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Adapting Philosophy for Children for Finnish Upper Secondary Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Philosophy, Religious Education, and Culture, Worldviews and Ethics

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Title: Adapting Philosophy for Children for Finnish Upper Secondary Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Philosophy, Religious Education, and Culture, Worldviews and Ethics
Language: English
Authors: Eelis Mikkola (ORCID 0009-0003-7042-7384), Mika Perälä (ORCID 0000-0002-5134-2161), Arto Kallioniemi (ORCID 0000-0002-1581-7617)
Source: British Journal of Religious Education. 2026 48(3):438-452.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Philosophy, Children, Secondary School Students, Comparative Analysis, Religious Education, Culture, World Views, Ethics, Educational Benefits, Program Effectiveness, National Curriculum, Core Curriculum, Curriculum Evaluation, Secondary Education, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Teacher Background, Textbooks, High Stakes Tests, Class Size, Scheduling, Course Content
Geographic Terms: Finland
DOI: 10.1080/01416200.2026.2617913
ISSN: 0141-6200
1740-7931
Abstract: In this paper, we consider the question: to what extent is Philosophy for Children (P4C) a "pedagogically suitable" approach for philosophy, religious education (RE), and its secular alternative, culture, worldviews and ethics (CWE) in Finnish general upper secondary school. We define the suitability of a pedagogical approach as the satisfaction of the necessary conditions for the approach to be implemented effectively within a specific context. To establish these conditions, we utilise recent research on the causal factors affecting the effectiveness of P4C in general. Through an analysis of the National Core Curriculum of 2019 and the institutional context of Finnish upper secondary education, we identify several factors that challenge the classical implementation of P4C. We argue that the identified factors affect different subjects to varying degrees: P4C is most suitable for CWE, moderately suitable for philosophy, and least suitable for RE.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508407
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Adapting Philosophy for Children for Finnish Upper Secondary Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Philosophy, Religious Education, and Culture, Worldviews and Ethics
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eelis+Mikkola%22">Eelis Mikkola</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7042-7384">0009-0003-7042-7384</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mika+Perälä%22">Mika Perälä</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5134-2161">0000-0002-5134-2161</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arto+Kallioniemi%22">Arto Kallioniemi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1581-7617">0000-0002-1581-7617</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Journal+of+Religious+Education%22"><i>British Journal of Religious Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 48(3):438-452.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 15
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophy%22">Philosophy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Analysis%22">Comparative Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Religious+Education%22">Religious Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Culture%22">Culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22World+Views%22">World Views</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Benefits%22">Educational Benefits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Curriculum%22">National Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Core+Curriculum%22">Core Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Evaluation%22">Curriculum Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmentally+Appropriate+Practices%22">Developmentally Appropriate Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Background%22">Teacher Background</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Textbooks%22">Textbooks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+Stakes+Tests%22">High Stakes Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Class+Size%22">Class Size</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scheduling%22">Scheduling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Content%22">Course Content</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Finland%22">Finland</searchLink>
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  Data: In this paper, we consider the question: to what extent is Philosophy for Children (P4C) a "pedagogically suitable" approach for philosophy, religious education (RE), and its secular alternative, culture, worldviews and ethics (CWE) in Finnish general upper secondary school. We define the suitability of a pedagogical approach as the satisfaction of the necessary conditions for the approach to be implemented effectively within a specific context. To establish these conditions, we utilise recent research on the causal factors affecting the effectiveness of P4C in general. Through an analysis of the National Core Curriculum of 2019 and the institutional context of Finnish upper secondary education, we identify several factors that challenge the classical implementation of P4C. We argue that the identified factors affect different subjects to varying degrees: P4C is most suitable for CWE, moderately suitable for philosophy, and least suitable for RE.
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  Data: EJ1508407
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        Value: 10.1080/01416200.2026.2617913
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