Koulun toimintakulttuuri avautuvissa oppimistiloissa : etnografinen tutkimus uuteen koulurakennukseen muuttamisesta

Abstract

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to describe and understand processes related to the formation of an operating culture when moving to new, open learning spaces. In this context, an open learning space is a semi-open facility that serves as a home classroom but can also be combined into a larger, shared space. The study examined the formation of a school’s operating culture through ideals around the use of facilities and furniture that arise from new, open learning spaces. I was particularly interested in users’ tensive relationships with open learning spaces and the opportunities to use them in day-to-day teaching. In previous studies, open learning spaces and their use have primarily been studied in terms of acoustic suitability, learning or the pedagogical approach applied. While operating culture is considered to be an important factor with regard to the use of open learning spaces, it has been studied only very little. This study meets that need. Its field of study is education, particularly research into schools’ operating cultures and physical learning environments. The study was carried out in a school where the personnel and pupils moved to new, open learning facilities at the beginning of the spring semester. The team participating in the study consisted of five special education teachers and six school assistants. In addition, two supervisors were interviewed. The material was collected by observing the team in learning facilities on ordinary school days over a peri- od of five months. The team were interviewed five times as a group, and each supervisor was interviewed individually once. Material-based content analysis was used as the analysis method in this study. MAXQDA 12 software was used as an analysis aid. Based on the results of this study, moving to new learning facilities, combined with changes in the operating culture, was stressful for both the personnel and the management. Certain ideals were set for the use of the facilities as part of the official objectives and by the management. In the light of this study, a new operating culture was created through tensions in relation to ideals, as well as through various experiments and the solutions arising from them. The new, open learning spaces challenged the personnel on both the individual and group levels. The personnel expected clearly expressed goals and their shared reflection from the management, as well as support with the adoption of the new facilities.