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Recently, the use of information and communications technology (ICT) at school has been extensively increased in Finland. This study investigated whether the use of ICT at school is linked to students 'learning outcomes in Finland. We used the Finnish PISA 2015 data (N=5037). Cognitive learning outcomes (i.e. science, mathematics, reading, collaborative problem-solving) were evaluated with computer-based tests. ICT use at school, ICT availability at school, and students' perceived ICT competence were assessed with self-rating questionnaires. Frequent ICT use at school predicted students' weaker performance in all the cognitive learning outcomes, when adjusted for age, gender, parental socioeconomic status, students' ICT competence, and ICT availability at school. Further, the effect of ICT use on learning outcomes was more negative in students with higher than lower ICT skills. Frequent use of ICT at school appears to be linked to weaker cognitive learning outcomes in Finland. This may be explained by working memory overload and task-switching during the use of digital technologies. This finding also suggests that even though students with ICT skills are good at mechanical use of digital device, they may not have abilities for a goal- oriented and self-directed use of digital technologies that could promote their learning.

Introduction: Evidence has remained scarce whether teaching practices might be linked to students' educational equality. This study investigated (i) whether student-oriented teaching practices are associated with students' learning outcomes in mathematics, and (ii) whether student-oriented teaching might increase equality in learning outcomes between students with different backgrounds. Method: We used the Finnish PISA 2012 data (N=5052-5660) that provides a nationally representative sample of the Finnish 15-year-old students. The data were analyzed using structural equation models. Results: Frequent student-oriented teaching practices were associated with students' weaker learning outcomes in mathematics. The effect of frequent student-oriented teaching practices was especially negative among students with risky backgrounds (i.e. risky family structure, low family wealth, low maternal education, immigrant status, student's previous truancy behavior at school). Our additional analyses showed that also frequent inquiry-based teaching practices were related to weaker learning outcomes in science. Discussion and Conclusion: In conclusion, student-oriented teaching practices appear to be linked with students' weaker learning outcomes in comprehensive school. Student-oriented teaching may expand the gaps in learning outcomes between students coming from different backgrounds.

Introduction: Social skills may prevent burnout and enhance engagement in students by increasing social support and improving relationships with peers and teachers. Method: This study explores the interrelation between self-reported social skills and experienced burnout and engagement among 351 university students (70.5% women, 29.5% men) in different study fields. The Study Burnout Inventory (SBI-9), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S) and a social skills questionnaire were utilised. The data was analysed using linear regression analysis. Results: The results show an association between higher social skills and lower burnout and higher engagement. Higher engagement was also associated to lower burnout. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings imply that targeting social skills might offer a way to increase engagement and diminish burnout among students.

Compassion is known to predict prosocial behavior and moral judgments related to harm. Despite the centrality of compassion to social life, factors predicting adulthood compassion are largely unknown. We examined whether qualities of parent-child-relationship, namely, emotional warmth and acceptance, predict offspring compassion decades later in adulthood. We used data from the prospective population-based Young Finns Study. Our sample included 2,761 participants (55.5% women). Parent-child-relationship qualities were reported by each participant's parents at baseline in 1980 (T0) when participants were between 3 and 18 years old. Compassion was self-reported 3 times: in 1997 (T1), 2001 (T2), and 2012 (T3) with the Temperament and Character Inventory (Cloninger, Przybeck, Svrakic, & Wetzel, 1994). By using age at the assessment as a time-variant variable, we applied multilevel modeling for repeated measurements to examine developmental trajectories of compassion from the ages of 20 (the age of the youngest cohort at T1) to 50 (the age of the oldest cohort at T3). On average, compassion increased in a curvilinear pattern with age. Higher acceptance (p = 0.013) and higher emotional warmth (p < 0.001) were related to higher compassion in adulthood. After adjusting for childhood confounds (i.e., participant gender, birth cohort, externalizing behavior, parental socioeconomic status, and parental mental health problems), only emotional warmth (p < 0.001) remained a significant predictor of compassion. Quality of the parent-child-relationship has long-term effects on offspring compassion. An emotionally warm and close relationship, in particular, may contribute to higher offspring compassion in adulthood.

Academic emotions in the context of master's thesis work is a highly understudied issue. This study examined the association between self-regulated learning skills and academic emotions elicited by master's thesis work. Altogether, 84 behavioural sciences students conducting their master's theses completed a survey comprised of a modified version of Pintrich's Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MLSQ) and academic emotions derived from Pekrun's (2006) Achievement Emotions Questionnaire complemented by enthusiasm. Linear and logistic regressions were employed in the data analyses. Higher skills in combining prior and new knowledge, application of theories, self-assessment and the combination of all learning skills were associated with higher positive academic emotions. Higher skills in self-assessment were associated with lower negative academic emotions. Higher combined learning skills were associated with higher pride and enthusiasm and lower shame elicited by master's thesis work. Supporting students to develop their self-regulated learning skills might reflect positively on their academic emotions and vice versa.Abbreviation: Self-regulated learning skills - (SRL) skills

Introduction: We examined the associations and proportionate contributions of three well-validated models of stressful psychosocial work environment (job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and organizational injustice) in explaining depressive symptoms among primary school teachers. In addition, we tested the mediating role of different types of sleep problems. Method: The participants included 76 Finnish primary school teachers. The associations between the three work-related psychosocial factors, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms were examined using multiple linear regression analyses and bootstrap mediation analyses, adjusting for gender and age. Relative weight analyses were performed to examine the proportionate contributions of the work-related psychosocial factors on depressive symptoms. Results: Both effort-reward imbalance and job strain showed positive associations with depressive symptoms, whereas the association between organizational injustice and depressive symptoms was not significant. When the proportionate contributions of job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and organizational injustice on depressive symptoms were analysed simultaneously, effort-reward imbalance was found to be the most important predictor. According to bootstrap mediation analyses, sleep problems in terms of nonrestorative sleep explained 18% of the association between job strain and depressive symptoms and 11% of the association between effort-reward imbalance and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that, for primary school teachers, particularly effort-reward imbalance but also job strain may be risk factors for depressive symptoms, and that this association might be partly explained by impaired sleep. Adjusting work demands and increasing the rewarding aspects of teachers' work may enhance sleep quality and reduce depressive symptoms in primary school teachers' occupation.

This study examined whether teacher-rated versus self-rated student temperaments are different in relation to the school grades in Maths and Mother language (ML) instruction in a nationally representative sample of Finnish Secondary School students (n?=?1,063, mean age 15.1 years). The results indicated that teacher-rated temperament was more strongly associated with students' Maths and ML grades than self-rated temperament. All the teacher-rated temperament traits were associated with school grades, accounting for 38% and 45% of the variance in Maths and ML, respectively. Of the self-rated temperaments, high task orientation and its components, high persistence and low distractibility, were associated with better school grades both in Maths and ML. Low reactivity and low negative emotionality were associated only with better ML grades, whereas high inhibition was associated only with better Maths grades. A temperament-conscious education needs to be taken into account in future teacher training.