EXPRESS YOURSELF! INCLUSIVE GROUPING IN SCHOOLS - How inclusive grouping influences students’ well-being
Vanhatalo, Terhi (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202101291680
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202101291680
Tiivistelmä
The ‘Express Yourself! Social inclusion in schools’ project was conducted in four (4) European countries: Germany, Ireland, Lithuania and Spain. Selected target groups were youngsters between ages 12 to 18, junior high school and upper secondary level. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences in Finland was administering the project. The project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. The ‘Express Yourself!’ project was executed from autumn 2019 to spring 2020.
The main purpose of this thesis was to study how inclusive grouping influences students’ experienced well-being in life. The data were analysed by comparing the change in satisfaction with different spheres in life during the first session and after the last session. The research tool was the 3x10D online self-evaluation survey. The survey measured the current state of well-being through ten different spheres of life; self-esteem, health, overcoming obstacles in life, number of trusted friends, family, managing daily activities, financial situation, housing, experience of life and ability to develop strengths in life. To get a wider picture, students were also asked to answer three self-evaluation questions after the last session. In these questions, students were asked to evaluate if the ‘Express Yourself!’ training modules had a positive influence on central project goals such as knowing the classmates better and gaining more self-confidence and motivation toward school.
The ‘Express Yourself!’ project received over 1 300 student evaluations. The self-evaluation survey was filled out by 677 students during the first session and 575 students after the last session. The results of the project indicated a positive impact on students’ experienced well-being, particularly in the spheres of life in general, managing daily activities, number of friends and self-esteem. Two of the major influencers were gender and age. The results were positive, especially among male students in the age group 12 to 13. Students in that age group experienced a positive influence on every sphere. The experienced change in well-being declined towards the older age groups.
The main purpose of this thesis was to study how inclusive grouping influences students’ experienced well-being in life. The data were analysed by comparing the change in satisfaction with different spheres in life during the first session and after the last session. The research tool was the 3x10D online self-evaluation survey. The survey measured the current state of well-being through ten different spheres of life; self-esteem, health, overcoming obstacles in life, number of trusted friends, family, managing daily activities, financial situation, housing, experience of life and ability to develop strengths in life. To get a wider picture, students were also asked to answer three self-evaluation questions after the last session. In these questions, students were asked to evaluate if the ‘Express Yourself!’ training modules had a positive influence on central project goals such as knowing the classmates better and gaining more self-confidence and motivation toward school.
The ‘Express Yourself!’ project received over 1 300 student evaluations. The self-evaluation survey was filled out by 677 students during the first session and 575 students after the last session. The results of the project indicated a positive impact on students’ experienced well-being, particularly in the spheres of life in general, managing daily activities, number of friends and self-esteem. Two of the major influencers were gender and age. The results were positive, especially among male students in the age group 12 to 13. Students in that age group experienced a positive influence on every sphere. The experienced change in well-being declined towards the older age groups.