Participation and Educational Conservatism Among Lower Secondary School Students in a Disadvantaged Neighborhood in Finland: A Request for Visible Pedagogies

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we ask how students with a range of social class and ethnic backgrounds perceive their opportunities to participate in the classroom and influence their learning, and what perceptions teachers have of teaching and students’ participation in a school with a diverse student body. The context of this study is a lower secondary school in a relatively disadvantaged neighborhood in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland. The ethnographic data comprise 40 observation days and interviews with students (n = 24) and teachers (n = 11). We used Basil Bernstein’s notions of pedagogic rights, particularly participation, as well as visible (i.e., teacher-centered) and invisible (i.e., learner-centered) pedagogies in our analysis. We argue that despite the current national core curriculum’s emphasis on students’ active participation in their learning process, students’ wishes regarding teaching and their own learning were somewhat conservative: visible pedagogies were preferred over invisible pedagogies. Also, the teachers perceived that teacher-led teaching and clear structures were beneficial in a school in which students’ backgrounds were diverse. Based on the views of the students and teachers, teacher-led teaching promoted learning. However, teacher-led teaching may prevent students from participating in the classroom discussions and constructing their active, democratic citizenship.