University researchers’ and teaching staffs’ views about scientific edification

Authors

• Merja Ikonen Helsingin yliopisto
• Leila Pehkonen

Abstract

In this article, we examine university researchers’ and teaching staffs’ views about scientific edification. Our data consists of descriptions of scientific edification given by 73 university staff members in Helsinki and Tampere universities. The description task was one part of the survey data we collected in years 2014−2015. In this paper, we ask: “What do university scientists understand by scientific edification?” and “What kind of collective functions are linked to scientific edification?” The data was analysed qualitatively, and our findings indicate that scientific edification seems to be crystallised as desirable actions and ambition when it concerns the individuals. Furthermore, the scientific edification is used to establish divisions between and within academic communities.