Browsing by department "Opettajankoulutuslaitos"
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(2016)The purpose was to study handmade underwear and their making in 2010's Finland. The study examined features of handmade underwear, which include the range of underwear types, the structure of underwear and the aesthetic style of underwear. The study also aimed to understand craft enthusiasts motivations for making underwear, both relating to underclothes themselves and to general values and attitudes. The theoretical viewpoints examined in the study were processes and meanings of making crafts, DIY-culture as well as styles, history and meanings of underwear. The research strategy was qualitative case study and it was based on data triangulation. Both the features of handmade underwear and the motivations for their making were examined with photographs and texts published in the Internet as well as qualitative questionnaire responses. The visual and textual data was collected from two sewing-related Facebook-groups and individual blogs and the data consisted of 65 photographs and 122 files that included text or both photographs and text. The questionnaire responses were collected using online questionnaire and the final data included 51 responses. The data was analyzed by using content analysis with theoretical approach and Atlas.ti 7.5.10 was used as a software tool in the analysis. Making underwear by hand could be seen as a small phenomenon among craft enthusiasts on the Internet. Underwear types examined in the study were bras and underpants for women, men and children. The structures and materials of the handmade underwear were mainly similar to industrially made ones. However there was more diversity in the aesthetic styles of the handmade underwear. The most frequent aesthetic styles were colorfulness, use of different types of printed fabrics, use of recycled and leftover materials as well as playful, joyful and humoristic expressive style. The most important motivations for making underwear were related to the clothes themselves, the most common reason being need for fit and comfort. Furthermore quality of the product and need for individual look were motivations that relate to the product. Motivations that relate to values and attitudes were economic benefit, ecological and ethical reasons, fulfilling craft enthusiasts lifestyle and aiming at self-sufficiency. The economic and ecological values were seen in utilization of leftover materials, which was a common motivation for making underwear. According to this study the making of handmade underwear appears to have influences of DIY-craft, which includes aspects of individuality, consumption and taking responsibility of one's own needs.
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(2019)Study delay has been considered a challenge within the vocational education, and the dropout rate is much higher than in college. Limited knowledge of the choices within upper secondary education may lead to an unfitted choice of education which for one may hold up the graduation. The main objective of this masters’ thesis was to find out which factors might hold up the graduation in vocational education. The aim is to examine what are the differences between the students who graduated in time and the students whose studies were considered delayed. The interest was also in finding out which factors are the best to explain whether the studies were delayed or not. The study delay is looked through motivation, the grade point average of theoretical studies in the last year of lower secondary education, sex, native language, mother’s education and special support received in lower secondary education. The research data was part of a research done in collaboration by the University of Helsinki, the University of Tampere, the National Board of Education and the Centre of Educational Assessment. The participants of this study consisted of 6277 vocational education students in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. The research data was collected during year 2014 when the students were in the last year of lower secondary education and in year 2017, three years after the beginning of vocational education. The results discovered differences in special support, native language and motivation between the groups of students who graduated in time and the students whose studies were considered delayed. There was an increased amount of study delay within the students who received special support in lower secondary education and the students whose native language was other than Finnish or Swedish. According to this study, receiving special support in lower secondary education was the most significant factor to explain the detainment of studies. In this study, there was no connection found between study delay and the grade point average of theoretical subjects in the last year of lower secondary education.
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(2017)Goals. The purpose of the study was to find out how ethically sensitive teachers, teacher students and financial people themselves are evaluating and whether there are differences between these groups in ethical sensitivity. The study also investigated whether differences between the sexes exist in ethical sensitivity. The theoretical background of this study is the theory of four components of ethical activity, of which ethical sensitivity is studied in this work. After Darcia Narvaez's (2001) operative concept of ethical sensitivity in seven different areas, Kirsi Tirri and Petri Nokelainen (2007, 2011) have developed a meter of ethical sensitivity in their own research. Methods. The survey was carried out as a quantitative survey and the relevant material from bank employees was collected by e-form in August 2015 from a banking group operating in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. There were 183 respondents, of whom 77.6% were women (N = 142) and men 22.4% (N = 41). Reference material from the teachers was obtained from the University of Helsinki research group (Kuusisto Elina, Tirri Kirsi). The total number of respondents was 864, of which 60.4% (N = 522) were teachers and 39.6% (N = 342) teacher students, women 77.2% (N = 667) and men 22.8% (197). The material was collected in 2011. All students were at the beginning of their studies at the material collection stage and studied at the University of Helsinki. Subsequently, the material was combined with the SPSS statistics program. The ethical sensitivity scale questionnaire consisted of 28 claims, which were answered in the 5-step Likert scale. Seven sum variables were formed, each of which was counted as Cronbach alpha. Only the sum of single sum variables alpha (ESSQ_1 α = .544) was below the recommended>. 060. Subsequent intergroup averages were examined by variance analysis and differences between genders by t-test. Results and conclusions. Teachers received the highest average of seven in four areas, with the results being statistically significant as well. Bank employees received the highest averages in two areas, although the results were not statistically significant. The students got the highest average in only one area. In this study, however, the best ethical sensitivity variable was gender, with women having a higher average in six of the seven areas.
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(2018)Objectives. Group skills are being promoted more and more in job applications as well as in the national curriculum. The understanding of the nature of these skills is however a vast and complex. Furthermore, the tools for how to develop these skills are often difficult to come across. The goal of this research is to assess the reciprocity of a group and an individual in it, with the approach of theoretically oriented empirical analysis. The theoretical background of the study is based on the theoretical idea by Holland, Lachicotte, Cain and Skinner (1998), where an individual is seen acting in different kinds of figured worlds, which are shaping and affecting ones identity and conducting behavior. The ways of behaving in figured worlds are negotiated together with the group members based on the individuals own identity and other figured worlds acting in the background. An individual can be seen as a constructer of the group based on of his/her own background. However, at the same time the group can be seen as shaping and constructing the individual. Methods. The research was carried out as a qualitative research and its research material was collected by theme interviews. The subjects of the research were students at Helsinki University studying in a program that utilizes group phenomena in the pedagogy of professional identity development. The interview consisted of eight subjects whom were interviewed twice. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed with content analysis. The study analyses how the concept of figured world is shown in the research material on one hand as a negotiation of figured world between its members and on the other hand as a constructer of identity. Based on these, a model about the phenomenon was constructed. Results and discussion. Results suggest that the negotiation of figured world in group is ambiguous and affected by several factors. Explaining through culture models clarifies group’s figured world to its members and enhances group’s development. The identity of individual develops as part of group, which counteracts and develops also the group. The importance of reflection is crucial for this process, evoking the development. Based on the results a theoretical model is suggested in which reflection is seen as the combining element in the continual heuristic development of identity and group functioning.
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(2016)Goals. The goal of the study was to determine how foodstuffs were advertised in Pirkka magazines during the years 1954-1964. The theoretical framework of the study was that the choice between different foods is a socially and culturally determined phenomenon that can be influenced by nutrition education and advertisement. History of eating in Finland and the nutrition challenges faced during the set time period were also examined in the study. This is to help describe the social and cultural environment as related to food in the examination period. The period was set to approximately ten years after the food rationing ended. Methods. The materials in the study were advertisements in Pirkka magazines that were published between the years 1954-1964. Advertisements were collected from microfilms and from original copies. A total of 510 advertisements of foodstuffs from every other year were chosen as a representation of the total material base. The contents of the advertisements were categorized according to a predetermined set of variables as per the advertisements' references to the product group, persons appearing in the advertisements, and the claims to nutritional qualities and other attributes. The results acquired through the categorization were analyzed through the means of content analysis. Results and conclusions. The advertisements focused on advertising consumer grade stimulants, and processed or new foodstuffs. Common fresh products were not represented in the material. The most advertised products were coffee, wheat flour, oatmeal, margarine, and butter. The advertisement of food stuffs was not directly related to the amount of food-stuffs consumed. Foodstuffs were advertised especially by emphasizing the perceptible quality and healthiness of the product. The healthiness of the product was argued to be associated to its vitamin content. The persons appearing in the advertisement were mostly women and children who were to appeal to the viewers' emotions and to set the target audience. Contemporary nutritional challenges and nutrition discourse were also reflected in the advertisements as nutrition science's period of vitaminology and the rivalry of butter and margarine were observable in them.
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(2015)Aims. The aim of this study was to find out what kind of things challenge and burden the relationship even to the verge of marital crisis. Previously this subject has been studied in Finland mainly with quantitative methods. The intention of this study was to collect more detailed information about what are those challenging situations in everyday life and how do they impact to the well-being of the relationship. Additionally it was looked into what kind of help couples are looking from marital camps. Methods. The qualitative research data was collected from marital camp participants in 2014. It comprises experiences of 82 individuals, of which 59 responded by writing on paper or electronically through the "E-lomake" service and 23 people responded verbally in a short interview. Semi-structured questionnaire was used as a basis of both written replies and interviews. The study frame was phenomenological-hermeneutic, as the interest was particularly the everyday experiences that respondents were describing. The data was reviewed with a thematic analysis of the narratives, because most important was what the respondents told, or what kind of episodes the narratives retained. Results and conclusions. Especially general haste and lack of time spent together burden relationships. These shows as, for example, tense mood, diverging from each other and declining of the emotional connection. Also communication between spouses diminishes or changes along with haste and then disagreements come more common, too. Good communication skills are considered very important, and for this issue respondents searched help also from marital camps. In everyday life stress is caused by coordination of work and family life, sharing of domestic work and childcare and parenting. Based on this study, thought to break-up does not arise from any specific separate challenge of everyday life.
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(2016)Aims. The main objective of this research was to find out what kind of factors are related to agency of young people in parental home context. This research explored assets from householdings perspective in everyday living. Continuous changes in the internal everyday householding and external operational environments challenges agency of young people. Young people also facing the chancing and growing expectations and demands. The research motive from the household teacher's perspective was to find out what kind of viewpoints can be found from everyday householding that can be use for recognizing and strengthening the relationship between the agency of young people and householding. Theoretical viewpoints for this research were attaches to dynamics of family members home been and work, the modalities of agency and positive psychology research. Research questions were: 1. Which agency building factors are resulting from home constructing activity? 2. What kind of tensions and conclusions can be found from householding activities? 3. What the young person has learned in householding classes and how this is present in householding activities? Methods. The research was carried out as a qualitative research. Research material was gathered from stories received by email. The material consisted of written stories about young people's participation in everyday living. These stories were written by parents who have or have had upper comprehensive school aged children living in their home. Ten stories were received. Results and conclusions. Relationship between object and subject of home constructing activity were seen as building factors for agency. Tensions and strenghts between young and parent were seen to be resolution from young peoples participation in home. Tensions and conclusions were themed by (1) changes in home operation model, (2) parents attitude and role, (3) youngs attitude and role and (4) things guiding individuality and object. External communities, specially youngs relationships with peers and household teaching were seen to support young agency in home. Teaching the meanings to every day living aroust from the research material. Parents described this as discussion and interaction with the young and it was seen as important factor for building agency.
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(2016)The purpose of the study was to depict, analyse and interpret how children recognise different learning contexts. Are children capable of defining the learning to have occurred in certain situations or environments? The so-called everyday environments are a part of human reality. The formal learning and theoretical knowledge usually have a lack of connection between one's individual perception of the world, as well as their own environment. The societal frame and everyday environments challenge learning, and one's personal situation in life acts a context for all learning. By means of participation, one's individual comprehension increases, and he or she is able to gradually achieve the full participation, in which he or she manages the required skills of an environment. Since learning always occurs within an environment, a context-based learning is a significant part of the learning process. In addition to context-based learning, I wanted to find out what the purpose of everyday experiences is in children's learning, and whether children are able to form a connection between the learnt matters in school and everyday-life. The viewpoint of the study was qualitative. The data was collected from two different classes in 6th grade in elementary school (N=40). A three-type of data was utilised in the present study: a series of images with open-ended questions, a questionnaire and essays. The data was analysed via content analysis, as well as content differentiation. The data was adjusted into upper and subcategories, the help of which answers to research questions was searched. On the basis of the present study, children were able to recognise different contexts well. Recognition seemed to be particularly easy for specific, as well as less frequently occurring matters. The meaning of informal learning and personal experiences were emphasised in the study, in spite of the fact that children had not been able to classify all of their experiences into a specific learning context. When the research questions are considered, I personally found the connection between the learnt matters in school and everyday-life the most significant. That is to say, on the basis of my study, children have trouble with simultaneously understanding the occurrence of similar phenomena, as well as processing them in school and everyday-life. The learning in a school-context seems to be somewhat loose related to children's personal everyday experiences. On the basis of my study, one should pay attention to the connection between formal and informal learning more thoroughly.
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(2016)According to the newest Finnish curriculum (2014) home economics can be taught in the lower classes (1–6) of comprehensive school as one of the elective subjects or as an integrated club activity. In this research redesigning of home economics will be limited into inquiry-based learning which is applied in phenomenon driven teaching. This research aims to develop the use of inquiry based learning in regular classroom environment. The design will also integrate the use of mobile devices to analyse the results of phenomena and digital appliances to collect data on the situational interest of the students. This Master's thesis redesigns a new way of teaching home economics in primary school using the inquiry based learning and finding a way to wake interest into studying natural scientific phenomena in everyday life. This research was inspired by the University of Helsinki LUMA centre's Pikku-Jippo science club activities. The methodological approach applied was design research and it was conducted in two cycles. During the first cycle the data collected consisted of videos captured by students. In the second cycle the data were collected by using digital polling appliance. Both cycles followed the same kind of inquiry based learning method which is also applicable both in home economics education and natural sciences. The data were collected from one primary school class in Helsinki. The students were aged 7–8 years. The analysis of the video data was started by watching the videos extensively. The research results were analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The results indicate that mobile devices guided students to make observations of the phenomena, and to discuss both reactions and used instruments with their peers. The data from the second cycle were analyzed using qualitative observation methods. The re-designed teaching methods increased enthusiasm in the observed classroom. The students experienced them as an innovative way to learn and observe natural phenomena of everyday life.
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(2017)The purpose of this thesis was to study the assessment mentioned in Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education. Previous studies have shown that it can be seen transitions from comprehensive assessment to individual assessment and documentation of child's development and learning in Finnish early childhood education. The Core Curriculum is an administrative document that guides the local curriculum work. It is also a part of curriculum including pedagogical guidance. The aim of this thesis was to specify how the assessment in National Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education is defined and how the core curriculum will guide the assessment. The objective was also to study the changes to the references related to the assessment in core curriculum. The theoretical framework of this study is consisted of research and literature about the assessment in early childhood and pre-primary education and about core curriculum. This thesis was carried out as a qualitative research and the theoretical framework is a social constructionism. The research data and material consisted of Core Curricula for Pre-Primary Education 2000, 2010 and 2014 published on the website of Finnish National Board of Education. The data were analyzed using critical discourse analysis, but also based on an analytic orientation approach and text-oriented. On the grounds of the study results the amount of references related to the assessment has increased and become more exact in Core Curricula for Pre-Primary Education in 2000, 2010 and 2014. Though, only in Core Curriculum 2014 the assessment was defined as a concept. It could be seen the emphases of child's individual assessment. This is the result of practices concerning the support for growth and learning which are added to Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education in 2010 and specified in 2014. Based on the study results, these practices have brought individual support needs and early identification and intervention in pre-primary education. These include a thought about child's individual assessment which enables that the support needs can be identificated and can be influenced. Interpretations and classifications made on the basis of the assessment will enable to targeting support as accurately as possible. These involve also features that standardize children and childhood. The analysis indicates that the general principles in the core curriculum emphasize more child's assessment than assessment of pre-primary education operation but the situation is changing. The latest Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education 2014 emphasized in assessment increasingly the action of pre-primary education and learning environment. The assessment in pre-primary education, especially the assessment of operation seem to be associated with discourse of quality mentioned in previous studies. How the changes will be seen in practices of the pre-primary education i.e. how the guidance of core curriculum will affect in future, is the subject of future studies. This thesis will provide further information about the assessment in National Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education and it will form basis for further discussions.
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(2014)The Finnish national core curriculum for basic education is currently being renewed at the National Board of Education and the new curriculum will be implemented in August 2016. A curriculum defines the value basis and aims of teaching as well as the core contents to be taught. A curriculum is closely bound to its surrounding society reflecting its prevailing values, customs and traditions. Therefore, in order to renew the curriculum, it is essential to understand the societal changes and values recognized as important in the society. The drafts of the new curriculum were posted for the first time on the website of the National Board of Education for public commentary. This research examined what the feedback of the new curriculum draft was like; what themes did the commentators hold important concerning the curriculum and education in present and in the future? The research data consisted of 963 comments that were posted on the webpage of the National Board of Education regarding the draft of the general part of the new curriculum. The feedback form was open for 17 days in November and December 2012. The qualitative data analysis was done by coding with the help of Atlas.ti software. The comments discussed several issues regarding the Finnish school, its mission and the appreciations of the commentators. As a result, four major themes were found: 1) equality in education; 2) the use of authentic learning environments and multi-professional collaboration with surrounding community; 3) the role of Finnish cultural heritage and religious education and 4) sustainable development and global citizenship. These results reflect the values and topics the commentators held important for the future in terms of developing the Finnish school and society.
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(2016)A versatile understanding of different text types and producing texts according to those are important skills to be learned at school. It is important that teacher is capable of evaluating different text types written by students and give constructive feedback out of those. The purpose of this research is to find out what elements a teacher should take into account when giving feedback and evaluating student written reviews. In this research a feedback and evaluation model will be created. A teacher can use the model when evaluating whether or not typical features of review exist in student written texts and give constructive feedback of writing for the students. Functionality of the model will be tested in practice in this research. This qualitative research was implemented in two phases. Research material of the first phase consisted drama reviews written by one fifth grade class' students (total 21). Reviews were analyzed by using genre analysis and based on analyzed reviews and earlier theories a feedback and evaluation model was created as well as tested against the research material. On the second phase of the research three teachers tested the feedback and evaluation model in practice. The teachers were then interviewed and the interviews were analyzed with content analysis. Based on the student texts' analysis and earlier theories the selected parts to be viewed from reviews written by students were review's sections and structure, own voice, paragraphing, vividness and distinctiveness of language, and length of text. These parts were then divided into more detailed questions. The material's drama reviews' structure mainly consisted explanations of writer's opinion. In addition the reviews' presented well the description of writer's own viewing experience. The occurrence of any evaluated part was not directly linked to the occurrence of other parts. The teachers found out that use of the feedback and evaluation model was helpful. Based on their opinions the most useful parts were own voice, vividness and distinctiveness of language, and review's sections and structure out of which remarkably important was opinion. Paragraphing was found out to be least useful. In addition a new part, theme, came up and it had not been taken into account in the model. Based on the teachers' opinions it can be deduced that the feedback and evaluation model is helpful in both planning the actual teaching as well as in giving feedback. It would be good to develop the model so that it would concentrate more clearly on inspecting review's content rather than formal things like paragraphing or length of text.
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(2019)The main purpose of this research was aim to find out What the experts of education export think that what is situation now in the sector of education export. There is not a lot of research about this subject so that was also the reason why I chose it. Monika Schatz has written her doctoral dissertation about “Education export as Finland’s hottest export”. In that research she says that Finland hasn’t succeed in education export because we don’t really have the product to sell. Also, Schatz thinks that there is such a big interest for our educational system because of PISA-results. The second reason for this research was the act of government. They set the goal to increase the value of Education Export. The hypothesis was that the experts think that there is a huge potential in exporting Education but there are many challenges we need to solve out before the success. The study was a qualitative one. I decided to interview six experts of education export. After interviewing I transcribed the interviews. Two of my interviewees were working in the companies, two of them were principles of schools and two of them were working in the other positions in the public sector. They all had some special information of the field of education export. The data collection method was semi-structured theme interview. I shared my analysis for four section: 1. What kind of services the experts of education think that the education export includes? 2. What kind of marketing tools the experts of education think that the education exporters are using in exporting education? 3. What is the secret behind the popularity of Finnish education? And 4. what problems we have faced in education export? The results were that the experts think that we are selling education because of the high PISA-results. The other reasons for the interest were the quality of education and the good results. The experts also thought that we have a huge potential in sector of education export. They told that the websites, the marketing events, hints from the ministry of Foreign Affairs and recommendations from the old customers are the ways to find new customers. They told the places to market education are websites, marketing events and social media. They told that the reasons behind why we haven’t succeeded yet so much are wide. According the interviews - there have been many challenges in education export. Few of the biggest ones have been probably lack of co-operation and product of Finnish education export. Part of the experts thought that it’s not possible to export education as it is – there always need to do some changes
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(2017)This study describes the current situation and development areas of Finnish education export from experts' point of view. The aim of the study was to research what Finnish education export includes and why it's being carried out. The other aim was to research challenges and promoting factors of Finnish education export as well as how Finnish education export can be developed. In this study education export is viewed as a cross-border service or product. Education export comprehensively covers exporting of education system and education expertise that is carried out by higher education institutions as well as private companies. The development of education export has been influenced by globalisation and internationalization of education. The data collection method in this study was semi-structured interview. Interviewees were selected based on their positions within their respective organizations. Interviewees work or have worked in the field of education export. Interviews were carried out as five individual interviews and one pair interview. There were seven interviewees altogether. In the analysis of interview material and the interpretation of results a modified actantial model was used. The aim of the actantial model was to create a systematic scheme for data analysis which was used for collection and interpretation of results. Aided by the actantial model, actants, in other words various factors within in the data, were identified and their respective relations were formed. Actantial model describes the structure of education export field as well. Study results showed that Finnish education export includes various services and products and it is carried out in many ways, frequently in co-operation between different operators. Motives for education export are often commercial but they may also include desire to share good practices and make long lasting impact in the field of education. Results showed demoting and promoting factors of education export as well. In addition, following factors were identified as crucial components in the development of Finnish education export: improvement of co-operation between different agents, development of services and products, improvement of education export expertise, increase of research in the field of education export, quality maintenance and improvement of the Finnish education system and modification of university activities to better support education export.
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(2016)Aims. This study focuses on dishwashing in Finnish households in the 2010s: more specifically by reviewing individual meanings, tidiness habits associated with dishwashing and environmentally sustainable practices. The research problem statement was defined based on a multi-disciplinary literature review. Hallman's perception of housework as a human interaction and a historic review of rationalization of Finnish dishwashing guided the structuring of research questions. Dishwashing related tidiness habits were sought to contextualize from the study data using Aalto's perception of tidiness. The aim of the study was to collect information on dishwashing activities in participating households, define importance of dishwashing as housework and to note dishwashing related tidiness habits brought up by the participants. Previous studies indicate that dishwashing is considered as an important daily housework that has been relieved through rationalization of dishwashing and introduction of machinery, however, the standard of hygiene has increased. Methodology. All participating households were located in Uusimaa region. Data was obtained by thematic interviews which were carried out at participants' home. Interviews were transcribed for classification into themes and types. Adult members of each household were interviewed. In total eight households with varying number of members were interviewed. In total 14 people were interviewed. Results and conclusions. High level of dishwashing hygiene was observed at each household: dishwashing proved to be an important daily activity and its outcome is not to be compromised. Participants using a dishwasher mainly used the dishwasher and piled up some dishes in the sink waiting for washing. Participants who are routined manual washers washed the dishes manually and as soon as possible after use. Tidiness was the main driving force in ecological choices: water saving and the use of environmentally friendly washing liquids. Dishwasher was perceived to ease and speed up washing. In conclusion it can be said that dishwashing is considered being an important daily activity which is sought to be carried out smoothly using good equipment. Based on the results a new research problem statement could be designed focusing on water and energy consumption of dishwashing in households.
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(2016)This study is an analysis of the dwelling of an old house and unfolding it's ontology. The interpretation is mainly built on observations as well as interviews with inhabitants. The study is a process of interpretation driven also by the impressions on the phenomena delivered by visual arts, literature and media as well as by the researcher's own interpretations and experiences. What is the ontology of the dwelling of an old house, is a question posed in this study. A phenomenological analysis is the basis of the research. The method chosen means that the analysis is built on the phenomena itself and its unfolding. The research is first and foremost interested in the experience associated with the dwelling of an old house rather than its appearance. The study possesses features of a case study, as its main research material is composed of three cases: two open group discussions and an open interview. The analysis is also influenced by observation and personal reflection. The study is transdisciplinary and conveys a natural discourse between interpretations rising from different sciences. In addition to home economics, the study of arts and aesthetics are central to this dialogue. The goal is to generate new viewpoints to home economics and to give stimulus to the other sciences involved in the dialogue. The study questions within the sciences. In this study the transdisciplinary approach strives at returning new kinds of interpretations on the phenomena of dwelling, which in turn advances and builds the theoretical foundation and vision of home economics as well as probes in to the future. The analysis of the dwelling of an old house is a process of interpretation, which crystallizes as an idea of the dwelling of an old house as a performance. The dwelling of an old house is an overall aesthetic experience that includes motion, unpredictability and interaction. The metaphor of a performance highlights the dynamism and uniqueness of the dwelling.
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(2018)Aims. The purpose of this follow-up study (Pesonen, Itkonen, Nislin, 2017) was to analyse how autism-spectrum disorder is represented in leading newspapers in Finland. The disorder is frequently perceived in rather negative light in media. Medical approach focusing on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment has been prevailing. The goals of this study were on one hand to broaden, on the other hand to deepen examination of the phenomenon focusing on representation of autism-spectrum in mass media. The study examines what perceptions of the disorder, education and learning are highligted in newspapers and how educational legislative reforms and development projects are represented in news regarding autism-spectrum disorder. Theoretical framework is based on inclusive education, social model of disability and medicalisation. Methods. The research material consisted of the three leading newspapers’ digital articles on the disorder found with the search word ”autism” during the period 1995─2017. Altogether 456 articles were identified; out of which 109 pieces were included into the education and learning category establishing the core research material. The research period was initiated prior to the Basic Education Law 628/1998 when all students regardless of the forms of support were transferred to mainstream education. The research methods were content analysis and framing analysis frequently applied in media studies. Results and Conclusions. In the research analysis news articles were placed in thematic categories that were teaching arrangements, learning, societal structures, working life, rehabilitation and accessibility. Majority of the articles focused on rehabilitation and teaching arrangements and minority on accessibility. Across the data focus was on medical aspects instead of inclusive or social model of disability. Articles did not report to a large degree on educational law reforms or special education development projects.
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(2018)This research was inspired by the need to repair teared car upholstery. The subject of this study was an original upholstery fabric from a year 1962 Volvo Amazon. The aim of this study was to collect knowledge of craft-based design and manufacturing process based on an original car upholstery fabric. The research question was: How do I design and develop an upholstery fabric according to an original design while maintaining authenticity? Due to the hand craft based and practical nature of the subject, development research was chosen as the research method. The design process moves forward in three stages. At the first stage the situation was outlined, and the original upholstery fabric was analyzed to find the problems. To support the analysis, Katja Hynninen was consulted as a weaving expert, and Eila Lindfors’ (2002) dissertation was helpful when textile use and caring features were estimated in a sensory manner. The most important attributes of sensory evaluation were the feel, the density, the colors, the stripe rhythm and the general look. Problems with the origi-nal fabric were analyzed by the weak structure of the upholstery fabric yarn, the thin density and the length of the stripe pattern. At the second stage, the aim was to find solutions to the problems found at the first stage. The problems were solved by finding materials and by do-ing experimental weaving on a sample warp. At the final stage the swatches were compared to the original upholstery fabric and to the problems found at the first stage. The experiments were evaluated by the same sensory properties as in the analysis. As a result of the devel-opment process, the most appropriate proposal for the upholstery fabric was presented ac-cording to the objective defined by the researcher. Although the aim of this study was not to produce general information on car upholstery, the research results can also be beneficial to others who are interested in doing similar car up-holstery fabric restoration.
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(2019)The purpose of the research is to examine the way in which disabilities are viewed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Social approach to disabilities which emphasizes the roles of society, culture and language as key elements in defining disability as a phenomenon as opposed to a straightforward medical definition. In addition, the research is further defined by theological literature concerning disability as well as special educational approach to disabilities. The literature, in conjunction with theological and pedagogical approaches, is used to define the understanding of disability as consisting of both institutional and cultural components. This study examines how the understanding of disability is constructed in official church documents and the discourse used by church employees. The corpus of this qualitative case study consists of documents and a series of interviews. The interviews, in which the interviewees were various church employees, were carried out as semi-structured theme interviews. The official documents include both theological and administrative papers on disability that are issued by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. This corpus is analysed using discourse analysis. Various types of discourse that can be identified are subsequently compared. The study further analyses the corpus of interviews to identify two distinct components of the understanding of disability therein. The first component includes the disabling effects of society and attitudes towards disabilities. These views reflect the themes present in the official church documents, human rights and Christian theology and tradition. Christian theology and tradition can be seen to be applied and adjusted in order to account for these views. The second component of the understanding of disability consists of personal experiences which give rise to narratives simultaneously combining both tragic and romantic elements. The study confirms that the official understanding of disability is present in the discourse of church employees. Even though most interviewees were unfamiliar with the official church documents on disability, the study shows significant similarities between the official church texts and the discourses present in the corpus consisting of the employees’ interviews.
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(2014)Objectives. In this study, the aim is to analyze whether the learning environments of drama lessons support creativity. Based on earlier research, creativity was understood as an ability that can be found in everyone. Creative environment, however, was considered to have several characteristics, two of which are; positive climate and student-centered teaching. The purpose of the study is to find out whether the drama lessons have positive climate and whether the teaching is student-centered or not. In addition, the aim is to analyze how these two phenomena function as a part of the creative environment of drama lessons. Furthermore, the aim is to test and develop The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS) observation tool in the context of drama lessons. Methods. The study is defined as a qualitative case study although some quantitative measures were also made. The subject of the present study was eight drama lessons which were given to pupils ranging from first to third graders. The research material was collected by videotaping two lessons from four class teachers all specialized in drama. The material was analyzed by using two of the CLASS observation tool's parts; one for observing positive climate and another for observing student-centered teaching. In addition to the CLASS tool, the research material was analyzed by measuring the time used for creative and student-centered action. Results and conclusions. The research shows that drama lessons support children's creative learning as pupils generated new ideas and solutions, on average, half of the time during the lessons. The drama lessons received high grades (5–7 on a scale of 1–7) with the CLASS tool, both in positive climate and in student-centeredness. This implies that the drama lessons' learning climate was positive and their teaching was student-centered. On average ⅔ (64%) of the time, the lessons were student-centered. The connection between student-centered teaching and creative action was clear as an average of 80 % of the student-centered action was also creative. The current understanding is that positive climate is one of the key components of creative learning environments. This is why it is justifiable to assume that the drama lessons' high levels of positive climate were one of the reasons why their learning environments supported children's creative learning. In conclusion, positive climate and student-centered teaching are key elements of the creative environment of drama lessons, and the CLASS tool offers one possible framework for developing a new instrument for analyzing the quality of teaching in drama lessons.
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