Purpose can be seen as a key promoter in both professional growth and resilience for teachers. As a result, in many countries around the world, the purpose of education and the role of schools as supports for purpose development are growing as important topics of scientific research and educational debate. A conceptual shift is occurring in several countries: the purpose of education is becoming an education for purpose. In this book, researchers around the world examine what a shift toward an education for purpose looks like across several cultures. Teachers around the world should be explicitly educated for competencies that make purposeful and purpose-oriented teaching possible. The goal of teacher education is to educate teachers not only to teach knowledge content, but also to reflect on the purposefulness of their teaching: Why do their lessons and activities matter? What immediate impact and long-term effects do their teaching efforts have on the pupils as well as the communities in which pupils interact?
This chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Education for Teaching.
Kirsi Tirri is a Professor of Education and Research Director at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She is also a Visiting Professor at St. John’s University, USA and University of Tallinn, Estonia. Tirri has been the President of ECHA (European Council for High Ability) for the years 2008–2012, the President of the SIG International Studies at AERA (American Educational Research Association) for the years 2010–2013, and the President of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters for the years 2016–2017.
Seana Moran is Research Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology at Clark University, USA. Her research focuses on how individuals contribute to collaborations, society, culture, and other institutions, as well as how they come to recognize their actions as contributions to a greater good. More specifically, she writes about the intersections of life purpose, morality/ethics, creativity, culture, and wisdom.
Jenni Menon Mariano is Associate Professor of Education at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, USA. She teaches courses in child and adolescent development and learning, moral development and education, classroom assessment, and the psychology of life purpose. Her research examines positive human and community development in multinational contexts. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the Association for Moral Education and reviews for multiple research journals.
