Browsing by Author "Pankka, Essi"

The need of belonging is one of human beings’ primary needs. Nearly all people belong to multiple groups defining one’s persona and self-confidence. In addition to their class group, Finnish ninth-graders belong to varying social groups, groups defined by organized and unorganized pastime ac-tivities, families and various other groups. These groups provide the time and place for learning and practicing co-operating skills, leadership and seeking one´s own voice. The objective of this thesis is to study the connection between the ninth-graders’s pastime activities and their social status in the classroom as well their perceptions of skills required in co-operative learning. Methodological approaches of this thesis are sociogram – for measuring social status – and semi-structured interviews – for studying perceptions of co-operative learning skills. Further, co-operative learning skills are also presented in the light of relevant literature and the current national core cur-riculum for basic education in Finland. Focal point of the thesis is in Scouting and its educational approach regarding group working and peer leadership skills. In general, the performed analyses did not find connection between pastime activities and social sta-tus when defined as likeliness to become a peer leader or a partner in co-operative learning assign-ments. Studying those individuals, who most clearly were distinguished as peer leaders, no connec-tion was found to them belonging to organized pastime activity. Likewise, those, who most clearly distinguished as unwanted co-operation partners, did not differentiate in terms of commitment to pastime activities. Scouts in the sample group did not stand out in the results to one direction or other. Interviewees described co-operating skills and learning of such in a realistic manner, consistent with the current core curriculum and previous studies in the field. Negotiation skills, ability to interact with various types of people and listening skills were regarded especially important. Interiviewees of the present thesis were almost unanimous, in perceiving that co-operating skills were best learned in school and organized pastime activities.