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Aim and background. This research aims to give a voice for children in the field that studies children's participation. Many studies have primarily used adult's views on participation and studied how this kind of participation is practiced in children's communities. These assumptions often miss children's complex and variable views of participation in their different environments. The aim of this research is to create a better understanding of the phenomenon of children's participation in school and scouting and guiding. By studying two environments this research tries to open children's views about participation as a phenomenon that children experience differently in their diverse social contexts. In this way the phenomenon is studied more widely and attempted to understand it as a part of children's lifes everywhere, not just at school. By creating the phenomenon of participation as children see it aims also to give better understanding about how to evolve children's participation both in school and scouts and also in the educational research. Methods. The research material was collected in the spring of 2017 in semi-structured interviews with five 5th graders who were also scouts. Every interviewee was interviewed twice: once at the scouts meeting place about scouting environment and once at school about school environment. Before the interview the children filled out a short sheet about how they feel about the interview and how much they know about certain concepts (for example local group or student council) they were to be asked about in the interviews. Every interview included a storycrafting assignment aimed to make the social encounter more equal between the researcher and the child. The research was carried out as a phenomenographic analysis. Conclusions. According to the results children experience both scouts and the school environment to be child centered communities, though are in fact separated from the decision-making processes. In both environments children participated in the decision-making only in certain places that were specifically meant for them. These places do not penetrate the decision-making of the communities but only include a part of it. Based on the analysis children saw their role in the decision-making and participating mainly to be sufficient and fair. They did not see that children could nor needed to have a bigger role as members of studied communities. Whereas children had some expectations towards school as an enabler of children's participation in society, scouting was not seen to have a similar role. Scouting was seen as a friendlier environment that allows children more freedom than school or other environments. The results show that there is a need for qualitative research about participation of children also in other environments than schools. Studies about participation of children also need more understanding about how children themselves experience participation so that the results would be more compatible in the light of the theoretical understanding of participation

This master’s thesis focuses on the experiences of girls with immigrant background in general upper secondary school and preparatory programme for general upper secondary school focusing on foreign languages, support practices and study counselling. Previous research suggest that students with im-migrant background apply for upper secondary schools with lower grades and have a higher probability of dropping out of education than the majority (eg. Kilpi-Jakonen 2011, Valtiontalouden tarkastusvi-rasto 2015). Also in spite of academic orientation young people with immigrant backgrounds have been guided to vocational schools instead of general schools - especially girls with immigrant back-grounds (e.g. Kurki 2008a & 2008b, Souto 2016, Kurki & Brunila 2014). Finnish education system and the current educational policy discourses creates the frame of reference for this study. This study aims at producing fresh data and findings from the field about support practices and education of girls with immigrant backgrounds in the upper secondary school. This study is educational ethnography contextualized to the current educational policies (Troman, Jeffrey & Beach 2006). The analytical interest is in the structural factors defining general upper secondary schools as well as in the everyday life and how people make sense of it. The data for this study has been produced in one general upper secondary school and in one group of preparatory programme for general upper secondary education in the spring term of 2017. Data consists of field notes, interviews (n=23) and educational policy documents. The study is part of EMED-research project. The structure of Finnish school system, support practices and study counselling were important factors that affected student’s educational choice making. Experiences of given counselling, need of support and language proficiency varied. The current educational policy discourse highlights freedom of choice and possibilities. This was also emphasized in the girl’s narratives. In reality educational educational transitions constructs in relation to given counselling, Finnish language proficiency and in relation to structures of the school system and what seems realistic.

Objectives. Previous studies have indicated that the perspectives on touching and its naturalness in a school context vary among teachers. However, the significance of positive touch has been acknowledged: positive touch has been found to promote trust between the person touching and the person being touched, also it can be used to help build a positive and warm interaction. The objective of this thesis was to review positive touch between a teacher and a student in school. The objective of the research was to determine the type of touch the teachers describe as positive. The analysis discusses the types of meanings positive touch has in the interaction between a teacher and a student, from the teachers’ point of view. Methods. The research data included semi-structured interviews of 19 teachers, collected in Koskettava koulu -project. The research topic, positive touch, was defined based on the teacher’s assessment, that the student will regard touching as a positive matter. In the interviews, teachers were asked about topics related to touching in school. The study utilized qualitative research methods. The data was analyzed with thematic analysis. Results and conclusions. The teachers’ descriptions of positive touch between a teacher and a student can be divided into five themes: considerate touch, directive touch, encouraging and complimenting touch, soothing touch and comforting touch. In the teacher-student relationship, both teachers and students act as a person touching and as a person being touched. Based on the data, it can be stated that the teachers justify touching from a professional premise as a response to the students’ needs: the teachers interpret the students’ touch initiatives, specifically, as expressions of these types of needs. In the teachers’ descriptions, knowing the student and their history, was emphasized. These types of factors help the teacher to better understand the student and their individual needs. Based on the data, it can be noted that many teachers consider positive touch as a natural way to act. Touch is also being utilized as a tool for the teacher, however the features related to the students, such as age, gender, sensory hypersensitivity, and cultural background, affect the teacher’s touch behavior.

Goals. Dance in Finnish schools has previously been researched especially by professor Eeva Anttila. The aim of this research was to find out how dance is taught in elementary schools and what benefits it yields. I visited two different projects where dance artists taught dance to children. The first one was a project called “Do you dare to dance?” in Espoo. It targeted both boys and girls with the aim to reduce prejudice and stereotypical thinking that boys dancing in Espoon tanssiopisto had confronted in schools. The second one was a dance project in Eastern Helsinki. It was part of MUS-E® program, the aim of which was to prevent violence, racism and exclusion. My research questions were: 1. Why do the dance artists feel it is important to teach children dance in schools? 2. How has it been to teach dance in schools? 3. How have the children engaged in dance and what kind of feedback have the dance artists received from children and teachers? Methods. This research was a qualitative case study that followed the fenomenological approach. I collected the data by interviewing four dance artists and observing dance classes. My aim was to describe the phenomenon as closely as possible, come to conclusions through analysis and compose a general picture of it. Results and conclusions. The responses of the dance artists resembled each other very much. Every one of them brought up the uniqueness of dance as a form of bodily expression, which is combined with expressing feelings. The dance artists felt that through dance it was possible to diminish prejudice and prevent bullying. They also perceived dance as a good way to develop self-expression and new physical skills. By observing the dance classes I was able to see how much joy children experienced through dance. Both girls and boys in every class and school I visited showed enthusiasm to dance. The dance artists stated that there is a lot of demand and need for similar projects and that the challenge often is to find funding for the projects.

The study examines the manifestation of dignity and the relationship between dignity and survival in the documentary “Autolla Nepaliin – Unelmien elokuva” and in the charity project which was described in the documentary. As the project had achieved its aims, it was considered a success. The material used was the speech of the documentary, transcribed to text. The speakers were the project team as well as people who had experienced comparable issues as the project team. The study represented a qualitative research method. The material was analyzed by the means of theory-based content analysis. The study was based on self-determination theory, which claims person succeeds and feels better when psychological needs, ie autonomy, competence and relatedness are met (Ryan & Deci 2000, 68.) From the theory Martela (2015, 37–54) has derived the concept of the motivational diamond used in the study. It is divided into dignity and survival. Survival consists of acceptance and status as well as safety and resources. Relevance requires the realization of relatedness, contribution (doing good), competence and autonomy. Most observations were made of relatedness, which was evident in the four circles: insiders, related people, project-connected circle, and random people circle. Doing good turned out to be a planned dream of volunteering. Autonomy permeated the entire project and was reflected in ideas, enthusiasm and patient work. Alongside autonomy, responsibility emerged. Competence was realized as learning and development, as well as identifying skills, sources of strengths and barriers. Most of the survival material was related to safety and resources resources, including travel progress, equipment and health. Acceptance and status were realized in social media approvals which affected the accumulation of money. Emotions determined the relationship between dignity and survival, forming a dialogue between them. The project serves as a metaphor for working life projects and their success. It is necessary to identify and define the circles of relatedness, to consider the development of competence, the manifestation of autonomy and the possibilities of contribution. Although funders approve goals defining the project work, it is also worth setting a goal that is relevant to oneself. This also supports the achievement of the official goals.

Aims. The aim of this study is to examine what children that take part in a sport club in their spare time think about physical education (PE) classes and groups. The study examines the children’s thoughts on exercising in coeducational PE. This study focuses also on their parents’ views. The parents were asked to describe their thoughts on same-sex and coeducational PE. Methods. Eight children between classes 3 to 5 that take part in sports club activities during their spare time participated in this study. At least one of each child’s parents also took part in the study. The data was collected through semi structured interviews in May 2018. The research method in this study was a data based qualitative content analysis. Results and conclusions. The results state that the children who take part in sports club activities during their spare time, have a positive attitude on PE classes. The positive view was justified through different disciplines, variety, functionality and one’s own sporty background. Half of the children wished to participate in a coeducational group and the other half in a same-sex group in PE class. Arguments in favour of coeducational PE were the atmosphere in class, positive challenges and the fact that there is no real reason to separate boys and girls into different groups. Arguments against coeducational PE were the physical differences of pupils, problems with working in peace, hobbyism and the gender juxtaposition. According to this study, all parents supported coeducational PE. Some parents indicated that PE classes could occasionally be organized in same-sex groups, especially if physical sports are practised during the class. The parents also stated arguments in favour of coeducational PE. The arguments were divided into two categories: educating children to become members of society and increasing diversity in PE.

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.

Goals. The aim of this research is to discuss the thoughts 5th grade schoolchildren have produced about the Eura ancient costume and reflect upon their way of conveying its meanings. The study approaches the costume from a semiotic viewpoint as a cultural text, which carries the memory of the culture, conveys certain meanings via its details and produces new meanings in communication. The study emphasizes the idea that a cultural text, such as the ancient costume opens its signification in a thorough discussion with multiple angles. The literature related with ancient costumes bases on scholarly works by specialists in the field. In this study the schoolchildren attain a role of experts while producing material for the analysis in their assignments. The object for the children's reflection is the semiotic entity of the costume: the textile and the necklace, set of ornaments, bronze-plated knife sheath, broad spiral bracelets, rings and bronze spiral ornamented apron. The scholarly information and the children's reading appear in a dialogue within the study. The research questions were as follows: what kinds of meanings do the children produce for the Eura costume? In what ways do they interpret the costume and its details, especially the necklace and the bronze spiral ornamented apron? How do the children's reflections relate with the existing scholarly information about the costume? Methods. The study included 25 children from the 5th grade at a grammar school in Helsinki. The research questions were tackled in individual interviews, as well as writing and drawing assignments. The theoretical part of the study discusses semiotic literature, mainly semiotics of culture, as well as scholarly studies dedicated to the Eura costume. Results and conclusions. In the light of the semiotic approach applied in this research, the Eura ancient costume represents a cultural text, which carries certain cultural memory, conveys existing meanings and generates new meanings and even new texts. Based on the interview done in this research and the assignments given to the schoolchildren, it is possible to follow these processes in the ways the children read and signify the originally complex and strange cultural text. In the way they produce own interpretations of the details and symbols within the costume, we can find the emergence of new meanings. The stories the children produced are examples of generating new texts and of the costume functioning as the carrier of the cultural memory.

The aim of this thesis was to gain data and information regarding students studying the Evangelic Lu-theran religion in high school. Other aspects of the study included examining religious and worldview education as well as visibility of religion in schools. The study was constructed due to a need to change the current model of religious education in Finnish schools and find out pupils’ view about the issue. The theoretical part of this study consists of a literature review, which provides in-depth information present-ed by previous studies on the topic. Additionally, the review examines Finnish people’s religious beliefs in general and different religious education models. The quantitative part of this study is a part of a wid-er EDEN-study in the University of Helsinki. The research problem was: how do high school students belonging to the Evangelic Lutheran church experience the current religious education model and what do they think about the visibility of religion in school? The hypothesis was, that the students from the Helsinki metropolitan area are more open to-wards the visibility of religion in school, because the diversity is higher in the region compared to other counties. An additional hypothesis was formed based on a previous study, which indicated that girls are more positive about religious education in school. The research method of this thesis included a variety of methods. The qualitative data of this research was collected to support the quantitative method. In the quantitative part of the study I used a questionnaire to examine the perspectives of the pupils and the differences in the backgrounds (e.g. sex and city of residence). 176 students took part in Pori, 224 in Helsinki and 175 in Joensuu. Out of the participants, 367 were girls and 207 boys. The data was ana-lysed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the t-test. The qualitative data was collected using interviews. Eight pupils from Helsinki took part in the interviews. Content analysis was also used as a research tool. Based on the results of the quantitative part of the study, it was suggested, that place of residence does not affect students’ perspectives on religion and religious education. Girls were more interested than boys in religion as a school subject and also more open towards different religions. In the qualitative part of the study I compared the results from the interview data to the mean value of pupils from Helsinki in the quantitative questionnaire. Overall, these results were in line together. Based on the interview results, the students belonging to the Evangelic Lutheran church think that the main reason to study religious education is to learn about world religions. Generally, students wish for an integrated model where all participants from different backgrounds could study and interact together.

Finland has seen an increase of immigrants in the past twenty years. Currently, newly arrived immigrant students are placed in preparatory classrooms for up to a year to provide them with the language skills they need to integrate into regular Finnish classrooms. However, municipalities can choose whether they would like to offer preparatory education, as well as how they would like to structure it. This creates possible gaps for inequities to exist within preparatory classrooms. In the 2018 PISA results, Finland had the highest gap in reading scores between immigrant and non-immigrant students out of all OECD countries with an immigrant population of higher than five percent. This demonstrates that Finland has fallen behind other countries in educating its immigrant students. Therefore, this study attempts to examine how Finnish and non-Finnish cultures are viewed and discussed in preparatory classrooms, as well as how preparatory classrooms support the well-being of students and prepare students to succeed in school. This study consisted of semi-structured interviews of students and staff members within one lower secondary school in Southern Finland. This school had two preparatory classrooms, as well as one special “P2” classroom. Interviews were analyzed using an inductive approach to thematic analysis, where four themes and five subthemes were found by using a constructionist paradigm. The results of this study were that the preparatory classrooms at this school valued and appreciated non- Finnish cultures during discussions in class, but Finnish behaviors and ideologies were seen as normal and what students should adapt to when moving to Finland. Additionally, while teachers were able to provide a positive and supportive learning environment for students, the school did not provide enough emotional support or resources for students. Finally, a lack of resources and funding meant that students were not able to get the support they needed to properly develop the Finnish language skills required to succeed in school. This study indicates there is a need for more funding and resources to be allocated to preparatory classrooms, as well as larger-scale research on the benefits and shortcomings of Finnish preparatory education.