A nexus-analytic perspective to German-Finnish education export negotiations

Thesis event information

Date and time of the thesis defence

Place of the thesis defence

Linnanmaa, L10

Topic of the dissertation

A nexus-analytic perspective to German-Finnish education export negotiations

Doctoral candidate

M.A., M. Soc.Sc. Maarit Leskelä

Faculty and unit

University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Humanities, The Research Unit for Languages and Literature

Subject of study

German Language and Culture

Opponent

Docent Sabine Ylönen, University of Jyväskylä

Custos

Docent Leena Kuure, University of Oulu

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Education export negotiations supporting teachers' contribution in digitalising schools

The doctoral dissertation highlights the significance and potential of education export in the development of general education. The study examines what happens when Finnish IT service providers negotiate with Austrian and German teachers about the implementation of digital learning platforms in their schools. The research data reveal how the teachers are able to develop their agency and professional performance in a new situation.

The results indicate that educational export negotiations provide teachers with a fruitful space to strengthen their teacher identity in a changing environment. The study sheds light on the meaning negotiations that strengthen the Austrian and German teachers' potential to participate actively and purposefully in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of learning processes changing with digitalisation. The research opens new perspectives on workplace communication, Finnish-German business communication, and technology-mediated collaboration in the workplace.

Nexus analysis used as a theoretical framework in the study has novelty value in communication research in the German-language context. Nexus analysis is considered a useful approach for analyzing interview and negotiation data because it helps identify and understand complex connections and interactions between different factors. The method enables a versatile and theoretically deep analysis, in which the interpretation of the data is linked to broader societal frameworks.

The research data include interviews and video-recorded negotiations between a Finnish IT company and Austrian or German schools. Furthermore, the researcher's own observations and experiences during school visits and assistant teacher periods have enriched the data. The study provides tools for the negotiations between education export and pedagogical professionals, as well as for developing teacher education.
Last updated: 7.4.2025