Conference Agenda
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Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 19th Aug 2026, 21:29:39 EET
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99 ERC SES 08 K: Local research with global impact
Paper Session
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99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Motivation for Participation in Formal and Non-Formal Adult Education in the Czech Republic Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech Republic (Czechia) Presenting Author:This paper assesses motivation to adult education and training in the Czech Republic, utilising the newest empirical evidence on work-related (proactive and reactive) and non-work-related (social and personal) reasons for participation. Motivation is one of the key concepts in adult education and training research (Houle, 1961; Boeren, 2016; Alfaifi, 2024), as it allows us to understand why some adults engage in organise learning activities while others do not participate in them (Gorges & Kandler, 2012; Gorges, 2016). Since the 1960s, research has consistently aimed to identify the reasons behind participation and to develop typologies that reflect the various motives (Houle, 1961; Boshier, 1971, 1977; Boeren & Holford, 2016). Despite a broad conceptualisation of motivation, empirical research has most often examined motivation through predefined categorical frameworks, particularly the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2019, 2020; Pihlainen et al., 2022). However, it has not examined whether participation in adult education and training is initiated in response to a specific change or problem, or whether it represents a proactive, continuous investment in the future. In this presentation, participation in adult education and training is interpreted through the analytical distinction between reactive and proactive reasons for participation in work-related organised learning. Reactive participation refers to engagement, which is motivated primarily as a response to an immediate change, disruption, or externally imposed demand, most commonly related to employment conditions, job requirements, or institutional obligations. In contrast, proactive participation denotes engagement in adult education and training, that is oriented towards long-term personal or professional development, and is characterised by anticipatory behaviour, continuity, and a forward-looking investment in competencies and identity formation (Dweck, 2016). By distinguishing between reactive and proactive participation, this study seeks to move beyond what can be described as a static categorisation of reasons for participation. Previous survey-based research has often relied on simplified and predefined categories of motivation, such as the dichotomy between job-related and personal reasons, or between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, thereby treating motivational factors as isolated and fixed attributes. At the same time, participation has been frequently measured through a basic yes–no indicator, despite being the outcome of a more complex underlying decision-making process (Boeren, 2016). Moreover, these approaches typically capture motivations at a single point in time, offering limited possibilities to examine how different reasons interact with each other or how participation is shaped by life events, situational changes, or future-oriented considerations. To cover non-work-related participation motives, this paper analyses two types motives - personal and social. This distinction follows established approaches in adult education and training research that differentiate between individually and socially oriented non-work-related motives (Houle, 1961; Boshier, 1971, 1977). On this basis, the following research questions are formulated: RQ1: What types of reasons for participating in formal and non-formal education can be identified in terms of reactive and proactive participation logic? RQ2: How do the sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of adults (i.e., age, gender, educational attainment, employment and occupational status) relate to reactive and proactive participation in formal education? RQ3: How do the sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of adults (i.e., age, gender, educational attainment, employment and occupational status) relate to reactive and proactive participation in non-formal education? RQ4: How are non-work-related personal and social motives for participation in formal education distributed across sociodemographic groups (age, gender, and educational attainment)? RQ5: How are non-work-related personal and social motives for participation in non-formal education distributed across sociodemographic groups (age, gender, and educational attainment)? Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study is based on data from the Adult Learning Systems Questionnaire Survey (ALS-Q), which was conducted in the Czech Republic in the fall of 2024. The survey was designed as a cross-sectional study focusing on adult participation in organised learning activities and the structure of self-reported reasons for participation in education and training. The sample consisted of respondents aged 16–74 years (n = 1,144) and was constructed to be representative with respect to gender, age, highest level of educational attainment according to the ISCED 2011 classification, region of residence (NUTS), and employment status. Quota sampling procedures were applied to ensure comparability with the adult population structure in the Czech Republic. For the purposes of this analysis, the analytical sample was limited to respondents who reported participation in organised learning during the previous 12 months. This included respondents who participated in formal education (n = 170), non-formal education (n = 414), or both types of education (n = 75). Respondents who reported no participation in either form of education were excluded from the analytical sample. Individual items measuring motivation were first differentiated according to whether they were primarily work-related or non-work-related. Work-related reasons were subsequently classified into reactive and proactive participation based on their temporal and situational orientation. Reactive participation refers to participation triggered by immediate changes, disruptions, or externally imposed demands in the work environment, such as new job requirements, employer obligations, or the need to retain one’s current position. Proactive participation, in contrast, includes reasons reflecting a longer-term orientation towards professional development, continuous skills improvement, or participation perceived as a regular and meaningful part of one’s work trajectory. Non-work-related reasons were analytically grouped into personal and social motives. Personal motives included reasons related to self-development, personal interests, coping with life situations, and improving quality of life. Social motives captured reasons associated with social interaction, meeting new people, community involvement, and other collective activities. The results are presented using absolute and relative frequencies, allowing for a descriptive comparison of motivational orientations between formal and non-formal education. In addition, multivariate regression analyses are employed to examine the associations between sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and reactive and proactive participation. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings In the context of formal education, participation is predominantly driven by work-related reasons. However, a clear distinction emerges between reactive and proactive forms of participation. Among respondents motivated by work-related reasons, the majority (70.8%) reported proactive engagement, while a smaller proportion (29.2%) reported reactive participation in response to immediate job-related demands. Non-work-related reasons for participation were predominantly personal in nature (61.2%), rather than social (38.8%). Personal motives were chiefly associated with self-fulfilment and personal development, while social motivations played a more marginal role and were mainly related to meeting new people. A similar dominance of work-related motives was observed in non-formal education. Here, proactive participation was even more pronounced, accounting for 81% of work-related engagement. Most respondents described their participation either as a regular component of their work activities (53.5%) or as an activity perceived as professionally or personally meaningful (28%). Reactive work-related participation was less common (19%) and was primarily associated with employer-imposed requirements (31.6%) or efforts to maintain one’s current job position (22.47%). In non-formal education, participation that was not work-related was predominantly socially oriented (70.7%), while personal motives accounted for a smaller proportion (29.3%). The findings suggest that adults do not primarily turn to formal education in response to concrete work-related needs. When specific skills or knowledge are required for immediate job performance, these demands are more likely addressed through informal learning embedded in everyday work practices. This indicates that work-related participation in formal education reflects strategic positioning rather than problem-solving, and that labour-market pressures are mediated through informal learning rather than directly converted into formal educational demand. In non-formal education, the prominence of social motives in the case of non-work related training suggests that participation is driven not only by learning content, but by the opportunity to engage with others who share similar interests, orientations, or professional concerns. References Alfaifi, M. (2024). Enrollment at Adult High Schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: An exploration of Motivation, Age, and Gender using Boshier’s EPS A-Form. Adult Education Quarterly, 74(4), 302–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/07417136241239328 Boeren, E. (2016). Lifelong Learning Participation in a Changing Policy Context. An Interdisciplinary Theory. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Boeren, E., & Holford, J. (2016). Vocationalism varies (a lot): A 12-country multivariate analysis of participation in formal adult learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 66(2), 120-142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741713615624207 Boshier, R. (1971). Motivational orientations of adult education participants: a factor analytic exploration of Houle’s typology. Adult Education, 21(2), 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/074171367102100201 Boshier, R. (1977). Motivational Orientations Re-Visited: Life-Space Motives and the Education Participation Scale. Adult Education Quarterly, 27(2), 89-115. https://doi.org/10.1177/074171367702700202 Dweck, C. S. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success (Updated ed.). Ballantine Books. Gorges, J., & Kandler, C. (2011). Adults’ learning motivation: Expectancy of success, value, and the role of affective memories. Learning and Individual Differences, 22(5), 610–617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2011.09.016 Gorges, J. (2016). Why adults learn: Interpreting adults’ reasons to participate in education in terms of Eccles’ subjective task value. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 3(1). 26-41. http://iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/115/120 Houle, C. O. (1961). The Inquiring Mind. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press. Morstain, B. R.; & Smart, J. C. (1974). Reasons for Participation in Adult Education Courses: a Multivariate Analysis of Group Differences. Adult Education Quarterly, 24(2), 83–98. doi:10.1177/074171367402400201 Pihlainen, K., Ehlers, A., Rohner, R., Cerna, K., Kärnä, E., Hess, M., … Müller, C. (2023). Older adults’ reasons to participate in digital skills learning: An interdisciplinary, multiple case study from Austria, Finland, and Germany. Studies in the Education of Adults, 55(1), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2022.2133268 Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2019). Brick by brick: The origins, development, and the future of self-determination theory. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in motivation science (pp. 111–156). MA Elsevier Inc. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860 99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Inclusive Music Education in Diverse Classrooms? An Analysis of PPE Music Curriculum Course Plans. University of Stavanger Presenting Author:The study analyses PPE(1) course plans in music teacher education to examine how they reflect principles of inclusive education, treating them as expressions of formal curricular priorities. Drawing on Haug’s multidimensional model, inclusion is understood as more than physical placement; it involves horizontal dimensions—fellowship, participation, democratisation and benefit—and vertical dimensions spanning policy, institutions, teachers and pupils. Because PPE course plans occupy a formal position within this chain, they reveal how programmes articulate and prioritise inclusion. This aligns with international scholarship that describes inclusion as a broad, contested concept concerned with all students’ access, acceptance, participation, and achievement. Norwegian educational policy has, for decades, promoted inclusive schooling for all pupils (Nes et al., 2018). This commitment is firmly embedded in the Norwegian Education Act, which establishes equity, inclusion, and adapted education as fundamental principles of the education system (The Education Act, 2023). Inclusion as an overarching principle is further specified and operationalised through the national curriculum framework. For example, in the core curriculum, which has the status of a legally binding regulation adopted pursuant to the Education Act, schools are required to develop inclusive communities in which diversity is recognised as a resource and in which all pupils are ensured equitable opportunities for learning, participation, and a sense of belonging (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2017, chapter 3.1). The national framework plan governing Practical Pedagogical Education further requires teacher education programmes to prepare future teachers to differentiate instruction, adapt their teaching to the national curriculum, and foster inclusive and motivating learning environments in accordance with prevailing legal and curricular frameworks (Regulations on the framework plan for Practical‑Pedagogical Education, 2025). Despite this robust legislative and curricular framework, inclusion remains a broadly formulated and weakly operationalised concept in Norwegian educational policy, and no shared understanding of how inclusive principles are to be enacted in educational practice has been established (Næss et al., 2024). Analyses of national curricula show that inclusion is most frequently associated with overarching values such as diversity, participation, and democracy, offering limited guidance for professional judgement and pedagogical enactment (Faldet et al., 2022). Research has documented a substantial gap between inclusive policy ambitions and school‑level realities, with a significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs continuing to receive education outside mainstream classroom (Nes et al., 2018; Næss et al., 2024). Analyses of curriculum frameworks within music education indicate that macro‑level policy discourses of diversity and inclusion are predominantly articulated at a normative level, with limited structural or pedagogical specification, thereby placing significant interpretive responsibility on educators and teacher education programmes (Ellefsen & Karlsen, 2020; Borgen et al., 2026). The formal articulation of inclusion in course plans is relevant because teacher education is expected to contribute to future teachers’ professional readiness. including the professional judgement needed to interpret diverse classroom situations. Inclusive teaching cannot be reduced to procedures or value statements but requires discretionary decision‑making. Curriculum theory further positions course plans within the formal curriculum, which signals institutional priorities even if it does not represent practice directly. Attention to the null curriculum highlights how omissions or vague formulations also shape understandings of inclusion. Finally, newer curriculum theory views course plans as narrative constructions of the future music teacher, making it necessary to analyse not only whether inclusion is mentioned but what professional story about inclusion is being told. The research question for this study is: How do PPE music teacher education course plans reflect the principle of inclusive education? Document analysis. [1] in Norwegian PPU, praktisk pedagogisk utdanning. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study is a qualitative study with an interpretive approach. Curriculum course plans were collected from the 14 institutions offering PPE in music. The course plans for pedagogy, subject didactics (music), and teaching practicum, together with an overall study program plan, were retrieved from the websites of the institutions. The documents are analysed for alignment with the National Curriculum’s emphasis on inclusive education. The data is analysed by using a summative approach to qualitative content analysis (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). Content analysis can be defined as a method for conducting document analysis systematically and objectively, and it is used for describing the phenomenon studied (Weber, 1990; Morgan, 1993; Elo & Kyngäs, 2008; Kyngäs et al., 2011); in this study, the representations of inclusive education that are found in the documents. Summative content analysis typically starts with identifying and quantifying the occurrences of certain keywords or content in text to understand the contextual use of the words or content. This phase is referred to as manifest content analysis (Potter & Levine-Donnerstein, 1999; Hsieh & Shannon, 2005). The keywords in the analysis were informed by the research question and derived from a review of relevant literature on inclusive education and inclusive practices. The purpose of quantifying words is not to infer meaning, but to explore usage. The frequency counts are calculated, and the source is also identified. A focus on counting the frequency of specific words would entail that the analysis is quantitative, but the analysis goes beyond word counts and includes latent content analysis, referring to the interpretation of content (Holsti, 1969), and leading to an interpretation of the contextual meaning of specific terms or content (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005, p. 1283-1285). Successful use of qualitative content analysis is based on the researcher’s ability to reduce the material and form concepts from it that reliably describe the phenomenon being studied (Kyngäs et al., 2011), p.139). To demonstrate internal consistency in the analysis is to indicate that the textual evidence is consistent with the interpretation (Weber, 1990). This will improve the credibility of the study. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The literature reveals significant gaps in research on PPE music programs, particularly regarding curriculum relevance and inclusive pedagogy. The Norwegian curriculum for music highlights self-expression, enjoyment, experienced mastery and the notion of one’s voice meaning something in the community (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2020). A recent white paper (NOU 2025: 7) emphasises music’s potential: “Music provides us with opportunities to reach our potential emotionally, bodily, and relationally, laying a foundation for meaning, relationships, interaction, and collective experiences within a community, thus playing an important role in building identities and communities” (NOU 2025: 7, p. 42). However, schools continue to reproduce inequalities (Nevøy & Bruin, 2022), despite a strong Nordic commitment to socially just education (Nevøy et al., 2014). Broader social disparities in society (Knudsen, 2021), combined with the conservative structures and homogeneous student demographics in the music teacher education programs, raise concerns about graduates’ readiness to foster inclusive learning environment in diverse classrooms (Väkevä et al., 2017; Bowman, 2007; Nysæther, Christophersen & Sætre, 2021). Realising music’s potential for all students requires teachers who are both competent and ready to teach inclusively. Given the absence of recent studies examining PPE music curriculum content, a national overview of these programs through document analysis is both timely and necessary. By examining the curricular content, the study aims to develop knowledge concerning the relevance and responsiveness of music teacher education in preparing candidates for inclusive teaching in Norwegian elementary schools. The findings will contribute to the development of music teacher education and inform future improvements in music teacher education programs to better meet the needs of inclusive and diverse classrooms. References Artiles, A. J., Kozleski, E. B., Dorn, S., & Christensen, C. (2006). Chapter 3: Learning in Inclusive Education Research: Re-mediating Theory and Methods With a Transformative Agenda. Review of Research in Education, 30(1), 65-108. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X030001065 Ballantyne, J. & Canham, N. (2023). Understanding music teachers’ perceptions of themselves and their work: An Importance – Confidence Analysis. International Journal of Music Education, 41(3), 455-471. DOI: 10.1177/02557614221124966 Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Sage. Christophersen, C., Aróstegui, J. L., Holdhus, K., Kenny, A., Knudsen, J. S., Lindgren, M., Väkevä, L., and Viig, T. G. (2023). Music teacher education for the future: Reflections on change. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 22 (3): 7–40. https://doi.org/10.22176/act22.3.7 Goodlad, J. I., Klein, M.F. & Tye, K.A. (1979). The Domains of Curriculum and Their Study. In J.I. Goodlad (Ed.). Curriculum Inquiry. The Study of Curriculum Practice (pp. 43–76). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. Haug, P. (2020) Inclusion in Norwegian schools: pupils’ experiences of their learning environment, Education 3-13, 48:3, 303-315, DOI:10.1080/03004279.2019.1664406 Hsieh, H-F. & Shannon, S. (2005). Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288. DOI: 10.1177/1049732305276687 Nevøy, A., & Bruin, M. (2022). Revisiting Just Education for Students Last in Line – A Norwegian Perspective. I A. Rasmussen & M. Dovemark (Red.), Governance and Choice of Upper Secondary Education in the Nordic Countries: Access and Fairness (s. 115-133). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08049-4_7 Nilsen, S. (2010). Moving towards an educational policy for inclusion? Main reform stages in the development of the Norwegian unitary school system. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14(5), 479–497. https://doiorg.ezproxy.uis.no/10.1080/13603110802632217 NOKUT (2022). Spørreundersøkelse blant PPU-kandidater. Hvordan opplever de overgangen fra utdanning til yrke? NOKUT 17/2022. Ropo, E., & Yrjänäinen, S. (2024). Curriculum and narrativity: Understanding curricula as narratives. In P. P. Trifonas & S. Jagger (Eds.), Handbook of curriculum theory, research, and practice (pp. 365–383). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21155-3_3 UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. Spain: UNESCO. UNESCO (2016). Education 2030. Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Republic of Korea: UNESCO. Väkevä, L., Westerlund, H., and Ilmola-Sheppard, L. (2017). Social innovations in music education: Creating institutional resilience for increasing social justice. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 16 (3): 129–47. https://doi.org/10.22176/act16.3.129 Weber, R. P. (1990). Basic content analysis. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. 99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Social Emotional Learning and Subject Positions - Discourse Analysis on Finnish Primary School Textbooks and Equality and Non-discrimination Plans University of Oulu, Finland Presenting Author:Friendship tends to be associated with discourses of positivity, belonging, etc. It is something parents, teachers, peers and the surrounding world uncritically think of as a perfect safe harbor saving us from ‘loneliness’ and describing a state of non-violence. Studies however show that in about 25% of emotional and or physical violence cases this happens in friendships (Bouchard et al., 2018). I am currently writing my PhD as a part of the MEND project situated in the faculty of education and psychology in the University of Oulu. The aim of the research in MEND is to create knowledge on the ways friendship violence amongst Finnish youth becomes normalised and silenced. The main focus is on everyday school life as well as the narrative stories of young people. In my doctoral research I will specifically dive into this topic from the perspective of gender studies and educational sciences. I am interested in the ways heteronormativity and gender normativity are discursively produced in children’s friendships. Finnish queer youth still face heteronormative violence in school life and elsewhere (Lehtonen, 2023). I study friendship as a pedagogical phenomenon and ask what kind of a role do subject positions and power play in this relationship that can be both interactive and unilateral. Heteronormative gender and sexuality I see, in a Butlerian and Foucauldian way, become produced in discursive-performative repetitions and affects twisted in power. This presentation covers my first article in which I will study Finnish text books as well as equality and diversity plans through the lens of critical discourse analysis. I use project data collected within the broader project, including educational policy documents, textbooks, ethnography and interviews. In this article I focus on documents and textbooks. My research question is as follows:
Social-emotional learning (abbrev. SEL) has been generally defined as a process through which children build skills for recognizing, understanding and managing emotions, feeling and showing empathy, developing healthy identities as well as maintaining supportive and positive relationships (Jagers et. al, 2018; Weissberg et. al, 2017). SEL has garnered praise and research has shown many positive outcomes e.g. in students’ social behavior and attitudes towards self and others (Durlak et. al, 2011) as well as reducing bullying (Espelage et. al, 2015). The aims of SEL have widely been recognized as positive. However, also critical points of view have increasingly surfaced among educational research. One key critique has been the fact that SEL does not seem to serve students in intersectional minorities (Camangian & Cariaga, 2021; Cipriano & McCarthy, 2023). This, in part, is why I view critical analysis of SEL, amongst many others, extremely important. When practiced productively, I argue that social-emotional learning implements could be beneficial to overall school safety. I argue that to implement anti-oppressive applications into SEL, should ensuring the production of different subject positions be one of the main approaches. According to Davies and Harré (1990, 48) “a subject position incorporates both a conceptual repertoire and a location for persons within the structure of rights for those that use that repertoire”. By this they mean that a person sees and makes sense of the world through the concepts and discourses that are produced in and provided by the subject position they have taken. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used For the text books and equality and diversity plans I will be employing critical discourse analysis from the perspective of affect theory and Butler’s discursive-performativity. The theories of performativity have been thought to be too abstract for discourse analysis (McIlvenny, 2002; Speer & Potter, 2002). Therefore, these theoretical frameworks have not been combined much in research. In their article, Scharff (2011) however provides insights into how discourses, Butler’s performativity theory and Ahmed’s affect theory can work together to build a pluralist approach into qualitative analysis. Because in this article I am analyzing text books and equality and diversity plans rather than students’ own narratives, my perspective is however more in the Foucauldian theories of power and agency. As these plans and books can’t provide the perspective of students themselves, I am using performativity to the extent to which it is useful in comprehending the concept of subject positions as something educational documents have the power to either produce or purkaa for students. I am not, however, denying the individual power of forming subject positions, subjectivity and agency. This, I argue, becomes possible from the perspective of Bildung (see Koivupuu, 2025) in addition to the discursive-performative and affective approach presented in this article. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings In an ongoing analysis of ethnography diaries from the MEND project we have found that students actively produce safety by both reproducing and deconstructing norms and power. Safety becomes produced through different subject positions located in what is typically referred to as ‘informal school’. The need and importance for enabling the production of students’ agency in social-emotional learning is eminent. However, based on recent critical findings concerning social-emotional learning as well as school climate in general, my hypothesis is that through social-emotional learning schools end up producing counterproductive subject positions and therefore denying their agency. According to Camangian and Cariaga (2021) social-emotional learning fails to analyze oppression and ends up justifying “existing power relations in communities and schools”. In addition, it has previously been found that schools and teachers marginalize students’ subject positions for example through discourses of heteronormativity and exclusion (Abbott et al., 2015). Accordingly, in my master’s thesis (Koivupuu, 2025) I found that Finnish upper secondary schools ended up both denying students’ subject positions as well as discursively reproducing heteronormativity in their equality and non-discrimination plans. Petäjäniemi et al. (2025) have argued that schools also end up denying students’ agency in misopedic discourses. One of the aims of a previously conducted textbook analysis in the MEND project was to study the forms of self-governance that primary school textbooks produce for students in the depictions of SEL (Väisänen et al., 2025). Väisänen et al. found that textbooks impose normalized positions of the ‘friend’ and the ‘bully’ on students. These positions are produced in a contradictory manner as they are simultaneously seen as fixed but also available for choosing and adopting by the students. References Abbott, K., Ellis, S. & Abbott, R. (2015). “We Don’t Get Into All That”: An Analysis of How Teachers Uphold Heteronormative Sex and Relationship Education, Journal of Homosexuality, 62:12, 1638-1659, DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2015.1078203 Bouchard, K., Forsberg, C., Smith, J. D., & Thornberg, R. (2018). Showing friendship, fighting back, and getting even: resisting bullying victimization within adolescent girls’ friendships. Journal of Youth Studies, 21(9), 1141–1158. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2018.1450970 Camangian, P. & Cariaga, S. (2021). Social and emotional learning is hegemonic miseducation: students deserve humanization instead, Race Ethnicity and Education, DOI: 10.1080/13613324.2020.1798374 Davies, B., & Harré, R. (1990). Positioning: The discursive production of selves. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 20(1), 43–63. Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D. and Schellinger, K.B. (2011), The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, 82: 405-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x Espelage D. L., Rose C. A., Polanin J. R. (2015). Social-emotional learning program to reduce bullying, fighting, and victimization among middle school students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 36, 299–311. Crossref. Web of Science. Jagers, R. J. D., Rivas-Drake, D., & Borowski, T. (2018). Equity and social and emotional learning: A cultural analysis. CASEL. Koivupuu, N. (2025). Queer-pedagogiikan ja heteronormatiivisuuden diskursiiviset jännitteet lukioiden tasa-arvo- ja yhdenvertaisuussuunnitelmissa. Oulu: University of Oulu. Lehtonen, J. (2023). Rainbow Paradise? Sexualities and Gender Diversity in Finnish Schools. Teoksessa Thrupp, M., Seppänen, P., Kauko, J. & Kosunen, S. (toim.) Finland’s Famous Education System. Springer. 273–288 Petäjäniemi, M., Lanas, M., Keränen, V., Alamikkelä, K., Kauhanen, I., Väisänen, A-M. & Juntunen, E. (2025). ‘In the best interest of the child’: misopedy in education, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2025.2574972 Scharff, C. (2011). Towards a Pluralist Methodological Approach: Combining Performativity Theory, Discursive Psychology and Theories of Affect. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8(2), 210–221. https://doi-org.pc124152.oulu.fi:9443/10.1080/14780887.2011.572739. Talburt, S. (2004). Constructions of LGBT Youth: Opening Up Subject Positions, Theory Into Practice, 43:2, 116-121, DOI: 10.1207/s15430421tip4302_4 Väisänen, A-M., Puutio, E., Lanas, M. & Jokela, I. (2025, November 5–7). Ystävyys ja väkivalta koulutuspoliittisissa asiakirjoissa. FERA Conference 2025: Rovaniemi, Finland. Weissberg, R. P., Durlak, J. A., Domitrovich, C. E., & Gullotta, T. P. (2015). Social and emotional learning: Past, present, and future. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice, 3– 19. New York, NY: Guilford. 99. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Paper Learning Through Reflection and Collaboration: Professional Development in a Short-Term Mobility Context 1: University of Latvia, Latvia; 2: Jyväskylä University, Finland; 3: University of Opole, Poland Presenting Author:Short‑term international mobility has become an increasingly significant component of European teacher education, offering students opportunities to develop intercultural competence, pedagogical awareness, and emerging professional identity within a condensed but intensive learning environment. While long‑term mobility has been widely studied, the professional learning potential of short‑duration programmes remains less explored, particularly in relation to reflective learning and collaborative knowledge construction. This study addresses this gap by examining how participation in a one‑week FORTHEM short‑term mobility programme in Finland influenced the professional development of 17 education students from various European countries. The FORTHEM Alliance, funded through the European Universities Initiative, aims to strengthen cross‑border collaboration, mobility, and innovation in higher education. Within this framework, short‑term mobility programmes are designed to provide students with immersive intercultural experiences, exposure to diverse pedagogical approaches, and opportunities to engage in collaborative tasks with peers from different cultural and educational backgrounds. The mobility week examined in this study took place in Finland and focused on contemporary pedagogical practices, reflective learning, and collaborative inquiry. Students participated in school visits, workshops, group projects, and structured reflection activities, all of which were intended to deepen their understanding of teaching and learning in an international context. The theoretical framework draws on research on professional identity development in teacher education, intercultural learning, and reflective practice. Professional identity is understood as a dynamic and socially constructed process shaped by experiences, interactions, and opportunities for reflection. International mobility has been shown to support this development by challenging students’ assumptions, broadening their pedagogical perspectives, and fostering a sense of belonging to a wider European educational community. Reflective learning, meanwhile, provides a mechanism through which students interpret and make meaning of their experiences, enabling them to connect new insights to their emerging professional selves. This study positions short‑term mobility as a context where these processes intersect: intercultural encounters, collaborative tasks, and exposure to unfamiliar pedagogical approaches create fertile ground for reflection and identity negotiation. Our research question study is: How do students describe their professional development after participating in a one‑week international short‑term mobility programme? The data consist of participants’ written post‑mobility reflections and additional material collected during the mobility week. Through qualitative thematic analysis, the study examines how students made sense of intercultural interactions, collaborative learning, and pedagogical observations, and how these experiences contributed to their professional growth. The European dimension is central to this study. The participants represent multiple countries and educational traditions. By analysing how students learn with and from one another, the study contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of internationalisation in shaping the future of teacher education in Europe. It highlights how short‑term mobility can function as a meaningful pedagogical space where students develop intercultural competence, expand their pedagogical repertoires, and strengthen their sense of professional identity within a European framework. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used This study employs a qualitative research design to explore how students describe their professional development after participating in a one week international mobility programme in Finland. The data consist of written reflections produced by 17 education students from various European countries and materials collected during the mobility week. The reflections were written immediately after the programme. The analysis follows a qualitative thematic approach. The analysis proceeded in three stages. First, all reflections were read to gain an overall sense of the material. Second, meaningful segments of text were identified and coded inductively, focusing on expressions related to professional learning, intercultural encounters, pedagogical insights, and identity development. Third, the codes were grouped into broader themes that captured recurring patterns across participants’ accounts. Participation in the mobility programme was voluntary, and students were informed that their reflections could be used for research purposes. All data were anonymised, and no identifying information is included in the analysis. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Preliminary analysis of the students’ written reflections reveals that even a one week mobility experience can generate deep professional learning when it combines observation, hands on activities, intercultural dialogue, and structured reflection. Students describe the mobility as transformative, prompting them to reconsider their assumptions about teaching, learning, and the teacher’s role. A central theme was the comparison, reflection, and even questioning of teacherhood and educational systems. Students highlight how Finnish schools cultivate responsibility, autonomy, and emotional safety through calm environments, respectful teacher–student relationships, and the absence of punitive discipline. Many contrasted this with their home systems, where hierarchy, control, and testing are more prominent. Experiencing a culture of trust led students to reimagine their own future teacher identities and to imagine classrooms grounded in respect, empathy, and shared responsibility. Secondly, students emphasise phenomenon based learning, creative arts, outdoor education, and collaborative projects helped them understand pedagogical principles beyond theoretical coursework alone. Several note that this experience bridged the gap between university theory and school practice, strengthening their confidence and motivation as future teachers. Reflections reveal substantial development in intercultural competence and professional self awareness. Working in international groups encouraged students to compare educational systems, articulate their beliefs, and recognise culturally shaped assumptions. Many describe gaining a broader European perspective on education and feeling part of a shared professional community. The mobility experience fostered a shift in assessment thinking. Students were particularly influenced by Finland’s emphasis on formative, dialogic, and strengths based assessment. They report re evaluating the role of grades, considering how feedback shapes learners’ self image, and expressing a desire to adopt more supportive assessment practices in their future work. Findings indicate that short term mobility can meaningfully support professional identity development, pedagogical insight, and intercultural learning, demonstrating its value as a powerful, accessible tool within European teacher education. References Teichler, Ulrich. (2017). Internationalisation Trends in Higher Education and the Changing Role of International Student Mobility. Journal of international Mobility. 5. 177. 10.3917/jim.005.0179. Beauchamp, C. & Thomas, L. 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