Browsing by study line "Allmän- och vuxenpedagogik"

The research task of this master's thesis is to describe shared expertise in a distributed team during the corona pandemic. The thesis is based on the theory of distributed work. It is examined from the perspective of shared expertise, taking into account the impact of the corona pandemic on the work of experts. The research questions of the thesis are 1) how has the corona pandemic affected experts' experiences of working in a distributed team and 2) which factors support shared expertise in a distributed team? The thesis focuses on experts' experiences of the phenomenon. The material for the thesis was collected through semi-structured thematic interviews of six experts. The interviewees worked in the HR team of a large corporation, which has operated distributed work before the corona pandemic. The analysis of the data was carried out using a theory-driven content analysis. The results of the study showed that the corona pandemic has affected the work of an already distributed team. The work became even more distributed and this seemed to increase the efficiency of work, task-orientedness and independence. In distributed work, the versatile use of communication technology supports team cooperation and reduces experiences of the challenges brought by physical distance. Shared roles and the competence based on them, as well as jointly shared operating methods and communication practices, increased interaction and cooperation in a distributed team and promoted shared expertise. However, in a distributed team, spontaneous ideation and sharing tacit knowledge was perceived as challenging, so sufficient time must be arranged for this. Good team spirit and trust also emerged as important factors for the success of the work.

Background and objectives. The aim of this study was to clarify the usage of the concept of continuous learning. Another aim was to understand what conditions or expectations were set for continuous learning in different settings. These questions were examined by reviewing scientific research and reviews to identify themes in which the concept of continuous learning was used. Continuous learning is in the centre of Finnish government programme with expectation to correspond to the needs of changing working life and to enable longer careers for individuals. Corporates are also leaning on continuous learning to minimize business risk and enhance profitability by offering training or job rotation for employees. Bonding the concept of continuous learning to specific models or targets creates a contradiction to fundamentals of learning which is continuous regardless of context. Based on this setting the concept of continuous learning is reviewed from the angles of lifelong learning, political aspiration, and financial interests, for example the enhancement or change of working life. Methods. This research was conducted as a systematic literature review. This method was recognized to be the most informative when investigating the usage of the concept of continuous learning as previous meta-analysis brings out the different angles and context in which the concept was used. Data was collected from three databases and sixteen articles or reviews were included in this research. Results and conclusions. The concept of continuous learning was connected to theoretical framework of this study which included lifelong learning, political discussion, and financial interests. Especially remarks considering working life and its demands stood out from the data. These were tightly connected with political and financial interests from individual as well as societal perspectives. Continuous learning can be viewed a necessity to prosper in working life and life in general. This perception narrows down the fundamental meaning of learning as a continuous process.

This research is focused on the schooling experiences of non-binary transgender people. The aim of the study is to produce information on how gender variation has been taken into consideration while the 1994 and 2004 reforms of the Finnish national core curriculums for basic education were in effect. Based on these data, the aim is to speculate how gender variation is considered in schools today. The analysis was focused on how interviewees created subjectivity in their narratives and how (gender normative forms of) the hidden curriculum appears in these narratives. The results can be used to help develop the school institution into a more sensitive direction, and to be aware of different genders and the dynamics between them. The theoretical base examines the concepts of non-binary transgender and gender variation. Secondly it provides an overview of the power of gender norms. Thirdly the theoretical base introduces some of the relevant topics of the Finnish national core curriculums for basic education established in the years 1994 and 2004. It then offers some information on the invisible power of the hidden curriculum. The final section of the theoreti-cal base addresses discourses, discursive practices and subjectivities, which are essential in the analysis of gender norms, the hidden curriculum and the interviews. The research was conducted by interviewing seven non-binary transgender adults. They had attended basic education while the 1994 and/or 2004 Finnish national core curriculums were in effect. The interviews were conducted using an adaptation of the autobiographical narrative interview method. The data were analyzed with a data-based discourse analysis. The results were construed using a critical feminist perspective. The analysis produced three hegemonic discourses: outsider, gender normative school, and non-normative gender. Based on these discourses, the results showed six strong subjectivity positions: an outsider and different, an illegitimate woman or a man, nonexistent, agender or feminine-masculine, an agonist against norms, and a victim. The presence of the (gender normative) hidden curriculum occurred especially when the interviewees spoke about the support and safety of school, school control and teaching/learning situations, students’ responsibilities, and school environmental issues. The findings of this research indicate that non-binary transgender people must form a self-image mostly with-out any existing discourses. They become positioned as oppressed or as agonists against oppression. The control of the hidden curriculum was proved strong and very gender normative. Based on that, there is a major paradox between actual school policies and the national core curriculums. The findings would imply that the situation may not be any better nowadays despite the core curriculum reforms. The knowledge of gender variations and gender sensitivity must increase in the future. It is also necessary to offer teachers support and information on how they should meet and treat students of any gender.

The purpose of this thesis was to disclose the current views of Finnish and English language use and development in a multiculturalising Finnish service industry company from its personnel and their views of the future changes in the use of working languages. The research is topical as the foreign workforce in the industry keeps growing and the Finnish population is becoming more multilingual. So far there has been little research on the working languages of Finnish companies, as the research has mainly focused on multinational companies. The aim of the thesis is to find prevailing differences of views about the meaning of languages in multilingual working life from a phenomenographic point of view. Views have been outlined to the themes of everyday work, foreign language development and future working language. The language choices in work situations are studied from the perspectives of language skill development and situations of communication. In the study, seven people from four different organizational areas were interviewed: workers, supervisors, manager-level supervisors, and a member of the training team. The interview material was analyzed with phenomenographic methods using the Atlas.ti software. The results of the thesis show that there are regional differences in the importance of languages in everyday work within the service industry company. In work communities, the choice of language was based on the language skills shared by the members of the community. In situations where the employee did not have sufficient skills in the Finnish language, communication was facilitated by common languages of the work community. The respondents felt that the importance of the English language in the company will increase as the share of foreign workforce in the industry increases. The employees saw the importance of English language skills increasing at the supervisor level, but at the same time they also felt that the use of the English language acted as a slowing factor for foreign workers' learning of the Finnish language in everyday work.

Aims. The aim of this master's thesis was to gain insights to the nature of the workplace mediation field and mediators in Finland. The purpose is to fulfil the current research gap on workplace mediators as similar studies have not been conducted before. This research focuses on workplace mediators' orientations which are considered the internalized theories of practice, the perceptions of mediation process, the roles of participants and the intervener and goals for the mediation intervention. Orientation reflects on mediators' actions and participants' autonomy in situational mediation framework and its' explication has been acknowledged to be part of mediators' ethical principles. This research explores if congruences can be identified within theoretically formulated orientation variables and between previous mediation literature. Further, this study explores whether these orientation dimensions can be utilized in distinguishing clusters amongst mediators. Methods. The research data was collected in January 2020 by using an electronic questionnaire. Re-spondents, who identified as workplace mediators (N = 99), form a self-assorted sample of population. The questionnaire contained descriptive and orientation-related variables along with questions considering mediation experience and training. Orientation dimensions were extracted with principal axis factoring method. Further, the respondents were divided into four different orientation pro-file subgroups by using Two-Step Cluster analysis. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore if orientation profile group memberships could be predicted by demographic or mediation experience related antecedents. Results and conclusions. Three orientation dimensions were identified from the research data. Based on the content analysis which builds upon the theoretical framework, the dimensions were labelled as evaluative, facilitative and transformative. Based on the orientation dimensions, four distinguish orientation profile subgroups were identified amongst workplace mediators in Finland. The orientation dimensions overlap and emerge interrelatedly contradicting the traditional and typical representations of theoretically formulated approaches to mediation. The explanatory variables selected for the multinomial logistic regression model were incapable to predict memberships to different orientation profile groups.

Objective of the study. Transition from studies to work can be considered as an important process in human life and it has impact on personal well-being. Study and work engagement, which are affected by individual, collective, and situational factors, have been shown to have positive effects. In this study, study and work engagement is defined as a long-term and fulfilling positive experience which is shown as vigour, dedication, and absorption. More detailed studies of engagement in the transition from higher education to work is missing from generalized fields. Aim of this study is to examine meaningful experiences of the study and work engagement in the transition from university to work with master students and Masters of Educational Science. Aim of the study is also to examine the objects in the interviewees’ studies and work of engagement. Methods. The data consisted of semi-structured interviews collected in total from 20 participants. Critical incident -technique was applied in the interviews. 9 of the interviewees were students of educational sciences and 11 of them were Masters of Educational Science. All of them were working. The data were qualitatively analysed by abductive content analysis. Results and conclusions. The meaningful experiences in the studies and work were similar in both groups. The meaningful experiences of the interviewed students were related to the beginning of the studies, courses and events, internships, the first work in related field, present situation, and future. The interviewed masters’ meaningful experiences lacked experiences of pedagogical studies. Also, instead of challenges in studies and work the interviewees described challenges which affected on studying and working, and other challenges. The objects of the interviewees’ meaningful experiences were mainly the studies and work or matters followed by those.

Objectives. The purpose of the study is to find out whether the group discussions of primary school teachers features concepts related to competitiveness. I look at the subject by asking teachers what direction comprehensive school is heading towards and how teachers would develop comprehensive school. The discussion on education policy has general features of competitiveness and it is described as neoliberal. In the theoretical framework, I examined the policies and programs of education politics in support of the theory. The concept of competitiveness is described as vague and ambiguous. In the group discussions themes that were mentioned frequently were evaluation, measurement and development. These concepts are related to competitiveness. I looked at my research problem through themes. This research is from the fields of general and adult education research. Methods. The study was carried out using qualitative methods. As a research method, I used thematic analysis. I conducted two group discussion for collecting my data. Two groups of primary school teachers participated in the group discussions in spring 2019. Both primary schools are located in the Uusimaa region. Results and conclusions. The results show that competitiveness emerged in the group discussions of primary school teachers. Competitiveness comes to the fore in the group discussions of primary schools teachers as an emphasis on evaluation and measurement. In addition, the results show that in comprehensive school, individualization plays a key role. The contrary speech of competitiveness emerged in discussions as development. Defining the concept of competitiveness in the educational context of primary school requires further research.

Objectives. The purpose of the dissertation was to study the basic psychological needs and positive mental health of employees in a Finnish financial sector organization. The research task was to examine the current state of the basic psychological needs of the theory of authenticity, benevolence and self-determination among the employees of the target organization and their connection to the perceived positive mental health. The study examined the construction of a new model and its relationship to positive mental health using linear regression analysis. Methods. For the study, I constructed a research questionnaire utilizing several validated measures of positive mental health, authenticity, benevolence, and SDT theory’s basic psychological needs. The questionnaire was administered to the employees of the target group by e-mail. Participation was voluntary and 395 responses were received. Correlation, cluster analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The study involved using linear regression analysis for modelling relations between basic psychological needs of self-determination theory across authenticity, benevolence and self-determination, and examining its relationship to positive mental health. Results and conclusions. Satisfaction with the basic psychological needs of the employees of the target organization was quite strong. On the other hand, the perceived positive mental health of the employees was somewhat lower than the average of the Finnish population in general. The study revealed that the basic psychological needs of self-determination theory, benevolence, and authenticity are associated with perceived positive mental health. The model called as a Calling and model of Calling obtained in the study explained a total of 49% of the variation in positive mental health. The results show that high satisfaction with the basic psychological needs of workers in the financial sector predicts a higher perceived positive mental health.

More and more university students are experiencing symptoms of burnout. The symptoms of burnout can start already in the first year of study. This is worrisome because exhaustion has been found to be linked to, among other things, depression and university dropout. Preventing burnout is important for students' well-being. Psychological flexibility has been found to be associated with lower burnout. Psychological flexibility (based on Acceptance and commitment therapy, ACT) means the ability to be present in the moment and live according to one's own values. Most of the research on psychological flexibility is based on the work environment, so research on psychological flexibility among university students is necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the burnout of first-year students and the connections between psychological flexibility and study burnout. The aim was to investigate whether psychological flexibility alleviates study burnout. The data has been collected through the HowULearn questionnaire (n=261) prepared at the Center for University Teaching and Learning HYPE at the University of Helsinki. The research questions were: How exhausted are first-year students at the beginning and end of the 1st year? 2. In what ways are college students' psychological flexibility and study burnout connected? 3. How does perceived burnout differ in different profiles of psychological flexibility? Student burnout was found to have increased significantly between the measurement carried out in autumn 2020 and spring 2021. The research results showed that study burnout and psychological flexibility were statistically significantly connected. The study showed that psychological flexibility is important for the level of study burnout. The burnout of the most psychologically flexible students was at a lower level in both the initial and final measurements. However, burnout increased in all profiles of psychological flexibility. The impact of psychological flexibility on burnout indicates that ACT-based interventions implemented with university students would be a good solution for preventing student burnout. In addition to this, increasing students' awareness of burnout symptoms would be a good way to prevent study burnout.

Background: Complexity theory describes a system that evolves and adapts to its environment as a complex adaptive (CAS) system. Renewal is presented as a collective and systemic process. The process begins in unstable stage caused by changes in conditions. This study examines teachers' experiences of the nature and conditions of collaboration in a stable and unstable state in five primary schools in Finland, from the lens of complexity theory framework and Innovative school model Problems: The aim of the study is to find out how teachers describe collaboration, leadership, competence and competence development, networking, and resources in a stable and unstable state, and how these components change with forced renewal in the Covid Age. Methods: The data consists of surveys collected in autumn 2019 (n = 61) and interviews conducted in May 2020 (n = 10). The data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. Results: The following was identified from teachers' experiences: 1) In contact education teachers implemented collaboration utilizing teamwork structures to varying degrees. During distance education, teachers changed their teamwork methods, either in a managed or self-organizing and need based way. They also took advantage of the possibilities of technology. 2) The guidance of both upper management and the school's own management or the lack of guidance in responding to distance education was emphasized. 3) There was both an adequate and inadequate level of competence during both contact and distance education. The distance education period made the differences transparent especially in teachers' digipedagogical skills. The use of technology and the development of teachers' skills during the period of contact and distance education were supported by teachers' learning and development activities, as well as sharing of knowledge. During the distance education period, there were positive changes in the conditions of school development and in attitudes towards development. Collaboration with families was emphasized during distance education. 4) Inadequate resources were emphasized in contact education. In distance education the students' own and school-borrowed equipment, changes in operating conditions and the increase in working hours were emphasized. Conclusion: Distance education became a cross-cutting development target for school actors and activities. Communities and networks, such as families and the entire education system, were connected by the common need for development. The forced development activities brought about the development of competence and changes in teachers' attitudes towards the development of one`s own operations and the pedagogical use of technology. Teachers also relied on their colleagues support and recognized its importance more than before. At the same time, rapid change and the use of technology caused negative changes such as workload and stress. Practices that support school activities, developed at both the individual and community levels, should be utilized in the development of post-covid education and interaction.