Valintakriteerien ydin ja opettajankouluttajien väliset erot luokanopettajakoulutuksen opiskelijavalinnassa

Authors

• Ville Mankki Kasvatustieteiden ja kulttuurin tiedekunta, Tampereen yliopisto
• Pekka Räihä Kasvatustieteiden ja kulttuurin tiedekunta, Tampereen yliopisto

Keywords:

primary school teacher education, student selection, teacher educators, selection criteria, factor analysis

Abstract

This study focused on the core of student selection criteria for Finnish primary teacher education. In addition to the criterion factors most crucially guiding the selection of students, the connection between the teacher educators’ background factors and the selection criteria was examined. The study was conducted as a survey, and its participants were 92 teacher educators who acted as assessors in the aptitude tests for primary teacher education programmes. The data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and parametric (Independent Samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance) and non-parametric (the Mann– Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) tests. From the factor analysis, five criteria were extracted, which emphasize 1) adaptability, 2) assertiveness, 3) activism, 4) commitment, and 5) orientation in the teacher educators’ student selection criteria. The results indicate that student selection is aimed at supporting the selection of candidates who are capable of managing the personal development process and complex professional requirements. Although the selection criteria conform to the core competence definitions and are largely consistent, the differences – not only within the teacher education units but also between them – highlight the need to develop student selection more systematically.