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(2012)Goals. From the end of 19th century to the beginning of 20th century it was demanded that a teacher had to be a model citizen, who with his or her own example would mould the youth according to the ideals of the sophisticated. The public authorities defined the attributes of model citizenship as piety, diligence, probity and fidelity. However micro-historical studies have shown that local level definition for a model citizenship was somewhat different from the definition of public level. The purpose of this study is to open up the concept even more with the help of the case of Hulda Salmi, former teacher and an MP. The goal is to solve what it was like for a teacher convicted of mutiny to return back to her former job. The research questions are 1. What did the local community think of Hulda Salmi? Did the Whites accept a former Red? And did the Reds think of her as a traitor? 2. If she did suffer from the opposition, what was the effect on her? What happened to her career as a politician? Methods. As accordingly to the micro-historical method the material was collected from archives by searching "clues", this meaning everything that had some connection with the case, after which they were read carefully and critically. The material used in this study consists of letters and records of the boards of those schools where Salmi had worked, school inspectors' inspection reports, letter and petition diaries, State Criminal Justice documents, Salmi's private correspondence and also newspapers which had published news of the sensation revolving around her. Results and conclusions. After being released from prison, Salmi got a job from Koivisto, where her background was unknown, so no problems with the local community did emerge. But when she applied to work to Nastola, where she was well-known, she faced a strong resistance, for the Whites could not accept a teacher who had lost her fidelity. Still the opposition could not annul the teacher election, for there was no legitimate reason to do so. Even though the children and their parents took Salmi in without much resistance, it seems that the Reds also had some complaints about Salmi, for her career as a politician ended, although Salmi did try to run few times for the parliamentary elections. Salmi's case shows, that even though it was possible for a convicted teacher to come back to work, it was hard or even impossible to continue practicing politics, for teachers were being monitored by the Board of Directors of Schools. That is why the teachers with left wing ideals were afraid to be as active as before. This on the other hand made it harder for them to win the elections. Salmi's case also confirms the discoveries formerly made by Rantala, that the local level was stricter about the model citizenship of teachers than the public level: Salmi got to keep her job, although the local Whites where against it. Also it varied by region which attribute of the model citizenship was emphasized. For example Salmi didn't face the same kind of opposition everywhere she went even when her background was known. The local level was also ready to use or even make up flaws in the teacher's other attributes of model citizenship in order to get rid of an unwanted person. Also Salmi was being accused in Nastola of not having enough probity in her.
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(2018)Objectives. This study aims to examine a class teacher’s work from the teacher’s point of view. The objective is to find out how a teacher’s primary task is perceived by teachers themselves. Another goal is to examine the teachers’ experience on carrying out this primary task, focusing on the factors that have an effect on this. The role of a teacher has lately been a subject of an active debate. Teachers themselves feel their workload is too big and burdensome. Re-examining the primary task can clarify a teacher’s own assessment of their professional role and thus support their everyday work. Analysing the primary task as well as its implementation also provide a better understanding in how to better organize the teaching and how to invest in the teachers’ well-being. Methods. This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The data was collected by performing thematic interviews with five class teachers, each of whom had worked as a teacher for at least 15 years. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed, and finally the data was analysed following the principles of thematic analysis. Results and conclusions. The class teachers perceived the primary task to consist of six segments: following the law, teaching, raising the child together with parents, encouraging self-direction, caring, and developing one’s own professional skills. The class teachers felt they are still able to perform their primary task but were concerned about the future of the profession. Different factors related to the teachers themselves, as well as to interaction, job description, and boundaries of the job were considered to have an effect on the teachers’ ability to perform their primary task. The teacher’s own attitude, work experience, and possibilities to develop professionally and cooperate were seen as reassuring factors. Challenging factors included impractical cooperation with parents, classes growing in size and diversity, and an excessively expanding job description.
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(2009)Workshops can be seen as a one kind of occupational model in the field of the social employing. The objective of social employing is to support the employment of those persons who are in a weak labour market position and to maintain their ability to function. The objectives of the workshops, which are offering work experience and learning of life management, maintain the same goal as social employment. Workshop services in Finland are relatively little scientifically studied in spite of their fairly long history. The workshop as a concept is still quite sparsely defined and also an unknown occupational model to the large part of people. The starting point for this study was to clarify what the workshops are like, what the services are like and how learning can be seen from the point of view of the workshop services. The objective of this study was to analyse how the apprentices experience the workshop services as well as learning in the workshops and thus describe how the workshops are shaped at the youth workshops. According to earlier studies the apprentices have experienced the workshops as useful periods in their lives and also they believe that other people in society appreciate the experience that apprentices have been received from the workshops. This study can be described as a qualitative study. Its methodological foundation is in phenomenology and especially in existential phenomenology. The research material consisted of seven individual interviews and two group interviews. In the group interviews five apprentices were those who had also participated in the individual interviews and one apprentice who did not participate. The interviewees' ages were between 17-22 years. The interviews were carried out as semi-structured interviews. The method which was utilised in the analysis of the research material is developed by Juha Perttula (2000). This analyse method is based on existential phenomenology. The apprentices considered that significant experiences in the workshop services were the entry to the workshop, the form of activity of the workshop, workshop community, the achieving of life management and work experience, the understanding of the significance of the education and the planning of the future. Regarding to learning the attitude, on-the-job learning, the importance of the mentors, the new information and new skills achieved were significant experiences at the workshop for the apprentices. The apprentices' experiences reflect well the achievement of the objectives which are set for the workshop services. Results of this study are also compatible to the results of earlier studies of apprentices' positive experience of the workshop services. The results can be utilised in developing the workshop services to offer more versatile experiences than before and to improve learning conditions on the workshops. The arranging of the on-the-job learning and the significance of the actions of mentors should also be noticed.
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(2016)In this study aims to clarify student teacher efficacy beliefs for teaching visual arts in elementary school. This study provides information about what kind efficacy experiences student teachers have in teaching visual arts, what kind of background factors student teachers believe to be context on their efficacy beliefs, what kind of emphasis studies about the visual arts didactics receive in background factors of these self-efficacy experiences. Previous studies show that the self-efficacy experiences regard to the visual arts are quit divergent among teachers and students. Student teachers self-efficacy experiences in visual arts, had studied earlier for, example Ann Welch (1995) and Lummis, Morris & Paolini (2014). Also Albert Bandura (1997) has divided, on his theory of self-efficacy, the efficacy determinants into four categories of information. The study was conducted at the University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education in the spring of 2016. The data was collected by interviewing five student teachers, who had completed the course of the visual arts didactics and in addition to the two of them is also studied optional visual arts course. The study was conducted qualitative study and phenomenographic research method. The data was analyzed by categorizing. The results show that students have a little bit uncertain experience about their efficacy and competency regarding the teaching of the visual arts in elementary school context. These efficacy experiences can be divided into both positive and slightly negative beliefs. However, all five felt that in the future they will be able to teach the visual arts as part of their future work. Although at the same time they felt that it is not their strongest subject that they will teach in the future. The biggest uncertainty ranges were up artistic skills as well as management of a practical teaching arrangements. However, at the same time for all responses reflected the idea that the teacher does not have to be ready when he/she completed his/hers studies. Student teachers believes that in the background of their efficacy beliefs are many different factors. These background factors of the sources of efficacy believes, can be divided into both positive and slightly negative. Both of the above-mentioned category includes the individual's which is has been a great role in individual's life. The positive experiences to support student teachers own teaching been obtained from past experience: own school experiences and teaching experiences. Also the courses of visual art didactics were considered to provide the capacity for teaching visual arts. The negative affect to the efficacy believes were experiences the beginning of the comparison and evaluation, which has led to the increasing self-criticism.
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(2021)Objectives. This master’s thesis was inspired on one hand by the current climate advocacy of children, and on the other by the persuasive possibilities of written texts (Anderson, 2008, 271; Wollman-Bonilla, 2004, 520). The aim of this piece of research was to investigate climate discourses and genre conventions in persuasive letters or “climate letters” written by primary school pupils. In addition, the aim was to specify and analyse which linguistic means were utilized to produce these climate discourses. This study increases knowledge of the meanings children attribute to climate change. Methods. The data for this study was collected from five primary school classes in four different schools. The students were in grades 3 to 6. The original data consisted of 54 letters. However, five letters which made up one of the classes participating in the study had to be disqualified. The conclusive data consisted of 49 climate letters from four different classes. The letters were analysed qualitatively utilizing discourse analysis and terminology within genre studies. Linguistic analysis, in this case the study of evaluations and modality, was used to support the discourse analysis. Findings and conclusions. The pupils’ climate letters utilized similar genre conventions which are natural to persuasive letters. These genre conventions are described using the term family resemblance. The letters have a similar schematic structure consisting of a greeting, a sequence containing opinions, arguments and suggestions, and a closing. By use of discourse analysis, six climate discourses were uncovered: a discourse about people-driven climate change, a denialist discourse, a conservation discourse, an animal rights discourse, a discourse of a sense of threat and a discourse of climate action. The discourses were produced using evaluations and modality. The evaluations varied. They were used to strengthen the affective quality of the letters and they proved to be an integral means of producing meanings about climate change. Out of the types of modality, dynamic modality was the most commonly used. In addition, illustrations were used to produce meanings about climate change. This study endeavours to offer more understanding about the meanings children develop about climate change so that the efforts to mitigate global warming would be more inclusive to the voices of the generation that will likely suffer most from the climate crisis.
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(2016)Aims. This particular case study focuses on teachers who write lifestyle blogs. The aim is to discover, analyse and interpret how lifestyle-blogging teachers see their teachership in relation to their private life and how they experience the potential influence of lifestyle-blogging on their teachership. The aim is also to examine how, why and where teacher-bloggers draw the line of privacy in their blog posts and whether drawing the line is influenced by their teachership. The previous study of blogging and teachership is focused on how blogs can be utilised as a tool in teaching. This case study aims to bring a new point of view to the study of social media and teachership. Methods. Five teacher-bloggers who write public lifestyle-blogs were interviewed for this study. A survey was used to collect basic information on teacher-bloggers and their blogs and to get an understanding of their views regarding teachership and blogging. The results of the survey were used to create the form for the focused interview. The individual interviews were made either face-to-face or with Skype. The interviews were transcribed. After that, 14 titles were created to help the analysing process. The study material (transcribed interviews) was analysed in accordance with the principles of data driven content analysis. First the material was categorized and then combined into minor and, if possible, major categories. The unit of analysis was a thought or an idea. Findings and conclusions. In the discourse of the teacher-bloggers was highlighted the teachers' right to privacy and private life. Public blogging was justified through a common belief in the right to use one's private time however one might want to. To successfully combine blogging and teachership required drawing a strict line between work and private time. Teachers didn't want to process their work on the blog, which is a part of their private life. By leaving the teachership and everything that it includes outside of the blog teachers protect their teacherships and school communities. To present an authentic representation of one's self on the blog seems to be more of an aim than an achievable goal. Bloggers inevitably brand themselves by the material they decide to publish in their blogs and what they choose to omit.
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(2022)Bullying and conflicts between peers have been a topic of discussion and research for years. Although a lot of attention is paid to bullying in particular in our society, and measures to prevent it are constantly being developed, it still occurs in many schools. Research has shown that bullying is a multi-faceted phenomenon that is influenced by a variety of risk factors at the individual, class and school levels. It’s important to address conflicts and bullying immediately and by adequate means. Sometimes, however the situations escalate and especially then they can threaten both the well-being of the individuals involved as well as the school community. Aseman Lapset provides support for schools in resolving challenging and prolonged bullying and conflict cases in the form of K-0 project. The purpose of this study is to examine bullying and conflicts in the school context from the viewpoint of K-0 employees and to find out what kind of factors may influence the prolongation of these cases. This study was conducted as a qualitative study with phenomenological-hermeneutic features. Thematic interviews were used to collect the data. The interviews were conducted in the autumn of 2021, and a total of nine (N=9) K-0 employees participated in three group interviews. The data was transcribed and then analyzed using data-driven content analysis. The themes that were described by the interviewees in this study were related to school culture, students and their families, and more broadly to society in general. These included school climate and anti-bullying/conflict practices, peer relationships, individual needs of the students, strong emotional responses of the parents involved, and the availability of community support services. Especially school culture and its different aspects were emphasized in the interviews.
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(2015)Aims. The aim of this research is to find out what adults who are interested in their salt intake think of diet modifying, food choice and groceries with lowered salt-content. While food choice is a popular subject in the area of home economics science, salt as the criterion of food choice has not been looked into before. This research focuses on the reasons that get respondents to reduce their daily intake of salt. Also the actions and means to reduce the salt intake are under examination. Respondents' opinions of and wishes for the salt concentrations of food-items and the actions of grocery stores and food industry are also studied. Methods. The data for this qualitative research were collected by semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were selected discretionarily because it was important for them to be interested in and have experience of the phenomenon that is in the center of this research. Eleven interviews were done all in all. Three of the interviewees were male and eight were female. In addition to the interviews, the interviewees did a practical assignment. In this assignment they were asked to arrange some groceries in line by their salt concentration. The data were analyzed inductively by using qualitative content analysis. After transcription of the data the main themes were simplified and grouped. In grouping the focus was rather in the similarities than in the differences of the themes. Results and conclusions. The results imply that people first comply with a low salt diet because of their health. There were many different health reasons, such as pregnancy, high blood pressure in a test, or trait that runs in the family. Often the decision to reduce salt in everyday diet was made together with a health professional. People got help in reducing salt in their food choices. Some were actively looking for more information by googling or reading health magazines. Reducing salt intake was not too hard by the experience of the respondents. Most challenging in it was to find products with lowered salt-content. People hoped for the food industry to reduce salt in groceries. Salt and the health problems it causes would need more coverage in the media to raise people's awareness. In addition to that, grocery stores and food industry would need to take some crucial steps, if the aim is to lower the daily intake of salt of Finns into the level of nutrition recommendations.
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(2015)The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the notions and experiences ageing employees have about the development of expertise as well as collaboration with fellow experts. The research questions were firstly, how does expertise develop, secondly, for what purposes are shared expertise and networking used at work, and thirdly, how do ageing and experience manifest themselves at expert work? This topic is relevant, because the changes in information work and the more complicated work environments require development from employees in their own as well as in cooperative work. According to previous studies a shared, aim-specific course of action develops collective acquisition of information, which in turn results in growing collective expertise. However, ageing has not been sufficiently recognised or profited from in the previous studies about the development of expertise. This provides a motive for this study. The theoretical framework of the study focuses on examining the development of shared expertise from the viewpoint of building information by combining cognitive, unshared expertise and the kind of expertise that arises from sociocultural theory. The data were gathered through thematic interviews with ten employees between 50 and 64 years of age. With the help of content analysis the answers were divided into three categories: the development of expertise, cooperation and networking, and age and experience at expert work. In addition to these, the theme of changes in expertise arose from the data. In accordance with theoretical framework, the results highlighted the fact that expertise was not seen merely as an unshared characteristic, but instead its development required interaction with others. Usually this development coincided with a change that caused a push forward. Aim-specific actorship, networking, and the sharing of skill and information helped the experts to reach better results. Expertise was seen as something developing through age and experience, but varying ages proved to be an advantage when different strengths and experiences could be profited from as a part of shared expertise. As a conclusion it is advisable to support, share, and make use of the skills and knowledge of people of varying ages more than before in order to develop shared expertise.
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(2018)The professional development of nursing students takes place by integrating theoretical and practical knowledge in clinical practice. The clinical practice covers approximately half of nursing studies. Studies concerning clinical practice supervision have pointed out that contemporary supervision is not done the optimal way when it comes to certain supervision factors like supervisory resources or supervisory competence. These problems can be difficult to solve, if it is not understood how the supersivison works as a whole and which different factors finally affect the appearance of it. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical practice supervision in nursing context, and with a systemic approach (Bertalanffy 1968) increase the understanding of the supervisory factors and their mutual relations that affect the appearance of the supervision. The aim was to produce knowledge especially about supervision as a systemic whole, and which factors challenge the quality of supervision. The theoretical framework of this study was built around the supervision theory focusing on nursing context. In addition, the systemic approach that was applied in this study was presented in the theoretical framework. This study is an empirical qualitative study. The data was acquired by three group theme interviews and questionnaires (N=13) from nurse students’ supervisors from different health care units. Content analysis was used as the method for the analysis, and the material was examined as a whole in order to reach the unseen dynamics that were delineated between the divisions of the supervision. A systemic model of supervision (The Dynamic Model of Supervision) was created as a result of this research in order to locate those factors and relations of the factors that affect the appearance of supervision. The model examines the supervision more holistically than earlier research, so that it does not merely examine single factors that affect the supervision, but also the dynamic relation of those factors. Use of the model gives a more realistic picture of the complex and systemic nature of supervision. The model offers a new point of view to develop the supervision, because with the help of the model it is possible to reach the actual reasons that lie behind single supervision factors. Although this study concentrated in the nursing context, the knowledge it offers can be used to understand practical training supervision as a phenomenon also in general level.
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(2015)Aim: People with severe and profound intellectual disabilities communicate with early communication skills through their life. It is difficult for them to interact with other people in their daily life and that is why they usually end up on the edge of interaction. Usually people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities communicate mainly with staff members. Staff members' abilities and time determine how the interaction will work between the communication partners. The purpose of this study was to find out how the HYP model, developed for supporting interaction, works. The aim was also to find out which are the benefits of the use of HYP model and opportunities for the staff members to support the interactions between them and persons with intellectual disabilities by using the HYP model. The aim of this study is also to produce information that people with intellectual disabilities would get more opportunities for interaction. Methods: This research data were collected in the Communication and Technology Center of the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Tikoteekki). The data were collected during autumn 2013 and spring 2014 in three different Finnish units where the first trials of the HYP model were accomplished. Participants of this study were staff members and clients. Staff members were altogether 48, 2 to 7 per client. They were, for example, teachers and school assistants. The clients were people with intellectual disabilities and people with autism. The data consisted of different HYP forms, which the staff members had filled in during the HYP periods. These data were analyzed using the Grounded Theory methodology. Results and conclusions: The core category from the data forms through Grounded Theory methodology to be reciprocal interaction. The main categories were cooperation, presence, contact and initiative. The core category collected the whole data and all the different categories together. It was, for example something what the staff members tried to reach during the HYP interaction or it was a wish to achieve with their clients. By using the HYP model the staff members got to know their clients' different interaction styles better. Because of these elements reciprocal interaction was easier to be accomplished during the HYP moments.
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(2007)Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of high-quality university teaching among the teachers of the University of Helsinki. Furthermore, the relation of university pedagogical training to development of teaching was analyzed. This study introduces a new perspective to the research of quality of university teaching by considering quality from the teaching development perspective. The individual level examination was done from teacher's perspective. The development of high-quality university teaching was approached through three factors of teaching development defined by Biggs (2003). These factors are 1) the level of thinking about teaching on which the teaching development is based on (can also be called the quality model), 2) the methods for and 3) the impediments to teaching development. The research of Trigwell and Prosser (1996), Lindblom-Ylänne, Nevgi and Postareff (2004) and Postareff, Lindblom-Ylänne and Nevgi (2007) and the ideas of Ramsden (1992) have been central sources to this study. Methods. This study was a survey study. The data was collected with an electronic questionnaire in the spring of 2007. The sample consisted of 655 person of which some had and some had not university pedagogical training. Total of 251 answered the study. The data was mainly analyzed with SPSS statistical programme. Item analysis, principal component analysis, nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, correlation and crosstabulation were the methods used to analyze the data. Results and conclusions. According to the results it seems that the teachers of the University of Helsinki have good basis for developing high-quality university teaching. The 3rd level of thinking about teaching, which emphasizes student-centred features, could be identified on majority of the teachers. The use of teaching development methods was comprehensive. Most frequently used methods were related to the enhancement of content knowledge. In general the impediments to teaching development were not considered to be very significant. The most significant impediments were the factors related to lack of appreciation of teaching and factors related to lack of time meant for the planning and developing of teaching. Differences were found according to sex, teaching experience, degree, position and faculty. This study also showed that university pedagogical training seems to have a positive relation to the development of high-quality university teaching among the teachers of University of Helsinki. According to the results when the amount of teachers' university pedagogical training increased, the 3rd level of thinking about teaching could be identified more often. Teachers also used more often teaching development methods related to cooperation and active participation and enhancement of pedagogical skills. Furthermore, they considered the factors related to lack of pedagogical skills and motivation to be lesser impediments to teaching development.
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(2020)Tiedekunta - Fakultet - Faculty Educational Sciences Laitos - Institution - Department Teacher Education Tekijä - Författare - Author Virpi Jern Työn nimi - Arbetets titel Title Qualitative attitude study of PE teachers gender awareness Oppiaine - Läroämne - Subject Educational Sciences Työn laji/ Ohjaaja - Arbetets art/Handledare - Level/Instructor Master’s Thesis / Liisa Tainio Aika - Datum - Month and year 06/2020 Sivumäärä - Sidoantal - Number of pages 104 pp.+ 1 appendices Tiivistelmä - Referat – Abstract Aim In 2015 in Finland was released new equality law. First time in the history of the legislation of a gender equality discrimination based on gender identity and/or expression of sex was mentioned in the law. The changes in law were also considered in the national curriculum of comprehensive school (POPS 2014) and upper secondary school (LOPS 2015). Despite that fact both gender and sexual minorities experience discrimination at school environment even now (Lehto 2010; Kankkunen, Harinen, Nivala & Tapio 2010). Especially bad situation has revealed in PE lessons where reproduction of heteronormativity is according to previous research no exception (Berg & Lahelma 2010; Huotari, Törmä & Tuokkolan 2011; Alanko 2014; Kokkonen 2017). According to Syrjäläinen and Kujala (2010) situation is mainly caused by a result of gender neutrality of teacher education and lacking knowledge of gender awareness. For those reasons mentioned above, this study examines mainly gender awareness of Finnish PE teachers, but also PE teachers attitudes towards gender and sexual diversity. Method This study is a feminist educational research. The data was collected by interviewing eight qualified PE teachers. The teachers took a stand on 25 claims acceded to the research theme. The data was analyzed by using discourse analysis. A discourse analysis was con-ducted, based on the interviewer’s questions and comments and the interviewees’ responses and possible counter-questions. Particular interest was directed towards linguistic regularities relating to norms and ideas about gender and sexuality. Results As a result of the study it was revealed that PE teachers’ knowledge and percep-tions of gender and sexual diversity were updated. PE teachers’ attitudes towards gender and sexual minorities were highly positive. Teachers also appreciated and valued equality as a desirable status. A discourse analysis was conducted that PE teacher speech mainly took into account the diversity but in some interviewees’, responses were interpreted as heter-onormative. PE teachers gender awareness in this study was better to prior research but full equality of students has not been achieved yet. in PE lessons. Therefore, teacher training should include more opportunities to discuss about the strategies and practices to take the diversity better account in teaching PE. Avainsanat - Nyckelord Keywords Physical Education, gender awareness, gender diversity, sexual diversity, Säilytyspaikka - Förvaringsställe - Where deposited City Centre Campus Library, Helda/E-thesis Muita tietoja - Övriga uppgifter - Additional information
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(2015)The interest in the use of games in education is increasing and game-based learning is seen as an effective way to teach knowledge and skills and to motivate students. Nowadays, the amount of games designed especially for teaching and learning purposes, the learning games, is growing and research on the impact of their use is increasing. However, the existing research data on the use of learning games is still inadequate and a pedagogical model for their use has not yet been developed. This study aims to give an overview of the research on learning games and show gaps in the research field. Furthermore, it focuses on the pedagogical use of the learning games. The research method used was qualitative meta-analysis, which allowed both the qualitative as well as quantitative studies to be synthesized. A systematic model was used to collect the research data. Prior to the data collection, key words and databases were defined. Moreover, the articles had to meet predefined inclusion criteria. Finally, the research data consisted of 35 empirical studies on learning games, which were published between 1998 and 2013 and examined the use of learning games of students under 18 years old. A special coding matrix was developed in order to code both quantitative and qualitative information. At the synthesizing stage, the coded information was grouped and compared. Based on the results of this study, the learning game research focuses on the use of learning games of over seven year old students. The studies, especially, concentrated in mathematics and were mostly single teaching experiments. From the pedagogical point of view, teacher's role was highly important when integrating learning games into teaching. Moreover, evidence supporting the use of learning games in small groups was found to enhance learning and joint knowledge creation. The pedagogical models of learning games found in the research data were often ambiguous. Thus, in the future, the research of learning games should pay more attention to the underlying pedagogical models of learning games. In addition, it should focus more on developing a pedagogical model where playing the game is merely part of the greater teaching process.
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(2016)Usability testing is a widely used technique to evaluate web site usability. Roughly divided usability testing can be conducted in laboratory or remotely by a moderated synchronous test or by an unmoderated asynchronous test. There has been comparative research of the methods, but so far it hasn't provided yet all the answers. Therefore, this Master's thesis sought to find whether there are qualitative differences in the usability problems identified by the methods or whether the type of the web site affects the results of the usability testing method. In the research three different public web sites were tested: an online store, an authority web site and an online newspaper. These were tested with 39 test users divided in three conditions: laboratory testing, synchronous testing and asynchronous testing. Users also evaluated the web sites and the experienced workload in each condition. It was found that evaluating these web sites majority of the most severe usability problems were found with all of the usability testing methods, and each method revealed also unique usability problems that were not identified by other methods. The laboratory tests revealed more usability problems than others, especially related to navigation, body text, information architecture and interaction design. Also minor usability issues were identified the best with laboratory testing. On the other hand, the synchronous usability tests combine features of the laboratory and remote tests resulting in missing less usability problems that would have been found with other methods. These proved also good for finding usability problems concerning links and buttons, body text and information architecture and design. Asynchronous tests took less time and scored a little better in finding usability issues related to technical implementation. The results showed that moderated methods are more suitable for evaluating texts or the structure of the web site. These methods are potentially better for the earlier stages of the design process, but they were also more effective for finding less severe usability issues. On the other hand, the asynchronous method might be suitable when there are certain issues that need to be validated, when there's a need to review main problems quickly or the web site needs to be tested once more before the release.
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(2020)The purpose of the study is to find out how quality improvement is reflected in the leadership work of early childhood education and basic education. The study will also examine the key challenges for quality improvement in early childhood education and basic education. There were two research questions: (1) How do leaders describe quality improvement of early childhood education and basic education in their work? (2) What challenges are faced by leaders in quality improvement in early childhood education and basic education? The aim of the study is to produce information on how leadership in the field of education should be developed. The aim is also to produce information on how to develop high-quality early childhood education and basic education. Previous studies show that leadership can be used to support high-quality early childhood education and basic education. Previous studies also show that leaders in the field of education experience challenges in their work, which is why it is important to support leadership. The research material has been produced in the EduLeaders project, which aims to develop leadership studies in the field of education. The material of the study consisted of group interviews with the heads of day care centres and the principals, and there were a total of nine group interviews. The study extract was based on a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach and the material was analysed through data-based content analysis and theming. The results of the study showed that quality improvement was similar in the leadership work of early childhood education and basic education. According to the experiences of early childhood education and basic education managers, the challenges for quality development were also similar, although there were also differences in the challenges. The research resulted in the meaning structures describing the quality improvement and the challenges of quality improvement. The results of the research showed that quality development is a joint process of the organisation's experts. Quality improvement is carried out in cooperation with different parties, but more effective cooperation models should be developed. According to the study, management studies in the field of education should be developed and more effective management structures should be built for early childhood education. In addition, more systematic evaluation should be developed in both early childhood education and basic education.
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(2019)In this research I examined in what way the transversal competence areas included in the core curriculum are compatible with the education arranged by the activity areas. While the core curriculum is being renewed to suit the changing world, the role of the education arranged by the activity areas has remained the same for decades. There are, however, similarities between the transversal learning and the education arranged by the activity areas. They both aim at supporting comprehensive growth and development and neither of them functions inside the limits of separate subjects. The aim of transversal competence learning is the pupils´ growth as personalities and citizens in such a way that they recognize their own strengths while education arranged by the activity areas helps them to act independently in their lives. My material consisted of 22 interviews of teachers who taught by the activity areas. The interviews were collected during the spring of 2018 in four cities in different parts of Finland. I analysed the material utilizing analysis based on thematic networks. I executed my study as a qualitative research. The results showed that it is possible to make use of the ideas of transversal competence learning in a versatile way in education arranged by the activity areas. Multiliteracy, ICT competence, working life competence and entrepreneurship were emphasized in the material because in these areas of learning there seemed to be an obvious contradiction as to their suitability to education by the activity areas. In the light of the definition of the core curriculum and the results of research, these three areas of learning can be made use of in education arranged by the activity areas. Documenting the suitable methods in the core curriculum would be important as well as teachers´ further education. I noticed that teachers experienced the contents of transversal competence learning and learning by activity areas being alike. In teachers´ opinion taking care of oneself, managing daily life, interaction and expressing oneself are the most important areas of transversal learning. Teachers also presented integration and inclusion solutions they used in transversal education. In addition to this they talked about participation and its realization in the framework of transversal. competence. They also expressed doubts as to the possibilities of transversal competences and their appropriability.
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(2020)The aim of this article-type master's thesis was to examine the stress, coping, and metacognitive perspectives of special education teachers working in primary school during the remote teaching and learning period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to examine what kind of stress and coping experiences the teachers had during the remote learning period, as well as what kind of mindset the teachers had when facing the workload. In addition, the dissertation examined the connection between teachers' ways of thinking and experiencing the intensity of workload. Experiences were examined using the Coping-Competence-Context (3C)-model. The data of the study was collected by thematic interviews with special education teachers (n = 11) working in different parts of Finland. Teachers were working in primary schools during the remote teaching and learning period. In these interviews conducted remotely, respondents were asked to describe their experiences of workload, recovery from work, and mindset and attitudes towards work. The data were analyzed using theoretical content analysis. Qualitative analysis program ATLAS.ti version 8 was used to organize the data. The workload experienced by special education teachers was mainly emotional, and often related to daily work changes. The coping strategies were used in a variety of ways, and their use was increased and new means were introduced during the remote learning period. The part of the 3C model focusing on recovery received support from teachers’ experiences, suggesting that teacher workload and recovery are directly related. The link between metacognitive perspectives and intensity of the workload was only partially supported: two teachers who had a stress-is-debilitating mindset experienced a higher-than-average workload. Instead, nine teachers who had a stress-is-enhancing mindset experienced both light and intense workload. The article ”Laaja-alaisten erityisopettajien työn kuormitus ja palautuminen sekä ajattelutavat COVID-19-pandemian aiheuttaman etäopetusjakson aikana: kokemusten tarkastelua Coping-Competence-Context-mallin avulla” is to be published in the NMI Bulletin.
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(2021)Objective of the study. The objective of the study was to research students learning experiences in mindfulness. I studied the experiences of students in the Faculty of Medicine about learning and the structuring of learning in the context of the mindfulness skills course. My perspective was intrapersonal and individual. There is little research data on the learning process of mindfulness because the mainstream of the study has concentrated on the clinical purposes of use and effects of mindfulness skills. I studied learning experiences using three questions: How do students describe conscious orientation of attention and selfaccepting perception (learning mindfulness)? How do students describe the effects / consequences of learning mindfulness for themselves? What meanings do students give to mindfulness learning? Methods. The research material was collected as part of the mindfulness and well-being course 2020. Participants in the Faculty of Medicine course practiced mindfulness skills during the course and returned learning diaries and a learning reports as part of the course. Among those who issued research permits, seven students (N = 7) were randomly selected in proportion to the population in the field of medicine and two students in psychology. The analysis of the learning diaries and the report was carried out with the help of theory-guided content analysis. The analysis identifies the impact of previous theoretical knowledge and research. Results and conclusions. Students described the objects, body, emotions, and thinking of directing attention on a general level. An accepting attitude towards self and practice was the most prominent attitude in the trainings of mindfulness skills although neutral, negative, judgmental, and ambivalent attitudes were seen. Students had very varied experiences of the effects and consequences of learning mindfulness. The effects were concrete changes in the operation or the control of the feelings and thinking. The effects of the learning process showed mindfulness as balancing experiences and a stress reliever. Insights and the development of self-confidence emerged, but anxiety and prejudice were also seen. Mindfulness was perceived as a meaningful stress management tool, a professional tool, an enabler of a conscious lifestyle and self-education. The progress of learning as a process was reflected in the results
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(2015)Objectives: Although doctoral students are a highly select group, previous national and international studies have shown that they experience many challenges during the process of completing a doctorate. These challenges can relate to well-being and many students never finish their degree. The purpose of this study was to discover the kinds of well-being experiences medical sciences doctoral students have. Previous research on Finnish doctoral education has investigated doctoral students' well-being via the sense of competence, belonging, autonomy (Ryan & Deci, 1985) , and contribution (Eccles, 2008). In this study, medical sciences doctoral students' experiences were explored via these four senses, in the context of eudaemonic well-being and positive psychology. In this study, doctoral students' well-being experiences were understood to develop in the dynamic interplay between their primary context of work and learning. The aim of this study was to investigate what kind of well-being experiences medical sciences doctoral students have and how those experiences appear in their primary context of working and learning as part of a scholarly community. This study is part of a larger national research project on doctoral education in Finland (Pyhältö et al., 2009). Methods: The data were collected between 2007–2008 with semi-structured interviews. The participants were seven female medical sciences doctoral students. One interview was dropped during the analysis process. All participants were conducting their doctorates at a research intensive university in Finland. The interviews underwent qualitative content analysis, in which the theory approach and inductive approach were combined. At the beginning of the first analysis phase, well-being experiences and their context were inspected by the variable-oriented technique. Next, the analysis focused on the person-oriented technique. Results and conclusions: The results suggested that the participants often emphasized a sense of competence and belonging. Doctoral students' experiences sometimes appeared in the sense of autonomy, but only seldom the sense of contribution. Well-being experiences were often related to research activities or interplay with members of a scholarly community, but only seldom to doctoral studies or financial resources. Person-oriented technique results suggested that well-being experiences varied between doctoral students. Some of them described many, while some only mentioned a few well-being experiences. Experiences were also emphasized differently. The findings reveal that it was relevant to investigate medical sciences doctoral students from the perspective of eudaemonia and positive psychology via the senses of competence, belonging, autonomy, and contribution. The results can be applied to the development of doctoral education and to develop methods to support doctoral students' well-being.
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