Contribution of immigrant teachers to the promotion of multicultural education in Finnish schools
Skhiri, Raoudha (2016)
2016
Kasvatustieteiden tutkinto-ohjelma - Degree Programme in Educational Studies
Kasvatustieteiden yksikkö - School of Education
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2016-05-30
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201606031775
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201606031775
Tiivistelmä
The thesis deals with the contribution of immigrant teachers to the promotion of multicultural education in Finnish elementary and lower-secondary schools. The purpose of this research was to find out how immigrant teachers can contribute to the promotion of multicultural education in Finnish schools. The work aims to discover what could be the appropriate environment to facilitate the contribution of immigrant teachers to promoting multicultural teaching and learning in Finnish schools.
The thesis presents a qualitative research study carried in Finland during the school year 2015-2016. The research data were collected through a questionnaire and group interviews in the frame of theme interviews. Eighteen immigrant teachers participated in providing information for this research work. The interviewees were originally from nine countries: Spain, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Mexico, China, and Senegal/Finland, and they represented different schools from twelve cities in Southern, Central, and Eastern Finland. At the time of the research, immigrant teachers were participating in a continuing education program for immigrant teachers at a Finnish university. The data analysis was conducted via content analysis, which focused on the understanding, explanation, and interpretation of the information provided by the immigrant teachers.
Research results indicate that the immigrant teachers are motivated and willing to participate in the promotion of multicultural education in Finnish schools provided that there is a convenient and an adequate environment to facilitate their integration in the school communities. The integration of immigrant teachers depends primarily on the teachers own initiatives to adapt to the Finnish school environment and the education system; however, it is also the responsibility of the Finnish school staff members to facilitate the integration of immigrant teachers in the school communities.
Research results indicate also that immigrant teachers have gained professional skills and intercultural competence along their work experiences. They are confident about their abilities to assume other responsibilities at school; however, their employment conditions remain insecure and unfavourable for their participation as active members in promoting multicultural education in their workplace. Immigrant teachers should be treated as regular schoolteachers in order to contribute effectively to the education of immigrant pupils and to the promotion of multicultural learning for all school pupils.
The promotion of multicultural education should be considered as a shared task between educators, policy makers, and all members of the school communities including immigrants, and should be based on intercultural cooperation between immigrants and the Finnish community, respecting shared values of tolerance, mutual respect, and appreciation of cultural differences. The contribution of immigrant teachers to promoting multicultural education is a participation to the promotion of the well-being of immigrants and the Finnish community in multicultural schools and overall in the Finnish multicultural society.
The thesis presents a qualitative research study carried in Finland during the school year 2015-2016. The research data were collected through a questionnaire and group interviews in the frame of theme interviews. Eighteen immigrant teachers participated in providing information for this research work. The interviewees were originally from nine countries: Spain, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Mexico, China, and Senegal/Finland, and they represented different schools from twelve cities in Southern, Central, and Eastern Finland. At the time of the research, immigrant teachers were participating in a continuing education program for immigrant teachers at a Finnish university. The data analysis was conducted via content analysis, which focused on the understanding, explanation, and interpretation of the information provided by the immigrant teachers.
Research results indicate that the immigrant teachers are motivated and willing to participate in the promotion of multicultural education in Finnish schools provided that there is a convenient and an adequate environment to facilitate their integration in the school communities. The integration of immigrant teachers depends primarily on the teachers own initiatives to adapt to the Finnish school environment and the education system; however, it is also the responsibility of the Finnish school staff members to facilitate the integration of immigrant teachers in the school communities.
Research results indicate also that immigrant teachers have gained professional skills and intercultural competence along their work experiences. They are confident about their abilities to assume other responsibilities at school; however, their employment conditions remain insecure and unfavourable for their participation as active members in promoting multicultural education in their workplace. Immigrant teachers should be treated as regular schoolteachers in order to contribute effectively to the education of immigrant pupils and to the promotion of multicultural learning for all school pupils.
The promotion of multicultural education should be considered as a shared task between educators, policy makers, and all members of the school communities including immigrants, and should be based on intercultural cooperation between immigrants and the Finnish community, respecting shared values of tolerance, mutual respect, and appreciation of cultural differences. The contribution of immigrant teachers to promoting multicultural education is a participation to the promotion of the well-being of immigrants and the Finnish community in multicultural schools and overall in the Finnish multicultural society.