Finnish pre-service teachers’ knowledge about the Indigenous Sámi people

Abstract

Teacher education worldwide faces challenges in preparing prospective teachers for diverse classrooms. Understanding pre-service teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward diversity is crucial for achieving this goal. This article details a study surveying first-year pre-service teachers at a Finnish university to evaluate their knowledge of and attitudes toward the Indigenous Sámi people. A web survey (n = 172) was used to collect the data. The data analysis was conducted using Fisher’s exact test and the Pearson chi-squared test. The findings indicate that although the pre-service teachers had some prior knowledge of the Sámi people, there is a need for culturally responsive education (CRE) that meets the Finnish National Board of Education’s standards for teaching about national cultures. The insights derived from this study offer clear directives for fostering inclusive teacher education practices that address the diverse needs of students from Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds.