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The use of virtual reality learning environments is rapidly expanding in various disciplines. However, there are only a few comparative studies in education. This thesis explores the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) and a physical learning environment on students’ learning outcomes and motivation by comparing the virtual reality and the physical learning environment during one day of studies. The participants were fourth-year mechanical engineering bachelor students (N = 14) at a university of applied sciences in Finland. The intervention was implemented as part of the course module, where students learned the structure and the functioning of the harvester head engine, which was part of a logging machine. A quasi-experimental design was set up, and in the morning, one-half of the students started their studies in virtual reality and the other half in the physical learning environment. In the afternoon, student groups switched learning environments. Motivation and learning outcomes were measured by pre-test and post-test questionnaires. Additionally, students’ learning outcomes were measured by completed study tasks during the interventions and by observing. The teacher assessed the data related to learning as grades. The one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to analyse the effectiveness of the learning environments on motivation and learning outcomes. The development of learning outcomes was statistically significant (p < .00) in both learning environments during the morning and the afternoon. No difference was observed between the learning outcomes gained in the two learning environments. There was an interaction (p < .01) between intrinsic motivation and learning environments in the morning. While in the afternoon, intrinsic motivation developed positively (p < .01) in both environments. The results suggest that studying in two different learning environments maintains interest and helps to achieve significant learning outcomes during the one-day studies. When studying began in a physical learning environment, intrinsic motivation developed positively throughout the day.

Aims. On account of the curriculum reform (POPS, 2014) the subject of craft has become more coherent. The reform introduces the term multi-material crafts, which however, is not precisely defined. As research data on the teaching applying multi-material crafts does not excist at large yet, this research concentrates on defining the term based on official commandments and texts addressing them. This model of multi-material crafts is composed of those texts and commandments. The degree of motivation, in turn, is studied by means of various models specialized on teachers’ and students’ motivation. This research aims to examine what multi-material craft is by experiences and how motivational it is considered. The experiences are compared to the composed models. Methods. The data of the reserch was collected via online questionnaires. There were separate ones for teachers and students. The indicators were built for the research. There were teachers participating on the research from five cities (n=13) And students from four cities (n=88). The research data was collected both in quantitative and qualitative method. The quantitative data was analysed based on standard deviation and arithmetical mean. The differencies between the urban and rural area schools were studied with U-test. The qualitative data was analysed with the analysis of the content. Results and conclusions. It was perceived in the results that the experiences of multi-material crafts were distinct between teachers and students as well as different school districts. The main differences between urban and rural area schools were in the increase of self-direction. Teachers’ experiences were more positive than the ones of students’ in nearly all of the sections. The only exceptions were combining the methods of technical and textile crafts and utilising multiple workspaces. The main feature affecting students’ motivation on multi material crafts was atmosphere. The teachers were motivated by their work but the uncertainty of the continuance of the work and the challenges caused by changes possibly diluted their motivation. On ground of the results it can be said that multi-material crafts are taking shape in the schools. The change on its behalf is affecting the motivation.

Aims. Achievement goal orientations have often been studied as rather general individual tendencies to favour certain goals, results and consequences, but they may also demonstrate subject-specificity. Studies taking several academic subjects into account simultaneously, and by utilising a person-oriented approach in particular, are still scarce. Task values (i.e., intrinsic, attainment, utility, cost), in turn, refer specifically to subject-specific beliefs that influence students’ choices and performance. There is a need to understand patterns of subject-specific goal orientations as well as their relations to perceived subject-specific cost and to more general academic well-being better. This study examined upper secondary school students’ subject-specific (mathematics and English) goal orientation profiles and how students with different profiles differ in subject-specific cost (i.e., effort, emotional, and opportunity cost) and academic wellbeing (i.e., schoolwork engagement and school burnout). Methods. Data were collected by questionnaires. Altogether, 434 students from one general upper secondary school in Finland participated in the current study. Preliminary analyses concerning structural validity were conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Regarding motivational profiles, students with similar patterns of achievement goal orientations were identified utilising a person-oriented approach and latent profile analysis (LPA). After establishing groups, analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine group differences. Results and Conclusions. Five distinct goal orientation profiles were identified: mastery-oriented (24,9%), success-oriented (25,8%), English-oriented, math-avoidant (14,3%), indifferent (28,8%), and avoidance-oriented (6,2%). Evidence for both domain-generality and -specificity of goal orientation profiles was found. These profiles differentiated in cost and academic wellbeing. Overall, mastery-oriented showed the most adaptive wellbeing and avoidance-oriented the most maladaptive. Success-oriented group, characterised by high multiple goals, also scored high on cost and both adaptive (i.e., engagement) and maladaptive (i.e., burnout) academic wellbeing indicators. The findings indicate that examining students' multidimensional achievement motivation in different subjects may be valuable for comprehending the motivational dynamics and in recognising the factors endangering and fostering student learning and wellbeing.