Browsing by study line "Special Education"
Now showing items 61-68 of 68
-
(2024)The basis of this research is the situation of educational equality in Finland. Previous research shows the strong heritability of education and the differentiation of students' skills according to socio-economic backgrounds. The influence of socio-economic backgrounds on learning outcomes has become even stronger in recent years. The skills learned and the competence achieved in primary and lower secondary education (basic education) can be defined as human capital. Capital deficits are linked to intergenerational disadvantage. Previous research suggests that there is a connection between receiving support at school and a weaker social background. This study, carried out with a qualitative research strategy, aims to answer what kind of work practices in special education in primary and lower secondary education aim to influence the learning and educational differences linked to the students' different socio-economic backgrounds. The research data consists six interviews (semi-structuded) of special education teachers working in the region of Southern Finland. The interview material is analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A key finding of the study is that the work of special education teachers reveals practices that seek to address learning and educational differences that are linked to students' socio-economic backgrounds. The work practices are divided into five categories: cooperation in student networks, understanding education and teaching as a broad entity, student-orientation as the basis of the teacher's work, and special education in the school's operational culture. The work practices have a close connection to the framework and concepts of the sociology of education and to the key factors of educational equality.
-
(2023)Research has shown many evidence-based practices, such as explicit instruction, in teaching mathematics for low-performing students in lower secondary schools. The aim of this study was to find out what evidence-based practices Finnish special education teachers use when teaching mathematics and how often they use them. The study was conducted by a survey developed in the United States and it was translated into Finnish and modified to be suitable for Finnish education system. The surveys were sent to 230 schools to be answered by special education teachers. 114 answers were included in this study. Results showed that Finnish special education teacher use evidence-based practices regularly and often. In future studies different factors affecting the use should be taken into consideration.
-
(2022)The aim of this study is to examine how teachers describe their pupils studying by activity areas. Pupils studying in activity based area education often have profound intellectual disabilities, mental disabilities or other medical disabilities or conditions. Previous research has shown that when describing pupils who receive special support the descriptions are often negative and focused on individual problems. Previous studies suggest that pupils studying by activity areas have increased variation in the amount of support they need in special needs, learning capacity and in their ability to function. The goal of this study was to determine how teachers describe their pupils abilities to learn and how learning actually takes place. In addition, the way teachers describe their pupil’s ability to function, personality and their interests were also studied. The data of this study consists of 19 interview transcripts of teachers in activity area based education. The interviews were collected across Finland during the INTO-project in 2018–2019.This study was conducted with qualitative research approach. Analysis was implemented with the procedures of qualitative content analysis and the results are presented with a thematic networks analysis method by Attride-Stirling (2001).The results were organized into basic themes, organizing themes and global themes. According to the results, the teachers viewed their pupils’ learning skills as being limited and that the learning process is gradual. Pupils were described has having wildly different abilities to function, but the results showed that with certain pupils their ability to function is greatly challenged and this was affected by several factors. According to the results the interests and skills of the students are usually strongly aimed at concrete things that they enjoy doing. Teachers used somewhat colourful and unique expressions about their pupils’ personalities. Based on the results the pupils in education arranged by activity areas have diverse needs of support and require very individualised teaching methods. Teachers perceive their profession to be challenging. Further research and discussions about adequate in-service training and developing the curriculum are needed.
-
(2024)Preparatory education for upper secondary qualification (TUVA) has been offered since 2022 as a transition phase education for people of compulsory school age and others who need preparatory education. TUVA program has also been one of the changes in vocational prison education. There is scarcity of studies on prison education and new preparatory education and training (TUVA). The purpose of this study was to generate new information and understanding about preparatory education (TUVA) in prison education. Differentiation was understood as a comprehensive basis of teaching, which considers the individual and diverse needs of students. The research analyzes, interprets and describes the perceptions of TUVA teachers working in prison education about the individual needs of prisoners and the experiences of differentiation. The research explains which means of differentiation teachers use, how differentiation is justified and what challenges arise in differentiation in the prison education of preparatory education. The data of the qualitative study was collected through a semi-structured theme interview from seven TUVA teachers working in vocational prison education, two of whom worked as teachers in the work-based TUVA. The research material was analyzed with a qualitative content analysis and a theory-guided content analysis. The views and experiences of TUVA teachers were examined using Roiha and Polso's Five O-model. The needs of those studying in the prison's TUVA were seen as diverse, and the teachers justified their differentiation especially with the needs related to the students' school history, school motivation and life changes. All the dimensions of Roiha and Polso's Five O's differentiation model emerged in the data. The teachers felt that the differentiation of the psychosocial environment was the most important and considered the students' individual needs by supporting their self-efficacy with differentiation. Differentiation was implemented reactively as soon as the need for support appeared, and proactively as a planned part of the TUVA. The challenges of differentiation were the social challenges between the prisoners, the hectic everyday life of the prison, the absence of a work partner and the limited availability of ready-made differentiation material. Based on the results of the study, TUVA teachers consider the individual needs of those studying in prison based on their strengths and implement differentiation comprehensively.
-
(2021)Tiivistelmä - Referat – Abstract Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tarkoituksena on selvittää vapaa-ajan ryhmätoiminnan mahdollisuuksia nuorten hyvinvoinnin ja osallisuuden tukemisessa. Nuoruus on erityinen ajanjakso, johon sisältyy itsenäistymistä, irtaantumista kasvuperheestä ja oman identiteetin etsimistä (Kinnunen, 2011). Vapaa-aika on näiden teemojen kannalta keskeinen toimintakenttä (Tolonen & Määttä, 2011). Erityisesti vapaa-ajan harrastamisessa nähdään valtava potentiaali nykyajan nuorisokysymysten, kuten syrjäytymisen, ratkaisemiseksi (Salasuo & Homi, 2021). Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää Nuorten Akatemian Mahis-hankkeessa toteutettujen nuorten vapaa-ajan projektien vaikuttavuutta nuorten elämään. Tutkimuksen kohteena on Nuorten Akatemian Mahis-hanke. Mahis on haavoittuvassa asemassa oleville nuorille suunnattua ryhmätoimintaa. Aineistona toimii vuosina 2017-2020 toteutuneiden Mahis-projektien loppuraportit. Raportteja saatiin yhteensä 165 kappaletta. Raportit ovat ohjaajien kirjoittamia, ja tutkimuksen näkökulmana onkin ohjaajien näkemykset toiminnan vaikuttavuudesta nuoriin. Tutkimus on toteutettu laadullisena dokumenttianalyysinä. Aineiston luokittelussa ja analysoinnissa on käytetty sisällönanalyysia. Tutkimuksessa ollaan kiinnostuneita nuorten hyvinvoinnista ja osallisuudesta ilmiönä, joten siinä on myös osin fenomenologinen tutkimusote. Mahis-projektit näyttäytyivät nuorten elämään positiivisesti vaikuttavina ajanjaksoina. Ohjaajat havaitsivat positiivisia muutoksia neljällä eri osa-alueella, jotka olivat yksilön kasvu, sosiaaliset suhteet, tulevaisuuden suunnitelmat sekä koulunkäyntiin liittyvät muutokset. Eniten havaintoja tehtiin itsenäistymisestä, itsetunnon kasvusta sekä uusien ystävyyssuhteiden syntymisestä. Tulosten perusteella Mahis-toiminnalla pystytään vastaamaan nuorten osallisuuden ja hyvinvoinnin edistämisen tarpeisiin. Mahis-toimintaa tarkasteltiin myös sosiokulttuurisen innostamisen välineenä. Toiminnasta löydettiin kaikki sosiokulttuurisen innostamisen ulottuvuudet: kasvatuksellinen, kulttuurinen ja sosiaalinen ulottuvuus.
-
(2024)This master's thesis aims to find out the attraction and retention factors of the work of a special education teacher in early childhood education. I interviewed seven special education teachers in different job descriptions. The research was carried out as a semi-structured pre-themed interview. Seven qualified early childhood special education teachers from a large southern Finnish city participated in the interview. All of them had worked in the city for several years. Early childhood special education teachers working in three different job descriptions were able to talk about the central and pleasant tasks of their work, the things that reduce the meaning of the job, their values, strengths, and the attractive and retentive factors they experienced in the field of early childhood education. The work of early childhood education special teachers was positioned at three different levels. Two special education teachers worked in a reduced group, where half of the children were under support and half were peer children. Two special education teachers worked in units consisting of one or more kindergartens. Three coordinating early childhood education special teachers operated across several early childhood education units, coordinating the placement of children in need of support in early childhood education, as well as the allocation of support resources. The interview material was analyzed as a content analysis and four categories were formed from the retention factors described by the special education teachers, which were the profession of the early childhood education special education teacher, work resources, work modification and social relations. Lately, it has been difficult to find qualified personnel for the post of special education teacher working in groups. Based on the data, qualified special education teachers easily flow into positions where the special education teacher's skills and knowledge are distributed differently. The thesis gives perspectives on modifying the job description of a special early childhood education teacher working in a group, to increase the attraction and retention factors of the work.
-
(2024)The objective of this study was to identify strategies used in schools to support the integration of newly arrived students in inclusive education in the classroom and school community, and how inclusivity is implemented in these strategies. The study of inclusivity utilises the three dimensions of the Index for Inclusion model and the participation that each of them aims to achieve. The study also examined the strategies used to support the integration of newly arrived students in light of research-based information. The research material has been collected with an initial survey carried out by the Matinkylä-Olari region's preparatory education research cooperation, which was answered by the teachers and principals of the pilot schools. The initial survey was carried out in August 2023 and the data for this study (N=34) consists of the answers to the two open-ended questions presented in it. This study was carried out as a qualitative study using theory-based content analysis and its analysis framework is the dimensions and inclusion of the Index for Inclusion from the perspective of integration support for newly arrived students. In the strategies named by the respondents, inclusivity was most strongly realised in the inclusive practices dimension (42%), which is explained by the centrality of linguistically responsible pedagogy in the teaching of newcomers. In the inclusive principles dimension, inclusion was weakest, only 10%, which indicates the separation of levels in the school system. The respondents named that they most commonly support integration through team building and promoting the creation of social relationships. The responses also emphasised linguistically responsible pedagogy, which supports the learning and participation of newly arrived pupils, especially when integrated into general education groups. The strategies named by the teachers were mainly aimed directly at the student and narrowly focused. Language and culture teachers and special education teachers saw the support as more extensive, also taking into account, for example, cooperation with guardians. The role of principals in supporting integration was most commonly focused on supporting teachers' work. In conclusion, the gaps between the different levels of the school system are reflected in the support of the integration of the newly arrived pupil. Continuing education can increase teachers' competence in language and culturally aware pedagogy, but it requires common policies in the school's operating culture and pedagogical leadership that enables sufficient and correctly allocated resources to support the integration of newcomers.
-
(2023)According to prior research and public discourse, students of immigrant back-ground and students who receive support for learning are increasingly at a disadvantaged position in every level of education in Finland. The purpose of this study is to view the school transition from elementary school to middle school through the perspective of students of immigrant background who get special educational support. Through analyzing their experiences, the aim is to find out the role of the Finnish learning and school attendance system in a student’s transition to middle school and to examine how educational equity is achieved during this transition. This study is qualitative in nature. The research material has been collected through six semi-structured interviews, which have been analyzed with a narrative method. The results of this study show that the interviewed students, who are of immigrant background and receive special educational support, experience the shifts in their peer groups, teachers, the requirements for Finnish language and the learning and school attendance system as especially significant when transitioning to middle school. According to the students, learning Finnish becomes progressively more difficult in middle school. The interviewees experience that they do not receive enough support in getting sufficient resources to increase their Finnish language competence to the required level. However, they feel that special educational support has a major role in supporting their learning in middle school. Additionally, most of the interviewees explain how they face more prejudice and racism specifically from teachers after transitioning to middle school. Despite facing an increasing amount of prejudice and their studies becoming more challenging, the interviewed students appreciate middle school and find it an essential part of their educational path.
Now showing items 61-68 of 68