis showed that pupils who were more frequently positioned as more knowledgeable (K+) asked more informative questions and gave more instructions. Pupils used gestures to guide their work. They used gaze to review information stored both on the prototype and a smartphone. Pupils also showed epistemic evaluation expertise with the use of modal verbs. The pupils approached craft know-how from perspectives of possibility and necessity. The most frequently used modal verbs were voida (can), pitää (must), saada (get) and kannattaa (it is worth).

The purpose of this thesis is to describe how the basic psychological needs of students are met in integration training. The target group of the thesis were Finnish language teachers of integration training, from whose interview speech I looked for descriptions of factors promoting or limiting students' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The data was collected in May-June 2023. Six Finnish language teachers participated in the individual interviews. The transcribed material was analyzed using theory-driven content analysis. Student autonomy may not always be realized during the stage of guiding them into integration training. This is apparent to teachers, for example, in the student's lack of awareness about the reasons for being guided into a group and about their own opportunities. Some students would prioritize more vocationally-focused education or entering the workforce. Teachers strive to consider students' interests and opinions in planning educational content and methods. How-ever, this is challenging without a common language and interpreters are not always an option. Not all students are accustomed to expressing their opinions in a school context. Workplace learning provides a structural opportunity to influence one’s own education. OPAL feedback surveys were also mentioned as a way for students to have an impact. Teachers described the employment and language skill goals of integration training as unrealistic for students in slower groups. The personal goals of students were also sometimes seen as unrealistic. Students' sense of competence is primarily fostered through diverse study methods and learning environments. Integration training groups were described as heterogeneous. It was considered important that a student is guided to a group that matches their level. Challenges have been experienced in differentiation and in utilizing special education resources. Some-times it has been necessary to suggest a group change for a student during a course. Teachers reported trying to create a personal relationship with students. Some students' disrespectful attitudes towards female teachers have sometimes been challenging. The promotion of a relatedness among students in integration training was described briefly. A few teachers mentioned methods of group building. Students' need for relatedness has been limited by the extensive use of their mother tongue, cultural conflicts, and student absences.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to find out the experiences of sense of belonging and participation of students with special needs in vocational education. I aim to increase understanding of the experiences of sense of belonging and participation of students with special needs with the research questions about how students with special needs feel they participate in their own studies, to the student community and in their educational institution in vocational education. There is not much previous research on sense of belonging and participation of special needs students in vocational education and it is partly contradictory. According to it, students with special needs are seen as a vulnerable group, even though they may have stronger experiences of inclusion than other students, e.g., influencing in student activities. The data of the research was gathered using thematic interviews. The interviewees studied vocational upper secondary qualification at a large vocational school operating in the capital region, and they had a special needs decision. Three of the interviewees were 18–19 years old and three were 25–34 years old. The interviews were recorded, the data was transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Students' sense of belonging and participation in their own studies was divided into three dimensions; my study path is my own, go with the flow and others are deciding my study path. Students' participation in the student community was divided into four dimensions; I belong to my institution, I belong to groups, I do not belong to groups, and things do not always go as planned. Students' participation in the educational institution was divided into three dimensions; well-being and participation, varying opportunities to influence and the actions of staff affect sense of belonging and participation. Students’ special needs did not appear as a defining feature of the students' sense of belonging and participation, and the students' strengths and challenges influenced perceptions of it. The experiences of sense of belonging and participation differed in some areas with the younger and older age groups. The results of the study were in line with previous research, but some deviations were found. However, the work raised additional questions that were not resolved with the help of the data and sources used.