Integrating Student Learning into the Repository Ecosystem

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

University students��� regulation of learning and text processing ��� examples from medical and teacher education

The general aim of the thesis was to study university students��� learning from the perspective of regulation of learning and text processing. The data were collected from the two academic disciplines of medical and teacher education, which share the features of highly scheduled study, a multidisciplinary character, a complex relationship between theory and practice and a professional nature. Contemporary information society poses new challenges for learning, as it is not possible to learn all the information needed in a profession during a study programme. Therefore, it is increasingly important to learn how to think and learn independently, how to recognise gaps in and update one���s knowledge and how to deal with the huge amount of constantly changing information. In other words, it is critical to regulate one���s learning and to process text effectively. The thesis comprises five sub-studies that employed cross-sectional, longitudinal and experimental designs and multiple methods, from surveys to eye tracking. Study I examined the connections between students��� study orientations and the ways they regulate their learning. In total, 410 second-, fourth- and sixth-year medical students from two Finnish medical schools participated in the study by completing a questionnaire measuring both general study orientations and regulation strategies. The students were generally deeply oriented towards their studies. However, they regulated their studying externally. Several interesting and theoretically reasonable connections between the variables were found. For instance, self-regulation was positively correlated with deep orientation and achievement orientation and was negatively correlated with non-commitment. However, external regulation was likewise positively correlated with deep orientation and achievement orientation but also with surface orientation and systematic orientation. It is argued that external regulation might function as an effective coping strategy in the cognitively loaded medical curriculum. Study II focused on medical students��� regulation of learning and their conceptions of the learning environment in an innovative medical course where traditional lectures were combined wth problem-based learning (PBL) group work. First-year medical and dental students (N = 153) completed a questionnaire assessing their regulation strategies of learning and views about the PBL group work. The results indicated that external regulation and self-regulation of the learning content were the most typical regulation strategies among the participants. In line with previous studies, self-regulation wasconnected with study success. Strictly organised PBL sessions were not considered as useful as lectures, although the students��� views of the teacher/tutor and the group were mainly positive. Therefore, developers of teaching methods are challenged to think of new solutions that facilitate reflection of one���s learning and that improve the development of self-regulation. In Study III, a person-centred approach to studying regulation strategies was employed, in contrast to the traditional variable-centred approach used in Study I and Study II. The aim of Study III was to identify different regulation strategy profiles among medical students (N = 162) across time and to examine to what extent these profiles predict study success in preclinical studies. Four regulation strategy profiles were identified, and connections with study success were found. Students with the lowest self-regulation and with an increasing lack of regulation performed worse than the other groups. As the person-centred approach enables us to individualise students with diverse regulation patterns, it could be used in supporting student learning and in facilitating the early diagnosis of learning difficulties. In Study IV, 91 student teachers participated in a pre-test/post-test design where they answered open-ended questions about a complex science concept both before and after reading either a traditional, expository science text or a refutational text that prompted the reader to change his/her beliefs according to scientific beliefs about the phenomenon. The student teachers completed a questionnaire concerning their regulation and processing strategies. The results showed that the students��� understanding improved after text reading intervention and that refutational text promoted understanding better than the traditional text. Additionally, regulation and processing strategies were found to be connected with understanding the science phenomenon. A weak trend showed that weaker learners would benefit more from the refutational text. It seems that learners with effective learning strategies are able to pick out the relevant content regardless of the text type, whereas weaker learners might benefit from refutational parts that contrast the most typical misconceptions with scientific views. The purpose of Study V was to use eye tracking to determine how third-year medical studets (n = 39) and internal medicine residents (n = 13) read and solve patient case texts. The results revealed differences between medical students and residents in processing patient case texts; compared to the students, the residents were more accurate in their diagnoses and processed the texts significantly faster and with a lower number of fixations. Different reading patterns were also found. The observed differences between medical students and residents in processing patient case texts could be used in medical education to model expert reasoning and to teach how a good medical text should be constructed. The main findings of the thesis indicate that even among very selected student populations, such as high-achieving medical students or student teachers, there seems to be a lot of variation in regulation strategies of learning and text processing. As these learning strategies are related to successful studying, students enter educational programmes with rather different chances of managing and achieving success. Further, the ways of engaging in learning seldom centre on a single strategy or approach; rather, students seem to combine several strategies to a certain degree. Sometimes, it can be a matter of perspective of which way of learning can be considered best; therefore, the reality of studying in higher education is often more complicated than the simplistic view of self-regulation as a good quality and external regulation as a harmful quality. The beginning of university studies may be stressful for many, as the gap between high school and university studies is huge and those strategies that were adequate during high school might not work as well in higher education. Therefore, it is important to map students��� learning strategies and to encourage them to engage in using high-quality learning strategies from the beginning. Instead of separate courses on learning skills, the integration of these skills into course contents should be considered. Furthermore, learning complex scientific phenomena could be facilitated by paying attention to high-quality learning materials and texts and other support from the learning environment also in the university. Eye tracking seems to have great potential in evaluating performance and growing diagnostic expertise in text processing, although more research using texts as stimulus is needed. Both medical and teacher education programmes and the professions themselves are challenging in terms of their multidisciplinary nature and increasing amounts of information and therefore require good lifelong learning skills during the study period and later in work life.

Towards Innovative Virtual Learning in Vocational Teacher Education: Narratives as a Form of Meaningful Learning

http://www.eurodl.org/.

Simulerade skoldilemman : redskap f��r utveckling av reflektionsf��rm��ga?

Syftet med avhandlingen ��r att studera l��rarstuderandes samtal om simulerad skolverksamhet f��r att s��ka f��rst�� m��jligheter och begr��nsningar med simulerade dilemman som medierande redskap f��r reflektion ��ver l��rares arbete. Unders��kningen ��r genomf��rd under seminarier i svensk och finl��ndsk l��rarutbildning. Forskningsprocessen best��r av tre faser; en konstruktionsfas, en pr��vningsfas och en unders��kningsfas. Under konstruktionsfasen producerades simuleringar p�� basen av en narrativ analys av semistrukturerade intervjuer med nyutbildade l��rare. Simuleringarna testades med l��rare och l��rarstuderande i pr��vningsfasen. I unders��kningsfasen utarbetades reflektionsfr��gor och studiens empiriska data samlades in genom videoobservation. Totalt femton samtal filmades vid fem seminarier och tre olika l��ros��ten, tv�� i Sverige och ett i Svenskfinland. De studerande som f��rekommer i datamaterialet befann sig i b��rjan, mitten och i slutet av sin l��rarutbildning. Analysen bygger p�� Sch��ns olika reflektionsbegrepp och ett sociokulturellt perspektiv som bygger p�� den ryska kulturhistoriska skolan. Resultaten visar att de studerande engagerade sig starkt i samtalen i de flesta fall och att engagemanget var relaterat till deras uppfattningar om simuleringens autenticitet. Simuleringarna och reflektionsfr��gorna anv��ndes b��de som sekund��ra och terti��ra artefakter. Bland simuleringarnas modaliteter framstod ljudet som den viktigaste f��r nyanser av f��rst��else och engagemang och reflektionsfr��gorna fungerade som kommunikativt st��d och strukturell scaffolding. N��r de studerande anv��nde simuleringen f��r dekontextualisering i en ��ppen dialog f��rekom en terti��r dialog, i vilken f��rhandling av ny mening ��gde rum. Kreativ reflektion ��� att se dilemmat ur olika perspektiv och reciprok reflektion ��� ��ppen utmanande dialog f��rekom flitigt i vilka en didaktiskanalytisk praktikgemenskap skapades. Slutsatserna ��r att simulerade skoldilemman kan utg��ra en potential f��r l��rarstuderandes utveckling av reflektionsf��rm��ga n��r de anv��nds i mindre samtalsgrupper och den didaktiska inramningen relateras till aktuellt kursinneh��ll. Om simuleringens inneh��ll inte upplevs som autentiskt finns dock risk f��r att f��rutfattade meningar om l��rares arbete f��rst��rks om de inte utmanas av medstuderande eller l��rarutbildare.

Oppimisstrategiat keskeisi�� oppimisen ymm��rt��misess��

Artikkelissa arvioidaan Kirsti Longan v��it��skirjatutkimusta "Exploration of constructive processes in student learning"

Ammatillisen osaamisen tukeminen muuttuvissa toimintaymp��rist��iss�� : tutkimus ik����ntyvien ty��ntekij��iden n��k��kulmasta

The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of received support of aging employees and their work related self-image in changing working environments. Firstly, theaim was to discover how the support from organisations and leaders was verified. Secondly, the aim was to get answers how employees experienced themselves as workers and as learners in the current work context. Thirdly, the aim was to compare different knowledge information stages and company cultures and how they have influenced the experiences of professional competence development among aging employees. In addition the education- and career backgrounds were investigated to gain more understanding of their role in experiencing support and relation to the occupational self-image. The theoretical frame of reference of this researchis multidisciplinary. The theoretical part focuses on the meaning of work for human being from a sociological, late-modern perspective. On the other hand it examines the ageing process from a physiological and also from a perspective of age discrimination and life control. The occupational selfimage and the strength of motivation has an effect on learning in working life which is crucial and firmpart individual trajectories. According to the theoretical review company culture, leadership and especially the managers' role as a creator of a learning atmosphere are increasingly critical for aging adults' learning when the role of informal work-based learning is increasing. The empirical data was collected with aquestionnaire and interviews, which were carried out in May to October 2001. The data consists of 263 respondents of which further eight persons were interviewed. All respondents were over the age of 45 and represented all levels of their organisations in an IT-technology firm and a chemical industry plant. The central findings in this research show that the aging adults have experienced that theemployers do care about the development of their occupational skills. On the other hand there are fewer concrete activities to reveal this support. There is anobvious disproportion between the expressed aims and the realisation of the activities. Signs of age discrimination are few. The style of management has becomemore supporting for self directed activities which are seen to support adults learning. Higher education and individual activity to seek possibilities to learnwere encouraging the development of occupational skills. Age itself was not a crucial aspect when comparing the experiences among younger (45-54 years) and older (55-64 years) groups. Job satisfaction and professional self esteem seemed tobe considerably strong. The individual characteristics were more important elements in developing occupational skills than the age. The degree of anxiety at work was low. In addition among the older group the strong feeling of coherence and the occupational self image were significant for supporting the professional competence. The motivation to learn was also stable. Among the seniors there was some slight evidence of declining motivation. In the IT-firm the support was experienced stronger for aging employees than in the chemical industry plant. Thosewho had experienced support in the chemical industry plant had higher educational background than the others. In IT-firm they also experienced more support from the manager than in the chemical industry plant. The results show that it is more likely that the differences are caused mostly by the stage of information intensity and the character of company culture which is determined by the activities. IT-business demands constantly accommodation to changes and the chemical industry plant which is representing more traditional business field, where the atmosphere of learning is determined by the traditions of company culture, the changes are carried out slowly.

Tutkivan oppimisen ja ongelmal��ht��isen oppimisen hy��dynt��minen tuotantotalouden opetuksessa

Ty��n tavoitteena on esitt���� erilaisia mahdollisuuksia tutkivan oppimisen hy��dynt��miseen tuotantotalouden koulutusohjelmassa. Ty��ss�� esitet����n n��iden opetusfilosofioiden perusperiaatteet. Lis��ksi tutkitaan tutkivan oppimisen tuottamia hy��tyj�� koulutusohjelmalle, opiskelijoille ja tuleville ty��nantajille. Mukaan on otettu muissa yliopistossa hy��dynnettyj�� tapoja, mutta my��s kehitetty erityisesti tuotantotalouden erityispiirteet huomioivia sovellettuja menetelmi��. Lis��ksi tarkastellaan tuotantotalouden koulutusohjelmassa tuotettua ongelmal��ht��iseen opiskeluun perustuvaa kurssia ���Toimitusketjun johtamisen teoriaty��paja���. Ty��ss�� esitet����n my��s suunnitelma uusimuotoiselle, tutkivaan oppimiseen nojautuvalle ���Kandidaatinty��- ja seminaari��� ���kurssille. Kirjallisuuskatsauksessa perehdyt����n oppimisen ja muistin toiminnan perusteisiin. T��m��n j��lkeen esitell����n n��ille periaatteille rakentuneiden tutkivan oppimisen ja ongelmal��ht��isen oppimisen l��hestymistavat ja menetelm��t opetuksessa. Teorian pohjalta esitet����n konkreettisia ideoita tutkivan oppimisen hy��dynt��miseen opetuksessa. Tutkimuksen kahdesta case ���tapauksesta ensimm��isess�� esitet����n, miten opiskelijat kokevat ongelmiin perustuvalla kurssilla opiskelun. Toinen case esitt����, kuinka uusimuotoinen Kandidaatinty��- ja seminaari ���kurssi on luotu ja miten se tukee taitoja, joita he tulevat tarvitsemaan my��hemmiss�� opinnoissaan ja ty��el��m��ss��.

F��retagsamhet i skola och utbildning : l��rares tankar om f��ruts��ttningarna att n�� m��len i temaomr��det Deltagande, demokrati och entrepren��rskap

Developing students��� enterprise and proactive approaches to life have been goals of Finnish public education since its introduction. Still, education in Finland today is criticized for not reaching these goals and for overlooking the development of students��� enterprise. The role of enterprise education is ambivalent. On the one hand, enterprise education is advocated as the solution to many of the alleged problems in public education; on the other hand, the pedagogical ideas that enterprise education builds on appear to coincide with the contemporary understanding of ���good education.��� The thesis discusses what sets enterprise education apart from other types of education and teaching. Notably, the pedagogical foundations for enterprise education are not necessarily solid or sufficiently explored. Thus, the overall aim of the thesis is to explore the conditions for developing enterprise in education. Sloyd, as a school subject that promotes handicraft-based education, has long been attributed as having the potential to develop students��� character and person; similarly, it is also identified as being well suited for developing student enterprise. Enterprise education is not specific to sloyd, however. In fact, developing enterprise is a cross-curricular goal for basic education. In a subject-focused educational structure and culture, the development of an enterprising mindset in students is a common concern for all teachers. Thus, an understanding of the conditions for enterprise education must not be limited to one school subject; rather, the nature of the phenomenon requires a cross-curricular approach. Altogether, the conditions for enterprise education appear to be in need of further research. In addition to a subject-focused structure, other influencing factors that are mentioned in discussions on enterprise education include the need for a more enterprising working culture in school. Importantly, another key factor is the individual teacher���s pedagogical philosophy, which constitutes the frame of reference that informs how he or she understands and interprets his or her profession. Notably, the conditions for enterprise education are poor unless a teacher���s pedagogical philosophy emphasizes a focus on enterprise. The empirical research uses a hermeneutical approach and focuses on exploring teachers��� views on the conditions for reaching the national goals related to students��� enterprise. The interview study was conducted among class and subject teachers around Swedish-speaking Finland. The study shows that teachers view themselves as the most important factor for a focus on enterprise. Teachers have also identified a vast number of contextual factors that influence, support, or counteract a focus on enterprise. Structure, culture, resources, and curriculum, as well as numerous societal factors, all interact to affect the conditions for enterprise education. The prevailing culture of subject focus poses a challenge to enterprise education. At the same time, however, a focus on enterprise can be seen as a natural tendency in grades one to six. Indeed, teachers of all grade levels interpret the development of a proactive approach to life as one of education���s core values. Altogether, the thesis offers a deepened and nuanced understanding of the conditions for enterprise education. While the public education system in Finland seems to have some favourable basic conditions for enterprise education, multifaceted challenges must be faced if the national goals related to enterprise are to be reached.

Blended learning and student time-use in engineering education

Aiheen laajempi artikkeli on julkaistu konferenssi-CD:ll��.