Comprehensive schools as centres of learning and well-being in Turku

The research project Comprehensive schools as centres of learning and well-being in Turku is conducted within Turku Urban Research Programme in collaboration between the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Education (CELE) of the University of Turku, the Research Group on Education, Assessment and Learning (REAL) of Tampere University and the Research Group on Children’s and Adolescents’ Health Promotion (NEDIS). The project follows students from the sixth grade to the eight grade.

The interest of NEDIS research group in this project are mental health and wellbeing and in particular, differences and development between the mainstream classes and selective classes, as well as between socioeconomic groups. Officially, the Finnish education system has no tracking or ability grouping, but student enrolment to so called emphasized teaching classes are widely used in cities like Turku. Aptitude tests and other selection criteria are used in grouping students to these selective classes. Selective classes emphasize one or more school domains in their local curriculum (e.g., foreign language, music, science) but otherwise they follow the same national core curriculum as mainstream education classes.

Piia Seppänen
Director of the research project, Professor
piia.seppanen [at] utu.fi (piia[dot]seppanen[at]utu[dot]fi)
 

Faruk Nazeri
Researcher
faruk.nazeri [at] tuni.fi (faruk[dot]nazeri[at]tuni[dot]fi)
 

Satu Koivuhovi
Special researcher
satu.koivuhovi [at] utu.fi (satu[dot]koivuhovi[at]utu[dot]fi)
+358 29 450 4007