Dissertation: Migrant adults’ skills and knowledges should be utilised more in Finnish education

What did you study?

My dissertation is an ethnographic study on the cultural wealth and Finnish language learning of migrant students in adult basic education.

What were the results of your study or what is its main finding?

Migrant students’ cultural wealth, meaning their previously accumulated knowledges and skills, was not always recognised or utilised in adult basic education. Even though the students used Finnish daily at school, they faced challenges when attempting to communicate in Finnish outside of school. Students were often directed towards fast employment, rather than recognising or supporting the individual goals of each student.

How can the results be applied? What new insights did the research contribute to the topic?

Learning Finnish and finding employment should not be the sole responsibility of the individual. Community and empathy are key at providing learners the courage to practice using a language also outside formal education. Adult migrant education should continue to be developed to better recognise and utilise the skills and knowledges that students have accumulated across the lifespan.

FM Sanna Riuttanen’s applied language studies doctoral dissertation Migrant Students’ Cultural Wealth and Language Learning Investment in Finnish Adult Basic Education will be examined on Friday 13.11.2026 in the University of Jyväskylä old assembly hall (S212) starting at 12. Professor Ron Darvin (University of British Columbia) will act as the opponent and professor Johanna Ennser-Kananen (Jyväskylän yliopisto) as the custos. The event will be live streamed at: https://r.jyu.fi/dissertation-riuttanen131126.

Sanna begins the defence by holding the lectio in Finnish, the discussion with the opponent will be in English.

Link to dissertation: https://jyx.jyu.fi/jyx/Record/jyx_123456789_114154