Moving in, moving through, and moving throughout: reflecting on second-generation Somali youths’ experiences of the Finnish education system using Schlossberg’s transition theory

Abstract

Finland is cited as having one of the best universal education systems in the world. During a student’s time in the Finnish education system, they will go through multiple transitions. A transition here is defined as the passage from one educational phase to the next, where one’s previous educational performance and school choice determines their future career trajectories.

Immigrant origin students are widely said to struggle during transitions compared to their native peers. The purpose of this qualitative study is to use thematic analysis to understand the experiences of second-generation Somali participants as they navigated their school transitions, as well as the key factors that impact these transitions. Using Schlossberg’s transition theory as a lens, I aim to retroactively examine four prominent themes in relation to participants’ transitional experience: situation, self, support and strategies. Through these themes, I explore how participants move in, move through and move out of their educational transition.