A1 Journal article (refereed)
Johtajuuden diskurssit varhaiskasvatuksessa : valta ja vastuu johtajuuden jäsentäjinä (2021)

Fonsén, E., Varpanen, J., Kupila, P., & Liinamaa, T. (2021). Johtajuuden diskurssit varhaiskasvatuksessa : valta ja vastuu johtajuuden jäsentäjinä. Sosiologia, 58(1), 54-69. https://journal.fi/sosiologia/article/view/124587

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Fonsén, Elina; Varpanen, Jan; Kupila, Päivi; Liinamaa, Tarja

Journal or series: Sosiologia

ISSN: 0038-1640

eISSN: 2670-1375

Publication year: 2021

Volume: 58

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 54-69

Publisher: Westermarck-seura

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

Persistent website address: https://journal.fi/sosiologia/article/view/124587

Publication open access: Other way freely accessible online

Publication channel open access: Delayed open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/78205

Abstract

In recent years, several societal and structural changes have transformed Finnish early childhood education. The change in governing body from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to Ministry of Education and Culture as well as new legislation (540/2018) and curricula have positioned early childhood education more firmly as before as part of the educational system instead of social services. At the same time, organisational structures within early childhood education have been rearranged. Financial challenges faced by the municipalities have broadened the responsibilities placed upon the directors of daycare centres and increased interest in practices of distributed leadership. In this study, we analyse the focus group discussions conducted in three Finnish cities 2012, where directors of daycare centres and early childhood educators shared their conception of leadership and the related phenomenon of power. The results reveal that leadership is thought to be in the process of changing. In addition, there are conflicting expectations for leadership in terms of being present and acting in the background. Furthermore, leadership is positioned as enabling good early childhood education but also as actively directing the activities towards the normative and legal guidelines. The power and responsibility inherent in leadership are currently in a state of flux and require clarification Discussions on the core function in defining practices. Similarly, articulations of ti are crucial to how power manifests within the institution of early childhood education.

Keywords: early childhood education and care; day care centres; managers and executives; change; early childhood education and care teachers; leadership (activity); leadership (properties); power (societal objects); discourse

Free keywords: discource; early childhood education; leadership; power

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2021

JUFO rating: 2