Browsing by Title

This thesis examines the theoretical basis of emotional skills in relation to the aims of the national core curriculum for basic education 2014. The aim of the study was to find out what similarities can be found between the ability model of emotional intelligence and the aims of competence and subject-based learning of NCC for basic education. The aims of the curriculum for basic education guide the teaching of emotional skills in a school context. Thus, the research also considers the consequences that the results of the research and the broader theoretical framework of emotional skills may have for the teaching of emotional skills. The research was implemented by a theory-based content analysis. The analysis was performed using a structured analysis framework consisting of the dimensions of the ability model. The material of this thesis consisted of goals of competence-based and subject-based learning aimed at grades 1-6 and 7-9, which were analyzed with a hermeneutic research approach by interpreting the material. In this study, emotional skills are defined using the ability model of emotional intelligence, which conceptualizes ability based EI. The ability model divides emotional skills into four hierarchically formed dimensions. In these dimensions emotional skills are seen as abilities related to the perception and expression of emotions, emotional facilitation of thinking, understanding and analyzing emotions and regulation of emotions. With the help of the analysis framework based on these dimensions, a classification was formed, which guided the analysis of the material consisting of the goals of competence based and subject-based learning in basic education curriculum 2014. The principles of the current NCC for basic education emphasize competence-based learning which primarily include the aims related to emotional skills. However, the study showed that emotional skills related content in the basic education curricula was rather narrow based on the definition of the ability model. The aims of the curriculum emphasized skills in expressing and regulating emotions, while skills related to understanding emotions and supporting thinking were given less attention. Based on the research results, moderate similarities can be found between the aims of competence based and subject-based learning and the ability model of emotional intelligence. However, the results do not indicate whether the ability model serves as a theoretical basis for the content of emotional skills in the curriculum. Discussion part of the thesis highlights the challenges related to theoretical basis of emotional skills more broadly and the implementation of systematic emotional education based on that framework.

The aim of the study is to analyze and describe the expression of a student's basic emotions through nonverbal communication in a craft lesson. Teaching and learning situations have generally been viewed from the teacher’s perspective, where gestures complement or replace nonverbal communication. Previous research has shown that teacher-student interaction is both social and embodied interaction with materials and tools that happens through figurative gestures. The craft process is approached with the help of three research questions: 1. With what gestures, expressions, body postures and movements does the student express basic emotions in a craft lesson? 2. What kind of clusters of nonverbal communication occur in a craft lesson when expressing emotions? 3. What kind of emotions occur during the craft process? The research data was video recordings collected as part of the Co4Lab research project. In the video, a small team of four students from elementary school worked on a smart product project. The video recording was approximately 11 hours and was encoded with ELAN software and analyzed by content analysis methods based on the striped process rugs technique. For the final research material, 28 individual relevant emotional expressions were selected, which were viewed as individual gestures and movements, and as complete clusters of gestures. Finally, emotions were analyzed as part of the craft process. Emotions were expressed through movements of the whole body as well as variations in the position of the upper body, chest, and shoulders. Expression of emotions was also reflected in movements of the head, hands, and fingers, as well as facial expressions. The ideation of the craft process was reflected in gestures of joy. The discussion about manufacturing and material experimentation caused emotions of anger, frustration and confusion. Making and evaluating digital experiments caused sadness, anger, and joy. Model making was reflected as gestures of joy. The making of the presentation material caused emotion of anger, but the making of the final product was reflected as gestures of joy. It would be good for the teacher to pay attention to emotional expressions so that he/she can better understand the craft process from the student’s perspective and motivate and guide the student.

Previous research shows that emotions experienced in learning affect the learning results. In addition, there is lots of evidence about the interconnections between approaches to learning and study success. However, no research has been conducted in Finland about how the emotions experienced in learning might relate to different approaches to learning students adopt and to their learning results. Academic emotions refer to the emotions experienced in context of learning, studying, performing and success. In this study, emotions were defined according to Pekrun's et al. (2002) control-value theory of academic emotions. The objective of the thesis was to explore university students' academic emotions and approaches to learning, their interrelations and effects on study success in a lecture course arranged by Aalto University School of Engineering. The factors affecting good and on the other hand poor performance in the course were explored. Examining the study success in this course was important, as some students had repeatedly found the course extremely challenging and the proportion of poorly performing students had often been significant. Some students participated in the course two or more times in order to pass it. It was investigated if the participants had different experiences and approaches to learning according to the number of times participated in the course. Based on the literature, the concepts of emotions and self-efficacy beliefs were separated and their relationship was explored. The academic emotions questionnaire was compiled and the items were translated using recent international questionnaires. The research data was gathered during February and March 2013 using an electronic questionnaire. The sample consisted of 239 students corresponding to 75 % of all the course participants. In addition, students' points in homework papers, midpoint exam marks and final course results were included in the data. Factor analysis was used to form scales measuring academic emotions and approaches to learning. Differences in emotions, self-efficacy beliefs, approaches to learning and study success according to the number of times participated in the course were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis test. Correlations, regression analysis, cluster analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and cross tabulation were used to examine the interconnections of emotions, self-efficacy beliefs and approaches to learning and their effects on the study success in the course. Positive emotions correlated positively with self-efficacy beliefs, deep approach to learning, organized studying and study success. As for negative emotions, they correlated positively with surface approach to learning and negatively with self-efficacy, organized studying and study success. Self-efficacy beliefs predicted positively and anxiety and hopelessness predicted negatively students' midpoint exam marks. Similarly, self-efficacy beliefs predicted positively whereas experienced boredom predicted negatively the final course results. Three different groups of students were formed: 1) positive and dedicated, 2) ashamed of not working hard and not dedicated, and 3) anxious and surface oriented. The group of positive and dedicated students had succeeded better in the course and were 40 % more likely to pass the course than the other two groups. Students who participated the course two or more times in order to pass it, had felt more negative emotions and weaker self-efficacy and they had applied more surface and non-organized approaches to learning and studying during the course than those participating for the first time. The results indicate that students' study success could be contributed by supporting positive self-efficacy beliefs and organized approach to studying and by avoiding study environments that might create anxiety or encourage surface approach to learning.

The aim of this thesis is to study the way young adults talk about smartphones and social media as a part of social interaction within the theoretical framework of cultural studies and social psychology. The point of reading way is based on social constructive discourse combined with the concepts of social interaction, social identity and discursive experience. Even though the young adults' use of smartphones has been previously studied, the views of the users themselves have been neglected along with the ways how using smartphones affect social interaction. Seven people aged between 18 and 23 were interviewed for this thesis. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. A discourse analysis was made of the transcriptions by using a method based on social constructionism. The goal was to find the underlying structures which either enable individuals to think about sociability in a certain way or prevent them from doing so. The social lives of young adults, of which smartphones are an integral part, are shaped by many factors. In order to belong to a certain social group, a young adult must embrace the norms, conventions, and habits shared by the other members of the group. While doing so, they keep reaffirming the social protocols of their group. Any deviations are remarked upon and the fear of becoming an outcast for breaking the rules is real. Using social media with smartphones enables social interaction over long distances, but at the same time it might make being fully present in the here and now more complicated. A young adult is no longer present here, but everywhere.

The purpose of this study was to find out the experiences of teachers working in elementary schools, what kinds of different forms of bullying can be observed in elementary schools, how bullying can be prevented with different action models, and what different methods are used to deal with bullying in elementary schools. The choice of the topic was influenced by personal experience with school bullying and the fact that school bullying is covered very little in classroom teacher studies. I wanted to deepen my knowledge about the phenomenon of school bullying and that's why I ended up doing this master's thesis on this topic. In addition, this topic is unfortunately current in the school world. The topic is discussed in several studies, which support the importance and topicality of the topic. School bullying has been studied a lot, but as the world changes, the forms of bullying are constantly changing and taking on new manifestations. My research is a qualitative research in which five teachers working in primary schools partic-ipated. As a data collection method, I used a semi-structured interview in my research. The interviews were conducted remotely in March 2024 and were recorded. As the analysis method for this study, I chose theory-driven content analysis, in connection with which I used thematization as an aid. I classified my material into ten different themes, which I use in the research as the upper category. The upper categories of my material are school bullying, indirect bullying, direct bullying, team building, multiprofessional cooperation, sensitive teacher, safe learning environment, early intervention, appropriate response and resources. My data revealed that elementary school teachers have observed different forms of direct and indirect bullying at school, as well as bullying that takes place on the Internet. In connection with the prevention of bullying, the teachers brought grouping as the most important means of prevention in school bullying. As the most important actions in dealing with bullying, the teachers highlighted intervening in the situation at an early stage and listening to the students. These results described above are confirmed by earlier studies that deal with bullying. A surprising research result was, that the teachers mentioned in the context of multiprofessional cooperation that the cooperation between home and school, in the prevention of bullying, is very little or does not exist at all. This research result contradicts previous studies on school bullying, which emphasize the importance of cooperation between home and school in the prevention of bullying.

Targets. The beginning of the school is an exciting matter significant to the child and family. In the diabetic child's family the tension will be easily increased by the concern about the child's diabetes care during the school day because the diabetes sets its own challenges to the school attendance. It has been discussed whose responsibility it is to take care diabetic pupils during school day. According to the legislation, the pupil has a right to the safe and equal learning environment and the organizer of the teaching has a responsibility in the arranging of it. In this study an attempt was made to clarify how the objectives appointed by the law rule from the safe and equal school attendance come true in practice on the basis of the diabetic children's parents experiences. Furthermore, an attempt was made to clear the diabetic children's readiness and need for the support in the self-care of the diabetes and what kind of cooperation ways there are need for the support in the self-care of the diabetes and what kind of cooperation ways there are between a home and the school in use in the arranging of the diabetes pupil's school day. Methods. The research material consisted of the answer of the 40 elementary school aged diabetic pupil parent. The material for the thesis was gathered by using an internet questionnaire, which were half structured. The open questions were used in such questions in which one wanted to get the interviewees' own vote belonging. Content analysis was used as an analysis method of the material. Results and conclusions. The results indicate that because there are no common guidelines, children are being treated unequally and their right to study in a safe and equal learning environment does not come true by everybody. All the diabetic pupils will not get care of the illness and the support needed during the school day. The success of the cooperation and ways of action are dependent on the staff and their will. To support the diabetic pupil's self-care and to reach good care balance, basic knowledge of diabetes needs to be increased among persons working with children at schools. The clear national manuals and responsibility definition are also needed to support arranging diabetic children's school attendance.

The aim of this study is to examine four group leaders' views and experiences of feeling of safety in a group context. The study focuses on examining how group leaders prevent unnecessary feelings of unsafety and support the feeling of safety in a group. The study aims at describing the experiences, principles of acting and values behind the acting of two group leaders. The theoretical background will study the meaning of the feeling of safety for child's learning and growth and different ways of supporting the feeling of safety in a school context. The theoretical background will also cover group's and peers' significance for student's growth and learning. The study was carried out for four group leaders. All of them were interviewed using semi-structured interview base. The interviewees' educational background was 1)the first one had a master's degree in dance, 2) the other one was a master of education and a teacher of crafts, 3) the third one was psychotherapist, sexology and work counselor and 4) the fourth one had a master's degree in education and was a doctor of arts (theatre and drama). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The results showed that all of the group leaders felt that the role of feeling of safety is significant in their work with groups. They aimed at minimizing all threats of self when working with a group. These threats are factors that create feelings of fear, shame, quilt and worthlessness. All of the interviewees mentioned from six to eight principles of acting which they followed in their work to prevent unnecessary feelings of unsafety in a group. The feeling of safety was supported in interviewees work with groups by four factors of safety in a group. These factors are 1) creating a feeling of being accepted and cared for, 2) showing and building trust, 3) giving opportunities to be vulnerable in a safe group and 4) supporting the group.

Introduction. The purpose of this research was to describe and understand third grade pupils learn in field education by inquiry-based learning. Field work and outdoor learning are an essential part of environmental education and inquiry-based learning is just typical for the natural sciences. This thesis based on open inquiry-based learning 5E- operations model. The part of this 5E-models are engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate. I was participate in Helsinki university department of teacher education Lumo centre organizer Luma messenger operation. Lumo centre of the University of Helsinki has been supporting inspiring high-quality formal and non-formal education in natural sciences and maths. The participants, five third degree pupils were followed up under their working in field work in seashore. Methodology. The data of the study had been collected by videotaping the pupils during the field work on the seashore in April 2015. Some day after that field work I did stimulated recall interview. The research is qualitative by nature and can be characterized as a qualitative design-based research. The case study centers on five pupils learning during field education. The data was analysed using content analysis. Results and conclusions. The main result of the study is that during the field education pupils were motivated and they do research. Teachers support for pupils varied during this inquiry based learning. Pupils work enthusiastic during field work with others and with teachers. Pupils particularly discuss from topic and they observe, do measurement and enter/write on the research results. During the field work pupils were guided structured research form. There was found all characteristics from 5E- operations model from pupils field work besides assessment. During stimulated recall –interview pupils also assessment their own action and their group action in seashore.

Objective of the study. The objective of this study was to find out what kind of cooperation with teaching assistants is ideal from a teachers' point of view. Furthermore the research covers teachers' experiences about teaching assistants' roles and status. In addition, the study compared how teachers and school assistants perceived the ideal of cooperation as well as the role and role of the assistants by using previously collected material. Methods. The study was conducted in spring 2017 by interviewing four teachers. All the interviewees worked at the same school in Southern Finland. Two of them worked in general education and two of them worked in special needs education. Their work experience was between five and thirty-five years. The data was analyzed by a qualitative content analysis. The previously collected material was collected in spring 2015 for the Bachelor's Thesis. It included four interviews of school assistants' who worked at the same school as the teachers. Conclusions. The teachers experienced that ideal cooperation requires explicit common rules, clear roles, interaction, trust in another and commitment to the work. The school assistants underlined target-oriented teamwork and the need for teacher's guidance more than the teachers. Both the teachers and the teaching assistants wanted more time to discuss. Both professions admitted that they have some hierarchy between them in some situations, but they also felt as equal colleagues. Hierarchy was not considered only as a bad thing either. The teachers underlined, that the most important thing in school assistant's job is to support the pupils. Both the teachers and the school assistants admitted that even though a school assistant gets plenty of responsibility at their job, all of the teachers can't make most of the assistant's potential. The school assistants had to suffer more lack of appreciation than the teachers. Luckily they also got respect for what they did at work.

The aim of this master's thesis was to critically analyze the research of so called disadvantaged schools in international, mostly English and American, articles. The starting point was to investigate the concept of disadvantage and the premises in relation to educational policy practices such as accountability and how they define school success. The connection between students' background and learning outcomes has been proven in previous studies and researchers have been arguing whether schools or their context affect schools more. In this study, perspectives in disadvantaged schools research were analyzed with two questions: 1. What are schools' possibilities to overcome the restrictions created by structures and contexts? 2. What is the most important task of schools and what part do learning outcomes play in defining that? The premise for this study was that these two relate to the concept of middle class norm, which relates to representations of good and bad schools. The main research question was: How is the middle class norm constructed in disadvantaged schools research? The data consisted of 73 articles in English in seven educational journals that are considered as prestige. The chosen articles related to disadvantaged schools research, had primary or lower secondary school in their focus, were peer reviewed and published in 1995–2015. The data was analyzed with content analysis. Analysis focused on the research settings and discussions. As a result four perspectives were analyzed: school effectiveness, school improvement, sociological and recognition perspectives. The school effectiveness research is connected with national neoliberal educational policy practices, which defines what kind of research is being conducted and what defines school success. "Education faith" and academic results were crucial in other perspectives as well, only in a few critical papers and in recognition perspective the main purpose and substance of schools was drawn from a different imagination. The results are significant for international discussions about disadvantaged schools research, and in order to understand the representations of good and bad schools. This study might also benefit research groups with different perspectives and in the critical evaluation of future research.