Educational Psychology: some thoughts on the transformation of learning in social practices and its consequences for a field of research

The relevance of psychological knowledge to education and learning has been recognized for long time. Educational psychology was thus, one of the first subdisciplines of applied psychology to emerge on the academic scene, and most scholars in the area — internationally as well as in the Nordic countries — have had a firm grounding in psychology. For a couple of decades or more during the second half of this century, educational psychology held a central position within education in most of the Nordic countries. Research within this field has been varied and vigorous. However, although psychological theories should be seen as important intellectual resources, it must be recognized that the relationship between a general discipline such as psychology and a particular area such as education is complex. Important problematics inherent in this relationship are illuminated and discussed in the contribution by Säljö on Sweden. It is argued, that recent attempts to develop a cultural psychology, explicitly recognizing the socio‐cultural nature of learning and other psychological processes, promise to pave the way for conceptions of human activities that are relevant to human concerns in general. The second article in this section, on Finland, contrasts with the first by focusing on educational research performed during the last few decades. This article describes trends in the content and methodologies of this research. The developmental orientation has been very strong in Finnish educational psychology during the whole of the post‐war period. Early research was highly influenced by a differential‐psychology approach, whereas later research has adopted social, motivational and cognitive frameworks. This article discuss the influential theoretical trends and developments.     

Silenced Truths: Relational and Emotional Dimensions of a Beginning Teacher's Identity as Part of the Micropolitical Context of School

This article focuses on teacher identity. Based on two small stories told in a peer group by a beginning teacher, we ask: How does a beginning teacher tell about her identity as part of the micropolitical context of school? Theoretically and methodologically, the research is committed to a narrative approach in understanding teacher identity. The material consists of small stories based on videotaped peer group discussions of 11 Finnish teachers. The results of the research illustrate the micropolitical context at the heart of how a beginning teacher's identity is constructed through diverse emotionally significant relationships. Narrative ways of working, such as group discussions, can offer teachers an opportunity to recognize different dimensions of their identity.     

“A bad head for maths”? Constructions of Educability and Mathematics in Adult Students' Narrative Life Histories

The article focuses on the social differences of educability constructed in Finnish general upper secondary school adult graduates' narratives on mathematics. Social class, gender, and age intertwine in the narratives that express the adult students' worries about their ability and competence to study and learn mathematics. Social differences of educability are transformed into individual conceptions of ability in an intrusive way that has consequences far beyond the ability to learn mathematics. This concerns such issues as whether one's ability and competence as a student and learner suffice to complete studies at GUSSA1 ¹The general upper secondary school for adults—GUSSA for short in this text—is an institute that provides formal general education for adults of all ages. For students the schooling is free of charge, except for subject studies, and entrance is not limited by strict age requirements as the age limit of 18 can be lowered under special circumstances. GUSSA students can either aim at the general upper secondary school certificate and/or passing the matriculation examination, that is the school leaving exam of Finnish upper secondary school, or take courses in individual subjects. Today there are approximately 50 institutes specializing in general upper secondary education for adults in over 40 municipalities in Finland. In 2008 over 10,000 GUSSA students were pursuing general upper secondary qualifications and about 6% of the matriculation examinations were taken and passed by GUSSA students (Statistics of Finland, 2008 Statistics of Finland. 2008. Perusasteen jälkeisen tutkintotavoitteisen koulutuksen opiskelijat ja tutkinnot koulutusmaakunnan, koulutuslajin ja opintoalan (opetushallinnon luokitus) mukaan [Students and qualifications of postcompulsory formal education based on school location, type of education and branch of education (National Board of Education classification). Retrieved June 19, 2010, from http://pxweb2.stat.fi/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=260_opiskt_tau_102_fi&;path=../database/StatFin/kou/opiskt/&;lang=3&;multilang=fi  [Google Scholar]). Besides this, there is an increasing number of students taking individual courses in some subjects. For more information see The Finnish National Board of Education (2008 Finnish National Board of Education (2008). General upper secondary education. Retrieved February 5, 2008, from http://www.oph.fi/english/education/general_upper_secondary_education  [Google Scholar]). and pass the matriculation examination, as well as one's chances of succeeding in further studies and working life. The study confirms that mathematics continues to be constructed as a masculine prototype of intelligence. Being “good” at mathematics, moreover, implies having intelligence and innate natural talent.     

Accelerating decoding-related skills in poor readers learning a foreign language: a computer-based intervention

The results of Fast ForWord® training on English decoding-related skills were examined. Finnish fifth-grade students were identified as having reading fluency problems and poor skills in English as a foreign language learned at school and were randomly assigned to either a training group (TRG) or a control group. The TRG (n?=?13) received 50?min of daily computer program-based training for a period of approximately 10 weeks. Students in the first control group (n?=?11) received the school’s regular instructional programme. A second control group was composed of 14 average readers. The students’ English skills were examined in pre-test, post-test and follow-up measurements. The TRG students saw an acceleration in decoding-related skills. The educational implications of the results are discussed.     

A Competency Model for Process Dynamics and Control and Its Use for Test Construction at University Level

This study examined students’ competencies in engineering education at the university level. First, we developed a competency model in one specific field of engineering: process dynamics and control. Then, the theoretical model was used as a frame to construct test items to measure students’ competencies comprehensively. In the empirical application, the reliability of the test was examined. The results confirmed the applicability of the theory-based test. Also, associations between students’ competencies and individual characteristics were explored. Students who showed higher competencies could be identified based on their individual characteristics, such as participation in self-assessments. Finally, we demonstrated how to apply the standards of theory-based testing to everyday routines at the university and also highlighted some challenging issues to be considered when implementing theory-based testing in practice. This approach could be valuable: Tests based on theoretically sound models allow for appropriate measurement of students’ competencies in higher education.     

Towards community oriented curriculum in Finnish literacy education

Finland’s successful PISA literacy results reflect the foundation of the Finnish education system, which could be characterised by the words equality, equity and individual support. However, international interest in this PISA success has not focused on curricular aspects, and yet the core curriculum specifies teaching and learning practices in Finland. This article presents a study on the development of the Finnish National Core Curricula for Basic Education (NCC), published in 1985, 1994 and 2004. Based on inductive document analysis, the article discusses the changing conceptualisations of the curriculum designers and contributes to an understanding of the roles that the literacy core curriculum has in defining the purposes of literacy education, as well as the cross-curricular intentions of literacy education from the 1980s to the present day.     

Practical Work in Earth Sciences Education: An experience with students in the context of a National Science Programme in Portugal

The programme Ciencia Viva of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology aims to create a greater understanding of science and science education amongst scientists, teachers, school children and the general public, each of whom is encouraged to cooperate and interact through regular contacts. The purpose is to improve practical, experimental and other forms of investigative work. To accomplish such work in schools, an overview of the state of science education worldwide is presented in terms of old and new traditions of the teaching of the physical and historical sciences the latter including the teaching of fieldwork. Traditional practices are compared with those established recently in various parts of the world in which more carefully considered understanding of the nature of science and science education has been established. In illustration of good practice, an outline is offered of the nature and rationale of two sets of curricular materials. These were designed by a team comprising staff members of the University of Aveiro and secondary school teachers and were trialled in schools. These activities are concerned with the internal rock cycle and the internal energy of the Earth in relation to plate tectonic theory. They are also related to the processes of weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition of sedimentary rocks and structures (like wave and current ripple marks) which were formed as part of the external rock cycle driven by the Sun's energy. The account concludes with an outline of the sub programme 'Geology in Summer', a fieldwork programme which introduces a holistic understanding of the workings of the outer part of the Earth to the general public. Students' perspectives and teachers' views about these experiences are generally very positive and are presented at the end. The whole programme was evaluated by an international team of scientists and science educators.     

Learning arithmetic outdoors in junior high school – influence on performance and self-regulating skills

This study aims to explore the influence of outdoor teaching among students, aged 13, on arithmetic performance and self-regulation skills as previous research concerning outdoor mathematics learning is limited. This study had a quasi-experimental design. An outdoor and a traditional group answered a test and a self-regulation skills questionnaire before and after a 10 weeks unit in arithmetic. Findings suggest differences in changes in academic performance between the groups in favour of the outdoor group and no significant changes in self-regulation skills, apart from a decrease in intrinsic motivation in the traditional group.     

Dissonant study orchestrations of high-achieving university students

This study focuses on the dissonant study orchestrations of high-achieving university students. Advanced psychology students’ dissonant study orchestrations were compared with previous findings of advanced medical students orchestrations. Further, the relation of study orchestrations to study success was examined. The subjects were 28 advanced psychology students at the University of Helsinki, Department of Psychology who returned a task booklet of learning; of these, 24 students completed a questionnaire concentrating on the students’ interests, expectations and evaluation of the curriculum. All students were high achievers who had gone through a demanding selection process. The subjects completed three questionnaires concentrating on their study practices, conceptions of knowledge, expectations, and evaluation of the instruction in the Department of Psychology. The results showed that seven out of 28 students expressed a dissonant study orchestration. The results further showed that students’ individual study orchestrations were not related to study success. A comparison between advanced medical and psychology students showed that although the profiles of dissonant study orchestrations were technically similar among medical and psychology students, content analyses revealed that reasons for the development of dissonant study orchestrations were different.