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Objective of the study. Teachers' professional agency can be used to examine how teachers learn in their work. There exists little earlier research on the professional agency among teachers in the induction phase, even less has it been studied during the global pandemic. It was therefore necessary investigate the topic in detail. This study had two research questions. The first step was to examine what kind of key learning experiences basic education teachers had during the Covid-19 pandemic in their teacher-student interactions. Second, it was examined how the professional agency of basic education teachers appeared in their teacher-student interaction situations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods. The research material consisted of eleven individual interviews with basic education teachers in the induction phase. The data were collected as part of the " Early Career Teach-ers' Professional Agency Across Four European Countries – Key for Sustainable Educational Change? research project carried out in 2018–2022 funded by the Suomi Akatemia. The inter-view had three themes which related to the interviewees' 1) significant learning experiences and professional development, 2) the professional community in the early stages of their ca-reers, and 3) working during the Covid-19 pandemic. The interviews were analyzed using the method of qualitative theory-driven analysis. Results and conclusions. The results of the study showed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the key learning experiences of induction phase teachers were related to remote and in-person classroom situations with groups of students and individual students. The professional agency of the teachers in the induction phase was strongest in classroom situations. The independent activities of teachers were emphasized in the chosen strategies. Teachers were motivated by commitment to students. Teachers' self-efficacy was illustrated by coping with work tasks dur-ing the Covid-19 pandemic. Compared to previous studies, this study especially highlighted teachers' willingness to meet their students individually. The teachers had a positive attitude towards the use of new IT applications and platforms, which they planned to utilize even after the exceptional circumstances. The findings can be applied to supporting the professional agency of teachers at the beginning of their careers and in the versatile implementation of teaching outside the exceptional circumstances.

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.

Mål: Avhandlingens syfte är att undersöka samarbetsformer mellan klasslärare och speciallä-rare i svenska skolor i Helsingfors. Samarbetsformerna är indelade enligt Coordination, Cooperation och Reflective communication. Detta ämne är av relevans då Finlands skolsy-stem strävar mot en mer inkluderande skola, där specialpedagogiken spelar en betydande roll. Gentemot tidigare studier, som har genomförts i finska skolor, riktas fokus nu mot den finlandssvenska kontexten för att erbjuda en unik och specifik insikt. Även meningsfulla sam-arbetsmoment mellan klasslärare och speciallärare undersöks. Metoder: Studien var av kvalitativ metod med en fenomenografisk forskningsansats. Materialinsamlingen skedde under vintern 2024 genom enskilda intervjuer av klasslärare. Fem klasslärare intervjuades. Intervjuerna var semistrukturerade. Data analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat och slutsatser: De fem klasslärarna blev indelade i två olika samarbetsformer. Endast samarbetsformerna Coordination och Cooperation framkom i klasslärarnas svar. Klasslärarna hade fått meningsfullt stöd av speciallärarna gällande skrivande av planer, lektionsplanering och differentiering i klassen. En av klasslärarna hade även ett samarbete med en specialklasslärare och blev uppdelad i två kategorier, på grund av varierande samarbetsformer. Inte en enda klasslärare hade fått anvisningar av skolans ledning om samarbetets form, vilket kan förklara varför samarbetsformerna Coordination och Cooperation var det mest framkommande.

The aim of the study was to examine the significance of community to crafters. Through qualitive research methods, the study analyzed the types of community experienced by crafters and the meanings that community holds for hobbyists engaged in handicrafts. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate how perceived community impacts crafting practices. Crafts have become a popular hobby in contemporary society, where community involvement plays a significant role. The development of media and its increasing popularity has influenced the rise of various crafting-related online communities, community is also experienced in crafting through activities such as crafting courses and smaller groups engaging in grafting together, such as with friends. Previous research has indicated that community plays a significant role in grafting hobbies and influences the crafting practices of enthusiast. The data for the study was collected through an online survey. The research employed a qualitive survey method, gathering data through both structured and open-ended questions. The numerical results from structured questions were utilized to illustrate and describe the phenomenon. The purpose of the open-ended questions was to highlight crafter’s thoughts, attitudes, and experiences regarding the community aspect of crafting. The survey was distributed to two Facebook crafting groups, emailed to members of two crafting associations, displayed in Helsinki Adult Education Centre classrooms and notice boards, as well as posted on the Adult Education Centre’s blog. A total 250 crafting enthusiasts responded to the survey. According to the research findings, community is experienced both through virtual interactions on various social media platforms and through face-to-face interactions in crafting activities. Community involvement is considered significant in handicraft hobbies. It gives practitioners a sense of belonging and strengthens social relationships. Additionally, community involvement helps in generating ideas and implementing handicraft projects, and it also plays a significant role in practitioners sharing advice and tips with each other. Engaging in communal crafting positively impacts social relationships, increases knowledge and learning, and fosters personal growth. It can be concluded that community involvement has a broad impact on both the process of handicraft creation and the outcome.

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.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to examine to what extent the intensified job demands and the social support of the work community are related to the self-reported servant leadership of the principals. The framework for the study was Conservation of Resources theory (COR), according to which resources function cumulatively, hence the achievement and maintenance of resources have a wide-ranging impact on the functioning of the individual and the community. Based on the Conservation of Resources theory and previous research literature, the hypothesis was that (H1) intensified job demands are negatively related to the servant leadership of the principals, and (H2) social support is positively related to the servant leadership of the principals. Methods. The data used in the study was part of the Principal Barometer 2022 survey, which focused on Finnish school principal’s occupational well-being. Of the respondents (N=469), 66% were women and 34% were men. The average age of the participants was 51.8 (SD 6.89) years. The data was analysed using hierarchical regression analysis, where the gender of the respondents was also controlled as a background variable. Results. The intensified job demands were positively related to the servant leadership of the principals. These results did not support the hypothesis of the study (H1). Social support of the work community was positively related to servant leadership, thus supporting the (H2) hypothesis. Women report more work intensification as well as social support than men. In the future, it would be necessary to focus more on monitoring the occupational well-being of the principals, as work intensification brings new challenges to organizations, whose connections to well-being are not yet sufficiently known. Since social support at work increases the servant leadership of the principals, it is significant to emphasize social resources in the school community.

Objectives. Emerging adulthood is characterized by a multitude of significant life changes. While the transition from adolescence to adulthood in the past was rather uniform, today, this developmental phase lacks clear characteristics (Arnett, 2000). Until emerging adulthood, schools have played a crucial role in shaping adolescents' lives. This study investigated the development of life satisfaction during this critical period, with particular attention to the influence of school track and gender on life satisfaction trajectories. Methods. This study is based on data from four-waves of a longitudinal study, encompassing questionnaire responses from 692 students, aged 18-25. Research questions focussing on overall life satisfaction trajectories, school track and gender differences, were addressed through the application of latent growth modelling for each of the three research questions, with the selection of the model demonstrating the best fit. Results and conclusions. The life satisfaction trajectories of emerging adults were rather stable and only showed a small decrease at the time of the financial crises in Finland. While the school track did not significantly impact life satisfaction trajectories, females reported lower life satisfaction during schooling, with their satisfaction levels later aligning with those of males. In conclusion, life satisfaction during the time of emerging adulthood remains rather stable despite the multitude of changes emerging adults experience during this phase. Nonetheless, significant inter-individual differences in life satisfaction trajectories persist, reflecting the diverse pathways of emerging adults.

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the factors underlying effective pedagogical leadership in the classroom. The guiding framework for the study is Steinberg's (2018) theory, which identifies seven success factors - values, learning, influence, future, classroom culture, love, and structure - to achieve effective pedagogical leadership. The insights of Finnish researcher Karlberg-Granlund (2021) on teacher professional development share similar themes or perspectives, making them relevant to my study. A key aspect of this leadership is creating an environment where students feel safe and focused, thereby enhancing learning. The study is pertinent as we know from PISA results in 2022 that Finnish students have shown declining performance in mathematics. Results from 2018 also demonstrate a worsening trend in students' reading abilities (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2023). This study can support teachers in understanding their role in students' lifelong learning. The primary focus of the study is to highlight methods that are effective and considered beneficial for students. Method: The study adopts a qualitative interview approach, wherein I interviewed four qualified classroom teachers to explore their thoughts and experiences. To gain diverse perspectives, I chose teachers from three different schools within the same city. All collected data was transcribed and underwent meticulous analysis. A qualitative content analysis was employed as the analytical method to systematically interpret and understand the patterns and themes emerging from the interviews. Results: analyzed data was structured into four main themes: firstly, effective pedagogical leadership and the various methods employed to achieve it; secondly, focus on lifelong learning; and finally, lesson planning. Each main theme had its own subheadings providing a clear structure for the results section. Within each subheading, the thoughts of classroom teachers on the specific theme were presented. It is evident that teachers strive to create a conducive learning environment. It is crucial for teachers to consistently work on maintaining clear expectations, building relationships with students, and promoting a sense of belonging and fairness in the classroom. In effective pedagogical leadership, safety and mutual respect are fundamental starting points.

Today there are many class teachers who experience that their professions have changed and the pupils in the schools today have also changed. The heterogeneity in today’s classroom is big and class teachers need to have competence in many different areas to meet every pupil's needs, which leads to many class teachers feeling powerless to be able to meet every pupil’s needs. This leads to class teachers abandoning their profession or in the worst case they get a burnout, resulting in long term sick leave. In my opinion class teachers should get more support to fulfill their role of being a teacher in today’s school. The purpose of this study is to contribute with knowledge about class teachers’ positive experiences and methods in the areas of inclusion, differentiation, and classroom management and what is included in a good collaboration between the class teacher and remedial teacher. The research questions were formulated as follows: 1. What are class teachers’ thoughts about the development of the school, the need for knowledge regarding special education and the development of the increased heterogeneity in the classroom? 2. What are the class teachers' own thoughts and experiences of functioning methods in the areas of inclusion, differentiation, and classroom management? 3. How has the class teachers obtained their knowledge about methods and solutions that the teacher uses in their own classroom? 4. Which form of collaboration and support from the remedial teacher does a class teacher think is valuable? This thesis was conducted as a qualitative study, and the data was collected with semi-structured interviews. Seven class teachers were interviewed. Content analysis with a deductive approach was used to analyze the answers from the interviews. The result shows that the class teachers have a very positive approach to the areas of inclusion, differentiation, and classroom management. It is shown that support from the colleagues and allocation of resources are very important for the class teachers to be able to do the practical work in these areas and for the constructing of a functioning collaboration with the remedial teacher. Functioning methods in differentiation are to redo assignments, cut short or extend homework, flexible grouping, and to do assignments in different levels. Functioning methods in classroom management are rules and boundaries, self-reflection - who am I as a teacher, building safety and to see all pupils. The most common way to get knowledge of inclusion and differentiation is experience and in-service training. The most common way for the teachers to obtain knowledge about classroom management was that it is a part of their nature and it is one of their foremost interests but also through discussions with colleagues. For the collaboration between the class teacher and remedial teacher to be good, the class teacher needs to utilize the expertise that the remedial teacher has to offer, have good communication with the remedial teacher and aim to co-teach.