Browsing by Author "Kukkola, Maija"

Previous research has implied that parents' school choice is a social correspondence process in which they search a school which would match with their child's features. In that case the school peer group is a significant criterion of choice. The aim of this study was to examine parental values behind the school choice. The basis of my study were two value-orientations which Bernstein has connected to school. Instrumental values concern improving child's study skills. Expressive values emphasize the child's inner development. One hypothesis behind this study anticipated that instrumental values are related to the choice of class with a special emphasis and way of reaching child's school achievement. The research data consisted of survey data and interviews. Analysis process included quantitative and qualitative methods. Two kinds of data were used to reach a better understanding. The study compared, did the parents' instrumental and expressive values differ, when their relation to mother's level of education, family income and school choice were measured. The study also examined how parents link these values to the school peer group and the class with a special emphasis in their speech. The study revealed that parents represented instrumental and expressive values pretty equally, but expressive values highlighted. Concerning instrumental values those families with mother's low level of education were emphasized. The instrumental order of the school might be connected to the struggle of social position in society. School choice was a way to seek similar selected peer group around the child. Instrumental values aimed at learning environment which would offer keys to child's future success. In expressive values schools were evaluated by the fact how they could offer a happy lifetime experience for the child. When selecting a class with special emphasis the people in the school were more important than the actual subject.