A Case Study of Parents' School Choice Strategies in a Finnish Urban Context

Autor/in	Poikolainen, Jaana
Titel	A Case Study of Parents' School Choice Strategies in a Finnish Urban Context
Quelle	In: European Educational Research Journal, 11 (2012) 1, S.127-144 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1474-9041
DOI	10.2304/eerj.2012.11.1.127
Schlagwörter	School Choice; Grade 6; Foreign Countries; Case Studies; Urban Areas; Elementary School Students; Questionnaires; Interviews; Discourse Analysis; Parent Attitudes; Trust (Psychology); Finland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Choice of school; Schulwahl; School year 06; 6. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 06; Ausland; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Urban area; Stadtregion; Fragebogen; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Diskursanalyse; Elternverhalten; Finnland
Abstract	This article analyses how Finnish parents of sixth graders in a comprehensive school act in the local "school markets" of the case city. The parents' subject positions as choosers are reflected on and explored in relation to the discourses and resources they use when discussing their school choices. The data were gathered in 2009 by administering a questionnaire (n = 374) and by conducting interviews with 76 of the respondents. The main data used here were thematic interviews, which were analysed using the discoursive approach. The analysis revealed that the parents used three different types of subject positions and discourses when having conversations about their choices and when considering their options. These discourses used were partly overlapping and unexpectedly social, and cultural resources were capitalised on less than previously assumed. Contrary to earlier European research on school choices, most parents in this study were not eager to choose any other school than their allocated local school, because they trusted the quality of Finnish comprehensive schools. The parents' thoughts and actions were notably guided and governed by the local school authorities, according to whom the local school is good enough. (Contains 1 table and 7 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10