Austropleospora osteospermi gen. et sp nov and its host specificity and distribution on Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp rotundata in Australia.

Hendersonia osteospermi was found for the first time in Australia on leaf spots of the introduced invasive plant Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata (bitou bush) in coastal regions of New South Wales. Pathogenicity tests on species from 11 tribes in the family Asteraceae, demonstrated that H. osteospermi caused severe necrosis on leaves and stems of C. monilifera ssp. rotundata and its congener C. monilifera ssp. monilifera (boneseed). Small necrotic spots also developed on Osteospermum fruticosum and Dimorphotheca cuneata in the Calenduleae and on Helianthus annuus (sunflower) in the Heliantheae. None of the other plant species tested developed leaf spots, although H. osteospermi was re-isolated from senescent leaves of Cynara scolymus (globe artichoke) in the Cynareae and Vernonia cinerea in the Vernonieae. Single ascospores from ascomata of a Pleospora-like fungus found on diseased stems of bitou bush produced H. osteospermi in culture, which proved the anamorph/teleomorph connection. The ITS region of both a single-ascospore isolate and a single-conidium isolate were sequenced and found to be identical. The taxonomic status of H. osteospermi is re-examined and Austropleospora osteospermi gen. et sp. nov. is described as its teleomorph based on morphology, host range tests and DNA sequence analysis. The potential of A. osteospermi for the biological control of bitou bush and boneseed in Australia is discussed.

Yhdessä ajattelu ja osallistuminen : Interventiotutkimus yhteistoiminnallisen oppimisen kehittymisestä kahdessa alakoulun pienryhmässä

Participation and social modes of thinking - An intervention study on the development of collaborative learning in two primary school small groups This study explores the thinking together -intervention programme in three primary school classes. The object of the intervention was to teach pupils to use exploratory talk in small group collaboratory learning. Exploratory talk is a type of talk in which joint reasoning is made explicit. Research has shown that exploratory talk can improve mathematics and science learning, argumentative skills and competence in reasoning tests. The object of this study was to investigate the theory of social modes of thinking which the intervention program is based on. I tried to find out how the thinking together -intervention programme suits the Finnish context. Therefore my study is part of an international research project of interventions that have been implemented for example in Great-Britain and in Mexico. One essential drawback in former research made on thinking together -approach is that the nature of participation has not been studied properly. In this study I also examine how the nature of participation develops in small groups. In addition to that I aim to develope a theoretical framework which includes both the perspectives of the social modes of thinking and the nature of participation. The perspective of this study is sociocultural. The research material consists of video recordings of collaborative learning tasks of two small groups. In groups there were pupils of age groups 9 - 11. I study the nature of participation using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative methods include for example IR-analysis method and counting of turns at talk and words. I also use qualitative content analysis to analyze both the nature of participation and social modes of thinking. As a result of my study I found out that the interaction of the other group was leadership based and in the other group the interaction was without leadership relations. In both groups the participation was quantitatively more symmetrical in the end of the intervention. In the group in which the interaction was leadership based the participation of the pupils was more symmetrical. Exploratory talk was found more in the group without leadership relations, but in both groups the amount of exploratory talk was increased during the intervention. Leadership based interaction was further divided into interaction of alienating and inclusive leadership according to how symmetrical the participation was in the dialogue. Exploratory talk was found only when the leadership was inclusive or the interaction was without leadership relations. The main result of the study was that the exploratory talk was further divided into four subcategories according to the nature of participation. In open and inclusive exploratory talk all group members participated initiatively and their initiatives were responded by others. In closed and uneven exploratory talk some group members couldn't participate properly. Therefore it cannot be said that exploratory talk guarantees symmetrical participation. The nature of participation must be investigated separately.

Kodin ja työn rajavyöhykkeellä - yhteensovittamisen jännitteitä ja ratkaisuja arjessa

The aim of this research is to study the boundary zone of home and work and the tensions people experience while reconciling home and work? How are the requirements of the family, the home and the work taken care of in everyday life? What kind of difficulties does the individual experience when reconciling home activities and job requirements together? What kind of activity policies have families created to ease the everyday life? What kind of goals and requirements do families feel behind the difficulties in adjusting home and work? What kind of changes would make the adjusting of home and work easier? The changing family life, everyday home activities and the changing Finnish working life are studied to describe the adjusting of home and work. In addition the boundary zone of home and work and its tensions are studied. 337 research persons who find reconciling home and work challenging were elected from different sectors of the working life. Research persons were gathered from the public, private and third sectors. The research material was gathered with a semi-structured qualitative questionnaire published in internet. Contents analysis was the analysis method of the research material. The tensions of adjusting home and work are various. Several activity systems meet on the boundary zone of home and work causing boundary zones to expand and tensions to increase and expand like a network. In the everyday life of an individual the boundary zone fades out and home and work overlap. Tensions can be examined as internal conflicts of the individual through the activity system of everyday life. Individuals balance between individualism and familism, feeling bad, suffering from lack of time and struggling with childcare organizing problems and inflexible employers. The solutions to reconciling home and work difficulties are situational. Often is the help of family and friends required without any solid solutions. The conflict of the goals, requirements and the reality is behind the problems as well as the tightening terms of the working life and its growing expectations. Change requests are proposed on the levels of individual, home, work and the society. Reconciling home and work is not only a challenge between the employee and the employer. It s a problem that needs multilateral solutions and changes on the levels of individual, home, work and society. The challenge remaining is to find out if it would be successful to take the everyday life as starting point to negotiate the reconciling of home and work and how the possible family, social and work political solutions appear in everyday life.

Kummimaatilatoiminta opettajien ja maatilojen sekä innovaatiotutkimuksen näkökulmista

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää Finfood - Suomen Ruokatieto ry:n alullepanemassa kummimaatilatoiminnassa mukana olleiden opettajien ja maatilojen käsityksiä ja kokemuksia toiminnasta sekä tarkastella kummimaatilatoimintaa innovaationa. Kummimaatilatoiminta liittyy Finfoodin internetissä julkaisemaan oppimateriaaliin suomalaisen ruoan tiestä. Kummimaatilatoiminnan tavoitteena on, että mahdollisimman monella peruskoululuokalla olisi oma kummimaatila, missä luokka voisi vierailla vuosittain, joka säilyisi luokalla mahdollisimman pitkään ja jonka kanssa luokka suunnittelee oman yhteistyönsä. Kummimaatilatoiminnan avulla pyritään omakohtaisten kokemusten ja elämysten kautta lisäämään nuorten tietoa maaseudun elämästä. Tutkimuksen tausta -osassa tarkastellaan koulun ja yhteiskunnan muiden tahojen yhteistyötä, esitellään tutkimuksia koulun ja teollisuusyritysten yhteistyöstä sekä koulun ja maatalouden yhteistyöhön liittyvää materiaalia. Lisäksi tarkastellaan innovaatiota ja innovaation diffuusiota. Koska kummimaatilatoiminta on uusi toimintamuoto, jossa toisena osapuolena on koulu, tutkimuksessa käsitellään myös kasvatuksen muutoksia (educational change). Tutkimusta käsitellään tapaus- ja toimintatutkimuksena. Tutkimusaineistona ovat kummimaatilatoiminnan alkuvaiheessa syksyllä 1997 mukaan lähteneiden seitsemän opettajan ja kuuden maatilan teemahaastattelut. Tutkimuksessa on haastateltu myös Finfoodin edustajaa. Aineisto kerättiin kevään ja syksyn 1998 aikana. Innovaatiotarkastelun pohjana ovat lisäksi tutkijan omat kokemukset toiminnasta sekä erilaiset kokoukset ja keskustelut. Opettajien ja maatilojen kokemuksista selvitettiin heidän toiminnan aloittamiseen johtaneita motiivejaan, toiminnalle asettamiaan tavoitteita, toiminnassa havaitsemiaan ongelmia sekä käsityksiä toiminnan onnistumisen avaintekijöistä ja toiminnan kehittämisestä. Suuria näkemyseroja ei opettajien ja maatilojen kokemusten välillä ollut. Osapuolet pitivät maaseutua tärkeänä ja halusivat tarjota lapsille kokemuksia elämästä siellä. Yhteisenä tavoitteena opettajilla ja maatiloilla oli, että toiminta olisi mahdollisimman laajaa, ei pelkkiä retkipäiviä maalle. Opettajat korostivat myös vierailujen toiminnallisuutta. Maatilat toivoivat voivansa lisätä toiminnalla myös omaa tietämystään ja ammattitaitoaan. Käytännön asiat kuten matkat olivat eniten ongelmia aiheuttaneita asioita. Muina mahdollisina ongelmina mainittiin asenteet ja tiedotus. Toiminnan avaintekijöinä pidettiin suunnittelua, molempien osapuolten motivoituneisuutta ja aktiivisuutta, vierailujen toiminnallisuutta, tiedottamista ja toiminnan laajentamista. Kehittämisideat liittyivät toiminnan laajentamiseen ja monipuolistamiseen. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella kummimaatilatoimintaa on ryhdytty kehittämään niin, että koko koululla yksittäisen luokan sijaan on yhteinen kummimaatila. Innovaatiotarkastelu osoitti, että kummimaatilatoiminnan kehittäminen ja levittäminen on pitkä prosessi, jossa koordinaattorin rooli on tärkeä. Osallistujien sitoutuminen toimintaan, osallistujien tukeminen sekä heidän kokemustensa hyödyntäminen on myös tärkeää. Tärkeimmät lähteet tutkimuksen taustateorian kannalta olivat Rogersin, Fullanin ja Hargreavesin teokset. Avainsanat: kummimaatilatoiminta, innovaatio, innovaation diffuusio, muutos Keywords: godfarms, farm visits, innovation, diffusion of innovation, educational change

Käsityön merkitys ja mielekkyys vangin kokemana : Hämeen lääninvankilan käsityötoimintaan osallistuneiden tutkinta- ja vankeusvankien mielipiteitä

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää vankilassa käsityötä opiskelevien, harrastavien ja vankityönä käsityötä tekevien vankien tähän elämän tilanteeseen liittyviä käsityötoimintaan osallistumisen kokemuksia ja heidän käsityölle antamia merkityksiä. Tutkimukselle asetettiin kolme tehtävää. Tutkimuksen ensimmäisenä tehtävänä oli kartoittaa mitä käsityötoimintaa Hämeen lääninvankilassa järjestetään. Toisena tehtävänä oli selvittää millaisia kokemuksia Hämeen lääninvankilan tutkinta-ja vankeusvangeilla on käsityötoimintaan osallistumisesta vankilassa oloaikana. Kolmantena tehtävänä oli selvittää millaiseksi vanki kokee käsityön merkityksen itselleen vankilassa oloaikana. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin haastattelemalla kahdeksaa Hämeen lääninvankilan vankia 13-14.10.1997. Neljä heistä oli tutkintavankia ja neljä vankeusvankia. Kaikki haastateltavat olivat miehiä. Haastatteluja varten haettiin tutkimuslupa Oikeusministeriön Vankeinhoito-osastolta. Haastattelut olivat puolistrukturoituja. Haastatteluaineiston analyysimenetelmänä käytettiin Grounded Theory -menetelmää. Tutkimus osoitti, että Hämeen lääninvankilassa järjestetään käsityötoimintaa tutkinta- ja vankeusvangeille vankityönä, harrastuksiin, ammatilliseen koulutukseen ja kurssitoimintaan liittyen. Vankien haastattelujen mukaan käsityön tekemisessä ovat mielekkäitä asiat, jotka liittyvät tekemiseen, oppimiseen ja sosiaaliseen vuorovaikutukseen. Ei mielekkäinä asioina käsityön tekemisessä pidettiin motivaatioon, oppimiseen ja aikaan sisältyviä asioita. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan tehdä se johtopäätös, että tutkinta- ja vankeusvankien käsityön merkitykset kohdistuvat tekemiseen, sosiaaliseen vuorovaikutukseen, vaihteluun, mielialaan vaikuttaviin asioihin, oppimiseen,osaamiseen, ajan käyttöön, taloudeliseen hyötyyn ja fyysisen ympäristönmuutoksiin. Tutkielmassa esitellään vankien kokemuksia ja mielipiteitä käsityötoimintaan osallistumisesta vankilassaoloaikana. Näitä kokemuksia voidaan käyttää esimerkiksi silloin, kun suunnitellaan ja kehitetään vangeille järjestettävää käsityötoimintaa. Avainsanat: käsityö, merkitys, arvot, vanki, vankila, vankeinhoito

Kinnasneulatekniikan verkko-oppimateriaalin kehittäminen ja neulalla neulomisen taidon kehittyminen

The purpose of the study was to develop a functional web-based learning material for the learning of the nålbinding technique. The study of the research topic was already begun in my pedagogical thesis in 2008 by considering the demands on pedagogic material for the teaching of the technique. This study falls into the field of qualitative design research which was carried out through three stages. In the study three methods of usability testing, i.e. expert analysis, the informants’ thinking aloud and interviews, were used as research methods. At the first stage of the study the first version of the learning material was created. This was done on the basis of theoretical knowledge, the demands set on learning materials as clarified in previous studies, on the basis of previously created learning materials for the learning of the nålbinding technique as well as with the help of two experts on the technique. At the second stage, the learning material was developed on the basis of expert analysis and another version of the material was created. At the third stage, usability testing was carried out on the material. At this stage two informants used the material, practiced stitching with the nålbinding needle and thought aloud while doing so. In the usability testing the Morae –programme was used to record the events on the screen, the actions of the informants and their spoken out thoughts. The Morae –programme was also used when analysing the recordings. After the testing, the informants practised stitching independently and in a few weeks time they were interviewed. The interviews were aimed at finding out the informants’ opinions on the future development of the material. On the basis of the informants’ independent attempts at using the nålbinding technique, the development of their skills after the testing was also discussed at the interviews. The development of the learning material will continue after this study on the basis of the usability testing and the interviews. The web-based learning material was created for the website Käspaikka in the address www.kaspaikka.fi/kinnasneula. By creating a multimodal learning material the dual-coding theory by Paivio was taken into consideration. According to the theory, several methods of presentation help a learner to restore information in his/her memory. The independent construction of the learner’s knowledge, i.e. learning according to the principles of the constructivist learning theory, was also supported by creating a logical navigation system, by linking interrelated topics to one another and by presenting the topics in several different forms. In the test situations the learning material was judged to work well when practising stitching with the nålbinding needle. Both informants learned the basics of the nålbinding technique even though their respective learning strategies were quite different. In the usability testing illogicalities and shortcomings were still noticed in the learning material which will still be further developed in the future.

Tilausompelijan ja asiakkaan näkemyksiä laadusta

The aim of the study was to find out what kind of view on product quality dressmaker and customer have, how the views differ from each other and how the difference affects dressmaker s work as an entrepreneur. The research data consists of eight thematic interviews: four dressmakers and four customers were interviewed for the study. In the core of customised dressmaking is arelationship between a maker and a client. The product of a dressmaker, a unique dress, is created in an immediate interaction between a dressmaker and a client. Also the quality of a unique dress derives from this interaction. In the results of this study, the views on quality are linked with six themes: dress, process, dressmaker, customer, interaction and enterprise. The dressmakers and the customers agree that the quality of a custom-made dress is based on unique fit. Describing the process the dressmakers insist on the quality of manufacturing. The clients' view on process insists on those phases where they themselves take part: designing and fitting. The personality of the dressmaker is part of quality in both the dressmakers' and the customers' points of view. The dressmakers and the customers are also aware of the customers impact on fulfilling the expectations. The immediate interaction between dressmaker and customer is a key to the unique dressmaking. At its best the interaction is followed by a trusting relationship. Entrustment derives also from a good reputation, which is essential in dressmaker-entrepreneurs marketing strategy. The dressmakers views on quality are product- and manufacturing-based. According to the results of the study there can be seen different types of dressmakers, that emphasise different aspects of quality. At the other end is a manufacturing-based, even transcendent view on quality, which rests on the values of the dressmaker. At the other end lies a customer- and value-based approach, which is founded on fulfilling the expectations and needs of the customer. In their views on quality the customers emphasise the immediate interaction between dressmaker and client. Keywords: quality, dressmaker, customer, entrepreneur

Lukeminen ja kirjallisuus modernissa opiskeluympäristössä : Tapaustutkimus kuuden peruskoulun 4.-6. luokan telemaattinen kirjallisuuspiiri Matilda -hankkeesta

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa ja kehittää modernia opiskeluympäristöä hyödyntävää kirjallisuuspiiritoimintaa ja sitä kautta edistää oppilaiden mahdollisuuksia osallistua elämyksellistä lukemista painottavaan kirjallisuuspiiriin sekä vahvistaa heidän kiinnostustaan tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttöön. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin lukuvuonna 1997 1998 kyselyin ja haastatteluin sekä observoimalla lähiopetustilanteita ja virtuaaliryhmien sähköpostiviestintää. Lisäksi käytettiin valmiita dokumentteja ja asiakirjoja. Tutkimusjoukkona oli Matildaan osallistuneet 4.-6. luokan oppilaat kuudelta Espoon ala-asteelta sekä neljä tutoria, koordinaattori ja joitakin luokanopettajia Matilda-kouluista. Tutkimusongelmat suuntautuivat pääasiassa matildalaisten kokemuksiin opiskelusta modernissa opiskeluympäristössä, suhteesta tieto- ja viestintätekniikkaan sekä siihen, mitä uutta lukemiseen ja kirjallisuuteen liittyvää he kertoivat oppineensa ja kokeneensa. Koska tutkimuskohteen kaltaisia kokeiluita, joissa yhdistyy kirjallisuuspiiritoiminta ja moderni tieto- ja viestintätekniikka, ei ainakaan Suomessa ole aikaisemmin ollut, päädyttiin tutkimusmetodologian valinnassa kvalitatiiviseen otteeseen. Tutkimusote noudatti tapaustutkimuksen ja kehittämistutkimuksen periaatteita. Vaikka tutkimus oli menetelmältään kvalitatiivinen, aineistoa käsiteltiin myös kvantifioiden, mutta yleistyksiä tehtiin ainoastaan tapauksen suuntaan. Tutkimustulokset osoittivat, että opiskelu oli oppilaille positiivinen kokemus. He pitivät erityisesti etäopiskelun itsenäisestä työskentelystä ja lähiopetuspäivistä. Heidän suhtautumisensa tieto- ja viestintätekniikkaan muuttui positiivisemmaksi ja heidän taitonsa tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttäjinä kehittyivät. Oppilaat saivat positiivisia lukukokemuksia, heidän lukualueensa laajeni ja osa heistä kertoi lukutyylinsä muutoksista ja syvenemisestä. Oppilaat kokivat ongelmallisimmaksi hankkeen sekavan tutorointi-systeemin, kiireisen aikataulun sekä tietokoneisiin ja -verkkoon liittyvät ongelmat. kirjallisuuspiiri, kolmilukutaito, lukutaito, kirjallisuus, lukeminen, elämyksellinenlukeminen, kirjallisuudenopetus, moderni opiskeluympäristö, avoin ja joustava opiskeluympäristö, telematiikka, tieto- ja viestintätekniikka reading circle, teaching of literature, tri-literacy, literacy, reading, literature, aestheticreading, modern learning enviroment, open anf flexible learning enviroment, telematics, modern information technology

Viisi vuotta tiedonrakentamista yhteisö- ja teknologiaelementtien muovautumisen näkökulmasta

The object of this study was to examine the phenomena of a long-term Knowledge Building process. The subject was OECD/ENSI/FI-project's Knowledge Building in Knowledge Forum®3.4 environment from 8.9.2000 to 8.9.2005. Research was based on socio-cognitive and socio-cultural learning approaches and the theoretical background consisted of models of collaborative learning and knowledge processing. These theoretical applications were first structured using metaphors of language and then assembled into five main theoretical motifs. The main motifs were 1) context, 2) inter-subjective, shared area, 3) community's practices and participation, 4) developing expertise and 5) the sequential construction of processes. These themes were assembled in interpreting the results using the Mutual Shaping of Technological and Social Elements by Boczkowski (1999) as a conceptual tool. The social elements of the mutual shaping process were defined as 1) community structure, 2) discourse and 3) the meanings of activity. The technological elements were defined as 1) shared artefacts, 2) features of technology-use and 3) other technological conventions perceived in activity. The five main theoretical motifs were used as the basis for creating the research problems, which were divided into three themes: 1) shared artefacts, themes of Knowledge Building and participant formation, 2) patterns of participation and interaction and 3) the meanings of activity. As methods I used content analysis of the messages, the quantitative profiling of changes in the database, social network analysis, discourse analysis of selected message threads and theme interviews of eleven participants. Based on my study it's possible to say, that a long-term setting of this kind provides a different perspective on Knowledge Building from most of the previous research. The most valuable conclusions from the data are: 1) The centralisation of interaction in this type of setting is a feature that supports the improvement in the quality of action. 2) The participation in a long-term Knowledge Building process seems to support the concious effort on professional development and the expert-identity. 3) The quality of plasticity of the technology-in-use has implication for how the communal features of activity will develop. The agency is seen to initiate processes that in turn open up new possibilities for the quality of action on both the communal and individual levels.

Saako terveysuskoja synninpäästön? : Naispappien käsityksiä laihdutus- ja terveyskulttuurista nykyisessä mediayhteiskunnassa

Background and aims. Fatness and dieting have been the object of interest between many fields for a long time. Home economics as a discipline enables a comprehensive inspection of fatness and dieting reviewing different disciplines. In addition to the aspect where the pursuit of dieting and health is seen from the perspective of medical and health science it is also been reviewd as a social and cultural phenomena. This study contemplates the influence of history, religion, medicalization and media on dieting and health culture. The objective is to find out if the modern dieting and health culture has gathered influences from centuries ago and absorbed religious features. The stress deriving from appereance has been discussed in the public and there are many solutions conserning weight issues. The purpose of this study is to find out what personal experiences and thoughts female pastors have conserning these questions. The media – which is one of the most influential systems nowadays – has undeniably a great effect on the consumer. The goal is furthermore to estimate the effect of the media on the changing of dieting and health culture. The three main research questions are: 1. What kind of conseptions do female pastors have of dieting and health culture and of its religious features? 2. What kind of personal experiences and conseptions do female pastors have of dieting and strivines of health? 3. How do female pastors regard the image the media has supplied of dieting and health culture? Material and methods. The qualitative data was gathered in year 2009 using the halfstructured theme interview -method. The data consists of interviews conducted with specialists of spiritual matters, i.e. ten female pastors who are between 35 and 60 years old and live in the metropolitan area. The analytical procedure used is called a theory based context analysis. Results and conclusions. Results of this study show that the idealization of slimness and healthiness is a matter discussed in the public on a daily basis. The problem faced was that the media provided contradictory information regarding fatness and dieting and the standard of slimness in commercials focused on females. The pursuit of dieting and healthiness was believed to include also religious elements. In the Middle Ages and the era after that the fatness, overeating and the pleasure one gets from eating was still seen as a condemnable matter in our culture. One could say this was like a sin. The respondents believed that healthiness, healthy living, optimal eating and good looks were a matter more or less equal than a religion. This was a derivative from the fact that treasuring health has become a life stearing value for many people. In the priest’s profession dieting and the pursuit of health was seen in the light of problems arising from weight issues. In ones profession for example the unhealthy eating in festive situations was seen as a matter that leads to unnecessary weight. Another aspect was the job circumstances that limited the degree of movement. The belief was that the female pastors would in a decreasing fashion confront stress deriving from appearence in their job. Keywords: dieting, fatness, healthiness, slimness, female pastors, religion, medicalization, media

Pyhä Kolminaisuus vai pilven reunalla istuva partasuu? : Jumalakuva evankelisluterilaisissa ja ortodoksissa 1.–4.-luokan uskonnon oppikirjoissa 1970–80- ja 2000-luvuilla

A concept of god is a wholeness that an individual experiences as God. The Christian concept of god is based on triune God: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The concept of god is examined in different kinds of contexts particularly between the 1940's and the 1970's. Many researches of school books have widely been made in Finland, but, however, only a few from the point of view of the concept of god. Considering this, the concept of god in the school books of Evangelical Lutheran and Orthodox religion from first to fourth grade in 1970–80 and 2000 is examined in this survey. Additionally, the concept of god in curricula between years 1970 and 2004 is studied. The perspective on the concept of god is the change in the course of time and denominational emphasis. As a first hypothesis, God the Father is represented in books in 21st century as a kind and loving figure. As a second hypothesis, the Trinity and the Holy Spirit get more space in Orthodox books comparing with the Lutheran books. Twelve school books of Evangelical Lutheran and Orthodox religion from first to fourth grade were used as a research material. The books were from four different series between the years 1978 and 2005. Teacher's guidebooks and student's exercise books were left outside of this survey. The research material was analyzed by using abductive content analysis and methodological triangulation. This study included both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The classification system which defined the classifying of concept of god from the research material was consisted of the basis of research material, former reseach, and subtext of used theories. The number of mentions in concept of god was higher in books from the 21st century. In Lutheran books, the change was seen as a growth of the category of God the Father. In Orthodox books, the trend was opposite: the category of Jesus the Son had grown. Differing from the presupposition, the features of loving God in new books had less emphasis than in older books in both churces. The mentions of the Holy Spirit and Trinity were marginal. In the Orthodox books, the categories were bigger, as it was presupposed. It could be seen, that the books confirmed the legalistic period of the concept of god on 3rd and 4th grades. The mentions of concept of god in curriculas have diminished and generalized. The diminution was seen most radically in the curriculum from the year 1994. The results tell something about social changes and views of innovation in curricula. In books the change was not perceived that bright. The idea of the concept of god getting shrank and decreased during the time can be refused.

"Monesti on tullut ajateltua, että ihana, kamala kakara!" : Huomioidaanko päiväkodissa kansainvälisesti adoptoituun lapseen ja adoptioon liittyviä erityispiirteitä?

The purpose of this study was to examine the conceptions adoptive parents and kindergarten teachers have of adopted children in day care. Earlier Finnish research concerning international adoption has discussed adoption, adopted children and adoptive parents from the point of view of identity, racism and school. There has hardly been any research in Finland concerning adoption from the point of view of day care. The study focuses on how the special characteristics of adopted children are taken into consideration in day care. The ecological theory, in which a child's growth and learning environments are studied as part of the broader environment, provided the theoretical framework for the study. The study was based also on a second theory: intercultural competence or the capacity to interact with different people taking into consideration their individual characteristics and situations so that one understands and is understood. The first research problem consisted of describing the conceptions adoptive parents and day care teachers have of the special characteristics of adopted children. The second research problem was to examine adopted parents' expectations of kindergarten and of kindergarten teachers. The third research problem was to find out what kind of support day care teachers think they need when working with adopted children. The study focused on 20 adoptive parents and 15 kindergarten teachers. Research material was collected in the form of essay writings amounting to a total of 73 pages. The respondents wrote about their experiences with the help of a supporting questionnaire. The research method was qualitative and narrative. The results of the study show that adoptive parents have similar conceptions of adopted children's special characteristics concerning their character, social competence, adaptation and appearance. Adoptive parents had a better understanding of the dynamics of attachment than kindergarten teachers, in this study. When describing the special characters of adopted children, the teachers regarded adopted children in particular as needing special support. According to the results of the study, adoptive parents feel adoption matters and adoptive parenthood are something quite new and bewildering to day care teachers. Adoptive parents did not feel they got any support from the kindergarten in their parenthood. Adoptive parents regarded as particularly important the start of day care and the familiarisation process during which adopted children need time and special support due to earlier experiences of separation and abandonment. The findings of the study show that kindergarten teachers have little knowledge of adoption and the significance of adoption for a child's growth and development. Kindergarten teachers felt at a loss in dealing with adoption issues and clearly need additional support in the matter.

"Sitte se menee koulus" : Eri kieli- ja kulttuuritaustaisen lapsen suomen kielen taito esiopetuksen päättövaiheessa

A child learns new things, creates social relationships and participates in play with the help of language. How can a child overcome these challenges if the surrounding language is not his mother tongue? The objective of learning a new language in the Pre-school education is an active bilingualism in all fields of the language. Theoretical context of the research rises from bilingualism, learning a language, language skills and evaluating them. Object of the research was to understand language skills of a child from a different linguistic and cultural background in the final stage of Pre-school education and to clarify how learning Finnish was supported during the Pre-school year. Answers to the research issues will be searched with the following questions: 1) What kind of language skills does a child from a different linguistic and cultural backgrounds have at the final stage of Pre-school education?, 1.1) What kind of listening comprehension skills?, 1.2) What kind of speech and vocabulary skills?, 1.3) What kind of structural skills?, 2) What kind of individual differences are there in language skills of children from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds?, and 3) How has a child from a different linguistic and cultural background been supported in learning Finnish during the Pre-school education? The view of language skills in this research is holistic even though it will be analysed in separate fields. The aim of this research is to form an overall impression of Finnish skills of the children participating in the research. Eight Pre-school-aged children with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and their kindergarten teachers participated in this research. The children had taken part in Finnish activities for about three years. The research material consists of the test series (KITA), which evaluate children’s language skills – and of the questionnaire to the kindergarten teachers. The purpose of the questionnaire was to provide additional information on children’s language skills in Pre-school teaching situations and on supporting Finnish in Pre-school education. This research is qualitative and processing of the material is based on content analysis. According to the kindergarten teachers, the children’s social language skills were sufficient to cope in everyday life but children needed assistance with longer instructions. The same phenomenon could also be seen with the KITA tests – in which long and abstract instructions turned out to be difficult. Individual differences of the children were perceived in productivity skills, which were realised in fluent or influent speech. The children were supported in learning Finnish individually, in small-groups and in the activities of a whole group. ‘Finnish as the second language’ small-groups were the most common form of support in learning the language. The support at understanding activities was emphasized in whole group situations as well as in individual situations while assisting the child’s language skills. Generally, the children’s language skills were in the same level with developing basic language skills. The data of this research help to understand children’s language skills after three years of adopting Finnish. The results can be utilised in planning and evaluation of teaching another language.