Abstracts - Earli

identity. In this paper we will present some results from the learning logs. These were constructedas a short questionnaire with open-ended answers. The idea was to trigger reports from ourinformants on problems (critical incidents) encountered during their work day. A total of 138 logs(days) were filled out. Our summaries of the logs demonstrate that the work environments that thenovices enter are quite versatile and provide new challenges almost every day. However there arecertain distinct ways of framing the problems and combining different resources when handlingnon-routine tasks. It is concluded from these results that the time scale of learning trajectoriesshould be extended from critical incidents to a more complex social construction of professionalexpertise and identity. For example, in nursing the identification with a medical field of expertisein combination with heavy investments in training and supervision factors contributed to a stronglearning orientation.The negotiations of teachers’ professional identity in the socio-cultural context of workorganizationsKatja Vahasantanen, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandPäivi Hokka, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandAnneli Eteläpelto, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandHelena Rasku-Puttonen, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandKaren Littleton, The Open University Milton Keynes, United KingdomRecent studies within a socio-cultural framework have addressed teachers’ professional identity asthe interplay between self, structure and human agency. However, we need to go beyond theexisting research to gain a more elaborated understanding of the interdependence between workorganizations and teachers’ identity negotiations. This paper focuses on the question of howprofessional identities are negotiated between individuals and work organizations. We analyze anddescribe identity negotiations in two different work organizations: a vocational institution and auniversity department of teacher education. The vocational institution is large with a hierarchicalstructure and there have been under way many reforms. The teacher education department is arelatively large and traditional work community with a sustainable work culture, and there havebeen no dramatic organizational reforms. The empirical data consist of two separate data sets fromthe two organizations. The data were gathered by open-ended interviews focusing on individualteachers’ own experiences. The data were analysed in accordance with various data-drivenqualitative approaches. Our findings demonstrate how different organizations provide spaces andresources for teachers’ professional identity negotiations. Our results show, that teachers are morecommitted to their work organizations if they have enough professional autonomy in theirorganizations. Interaction and relations between the socio-cultural context of work organizationsand teachers’ identity negotiations are discussed in terms of the meaning of professional autonomyand power relations.Post-structural feminist approach in understanding gendered practices in academiaJaana Saarinen, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandThis study addresses on women researchers in academia using the concept of subjectivities derivedfrom post-structural feminist theories. This paper aims to examine gendered practices as theyoccur in research work carried out in academic context. The study focuses on how womanresearchers negotiate and construct their professional subjectivities: What kind of challenges dothey face at different stages of their career, as PhD-students and as post doc -researchers, and whatare their career expectations when they are pursuing academic careers? Theoretical underpinningsof the study consist of post-structural feminist theorising and narrative research approach.– 637 –