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Objectives: The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has developed a method of Change Workshop to promote occupational well-being in organizations. Change Workshop is based on the activity theory and developmental work research methodology. The aim of this study was to analyse the emergence of an expansive learning cycle in the Change Workshop and to ascertain what share interventionists and participants have in the learning process. The second objective was to analyse the developmental cycle of one developmental project called "Annual Clock" during the different phases of the Change Workshop. The Annual Clock was developed as a tool to distribute work load among persons in different Services. Methods: The research data was from a Change Workshop conducted for the Finnish Forest Centre during 2012-2013. The Change Workshop consisted of five sessions each lasting about three hours and which were attended by 12-25 persons and 2-3 interventionists. The Change Workshop sessions were videotaped and audio-recorded. Transcriptions were made from video and audio recordings. There were a total of 1,190 speaking turns. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the transcriptions. Since the first objective of the study was to examine the emergence of an expansive learning cycle (questioning, historical- and actual - empirical analysis, modelling, examination of the new model, implementation of the new model, reflection on the process and consolidating the new practice), so these formed part of the coding. This was supplemented by some additional codes based on the data: non-expansive learning, organizational issue, Change Workshop method and off-topic or non-related issue. Each speaking turn was first analysed to ascertain if it could represent any phase of the expansive learning cycle. If this was the case, a closer analysis was made to decide which phase in the expansive learning cycle. Quite a number of speaking turns were classified into several classes of expansive learning cycle, e.g. including elements of questioning, the prevailing situation, analysing the actual empirical situation and modelling. If the speaking turn did not indicate any traces of expansive learning, it was coded under the other headings: non-expansive learning, organizational issue, Change Workshop method or off topic (non-related) issue, and only in one of these headings. Since one speaking turn could be coded under several subcategories of expansive learning actions, the number of discursive elements was 1,378. In addition, a distinction in coding was made between interventionists and participants (except for the off-topic). For the analysis of the developmental cycle of the Annual Clock, a separate table was constructed by collecting all the speaking turns including the word "Annual Clock" and all such disturbances expressed in which the Annual Clock provided a solution. Results and conclusions: Expansive learning comprised 52% of the discursive elements. The learning process proceeded mainly according to the expansive learning cycle, but some of the learning actions, such as questioning, historical, actual-empirical and modelling, appeared throughout the Change Workshop process. The consolidating phase was not discovered during the Change Workshop, but was discussed in an evaluation meeting of the Change Workshop process two months later. The share of participants in discursive elements was 60% and the share of interventionists 37%. In the expansive learning category, the share of discursive elements by the participants was 81% and the share of interventionist was 19%. The Annual Clock as a germ cell appeared already during the first Change Workshop meeting, but it was mentioned not at all in the assignment for the second Change Workshop meeting, whereas afterwards the Annual Clock was again appearing in the discussions and the development of the idea continued according the expansive learning cycle until the 5th Change Workshop meeting.

Design embraces several disciplines dedicated to the production of artifacts and services. These disciplines are quite independent and only recently has psychological interest focused on them. Nowadays, the psychological theories of design, also called design cognition literature, describe the design process from the information processing viewpoint. These models co-exist with the normative standards of how designs should be crafted. In many places there are concrete discrepancies between these two in a way that resembles the differences between the actual and ideal decision-making. This study aimed to explore the possible difference related to problem decomposition. Decomposition is a standard component of human problem-solving models and is also included in the normative models of design. The idea of decomposition is to focus on a single aspect of the problem at a time. Despite its significance, the nature of decomposition in conceptual design is poorly understood and has only been preliminary investigated. This study addressed the status of decomposition in conceptual design of products using protocol analysis. Previous empirical investigations have argued that there are implicit and explicit decomposition, but have not provided a theoretical basis for these two. Therefore, the current research began by reviewing the problem solving and design literature and then composing a cognitive model of the solution search of conceptual design. The result is a synthetic view which describes recognition and decomposition as the basic schemata for conceptual design. A psychological experiment was conducted to explore decomposition. In the test, sixteen (N=16) senior students of mechanical engineering created concepts for two alternative tasks. The concurrent think-aloud method and protocol analysis were used to study decomposition. The results showed that despite the emphasis on decomposition in the formal education, only few designers (N=3) used decomposition explicitly and spontaneously in the presented tasks, although the designers in general applied a top-down control strategy. Instead, inferring from the use of structured strategies, the designers always relied on implicit decomposition. These results confirm the initial observations found in the literature, but they also suggest that decomposition should be investigated further. In the future, the benefits and possibilities of explicit decomposition should be considered along with the cognitive mechanisms behind decomposition. After that, the current results could be reinterpreted.

This master’s thesis includes two sections: the present summarizing report and the article manuscript. The purpose of the study is to explore the benefits of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based intervention course to university students’ well-being, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The COVID-19 pandemic has decreased university students’ well-being and increased their risk of burnout. The declined state of student well-being calls for measures in exploring ways of promoting student well-being and preventing study-related burnout. The intervention course aimed to increase students’ psychological flexibility and organized studying skills, as means to positively impact their well-being and studying. A total of 189 participated in the study in the spring of 2021. Students’ risk of burnout was measured pre- and post-intervention, to statistically define whether students experienced that the course impacted their risk of burnout. To explore the course benefits in depth, students’ written reflective reports post-intervention were analyzed using abductive content analysis. The results were statistically compared according to the risk of burnout group assigned pre-intervention. The results showed that the intervention course led to a positive change in students' risk of burnout. The content analysis revealed seven main categories of benefits of the course: 1. improved general well-being, 2. improved self-knowledge, 3. increased psychological flexibility, 4. improved study practices and study motivation, 5. increased self-compassion, 6. gained peer-support, and 7. improved organized studying. These benefits were experienced by students regardless of their initial risk of burnout. The study highlights the potential of ACT-based intervention courses in improving the well-being and studying skills of university students, suggesting a need for further research on burnout prevention through such measures. The prospective publication channel for the research article manuscript is Research in Higher Education by Springer.

Objectives. This article-based master’s thesis explores the use of ChatGPT in educational settings. Previous research on human-LLM remains scarce, and most literature addressing the use of GPT in educational settings is theoretical and lacking empirical evidence. The new technological developments, however, urge for a deeper understanding of its novel dynamics for the development of efficient and safe AI-systems. Consequently, our study aims explore the use of a novel guided interaction design for modeling users’ information foraging behavior when navigating GPT-generated content and the role of Computational Thinking Skills in shaping such behavior. Methods. Conducted with nine educational researchers in a doctoral-level AIEd course, our research used editable prompt templates and keywords to structure the prompt crafting process. We modeled and analyzed participants’ interactions with ChatGPT in terms of exploration (to generate and explore various information landscapes) and exploitation (to delve deeper into a specific landscape). Additionally, we conducted the Computational Thinking Scale survey. We employed descriptive statistics to describe participants’ foraging behavior, and network analysis to explore the relationship between foraging behavior and Computational Thinking Skills. Results and conclusions. Our results suggested that Algorithmic Thinking and Creativity might encourage exploitation behavior, leaning more on AI-generated information rather than pre-defined design elements. Furthermore, including participants' interests in the interaction design seemed to foster a shared conceptual space in prompt construction. This approach encouraged the use and combination of diverse interests for content creation, as opposed to relying solely on individuals' interests. Our findings also suggested that exploitation prompts are predominantly driven by GPT-generated content. While this seems to add value to AI-generated content, it raises concerns about potential overreliance, especially in educational settings. The article, entitled ‘Exploring the Use of GPT-4 when Generating Personalized Case Scenarios for Higher Education.’, follows the guidelines of the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education.

Despite that curiosity is beneficial for learning, researchers found that it is declining among adolescents. The aim of this thesis is to identify the prominent environment facilitators for youths’ curiosity from an Ecological perspective that includes both family and school. To further understand the developmental effects, two age cohorts (10-year-old and 15-year-old) were compared. In total, 5482 Finnish students (3034 aged 10, 2448 aged 15) from the OECD Survey on Social-emotional Skills were chosen and their family and school factors related to basic psychological needs were surveyed (autonomy, competence, relatedness). Using Complex Two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling, results demonstrated that (1) parents’ criterion-referenced evaluation, relations with both parents and teachers were associated with youths’ curiosity, whereas autonomy support was not; (2) parents’ criterion-referenced evaluation played the primary role in younger youths’ curiosity, but its effect was much smaller in the elder cohort; and (3) relations with teachers was a vital driving factor for elder youths’ curiosity, though its effect was weaker on the younger. Findings extend the literature by identifying the prominent need-based supporting factors in different age periods for youths’ curiosity facilitation.

This literature review examined tools for addressing overweight and obesity among children in the school environment. The focus was on increasing awareness among teachers and school staff about the negative consequences of these health issues. The model aims to address these issues by establishing comprehensive programs that promote appropriate diet, exercise, and behavioral changes. A systematic literature review was chosen as the method because it was considered the most relevant for answering the research questions. To obtain a complete overview of the subject, a thorough review of various research studies and articles was required. Therefore, a systematic literature review and data analysis were conducted to evaluate the results. All articles are reported and archived within a 20-year timeframe, with material dated between 2005 and 2024. By reviewing 12 articles and statistics from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, the author arrived at conclusions that could be helpful in creating a model for use in schools. The main findings in the research on obesity and overweight among schoolchildren are that these health problems constitute a growing concern, with significant prevalence already at a young age and an increasing trend with advancing age. The studies highlight the need to increase awareness among teachers and school staff about these problems and to develop effective interventions to address them. Additionally, the importance of not only focusing on the problems but also promoting positive mental health and a sense of belongingness among students is emphasized.

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, millaista mediaosaamista luokanopettajat kokevat, että koulu odottaa heiltä perusopetuksen opettajina. Tutkimuksessa tutkittiin opettajan itsenäistä mediaosaamista ja luokanopettajan toimintaa mediapedagogina. Kiinnostukseni tutkimukseen johti minut tarkastelemaan ilmiötä ajankohtaisesta näkökulmasta, sillä opettajien käsitykset myötävaikuttavat heidän opetus- ja ammatillista kehitystään muokkaavaan mediaosaamisen ymmärtämiseen. Opettajien mediataitojen tutkimus on keskeistä koulutusjärjestelmän kehittämisessä, opiskelijoiden mediaosaamisen edistämisessä ja digitaalisen median tärkeiden haasteiden ratkaisemisessa ja johtikin opinnäytetyön kysymykseen. Tutkimusmateriaali on kerätty talvella 2023 haastattelemalla viisi opettajaa. Osallistujavalinnan tekivät osallistujat, joilla oli eri tasoinen kokemus ja osaaminen medialukutaidosta laajemman ymmärryksen saamiseksi. Kolmeen teemaan perustuvat haastattelut olivat avoimia ja joustavia, jotta he pystyivät perehtymään syvällisemmin heidän medialukutaitonsa kokemuksiin. Haastatteluilla kerätyssä aineistossa oli teemoja opettajien omasta mediaosaamisesta ja heidän opetuksensa suhteen. Tämä kirjoitettiin ja organisoitiin. Sen jälkeen aineistoa analysoitiin fenomenografisella, vaiheittain etenevällä lähestymistavalla, jossa tavoitteena oli tunnistaa ja kuvata erilaisia ​​tapoja, joilla luokanopettajat näkevät mediaosaamisensa ja miten heidän käsityksensä liittyvät opetukseen. Tämä edellyttää heidän havaintonsa luokittelua ja ryhmittelyä eri ulottuvuuksiin ja muunnelmiin. Tutkimus tehtiin kvalitatiivisella, fenomenologisella lähestymistavalla. Luokkaopettajien käsitys jaettiin neljään kuvaavaan kategoriaan: jatkuva ammatillinen kehittyminen, tulevaisuus, kriittinen mediaosaaminen ja tiedon arviointi sekä median ja teknologian käytön monimuotoisuus. Tutkimustulosten mukaan luokanopettajien käsitys mediaosaamisensa odotuksista osoittaa mediataitojen jatkuvan kehittämisen ja päivittämisen tarvetta. Lisäksi opettajien mediaosaaminen ja opetuskäytäntö ovat tiiviissä suhteessa. Tietoisena mediaosaamisen odotuksista ja tärkeydestä luokanopettaja voi luoda oppimisympäristön, joka edistää esimerkiksi opiskelijoiden kriittistä media-ajattelua ja tiedon arviointia.

The Finnish language might even feel foreign to many Swedish-speaking people in Ostrobothnia as they seldom get to use their Finnish language skills in daily life. Due to this, it might turn out to be challenging to motivate pupils to learn Finnish in school. In this study I have analysed the problem to see whether there is a recalcitrance against learning Finnish among the Swedish-speaking pupils in Ostrobothnia. Do these pupils find the Finnish language unnecessary in their lives? If so – what are the underlying causes? In what way is this problem handled by the teachers? The main purpose for this study is two-pieced: I want to learn how pupils think about the language teaching they get – are they motivated to learn Finnish in school, and do they have negative attitudes against learning the language? I also want to know what kind of teaching solutions the teachers have for motivating their pupils. Do the teachers recall motivation-loss among the pupils? I have used The Self Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan (2002) and The Expectancy Value Theory by Eccles and Wigfield (2000) as my theoretical background. I have also used some of the extensive research among bilingualism of Slotte-Lüttge and Forsman (2013) in this study.This is a qualitative research and the data is collected through interviews with four Finnish-teachers in both 2005 and 2018 and eight eight-graders in 2019. I have found out what the motivation for learning Finnish looks like amongst pupils in Swedish-speaking schools in Ostrobothnia. And I have also got to learn how the teachers take notice to these aspects in their planning of the language-teaching in the classroom. The Finnish-teachers witness great difficulties with the Finnish language among the pupils as the teachers often are the only representatives of the language. The pupils almost never get to use their Finnish language skills outside of school. There has been a progress in language teaching and the digitalization has resulted in a more versatile language education during the years 2005 and 2019. The pupils expect more opportunities for communicative language skills and there is a great need of authentic Finnish language environments in the Swedish-speaking parts of Ostrobothnia.

Ageing and the old age is often associated with health related problems as dementia, functional problems and social challenges as loneliness. In modern society where the life expectancy has increased also elderly are more active and healthier than they used to be. Therefore it is important to understand the needs of the modern elderly in order to plan more effective social services but also to be able to capture the inner potential that this group of modern old embrace. I have analysed data that the Institution of health and welfare gathered in connection with a project where one of the main objectives was to gain a deeper understanding of what the key elements that build up a good ageing are from the point of view of Pohjanmaa elderly. I have used Erik Allardt's theory of the welfare dimensions: having, loving, being in order to find out which of the dimensions have the most powerful connection to good ageing.The results show that the dimension being has the most powerful connection to good ageing. To increase and obtain being- resources one need to have enough of having- and loving- resources. Further it seems that the more you have of having- and loving resources the more you will have of being- resources which bode in turn more of good ageing. The connection ground between the dimensions is activity.

The future weighs heavily on many youths when it comes to choosing education and career paths. It’s becoming increasingly common for youths to take a gap year to contemplate their future educational opportunities. Parents wield significant influence over their children’s choice of education. Youths whose parents hold highly educated professions tend to gravitate towards academic pursuits. However, parental professions aren’t the sole influencers; their involvement and encouragement also play pivotal roles. The aim of this thesis is to explore the significance of parents’ occupations and leisure interests in youths’ thoughts and plans for the future. The research questions addressed in this thesis are: 1. How do parents’ professions and values manifest in youths’ thoughts regarding education and career choices? 2. What significance do hobbies and leisure interests hold in youths’ considerations of education and career paths? 3. What kind of changes regarding research questions 1 and 2 can be observed between grades 7 and 8? This thesis employs a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews as the method of data collection. Five youths participated in the interviews, which were subjected to content analysis. The results suggest that youths contemplate their future extensively already in grades 7 and 8, with the majority having a career plan in mind. It’s evident that youths tend to consider professions aligned with their parents’ educational backgrounds. For most youths, the idea of turning their hobbies into careers isn’t particularly common, except for two respondents. Economic considerations are a significant part of youths’ thoughts, with varying opinions on the importance of money. They focus on highpaying professions, the cost of quality education, and opportunities to earn money in the short term. Despite having post-middle school plans, they exhibit varying attitudes towards school.