Browsing by Author "Sopanen, Sanni"

Tiivistelmä - Referat – Abstract The growing marginalization and inactivity of Finnish young people in societal matters has increased debate on participation in the 21st century. Solutions to social problems, such as indifference, insecurity and exclusion, have been sought from participation. Disturbing information about children and young people's dissatisfaction in school has contributed to questions about pupil’s participation, activity and opportunities to influence in the school community. The school, as a community of growth for children and young people, plays a key role in promoting well-being and preventing social problems. The aim of this literature review is to establish the meaning of children’s participation and find out how it is connected to the school satisfaction. Finnish and Anglo-Saxon research literature is used as a source material for the thesis. Research literature does not provide such a comprehensive definition of participation. The meaning of the concept varies depending on the context. In the research literature children’s participation has been described through “the ladder of participation”. These typologies describe the gradually increasing participation from incapacity to the opportunities to influence in joint action with adults. Children’s participation requires redistribution of power and critical review of the traditional state of children and adults. In other case participation will only remain to the level of non-participation. In addition to the functional element, participation includes also more subjective experience of empowerment and the feeling of belonging to the community. Studies have shown that the school satisfaction and participation in the official activities of the Finnish pupils is comparatively low. One reason for dissatisfaction seems to be lack of experience of the opportunities to influence in the school community and poor social relationships with peers and teachers. The participation in the curriculum (2014) has been taken into account mainly as an experience of democratic influence in the context of formal schooling, such as an activity in student council. For children, however, the school appears as a community where informal and formal are linked together. The perspective of students should also be taken into account whilst developing participation and promoting school satisfaction.