8.5.2025
Doctoral thesis on how narratives about school memories can be important in shaping teachers
FM Kristina Mårtenson’s doctoral thesis in Education will be put forth for public defence at The Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies at Åbo Akademi University.
The thesis is entitled Skolminnen och läraridentitet: En studie om identitetsframträdande i lärarstudenters berättelser om egna skolminnen.
The public defence of the doctoral thesis takes place on Friday 16 May 2025 at 12PM. Professor Niclas Månsson, Södertörn University, Sweden, will serve as opponent and Professor Mia Porko-Hudd, Åbo Akademi University, as custos.
Summary
The overall aim of this thesis is to gain an increased understanding of how narratives about school memories can be important in shaping teachers, based on student teachers’ stories about their own school days. The overall questions of the thesis are: What teacher identities emerge in student teachers’ stories about their own school days? How do student teachers present themselves as teachers in the future?
Students’ school memories and previous experiences constitute a central part of their historical reality that follows them through life. These memories can function as an awareness-raising tool to illuminate events from the past, which in turn are put in relation to their current and future understanding. This process can be crucial for developing self-awareness and creating a foundation for the future teaching role. By being open to the world around them, rather than withdrawing inward, students can form a more nuanced image of themselves as future teachers. Michler (1986) emphasizes that stories are central to understanding human experiences. They are carriers of meaning, identity and culture, and through awareness they can create a coherent understanding of themselves and their world. Sørly (2024) believes that it is important to share one’s stories with each other to deepen knowledge and understanding. In the present study, thematic analysis has been used to highlight recurring themes and patterns within the stories in order to understand shared experiences.
Kristina Mårtenson was born in 1954 in Borås, Sweden. She can be reached by phone +46 73 550 0004 or email kristina.martenson@abo.fi.
The doctoral thesis can be read online through the Doria publication archive.