The Significance of Practical Training in Linking Theoretical Studies with Practice

Today’s experts must continuously reconstruct their expertise and be able to apply their theoretical knowledge in actual work. The development of expertise is a long process, during which theoretical, practical and metacognitive elements of expert knowledge are integrated into a coherent whole. It is important to foster student’s learning and integration of theoretical knowledge in practice during tertiary education. One tool for this is to pay more attention to practical knowledge in the theoretical part of the curriculum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of early practical training as a part of the pharmacy curriculum and to find out to what extent the students felt their practical training fostered their learning. A total of 47 pharmacy students were interviewed during the three-month practice period. Content analyses of the interviews showed that the practical training increased students’ understanding of theoretical knowledge and their motivation to study. The students acquired practical skills and knowledge in a working community of professionals. The results also showed that the students should be able to rehearse their reflective skills during the theoretical studies as well, because the practice period was too short to permit adequate development of reflective skills.     

LGBT Identity, Violence, and Social Justice: The Psychological Is Political

This article reviews the statistical evidence of LGBT violence in the United States and in the world. In the United States the statistics are from Amnesty International and the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. Statistics and other information about LGBT violence in other countries of the world come from many different sources. Reasons why this violence exists and international human rights responses are reviewed. The authors argue for a greater role for mental health organizations in the amelioration of prejudice against LGBT people and for more involvement of these organizations in social justice issues around the world. The article concludes with recommendations for future directions.     

Comparison of students’ perceptions of their teaching–learning environments in three professional academic disciplines: A valuable tool for quality enhancement

The present study explored differences in students’ perceptions of their teaching–learning environments in three professional academic disciplines at the University of Helsinki, using a modified version of the Experiences of Teaching & Learning Questionnaire. A total of 426 first-year students from the Faculties of Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine participated in the study. When six scales measuring students’ perceptions of their teaching–learning environments were devised, veterinary and pharmacy students experienced their teaching–learning environment more positively than law students. Significant differences in students’ perceptions were found between disciplines on the four scales of Alignment, Staff Enthusiasm and Support, Constructive Feedback and Support from Other Students. Comparisons between the disciplines helped in recognising special features of each discipline from novice students’ points of view. The questionnaire was found to provide valuable information about the quality of teaching and learning.     

Masculinity and respect in flux: Olli's story

This study examines change and the conditions of change in the masculinity of Olli, a working-class Finnish school boy. It explores respect as a status bound to masculine reputation, resources for obtaining respect in gendered identity work, and the negotiation of power in peer relations. I discuss how a ‘banal balancer’ discourse – a local, normalised, culturally idealised discourse and the most common discourse of school boy masculinity – has the power to induce school boys to balance their acquisition of the respect and peer likeability dimensions of status. Olli's story illustrates why locating oneself or being located in a ‘toughie’ discourse, in which the pursuit of respect through fear and violence is present, has limits in terms of peer relations and why it is crucial to make room for aspirational hegemony in schools instead of a dominant, regressive form of hegemony.     

University students’ and teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning in the biosciences

In this study we compare university teachers’ and first-year students’ conceptions of teaching and learning at the Faculty of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The conceptions were analysed using data from open-ended questionnaires. The results showed that at the beginning of studies the gap between teachers’ and students’ conceptions of teaching and learning is substantial. This finding has important implications for the educational process. In order to enhance successful studying from the beginning of students’ university careers, it is important for teachers to become aware of the differences between students’ and teachers’ conceptions of learning.     

Specialist Art and Design Courses at 16+: Restriction or Liberation?

Recent educational reorganisation of further education has highlighted once again the issue of how we should educate our sixteen year olds for a career in art and design. Trends have alternated between vocational or general art education both being largely driven by industrial and economic need. The paper examines whether one or both approaches are most suitable for 16+ learners and evaluates some initial findings.     

Monitoring bullying behaviours may not enhance principal's awareness of the prevalence

Monitoring bullying behaviours is the key aspect of a successful anti-bullying intervention. Questionnaires among pupils and principals of the same schools were utilised to measure the agreement between pupil-reported frequency and principals' estimations of the prevalence of frequent bullying in the same schools and to identify monitoring methods associated with the best agreement. The correlation between the pupil-reported frequency and the principal's estimate of the prevalence was weak. Two-thirds of the principals estimated the prevalence of frequent bullying in their schools to be four percentage points lower than the prevalence, based on pupils' reports. Questionnaires that were developed and administered by the schools themselves and unspecified monitoring methods were associated with the best agreement between pupils' reports and principals' estimates of the prevalence of frequent bullying. There is a clear need to communicate better the nationally collected data back to schools. It seems that despite the monitoring efforts, school principals were not aware of the prevalence of frequent bullying as perceived by their pupils. Awareness of the problem may require more than just available evidence.     

Literacy,Age and Recentness of Education Among Nordic Adults

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between reading literacy and age in an adult population aged 25 to 65 in Nordic countries using PIAAC 2012 data. More specifically, the study examined to what extent variations in the literacy proficiency of adults are explained by age and the recentness of qualifications when variables related to education, occupation, and skill use are controlled. The statistical method was regression analysis. The recentness of education explained only a part of the performance gap between the oldest adults and others. The significance of the length and scope of initial education in developing literacy proficiency overall, is difficult to compensate. There were insignificant differences between the Nordic countries.