Browsing by Author "Uusikylä, Jane Diana"

Background and aims. Multiculturalism and religious diversity are currently part of everyday life in primary schools, especially in Helsinki-Vantaa-Espoo area. Diversity of religions can be a resource and a way to involve students more in education. Purpose of this study was to find out how home economics teachers plan and implement the teaching of the household, considering the religious and cultural diversity. The study was intended to obtain answers to the questions: How multiculturalism is shown in primary schools and the teaching of the home economics? Which food regulations affect to teaching of the home economics and how they affect? How do teachers plan home economics lessons for groups involved of students who have food rules? How home economics education should be developed in the future, taking into account the religion and multiculturalism? Methods. The study was conducted in two parts a questionnaire and interviews. Questionnaire was answered by 55 7-9-graders elementary school household teachers. For interview were chosen six home economics teachers working in Helsinki and Espoo. All those interviewed were women and they had a teaching experience more than 3 years. The data were analyzed by the method of the concept map and concepts were written in text. Results and conclusions. Multiculturalism and religious diversity were taken into account in home economics teaching in small acts of everyday life. Students are treated same way regardless of their background and diversity were rarely emphasized. Students' food rules were taken into account and in small group of them can talk about religion. Students banned raw material is replaced with authorized and students which have Lent did replacing exercises instead cooking. Students may participate in the teaching as the experts if they wanted. Home economics teachers do not actively encouraging them to share their ethnical background over the entire group, but the conversation was more common in small groups at the level of practical work between them. Home economics teachers could possibly involve students more in expert role and to give students the opportunity to experience acting as an expert.