The project seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating these subjects. Drawing on research-based knowledge, the project also aims to find solutions to these challenges at both the curriculum and pedagogical implementation levels.
The project is developing an operational model that enables different worldview education subjects to be taught in a partially integrated manner in primary and lower secondary schools. These subjects include Evangelical Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic, and Islamic religious education, as well as the subject of ethics. The research examines issues related to the content of worldview education, teacher identity, and the competencies required as a result of this change. The study is conducted according to the principles of participatory action research, enabling both the generation of knowledge and the development of practices in authentic educational settings.
The project involves teacher-developers who, during the 2022-2023 school year, planned partially integrated worldview education for primary-level students at the teacher training school. The teachers participated in professional peer-group activities and worked collaboratively with an expert on curriculum development. At the primary level, the new approach has been implemented since the 2023-2024 school year. The development work was continued by lower secondary subject teachers of various religious education curricula and ethics during the 2024-2026 school years, and partially integrated worldview education was introduced in the teacher training schools in autumn 2026.
A key aspect of integrating worldview education subjects is understanding the diverse starting points of teachers in planning, implementing, and assessing instruction. The action-research and practice-oriented approach positions teachers as co-researchers, allowing them, if they wish, to participate in writing project publications.
Within the project, we follow the process of teachers’ professional development, particularly regarding the pedagogical and subject-specific expertise required for the integration of worldview education. The research seeks to describe and understand changes in teachers’ thinking concerning issues related to teaching worldview subjects.
At present, many schools provide partially or fully integrated worldview education, but these implementations often lack a research-based foundation, and there is no comprehensive national overview of local solutions. Internationally, several comparable models exist, and examining these approaches within the Finnish school context is therefore an essential part of the project’s mission. The experience and expertise gained through the ODYSSEUS project will be applicable to a variety of educational contexts across Finland in the future.
Lipiäinen, T., Poulter, S., Kavonius, M., Salonen, L. K., Hallikas, H. K., Damskägg, A. M., Vaahtokari, A., Salmenkivi, E., & Kallioniemi, A. (2024). Osittain yhdistetty katsomusaineiden opetus Helsingin yliopiston harjoittelukouluissa - opetussuunnitelmatyö kehittäjäopettajaryhmässä. Novissima - Helsingin yliopiston harjoittelukoulujen julkaisu. Available:
Lipiäinen, T., Poulter, S., Kavonius, M. & Kallioniemi, A. (2026). Opettajat yhdistettyä katsomusopetusta kehittämässä: professionaalisuuden näkökulmia. In: Suomen ainedidaktisen tutkimusseuran julkaisuja. Ainedidaktisia tutkimuksia. 2026, 29, pp. 230-249.