Studies of Child Perspectives in Methodology and Practice with ‘Osallisuus’ as a Finnish Approach to Children’s Reciprocal Cultural Participation

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'Our stories were pretty weird too' - Children as creators of a shared narrative culture in an intercultural story and drawing exchange

In today’s globalised, interconnected world, intercultural learning is relevant and necessary for children of all backgrounds and ages. This study investigates how a shared narrative culture forms between primary school children in Finland and Belgium during an intercultural Storycrafting and drawing exchange. Ethnographic and narrative data are analysed by following a chain of related situations over the course of the exchange. The findings show that a shared narrative culture was negotiated in a third space between the Storycrafting communities, where the third space was constituted by narrativity, imagination, emotions, creativity, communality and cultural repertoires. To conclude, pedagogies of intercultural learning should engage children aesthetically and narratively and include opportunities for developing connections between and within children’s communities.Peer reviewe

The Relationship between Finnish Student Teachers’ Practical Theories, Sources, and Teacher Education

The purpose of this research is two-fold: 1) to describe what kind of practical theories student teachers have in the Finnish class teacher education context and 2) to analyse their differences and similarities at the initial and final phase of teacher education. We further analyse the relationship between the practical theories and their sources. The data include an e-form questionnaire with 1052 self-reported practical theories collected from 180 student teachers. The analysis of these theories is based on Levin and He’s (2008) model which was modified by adding categories appropriate for the Finnish context of teacher education. The research results were obtained through quantitative analysis with an emphasis on categorical qualitative data. On the basis of the findings it can be concluded that the main contents – and especially the main sources of these theories – differ in the two student teacher groups examined, i.e. the initial-stage and the final-stage groups. The analyses concentrating on the theory-source relationship show that teacher education has the potential to affect the content of practical theories. The so-called ‘well-developed practical theories’ and the sources of these theories related to teacher education were detected more often in the data from the end of teacher education than in the data from the starting phase. Keywords: Teacher beliefs, Practical theory, Teaching, Student teachers, Teacher education 1. IntroductionThe purpose of this research is two-fold: 1) to describe what kind of practical theories student teachers have in the Finnish class teacher education context and 2) to analyse their differences and similarities at the initial and final phase of teacher education. We further analyse the relationship between the practical theories and their sources. The data include an e-form questionnaire with 1052 self-reported practical theories collected from 180 student teachers. The analysis of these theories is based on Levin and He’s (2008) model which was modified by adding categories appropriate for the Finnish context of teacher education. The research results were obtained through quantitative analysis with an emphasis on categorical qualitative data. On the basis of the findings it can be concluded that the main contents – and especially the main sources of these theories – differ in the two student teacher groups examined, i.e. the initial-stage and the final-stage groups. The analyses concentrating on the theory-source relationship show that teacher education has the potential to affect the content of practical theories. The so-called ‘well-developed practical theories’ and the sources of these theories related to teacher education were detected more often in the data from the end of teacher education than in the data from the starting phase. Keywords: Teacher beliefs, Practical theory, Teaching, Student teachers, Teacher education 1. IntroductionThe purpose of this research is two-fold: 1) to describe what kind of practical theories student teachers have in the Finnish class teacher education context and 2) to analyse their differences and similarities at the initial and final phase of teacher education. We further analyse the relationship between the practical theories and their sources. The data include an e-form questionnaire with 1052 self-reported practical theories collected from 180 student teachers. The analysis of these theories is based on Levin and He’s (2008) model which was modified by adding categories appropriate for the Finnish context of teacher education. The research results were obtained through quantitative analysis with an emphasis on categorical qualitative data. On the basis of the findings it can be concluded that the main contents – and especially the main sources of these theories – differ in the two student teacher groups examined, i.e. the initial-stage and the final-stage groups. The analyses concentrating on the theory-source relationship show that teacher education has the potential to affect the content of practical theories. The so-called ‘well-developed practical theories’ and the sources of these theories related to teacher education were detected more often in the data from the end of teacher education than in the data from the starting phase. Keywords: Teacher beliefs, Practical theory, Teaching, Student teachers, Teacher education 1. IntroductionPeer reviewe

From Novice to Expert : Information Seeking Processes of University Students and Researchers

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Young Children’s Humour in Play and Moments of Everyday Life in ECEC Centres

The aim of our study is to identify elements of young children’s shared humour by observing children’s own expressions in the everyday life of early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres aged 1–6 in three Finnish ECEC centres. Our analysis shows that young children’s humour plays an important role in routine transitions and play situations. Children’s shared humour is often seen as momentary twinkles, as a flowing current, as carnivalism or what we term “hyperfun.” The article highlights why humour should be more utilised as a pedagogical tool. This study attempts to enrich the discussion on young children’s shared humour in order to gain a deeper understanding of its nature and application in early childhood education and care.Peer reviewe

Enhancing a Culture of Participation in Early Childhood Education and Care through Narrative Activities and Project-based Practices

In early childhood education and care (ECEC), there is a need for research to develop practices planned, implemented and evaluated in shared activities between educators and children. The objective of this qualitative study is to explore how narrative activities and project-based practices in an ECEC centre promote the development of a culture of participation, which supports reciprocal and listening practices emerging from children’s initiatives and interests. This will be done through studying what phases are experienced based on the projects planned, implemented and evaluated together by the children and educators becoming part of the pedagogical activities. The theoretical framework for this study lies in the sociocultural paradigm. The research data consist of four pedagogical projects. Narrative activities and methods were used in projects when collecting and analysing research data. The results of this study show that there are five phases of shared activities between children and educators: (1) Initial idea, (2) Storycrafting, (3) Narrative play, (4) Closing ceremony, and (5) Recalling sessions. This study contributes to the development of ECEC pedagogy which promotes children’s initiatives and interests, as well as strengthens children’s sense of participation.Peer reviewe

Huumori kukkii vastavuoroisuudessa: Päiväkodin toimintakulttuuri huumorin mahdollistajana ja rajoittajana

Jokaisella lapsella on oikeus ilmaista itseään, myös omalla huumorillaan. Lapset ovatkin taitavia pitämään keskenään hauskaa, mutta lasten ja aikuisten yhteistä huumoriakin tarvitaan, sillä huumorilla voi tuottaa lapsen ja yhteisön hyvinvointia sekä myönteistä, leppoistavaa ja yhteistä toimintakulttuuria. Tutkimuksemme tarkoituksena oli selvittää, miten lasten ja aikuisten välinen yhteistä huumorikulttuuria tuotetaan ja mikä mahdollistaa ja rajoittaa sen syntymistä. Artikkeli pohjaa lapsinäkökulmaiseen tutkimusteoreettisiin lähtökohtiin ja metodologiaan sekä etnografiseen lähestymistapaan. Tutkimus on laadullinen ja aineisto koostuu videotallenteista viidessä suomalaisessa päiväkodissa. Tarkastelukulmana on vuorovaikutustilanteet ruokailuhetkissä ja ohjatuissa tuokioissa. Tutkimustulosten mukaan lasten ja aikuisten yhteisen huumorikulttuurin syntyminen vaatii aikuiselta lapsen huumorin erityispiirteiden ymmärtämistä, osallisuuden mahdollistavia rakenteita sekä kiireettömän ilmapiirin. Tutkimus osoittaa, että rutiininomainen, sääntöjä painottava ja aikuisjohtoinen toiminta jättää vähän tilaa yhteiselle huumorille

Hyvinvointipalvelukokemukset tuentarvitsijan institutionaalista luottamusta rakentamassa? : Tarkastelussa lapsiperheiden vanhempien sekä nuorten aikuisten kokemukset hyvinvointipalveluista

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