Democracy and human rights education have been studied in Finland especially in the first decade of the 21st century. However, the necessity of updating the situation picture is continuous and now for the very first time there is a research funding on hand which aims to evaluate development needs at vast scale from early childhood education to teacher education. The main focus of the research work is to examine practical level. The research questions of the study concerns issues on intended learning outcomes, involvement, participation rights and evaluation of actualization of equality. Purpose is to examine how well and how equally intended learning outcomes of democracy and human rights education comes true. Also, the study investigates fulfillment of involvement and participation rights of children, pupils, and students.

In respect of earlier studies, the study efforts to introduce a though that it is not only the matter of development of know-how or development concerning democracy of children, pupils, and students. It is also on account for the know-how level of the professionals on education field who work with them as obligated enablers of emergence of democratic corporate culture.

The primary goal of the study projects is to form recommendations to assist decision making of the council of the state regarding research questions presented on call for proposal. Recommendations are formed by combining earlier knowledge of the subject matters and new data collected in this study project.

This study project is going to be accomplished in co-operation with Jyväskylä University and Haaga-Helia. The principal investigator of the project is Anu Gretschel (FT) from Finnish Youth Research Network. Along with Anu also Matti Rautiainen (KT) From Jyväskylä University and Liisa Vanhanen-Nuutinen (TtT) from Haaga-Helia works as a researchers in the project.

Funding

The research project is funded by the Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities.