Need for study and career counselling in computer science

High drop-out rates among undergraduate students of Computer Science (CS) can be explained by low study motivation. One way to increase students' motivation is to support their professional orientation and identity by various study and career counselling methods. A survey of Finnish CS students' awareness of their career choices and evaluation of undergraduate courses from the viewpoint of professional benefit, as well as an analysis of a group counselling module organized for first-year students, indicate that CS education can be improved not only by intensifying the professional aspects of individual courses, but also by including study and career counselling modules as integrating compon…

Computational thinking in programming with Scratch in primary schools: A systematic review

Computer programming is being introduced in educational curricula, even at the primary school level. One goal of this implementation is to teach computational thinking (CT), which is potentially applicable in various computational problem-solving situations. However, the educational objective of CT in primary schools is somewhat unclear: curricula in various countries define learning objectives for topics, such as computer science, computing, programming or digital literacy but not for CT specifically. Additionally, there has been confusion in concretely and comprehensively defining and operationalising what to teach, learn and assess about CT in primary education even with popular programm…

Monimenetelmällistä lentosimulaatiotutkimusta : neurofysiologiaa ja oppimiskokemuksia

Vuonna 2019 aloitettiin KoKemus-hanke – Koulutuspalveluiden ekosysteemin kehittäminen fysiologisen mittaustiedon ja älykkäiden järjestelmien avulla – jossa Ilmasotakoulu oli yksi pääyhteistyökumppani. Tavoitteena oli linkittää eri simulaatio-oppimisen toimijoita erityisesti Keski-Suomessa, ja hanketta rahoitti Keski-Suomen maakuntaliitto. nonPeerReviewed

Heading at Enabling Settings for Learning

The paper draws on two cases of learning settings that were converted to meet up-to-date educational requirements within these learning contexts. The authors address the role of stakeholder perspectives. Focusing on the learning situation, they present an articulation tool to aid dialogue between key stakeholder perspectives in a (re)design process. Dialogue is a way to figure out relevant issues and to establish the common ground between participants. The goal of a redesign process is that user requirements are well understood, and the design is embedded into local practices, informed of constraints and aware of potential opportunities regarding educational technology.

Digitalisaatio ja oppimistilat – haaste ja mahdollisuus

Gamification Based on User Types : When and Where It Is Worth Applying

Students’ motivation is one of the most relevant factors when improving the quality of the learning process. In this context, gamification is a powerful tool for increasing motivation at all levels of teaching. Since gamification methodologies can be applied in many different ways, personalizing gamified activities as a function of gamification user types is a promising strategy. Knowing the user types is also an advantage to understand the nature of learners in the class. In this article, we present the findings from several pilot exercises, where we identified gamification user types among students from Spain and Finland, analyzing their prevalence as a function of age, gender, country, a…

Seamless Learning Environments in Higher Education with Mobile Devices and Examples

The use of seamless learning environments that have the potential to support lifelong learning anytime and anywhere has become a reality. In this sense, many educational institutions have started to consider introducing seamless learning environments into their programs. The aim of this study is to analyze how various educational university programs implement the design elements for seamless learning environments with mobile devices. For that purpose, three cases involved in a Finnish teaching development project are explored by conducting semi-structured interviews with key participants. The themes of the interviews were related to the theoretical background for (mobile) seamless learning …

Actual and Potential Pedagogical Use of Tablets in Schools

This study reviews the potential of tablet technology for teaching and learning. In autumn 2012, we conducted a focused survey comprising quantitative and qualitative questions with Finnish teachers (N = 171, from 54 schools). We focused on perceived pedagogical opportunities and the actualized pedagogical potential of tablets at schools. The survey results indicate that the actual usefulness of tablets in schools was significantly less than what teachers perceived as the pedagogical potential. However, the results demonstrate the positive impact these devices are having on teaching and learning, as well as prompting changes in pedagogical perspectives. Teachers stated that tablets can dive…

Creative Improvisations with Information and Communication Technology to Support Learning : A Conceptual and Developmental Framework

This article is about facilitating collaborative, creative improvisations in learning with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and in so doing enhancing under-utilised creative possibilities in education and development in schools, universities, workplaces and in every-day life. Improvisation is defined and earlier research on supporting creative improvisations with ICT is outlined. There follows a conceptual framing where improvisation is seen as a creative outcome of certain cultural ecological interactions in learning environments. It is proposed that these creative improvisational interactions can be facilitated by ICT, and developmental ideas are presented. The purpose of …

Developing a Cross-Disciplinary Framework for Collaborative Research in Multi- and Intercultural Education

This chapter sets out an approach to professional development and team building in a newly established faculty in a Finnish university. A method is given for mapping the academic and professional experiences of eight faculty members across disciplinary boundaries to arrive at a cross-disciplinary framework for collaborative research in multi- and intercultural education. Building cumulatively on faculty members’ expertise, the mapping revealed three interconnected themes as a basis for collaborative research: boundary transactions between knowledge, skill and language; boundary objects as representations and carriers of culture; and technological mediation of boundary encounters. A collecti…

Digipedagogiikka kehittyy koulujen kanssa kokeillen ja tutkien

Effects of Using Standing Versus Sitting Workstations on the Well-­Being at Work of Software Professionals

Although people admittedly are one of the most valuable assets of many software companies, relatively little academic research has been done from the well-being at work aspect of software professionals. This intervention study aims to address this gap in prior research by examining the potential effects of using standing instead of sitting workstations on the well-being at work of software professionals in terms of physical activity, mental alertness, and stress. The two measurements before and after the intervention were conducted in June and September 2015 for 29 employees of a local site of a large Finnish software company by using questionnaires and the Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment se…

Developing design knowledge and a conceptual model for virtual reality learning environments

This chapter focuses on applying design science research for virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) design processes. Six selected case studies are presented in the context of VRLEs. The case selections were analyzed in terms of their contributions to design knowledge. The objective of this book chapter is twofold: 1) for researchers, the design knowledge contributions of case studies are highlighted for future reference, and 2) for developers and practitioners, design principles are presented for the development of VRLEs. The final outcome of the present study is a conceptual model describing the current design knowledge in the field of VRLEs and identifying the research gaps that sho…

Teacher competencies in game-based pedagogy

This study examines what kind of competencies teachers need in using game-based pedagogy (GBP). In our conceptual framework, GBP entails four approaches: using educational games or entertainment games, learning by making games, and using gamification in learning. Our data, consisting of teachers’ documentation, thematic interviews and questionnaires, were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four main competence areas were identified: pedagogical, technological, collaborative and creative. The results are applicable for developing teacher education and in-service training, as teacher competencies in game-based learning will be more integral to teachers’ professional knowledge and sk…

Pedagogy, ICT and creativity

Hybrid Learning Situation as a Challenge for Design

In the paper, we address the physical learning space and focus on designing enabling settings for learning. New practices emerge from an accelerating context change and a rapid adoption of novel ICT solutions. Educational institutions and professionals strive to implement effective settings and instructional methods in order to facilitate an acquisition of the 21st century skills. Little attention is paid to changes that take place at the level of interpersonal communication, let alone their possible impacts in the long run. As the methods and the settings diversify, and the whole learning landscape turns hybrid, a good fit between the setting and the instructional method is a daily design …

Teachers' attitudes, competencies, and readiness to adopt mobile learning approaches

This study explores how teachers' attitudes and competencies influence their willingness to adopt mobile learning approaches. By mobile learning we mean teaching approaches that use mobile devices to enliven and extend traditional teaching. Of particular interest is exploring how first-order (e.g. lack of adequate access, time, training and support) and secondorder (e.g. teacher's pedagogical and technological beliefs and willingness to change) barriers affect teachers' beliefs and attitudes. In the autumn of 2012, we conducted three mobile learning case studies in Central Finland. We used semistructured interviews to collect data. The study indicated that positive experiences raised teache…

METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN ADULT LEARNING RESEARCH. COMBINING PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN SIMULATION-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

We aim to clarify whether physiological measurement technologies can be used in combination with traditional educational research methods to investigate learning experience. We developed an interdisciplinary research design for multilevel investigation of adult learning experience. We collected data in aviation simulations and forestry simulations, to show both similarities and differences between different learning situations. Both settings utilize high quality virtual simulations allowing learning to occur in near authentic situations. The learning situations were structured pedagogically in a similar way. They involve learner-instructor interaction in a one-on-one setting and follow a tr…

Interaction and eEducation: What kind of support is needed to develop university teaching?

Higher education institutions are facing an on-going pressure to develop pedagogy which promotes high-quality learning, supports studying in various learning circumstances, and integrates technology. Flexible and meaningful learning possibilities which develop skills for the world of work, like active agency, collaboration and construction of knowledge through interaction with others, are needed in university education. To address these needs, a multidisciplinary network for developing university teaching was introduced at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland in 2011. Even though the main focus of the developmental work is based on the strategy of the university jointly shared among teacher…

Pre- and In-Service Teachers’ Teamwork Behaviour in Integrated Teacher Training

Teamwork and collaboration skills are regarded as essential proficiencies in the current worlds of work, study and everyday life. A relevant question is whether and how pre-service teachers have opportunities to begin acquiring professional collaboration skills during their studies. In the current study, Finnish pre- and in-service teachers participating in a joint training programme were engaged in reflection tasks to evaluate their teamwork behaviour during a challenging pedagogical design task in mixed teams. The aim of this study was to examine how pre- and in-service teachers perceived their teamwork practices while performing authentic training activities together. The participants re…

OpenDigissä kehitytään ja kehitetään tieto- ja viestintäteknologian opetuskäyttöä yhdessä koulujen kanssa

"Let's do this together and see what we can come up with!" : Teachers' Views on Applying Game-based Pedagogy in Meaningful Ways

Game-based pedagogy offers a promising approach to renewing school education and making it more engaging. However, teachers’ ways of using game-based pedagogy have been rather traditional, not making use of its full potential. This paper presents initial findings on the experiences of teachers who participate in a project that aims to promote the meaningful use of game-based pedagogy. The findings suggest that game-based pedagogy could indeed play a key role in changing traditional practices in schools. Game-based approaches can support differentiated instruction, enhance pupils’ motivation and effort, provide new perspectives to assessment, and transform traditional roles in the classroom …

NEW METHODS DEEPENING UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES AND THEIR RELATION TO PHYSIOLOGICAL ALERTNESS VARIATIONS DURING LEARNING

In this study we explored whether physiological measurement technologies could be used in a combination with traditional educational research methods to investigate learning experiences. We aimed, first, to explore individual physiological reactions during learning and how these reactions relate to experiences, emotions and contexts of learning and, second, to test new methodology and its suitability for investigating learning. The data was collected during a teacher education programme in a Finnish university. A total of 14 students participated in the study. The data was collected during two contact periods of three days and the weekends after them, ten days in total. We used a mixed meth…

Using Video Conferencing and Video Recordings for Upper Secondary Distance Teaching: Teachers' View Points

In Finland the “Isoverstas” (formely ISOverkosto) network of schools coordinates the development of upper secondary distance learning services. The community actually is quite extensive with 65 member schools. In this paper we introduce the results related using synchronous and asynchronous online video resources for distance teaching. The topic is approached broadly at the level of schools and different support services as well as the pedagogical practices of individual teachers. The research data consists of wiki stories written by teachers, the interviews of selected teachers, and an online survey. Data-based content analysis was chosen as the main analysis method with the aim of highlig…

Finnish Classroom Teacher Students' Experiences of an Online Music Course During The COVID pandemic

When studying music, skills are often practised with a teacher, face-to-face, in a classroom. What are the experiences of classroom teacher trainees when music teaching becomes asynchronous, i.e., an individually completed online course? This question, among other things, was explored at a Finnish University's Teacher Education Department in autumn 2020, resulting in the production of a two-credit online music course on the Moodle learning environment. It was implemented for the first time during the summer term in 2021. The students’ experiences with the functionality of the e-learning module were analysed through data-driven content analysis. The study represents an intensive case study u…

”CodeInnova”: A Unified Framework for Teaching Programming and Computational Thinking In Primary Schools

Teaching programming and computational thinking (CT) in primary schools have become more common in the last decade. However, there has been little international consensus on what teaching the topics encompass. We present CodeInnova, a framework developed jointly between four partnering countries for teaching programming and CT in K–9. In this paper, we present the curriculum for teaching CT and the accompanying teaching materials developed in CodeInnova. We also discuss preliminary results of testing the developed resources in classrooms.

To sit or to stand, that is the question : examining the effects of work posture change on the well-being at work of software professionals

Despite the central role of human resources in determining the success of software companies, relatively little academic research has been conducted on the well-being at work aspect of software professionals. This study aims to address the aforementioned gap by examining the effects of using standing instead of sitting workstations on the well-being at work of software professionals in terms of their physical activity, mental alertness, stress, and musculoskeletal strain. An intervention study consisting of two measurements was conducted for 29 employees of a large Finnish software company by using questionnaires and the Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment service. The findings of the study sugg…

Virtual Reality in Education : Focus on the Role of Emotions and Physiological Reactivity

Cognitive and emotional dimensions are often linked to each other in learning experiences. Moreover, emotions and engagement can lead to better outcomes at the cognitive level. Previous research has indicated that virtual reality (VR) provides a feeling of presence and immersion, which can trigger emotionally engaging learning situations. In this study, we explore the opportunities and challenges related to the use of VR in an educational context. The focus of this article is threefold: First, we explore interdisciplinary research literature related to the use of VR for educational purposes. Second, we introduce our VR pilot study in teacher education, applying three different kinds of VR a…

Gamifying Teacher Students’ Learning Platform

This paper presents initial results from a study exploring teacher students’ experiences related to the gamification of an online learning platform in higher education. The aim was to get an understanding of the participants’ views regarding the use of game elements and to examine the user type profile of this group in order to explore the potential of applying user types in planning gamification solutions for teacher students. The participants’ overall experience of having game elements as part of their course platform was principally positive. User types students presented were investigated using the Hexad scale adapted from game design: in this user group, Socialiser and Philanthropist w…

Enhancing Software Engineering Education in Africa through a Metaversity

Software engineering education requires a new boost in African higher education, because of the high demand for professionals, caused by the fast increasing internet connections calling for meaningful applications and governmental initiatives like Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the current situation where universities graduate software engineers that cannot serve in the job markets. Inspired by the Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate (CDIO) model for engineering education and the CATI model for curriculum reform focusing on contextually relevant education in the Global South, we introduce how a complementary model for a conventional university, i.e. metaversity, can enhance sof…

Assessing 4th Grade Students’ Computational Thinking through Scratch Programming Projects

Computational thinking (CT) has been introduced in primary schools worldwide. However, rich classroom-based evidence and research on how to assess and support students’ CT through programming are particularly scarce. This empirical study investigates 4th grade students’ (N = 57) CT in a comparatively comprehensive and fine-grained manner by assessing their Scratch projects (N = 325) with a framework that was revised from previous studies to aim towards enhancing CT. The results demonstrate in detail the various coding patterns and code constructs the students programmed in assorted projects throughout a programming course and the extent to which they had conceptual encounters with CT. Notab…

Translating User Perspective into Spatial Design

A rapid adoption of ICT innovations transforms the context of human activities and collaboration, the educational settings included. The context change at the same challenges the traditional spatial design paradigm calling for tools and approaches that are applicable to ICT enhanced practices. We take here an ecological approach presenting a work in progress in which we aim to develop a tool for capturing and translating user perspective in order to design innovative learning spaces for vocational education; the case is one of practical nursing. We apply a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. By focusing on the local practices and user perspective in cultural transition, we …

Adaptive techniques in e-Learning for transnational programs

In this article we present a set of methods and models to help the inclusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in transnational programs. The material that we are presenting takes advantage of several adaptive models that automatically react to students' activity. These models are extremely useful in environments where a huge number of very different students (such as those found in transnational programs) are enrolled in the courses or where the distance is a problem for face-to-face activities. We present the theoretical background, the gamification and adaptive techniques included in the model and the platform where the courses are implemented.

OpenDigi toimintamallin käsikirja : opettajat oppimistaitojen ja digipedagogiikan kehittäjäyhteisöissä

Yhteiskunnallisen muutoksen kiihtyessä on muuttuneisiin osaamistarpeisiin reagoitava myös koulutuksessa. Uudeksi kansalaistaidoksi ja ammatillisen osaamisen ytimeksi on nousemassa kyky uudistua ja sopeutua jat-kuvaan muutokseen. Suomalaisen koulutuksen laatu nojaa vahvasti akateemiseen opettajankoulutukseen. Yh-teiskunnallinen kehitys haastaa opettajankoulutusta ja kouluja tukemaan entistä vahvemmin ihmisten aktiivista roolia muutoksen tekijöinä ja siihen sopeutujina. Tutkintojen suorittamisen lisäksi koulutusjärjestelmän tulee antaa parempia valmiuksia aktiiviseen oppimiseen. Tämä edellyttää uudistumista koulutuksen kaikilla tasoilla. Koulutuksen muutos edellyttää oppilaitoksissa toimivien…

How can learning experiences be explored in simulation-based learning situations?

The aim of our research is to investigate what methods can be used to explore learning experiences. In this case example, we describe how we extracted quantitative and qualitative data reflecting learning experiences from simulation-based learning (SBL) situations. Data collection was conducted in the fields of aviation and forestry. After the SBL situation, the students participated in a stimulated recall interview. The transcribed interview data were analysed using data-driven methods. To capture the dynamics in the (neuro)physiological signals associated with varying states of learning experiences, we recorded activity of the autonomic and central nervous systems. When analysing (neuro)p…

Learning Outcomes in HMD-VR: a Literature Review

While the educational technology has developed to the point that Extended Reality (XR), including immersive Virtual Reality (VR) can be used in education, the learning outcomes of these technologies in the large scale is still quite unknown. This literature review aims to take a comprehensive look to the field of immersive VR in to find out where the learning outcomes of HMD-VR stands out, and how they compare to other technologies and methods. The main result of this paper is that while HMD-based Virtual Reality Learning Environments (VRLEs) may not be superior compared to other technologies such as desktop-based VR environments regarding direct learning outcomes, a clear indication toward…

Enabling Settings for Learning : Observations Related to Design Communication

The paper draws on two cases of learning settings that were converted to meet up-to-date educational requirements within these learning contexts. The authors address the role of stakeholder perspectives. Focusing on the learning situation, they present an articulation tool to aid dialogue between key stakeholder perspectives in a (re)design process. Dialogue is a way to figure out relevant issues and to establish the common ground between participants. The goal of a redesign process is that user requirements are well understood, and the design is embedded into local practices, informed of constraints and aware of potential opportunities regarding educational technology. peerReviewed