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The aim of this paper is to investigate Finnish theology students' experiences of the learning environment provided by their faculty in relation to their personal worldview. Previous research has shown that theology students deal with the fundamental spiritual and religious questions in their learning processes both before and during their studies, irrespective of their career goals or professional orientation. This study was conducted among second-year higher education students of theology. The students responded to a questionnaire concerning their experiences of the learning environment in relation to their own religious or ideological worldview and experienced position in the learning context as part of the majority, minority or non-religious group. According to the results, students affiliated with majority and minority religious groups were more strongly committed to their personal worldviews than non-religious students were. The students' experiences of the learning environment varied regarding the group they identified themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an account of how children's sense of agency is produced in machinic assemblages. The ethnographic data used in this study originated in one elementary school classroom. By utilising children's own expressions of their agency and by examining the machinic assemblages in which these expressions were produced, we demonstrate that school policies are not merely a background for schools' mundane practices. Rather, when combined with other elements in a school setting, policies have heterogeneous consequences for children's sense of agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate university lecturers’ experiences of and reflections on the development of their pedagogical competency during a 9-month university pedagogical course. The effects of long-term university pedagogical training are considered through experienced pedagogical competency by analysing university lecturers’ evaluations of and reflections on their pedagogical competence areas during the course. Data was gathered from 31 participants using a self-evaluation questionnaire and reflective writings, and analysed using a mixed-methods approach. The results show that the participants experienced significant development in their pedagogical competency. However, it became evident that the concept and practice of reflection is not clear, especially in different disciplines. In addition to the number of credits of the training, the design, and the long timeframe of the pedagogical training, the context in which the training is put into practice, as well as the social aspect of reflection, need to be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The University of Helsinki established a Teachers’ Academy to reward excellence in teaching. This study focuses on teachers’ significant networks and their meaningful conversations about teaching and learning before the establishment of the Teachers’ Academy. The research data consisted of answers to open-ended questions, and were examined using social network analysis. The teachers’ network consisted of significant relations with (1) colleagues and other teachers, (2) peers in pedagogical courses and pedagogical experts, (3) students, and (4) family members and friends. The conversations with different parties varied in nature, content and the level of confidentiality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Learning outcomes from a one-year long collaborative inquiry-oriented pedagogical training course for university lecturers were investigated in this study. The course was a long-term, process-oriented university pedagogical course with students from different disciplinary backgrounds, and it was based on the idea of a community of practice and collaborative inquiry learning. The focus of the course was designing learning environment, process facilitation and supporting structures, but the content was not determined in advance; instead, the students produced the content based on their experiences, shortfalls in their current teaching competence and knowledge, and also the educational development needs of their working environment. The follow-up data were collected through questionnaires with open-ended questions on different phases of the course; group electronic learning logs were used as complementary data. According to the results, the long-term collaborative inquiry-oriented pedagogical training achieved pre-defined learning outcomes even though the actual content of the course was not pre-determined, and even went beyond them, especially in terms of empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the strategies teachers use in home and school collaboration were surveyed. The subjects were early education teachers in Helsinki, Finland. Questionnaires were used for the data collection. Factor analysis resulted in the extraction of six strategy types. Strategies representing parents as the recipients of information were most frequently used. Strategies representing two-way communication were also quite often in evidence. The most rarely used strategies included parents as decision makers, volunteers, or resources in the elaboration of learning. Teachers who had children who were approximately the same age as their pupils were more active in using strategies involving teachers as supporters of parenting and parents as a resource for the elaboration of learning. The strategies found and the implications of the Finnish data are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying in higher education requires long-term commitment. Previous studies have shown that commitment, perceived competence, intrinsic motivation and work-life orientation are positively related to academic achievement. This study examines the kinds of goals theology students have at the beginning of studies, and whether these goals are related to academic achievement during their first three years at university. Personal project analysis was used to acquire information about first-year students' study-related personal goals and related evaluations. The evaluations were factor analysed, and three clusters of students were derived on the basis of the factors: the committed, self-fulfillers and the non-committed. The results show that students who perceived progress, were capable and had intrinsic reasons for their goals advanced more rapidly in their studies. The implication is that variation in academic achievement is at least partly a consequence of variation in orientation towards studying at the beginning of the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study concerns the relationship between motivational approaches to the study of theology and spirituality. The motivational approaches expressed by students are considered in terms of reasons for choosing theology as a field of study, and these factors are compared to dimensions of spiritual sensitivity. A total of 137 first-year students completed a questionnaire covering their motives for enrolling in the Faculty of Theology and their spirituality. The questionnaire was developed on the basis of earlier Finnish studies of motives (Niemelä, 1999) and spiritual sensitivity (Tirri, 2004; Tirri et al., 2006; Hay, 1998; Bradford, 1995). The data revealed some interesting and significant relations between the two. On the one hand, the community-sensing dimension of spirituality was related to a spiritual calling and a helping orientation; on the other hand, a spiritual calling was related to the value-sensing dimension of spirituality. Cluster analysis produced three student groups that differed in terms of motivational approach, spiritual sensitivity and uncertainty of career choice. Findings are discussed in the perspective of implications for the study of theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flipped classrooms have become widely adopted in educational settings (e.g., in higher education) worldwide. However, there is a need for more precise understanding of the ingredients for student satisfaction in a flipped setting. The aim of this paper was to investigate university students' experiences of the factors that create a successful flipped course. Ten measures were used to investigate the hypothesized factors affecting satisfaction, which were chosen based on the results from previous flipped classroom studies and higher educational research. These measures were grouped into three dimensions: (1) pedagogical (five measures), (2) social (three measures), and (3) technological (two measures). Exploratory factor analysis was run to analyze the adequacy of the instruments. Results revealed that the factor structure was as expected and that the instruments measuring all ten factors of teaching and learning in a flipped classroom were adequate. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis was used to formally operationalize the hypothesized latent constructs, and to build a structural equation model for predicting the student satisfaction of a flipped classroom. In the end, seven factors were found to predict student satisfaction with flipped courses. The highest predictor was guidance from the dimension of pedagogy, and the second-best predictor was experienced teaching for understanding. The results, limitations, and conclusion are discussed in terms of key issues and the development of a flipped classroom pedagogical design for higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrance to university does not automatically lead to high academic engagement and success, and there may be individual differences in student engagement. In the present study, university students' ( N = 668) academic engagement and disengagement profiles, and the differences between them in terms of academic achievement, were investigated. Students from introductory courses were classified by Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) into homogenous groups having similar patterns according to the following variables: study engagement, study-related exhaustion, lack of interest, lack of self-regulation, and uncertainty of one's career choice. Four groups of students were identified : engaged , disengaged , undecided , and alienated . Engaged students received the highest grades, with disengaged and undecided students performing most poorly. In addition, the profiles were related to the behavioral indicators of engagement (i.e., ECTS credits). Even after two years of studying, engaged students were performing better than disengaged students. The study's implications for both research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key factors affecting the sustainability of our society are research, conversion, delivery and the efficient use of energy resources. The expertise, attitudes and sustainability awareness of decision-makers determine far-reaching political decisions made regarding whole energy systems as well as the choices available for individual consumers. Despite the significance of education with respect to renewable energy and sustainability, the position of these topics remains unclear in degree programmes. Measuring the relevance of these subjects can be considered a central issue in terms of promoting a more sustainability-oriented perspective on education strategy formation. Therefore, this paper presents a new curriculum development method for stimulating discussions about the learning outcomes of the degree programmes. This method has been used to calculate a proposed relevance ratio (RR) index, which indicated the relative weight of renewable energy and sustainability topics for energy studies in Aalto University's energy degree programme. The benefits of this RR index include the ability to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of selected contents in the curricula. However, more research is needed to integrate wider working life skills with the students' learning path as a means of promoting student expertise. This new tool will be universally applicable and quantify the desired contents of learning outcomes in degree programmes at universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education continually seeks new approaches to support students with various learning needs. At present, Finland attempts to provide such support through accessibility and reasonable accommodation efforts, but students with learning disabilities may still encounter many barriers in their studies. One approach suggested to meet the needs of a diverse student population is the flipped classroom. While substantial research exists about its benefits and drawbacks, less is known from the perspective of students who have a history of receiving pedagogical support. Therefore, the present study examined the experience and performance of these students in flipped higher education courses. Results indicated no difference in the academic performance of learners with a history of support compared to those without. Students with a history of support needs reported a lower assessment of self-regulation and self-efficacy for learning, and experienced the flipped courses as more difficult. However, they favored more collaboration in general and in the flipped classroom approach in particular. Additionally, regression models indicated that achievement in flipped courses was explained primarily from the lack of regulation and guidance perspectives. These findings suggest new insights for teaching those with learning disabilities, particularly the support a flipped classroom may provide, but developing a more in-depth understanding is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. There is evidence of disciplinary variation in students' approaches to learning. Furthermore, previous research has shown that students' approaches are related to their perceptions of the learning environment. Aim. The overall objective of the study was to analyse combinations of approaches to learning among undergraduates in different disciplines. More precisely, the aim was to cluster students on the basis of their scores on different items measuring approaches to learning, and to explore the relationship between the clusters and both the disciplines of the students and their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment. Sample. A total of 2,509 students participated in the study. Methods. The students were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire, which was a revised version of the Experience of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire. It included items covering approaches to learning and perceptions of the teaching-learning environment. Results. The students were classified in four clusters. There were significant differences in how the respondents from the 10 faculties were represented in these clusters. There were also differences in their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment in the different faculties. Conclusions. It appears that there is disciplinary variation in approaches to learning. Furthermore, the results indicate that both approaches to learning and the discipline have an effect on students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]