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The aim of the present study was to examine changes in pupils' performance in the cross-curricular learning-to-learn (LTL) assessment during the follow-up period between the sixth and ninth grade in 2013-2016. Furthermore, the aim was to examine how other variables explain the ninth-graders' assessed task-performance. According to Finnish LTL research tradition the learning-to-learn skills were defined as cognitive competences and learning-related attitudes. The present study's data is a part of longitudinal data drawn from a nine-year LTL study in Helsinki in 2007-2016, conducted by the Centre for Educational Assessment at the University of Helsinki. The aim of the study was to examine how pupils' (N = 952) cognitive competences, learning-related self-concepts and motivational beliefs developed during the lower secondary school. Additionally, the differences between sexes and also between three groups based on pupils' GPA were examined. The data was analyzed statistically: the comparisons were made by traditional methods and the path modelling was used to examine the other variables' effects on the ninth graders' task-performance. The study showed that during the lower secondary school the pupils improved their task-performance in LTL assessment 5 percentage units, on average. The effect size (Cohen d) of the improvement for the whole sample in all assessed cognitive tasks was 0.33. The development of the reasoning skills varied a bit according to the sixth grade's school achievement: pupils with weak GPA seemed to improve more than others. The cognitive competences of boys and girls instead developed similarly. The learning-related attitudes declined slightly during the lower secondary school but were still relatively positive in the end of the ninth grade. The sixth grade's task-performance proved to be the strongest predictor of the ninth grade's task-performance. The learning-related self-concept had a small independent effect on the test score. In the present study the sex did not have independent effect on the test score; nevertheless, it was connected to school grades (girls were slightly better) and to the self-concept (boys were slightly better). GPA, the earlier task-performance, sex and the learning-related self-concept together explained 50 percent of the share of accounted for variance in ninth graders' cognitive competences.

The purpose of the present multiple case study was to examine how highly regarded expert consultants specialised in design and development of digital products and services, reflect on the nature of their professional expertise. The study focused, further, on qualitatively tracing personal social networks of the key experts and their ways of developing and cultivating their expertise in their network-centric organization. Organizational consultancy is creative knowledge work taking place at inter-organizational contact zones. Because technological and social innovations are interdependent, consult work is closely related to organizational learning, transformation, and change. The theoretical foundations of the study were provided by Senge’s theory of learning organisations, Nonaka’s theory of knowledge-creating companies, Engeström’s theory of expansive learning, and theories of social networks. The study was carried out within a Finnish consultancy company, developing digital systems for supporting public and private organizations in transformation of their workflows and practices. Interviewees for this study were selected by asking employees of the organization to nominate colleagues who they see to be experts in consulting and team-building. Two people who gained the most mentions in each skill area were invited to take part in the study, whom all agreed. Interviews were conducted via video call. Beyond background information, the participants were asked to reflect on the nature of their own expertise, active efforts of developing expertise and building of personal network. They were also asked to report critical incidents they saw to have a positive impact on the development of expertise. A personal network was drawn by the experts with the instructions of the interviewer, using an infinity board tool, and analysed qualitatively. Gathered data was first coded and then analyzed by relying on qualitative analysis of content. The results indicated that each expert consultant had unique and sophisticated expertise, and it was connected to their professional identity. The results revealed that the experience years of the experts were a relevant factor while considering how confident the experts were with their own expertise. Experts felt that both skills were difficult to define but they appeared to value similar aspects while defining these skills. Experts appeared to learn the most while working on a project. The significance of mentors was also important, especially in the early phases of a career. Different challenges and solving them with various methods appeared to be significant in developing consulting and team-building skills. The size of the personal network emerged not to be the determinant factor of the development of expertise. Experience and current work description appeared to affect what kind of personal connections experts value. Each expert approached the active development of one's skills differently, and only one expert felt that he was not actively developing his skills. Challenges regarding the cultivation of these skills appeared to relate to communication and unclear career paths. The expertise of consultants is a complex entity. It comes to life in the processes and conventions between consultants, clients, and organizations. The origin of this expertise is hard to track, and it requires time and effort to build it. This study scratched the surface of how experienced consultants develop and cultivate their skills. Shedding light on this matter is necessary so that the steps to begin further examination become visible.

The framework for this study comes from Carol Dweck's (2000, 2006) findings of two different mindsets: growth mindset and fixed mindset. A person with a growth mindset believes human qualities are malleable and a person with a fixed mindset believes skills and intelligence are set. Although there have been lots of studies about mindsets, most of them are quantitative. The aim of this study is to examine how mindsets are presented in teacher's pedagogical thinking and which mindsets actualize in teaching practices in a first grade classroom. This qualitative case study examined a first grade teacher's, Anne's, mindsets in Helsinki University Viikki Normal School. The teacher was selected based on a mindset survey. The data of this study included a preliminary interview, observation, and videotaping and stimulated recall interviews. The analysis was done using a deductive content analysis. The results suggest that Anne's mindset related to learning in her pedagogical thinking was towards a growth mindset but had features of a fixed mindset. In her pedagogical thinking, a growth mindset appeared as seeing contextual factors as main predictors in students learning and recognizing and supporting students as individuals. A fixed mindset appeared in Anne's pedagogical thinking as seeing students' temperament as one predictor in students' learning. Anne's teaching practices emphasized a growth mindset, but had also features of a fixed and a neutral mindset. A growth mindset became apparent in mastery-oriented atmosphere, fostering learning goals and praising processes. A fixed mindset was present in teaching by avoiding failures and highlighting success. A neutral mindset was identified as non-verbal praising in Anne's teaching practices. As the results propose, Anne's mindset varied between situations. This implicates the need of more precise studies of mindsets and their actualization in authentic environments. Only qualitative research will provide the opportunity to deeply understand how mindsets vary between situations and what is the impact on teaching, studying and learning in the classroom.

Aims. The purpose of this study was to show how emotions are displayed in repair sequences and how these emotion displays are linked to knowing and understanding. The theoretical framework was learning and emotions as social actions, constructed and displayed in interaction. Previous research has demonstrated that repair sequences are often situations in which learning is done. This research focuses on other-initiated repairs, which are often face threatening, and thus relevant for the study of emotion displays. Methods. The data were a set of videos of high school students' everyday interactions in and outside school. The data were originally recorded for the Språkmöten project during autumn 2011 and spring 2013. From the videos, I chose repair sequences in which emotions were clearly observable. I analyzed them using conversation analysis. Results and conclusions. There was a lot of laughter in repair sequences. Laughter was used throughout the repair sequence and it had many different functions. It was used to mitigate face threats, to construct a positive atmosphere and a sense of solidarity and to display joy of understanding. Laughter was also used to mock others for their mistakes or ignorance and to display one's epistemic position. Amazement and frustration were also displayed in repair sequences. Amazement was displayed as part of the repair initiation. It emphasized the participant's epistemic position as not-knowing. Frustration was displayed in or after the repair turn. Displays of frustration were linked to situations in which participants realized their mistake or misunderstanding, or had to explain something repeatedly. The study demonstrates empirically that laughter in repair situations is not always an indication of joy of learning. Further research is needed on how participants' institutional roles and differences in status affect emotion displays, for example the use of laughter, in repair sequences. In further studies the same methods may also be applied to explore emotions in other learning situations and contexts.

This study uses Carol Dweck’s (2000, 2006) theory of mindsets and Barry Zimmerman’s (2000) theory of self-regulated learning as theoretical frameworks. The aim of this study is to find connections between these theories focusing on “I can learn!” -teaching period that implements growth mindset pedagogy. According to previous studies self-regulated learning is complicated and slowly evolving phenomenon, but very important in learning. The growth mindset, for the “I can learn!” teaching period, can also be seen as important in learning. “I can learn!” -teaching period for third grade was the focus of this study. The data consisted of videos that summarised the six classes in “I can learn!” -teaching period and their transcriptions. The data was collected as a part of Kirsi Tirri’s Copernicus research. The data was analysed as deductive content analysis using computer program, ATLAS.ti. The focus of the analysis was how growth mindset pedagogy and self-regulated learning were implemented in different moments during the teaching period. The second aspect of the analysis was the occurrence of the theories throughout the period. According to the results of this study, growth mindset pedagogy and self-regulated learning are implemented mainly based on the content during “I can learn!” -teaching period. The results also indicate a connection between the two theories, although only learning strategy related aspects of the theories were strongly implemented in teaching moments. However, because of the limited results, they can only be considered as indicative, which raises the need for further research on the topic. However, teaching based on the "I can learn!" videos can be seen as a useful tool for familiarizing oneself with using growth mindset pedagogy in teaching and for improving the self-regulation of students’ learning. Also, based on the results, the videos of the teaching period could be used, for example, in the training of teacher students or as tools for teachers.

This master’s thesis focuses on the support for learning and well-being in Finnish general upper secondary education. In Finland, the reform of general upper secondary education started in 2017. Under the new Act on General Upper Secondary Education (714/2018), students are entitled to receive special needs education and other support for learning, when The National Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Schools (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2019) will come into force in the autumn of 2021. Special education will be given by special education teachers (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2019). However, many Finnish upper secondary schools do not yet have a special education teacher, and practices in special education are still lacking (Greus et al., 2019). The main aim of this study is to structure a general view of support for learning and well-being in general upper secondary education. In addition, the purpose is to analyse factors that enable or challenge support being fulfilled in school and to examine visions of special education teachers job description in the future. The aim of this study is also to act as a tool for developing support in Finnish general upper secondary schools. This study is carried out as a qualitative case study. The data is produced in one general upper secondary school by interviewing subject teachers, the principal, the guidance counsellor, the psychologist, the school social worker and the school nurse. The support in general upper secondary school appeared multidimensional and layered. In relation to the student, three layers were found: individual support, support in group and support in the structures of the school. The best situation with support measures was in individual student welfare services, whereas in instruction individual support was rarely actualized. The main factor that challenged the support being fulfilled in instruction was the fact that subject teachers did not know the students. In student welfare services the main challenge for support was the lack of time. The job of special education teachers in the future was met with confusion and optimism.

Students who study in the Finnish basic education have a variety of different needs for education support. The three-level support model is used to respond to the individual needs. Craft subject differs from other subjects in its practical nature. It also emphasizes student's own responsibility for learning. Therefore there are different needs for education support in craft lessons than in other subjects. The aim of this study is to increase knowledge about education support needs in craft lessons in basic education and how teachers respond to those needs with support measures. This study was carried out as a case study. Four craft teachers who work within basic education were interviewed. All the teachers had students who needed general, intensified and special need in their classrooms. The transcribed data was analysed using theory-driven content analysis. Craft teachers recognized several different education support needs. The needs that kept the teachers the busiest were challenges in executive functions and behavior. These challenges linked to students' self-regulation and attention. The three-level support model was not explicit in craft lessons because the education support needs that emerge in craft lessons differ from the needs of other subjects. The teachers used a variety of support measures, the most important being differentiation which allows the teachers to individualize learning objectives, exercises and instructions according to the individual needs of the students. Also remedial teaching, co-education, special needs assistant, aids for disabled students and guidance of teacher were important support measures. The teachers found support measures helping the whole classroom, not only students with the need for education support.

Objectives. The purpose of the study was to find out the approaches to learning of students graduating with a bachelor's degree in military sciences (SK) and the factors burdening their studies at the National Defense University (MPKK). This subject has not been previously studied in the context of officer training. Previous researches in other disciplines have shown that approaches are linked to different areas of learning and learning can be used to identify groups that need research data to support them. The research problems were: 1. What kind of learning approaches SK students used, whether they were connected to each other and what kind of profiles emerged from the material, 2. How learning approaches differed according to different background variables and 3. What environmental variables cause workload in their studies. The study aims to make visible groups in different situations with different approaches to learning and workload in environmental variables. Methods. All three classes participated in the study. The questionnaire was collected using a quantitative questionnaire and was analyzed by quantitative methods. A total of 413 students responded to the survey. Factor analysis and k-cluster analysis were used as analysis methods to group respondents into profiles based on approaches. The relationship between the approaches was examined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the differences between the profiles and the environmental variables were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results and conclusions. SK students emphasized the most to the deep approach, then the organised and least unreflective approach. There was also a negative statistically significant association between the unreflective and deep approaches. Based on the approaches, four different profiles emerged from the data: unorganised deep, dissonant, deep organised and unreflective. According to the background variables and the environmental variables, the differences in approaches were reflected in the profile representation. Statistically significant differences in workload by profile were found in the schedules for completing assignments, written assignments, exam preparation, and group work. The results can be utilized in MPKK's curriculum work, teaching development and student support.

The current Act on Upper Secondary Education does not provide any specific information on the organization of special education. This is why the special education programs vary between upper secondary schools. Not all secondary schools have special education teachers and this might place students with special needs at a disadvantage. There have been only a few researches on special education in upper secondary schools in Finland during the last decade and the studies have focused on the need of special education in upper secondary education or, the job description of a special education teacher. The purpose of this study is to describe the perceptions of the students’ regarding the challenges that they face in their studies and the support they have received. The aim is also to look at the special education from a student point of view and clarify, how the need for support is recognized, what kind of challenges does the student with special needs meet and who provides the support and how. The data for this qualitative study was collected by inteviewing 14 upper secondary school students over the age of 18 with special needs. They all studied in the same upper secondary school in southern Finland under the guidance of the same special education teacher. The topic was approached by using phenomenography which enables clarification of variations in individual views and investigates different understandings of reality. Students view on the recognition process of special needs in upper secondary school was based on a reading assesment and diagnostic evaluation done by the special education teacher. The recognition of reading difficulties was a relief for most of the interviewed students. They felt that early recognition gives them more time to benefit from the support. The interviewed students found it hard to work with the subject teachers, because they felt that the teachers could not offer them enough support. The results showed that the amount of the support depends on the attitudes and skills of the subject teacher. Other challenges were problems with concentration, reading difficulties and fatigue. Students found the special education teacher to be the keyperson that provides them support. The new Act on Upper Secondary Education secures everyone´s right to special education and the services of a special education teacher. In the future, special education teachers will have an important role as consultants or intermediators between the students and subject teachers, so that students with special needs get the help they are entitled to.

Objectives. This thesis was made in cooperation with the Finnish National Board of Education (FNBE). The thesis aims to reply to the need for indepth information on the chapter of the concepts of learning in the outline of the general guidelines of the Finnish national core curriculum 2014 (POPS). Different concepts of learning have a significant effect on the everyday work of teachers. Therefore it is essential how the concepts of learning are presented in the core curriculum, which guides the teachers work. This study examined on which concepts of learning the POPS 2014 outline chapter of the concepts of learning is actually based on. In addition, this study discovered where education providers thought the above mentioned chapter had succeeded and where they considered it to be in need of improvement. The study is based on the literature of both didaktik and different concepts of learning. This way it is possible to stimulate discussion on the meaning of the concepts of learning in the everyday teaching-studying-learning process. Methods. The research data of this qualitative case study consists of the chapter of the concepts of learning in the outline of the general guidelines of the POPS 2014. The other part of the data consists of the feedback, given by 65 providers of education, on the above mentioned chapter. The feedback was gathered at the end of the year 2012 by the FNBE. The concepts of behavioristic, social, humanistic and constructivist learning were sought through theory-based content analysis from the chapter, which was subsequently grouped into themes. These themes were used in the analysis of the open-ended answers, which were given by the providers of education. Results and conclusions. The POPS 2014 outline chapter of the concepts of learning was found to be in part both constructivist (individual and social) and humanistic. The outline represents a learner-centered view, where the student's metacognitive skills, different learning strategies and the meaning of interaction play an important role in learning. The education providers saw success in the chapter's views of the active student and the meaning of interaction as well as social learning in the learning process. Need for improvement was seen in clarifying concepts (e.g. interaction, learning to learn, learning strategies) as well as the roles of the teacher, student and teaching. When developing the curriculum it is recommended to note the unclear concepts, the social learning theory and the theory of didaktik - what are the teacher's and student's roles in the teaching-studying-learning process?