Browsing by Subject "generalistiala"

Professional identity develops both during education and in professional practice as part of an individual's identity. It aims to understand oneself in relation to professionalism and work, as well as what kind of professional one aspires to become. Defining and unerstanding one's professional identity play a particularly significant role in today's work life. The purpose of this study is to examine how final-stage students in general and adult education perceive their identity as general and adult educationalists. Additionally, the study aims to explore students' experiences of their studies, internships, and previous work experiences, and those effects on their educationalist identity. This study uses phenomenological research approach, focusing on the experiences of the participants, which guided the progression and analysis of the research. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews with final-stage students in general and adult education at the University of Helsinki in May-June 2024. The data is analyzed using descriptive phenomenology, allowing for the formation of seven general networks of meaning. The first general network of meaning includes students' experiences of their educationalist identity. It comprises four smaller networks of meaning: competence, academics, work values, and fu-ture belief. The second general network of meaning reflects students' experiences of uni-versity studies in relation to their educationalist identity. The third general network of mea-ning includs students' experiences of internships and previous work experience in relation to their educationalist identity. The research findings indicate that students perceive their educationalist identity as uncer-tain and ambiguous based on their experiences. Defining their own competence is per-ceived as challenging, but students are aware of their strengths and areas for development, which is important to the development of their professional identity. Academic is not seen as a significant part of their current identity; instead, work values play a crucial role in shaping their educationalist identity. Students emphasize soft and human values that they also aim to utilize in future work life. Free-choice elective studies and previous work experience are considered important for the development of their educationalist identity. However, students' experiences reflect desires for support and guidance during their studies, workplace rele-vance, practicality, and a wider range of study options from their university.