Transforming causal logics in Finnish adult education: historical and moral transitions rewritten

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore the historical representations of adulthood, citizenship and the ideal social bonds of an individual and the society in the transforming moral orders of Finnish adult education. The research is based on a thematic reading of data, which consist of texts written during the past 150 years by theorists of adult education. In regard to the outcome of the analysis, it can be claimed that the definitions and relations, which define adult education / lifelong learning, adult individuals, citizenship and the society, are in perpetual motion transforming from spiritual determination to material determination and back. As a conclusion, we claim that adult education / lifelong learning is a morally regulated field of study, where morality is adapted to any social changes at any given time, marginalising social groups on moral grounds; from lack of spiritual aspirations to lack of employability skills and with a wrong attitude towards the ideals of neo-liberal economics in present-day society. The main result of our analysis is to address the importance of understanding the main logics of historical change in adult education.

Gender Caring: The Everyday Construction of Black African Parents in Finland

“…This might not be actualized only through religion or as a result of meditation because some people find visits to a lake/sauna a spiritual experience, others consider tending to their gardening, their paintings, polished furniture, pets and the seaside as places of spiritual exercise (see Noddings 2003). Nonetheless, for the Finnish state, democracy has taken the former space of spirituality (Koski & Filander 2012). In Finland, people who remain members of the church use their services mainly for baptisms, confirmations and marriages.…”

Can performing happy childhood be an occupational skill required of students?

“…This assumption emerges within a specific national discursive context in which equality is emphasized, and there is a common shared discourse of equal national education. It can be seen as a question of national pride: in Finnish educational discourse, equality is portrayed as something that has already been achieved, attested to by exactly the success of the Comprehensive School Reform (Koski and Filander, 2013;Sitomaniemi-San, 2015). As Koski and Filander (2013) argue, 'When institutional and individual equality had been proclaimed as the aim of education, these equalities became self-evident starting points and final arguments' (p. 592).…”

“…It can be seen as a question of national pride: in Finnish educational discourse, equality is portrayed as something that has already been achieved, attested to by exactly the success of the Comprehensive School Reform (Koski and Filander, 2013;Sitomaniemi-San, 2015). As Koski and Filander (2013) argue, 'When institutional and individual equality had been proclaimed as the aim of education, these equalities became self-evident starting points and final arguments' (p. 592). The social and cultural differences have, according to popular conception, been abolished (Koski and Filander, 2013).…”

“…As Koski and Filander (2013) argue, 'When institutional and individual equality had been proclaimed as the aim of education, these equalities became self-evident starting points and final arguments' (p. 592). The social and cultural differences have, according to popular conception, been abolished (Koski and Filander, 2013). For students who experience poverty or other privatized social problems, there may not be a framework for recognizing or validating such experiences.…”

Kansalaisuus osallisuutena puutyökurssilla

“…Vapaassa sivistystyössä sivistyksellisen kyvykkyyden edistäminen on 2010-luvulla näyttäytynyt lähinnä instituutioiden kykynä palvella maksukykyisiä asiakkaita (Valkonen 2015). Elinikäisen oppimisen, aktiivisen kansalaisuuden ja osaamisen ylikansallisissa poliittisissa diskursseissa kansalaisuutta määrittävät kansalaisten puutteelliset valmiudet kohdata yksilöllisiä ja yhteiskunnallisia haasteita (Koski & Filander 2013).…”