Humans and non-humans in the curricula of class teacher education

Authors

• Auli Toikkanen Jyväskylän yliopisto
• Tiina Nikkola University of Jyväskylä

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.82723

Keywords:

class teacher education, curricula, humans, non-humans, posthumanism

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate, from a post-humanistic perspective, how humans and non-humans are constructed in the curricula of class teacher education. In this time of environmental crisis and climate change, questions addressing the relations of humans and non-humans are extremely timely. The research data consisted of the curricula of Finnish class teacher education, which were collected from the websites of teacher education departments in late 2017 and in early 2018. The research data were analysed by qualitative content analysis and by utilising the network-like concept of reality of the actor–network theory (ANT) as well as the concepts of purification and translation. In ANT, purification primarily denotes the distinction between humans and non-humans, while translation denotes the creation of networks among humans and non-humans. The result of this research is that in the curricula of class teacher education the relationship between humans and non-humans is constructed either through diminishing the significance of non-humans or through recognising it. In the curricula, humans are seen as active and non-humans as passive resources. Non-human nature and technology are objects of expectations in relation to human learning and development. In education, it is possible to explore and question the relationship between humans and non-humans, as well as the presumptions that underlie these concepts. The compulsion to make our lifestyle more sustainable also argues for the necessity of more post-humanistic thinking in teacher education.