Teachers’ professional beliefs about their roles and the pupils’ roles in the school

In recent decades, many educational reforms have been implemented that aim to effect a change in teachers’ and pupils’ roles by promoting meaningful learning. Yet, little is known about how teachers perceive these roles as a part of their professional belief system. In this study, 68 Finnish comprehensive school teachers were interviewed. The data were content analysed. The results showed that teachers recognised the importance of facilitating pupils’ active role in learning, but still mostly considered pupils as passive in school practices. Moreover, teachers perceived pupils as active educational participants most often outside the classroom, in informal school settings. Correspondingly, teachers described themselves primarily as knowledge transmitters in pupils’ learning. In their professional community, teachers perceived themselves mostly as reproducers of knowledge instead of facilitators of learning. There was also variation between the teachers as well as within a single teacher’s beliefs.     

Neuromuscular fatigue induced by an isotonic heavy-resistance loading protocol in knee extensors

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to assess neuromuscular fatigue during a typical high-load, low-repetition loading protocol. Muscle stimulations were used to assess maximum voluntary contraction, resting single- and double-pulse twitch characteristics, and superimposed double-pulse twitch force (used to calculate voluntary activation) before and after an acute knee extension loading protocol. In our participants, who had previous resistance training experience, the mean voluntary activation level was 96.2% in an unfatigued state. Maximum voluntary contraction (?11.8%), resting double-pulse twitch force (?10.6%), and voluntary activation (?2.1%) were markedly decreased as a consequence of loading (P < 0.05). In addition, although potentiated twitch characteristics were observed during the loading protocol, this was short-lived, as fatigue surpassed the potentiation mechanisms. Our results show that both central and peripheral mechanisms contributed to neuromuscular fatigue during the present loading protocol.     

The co-evolution of social and physical infrastructure for biotechnology innovation in Turku, Finland

We studied the emergence of biotechnology in Turku, Finland. First, we analysed it as a result of the interaction between the city and its national and international environment, focusing on the city’s industrial policy as the mediator. Second, we diagnosed the construction of BioCity, the first biotechnology centre building of Turku, as a key event: the conceptualisation and construction of BioCity required a new kind of collaboration between the city administration, the universities and various commercial actors. We argue that the systems approach to regional development needs to be complemented with approaches that focus on the regional mechanisms of adaptation.     

Task avoidance, number skills and parental learning difficulties as predictors of poor response to instruction

Altogether 1,285 Finnish children were followed up from the end of kindergarten through Grade 1. All were nonreaders at school entrance. The aim was to delineate predictors of resistance to treatment that are evidenced as little or no reading progress during Grade 1. On the basis of reading achievement in Grade 1 spring, four subgroups were formed. These were fast, average, and slow reading acquisition and slow progress in both reading and math. Kindergarten spring scores in phonological awareness, letter knowledge, rapid naming, and number skills differentiated well among the groups, the latter two being more robust predictors. Task avoidance added to the prediction over and above cognitive skills. Its effect disappeared when parental history of reading and math difficulties was included in the equation. The present results depict poor response to instruction as a general learning problem rather than a specific reading difficulty. Poor response to instruction differs from dyslexia also in that treatment resisters start school with cognitive prerequisites that do not indicate severe reading and math problems.     

The development of first graders' reading skill as a function of pre-school motivational orientation and phonemic awareness

This study examined the development of reading skill during the first school year. The predictors were pre-school motivational orientations, coping tendencies, knowledge of the alphabet and phonemic awareness. From 151 pre-school children (6 years of age) rated by pre-school teachers on motivational orientations, 32 non-readers were allocated according to their dominating motivational disposition to one of the following extreme groups: task orientation, social dependence, ego-defensive, and multiple non-task-oriented. Each group included 8 children. The subjects' phonemic awareness and knowledge of the alphabet were assessed. Coping strategies were observed in pre-school during a play-like construction task comprising three induced pressure episodes. At the end of the first grade the children were assessed on word reading skill and again on motivational orientation. Both group comparisons and idiographic analyses were made. Results indicated that pre-school phonemic awareness was associated with first grade word reading skill. Rated task orientation in pre-school enhanced significantly the prediction of fluent word reading. Task-oriented children showed significantly better word reading skill than ego-defensive or multiple non-task-oriented children. Ego-defensive and multiple non-task-oriented subjects showed significantly less task oriented, and more ego-defensive, coping behaviour under pressure than task-oriented subjects. This finding suggests greater vulnerability of ego-defensive and multiple non-task-oriented children which may contribute to diverging reading careers. Idiographic analyses indicated parallel developmental changes in reading skill, motivational orientations and coping patterns confirming the role of motivation in the formation of an individual's reading career.     

Educational needs of the 16–19 age group: A sociological perspective

This paper attempts to draw a sociological profile of young people in Europe between 15–19 years of age. It points out changes in the socialisation functions of the three institutions, family, school and peer group.The second half of the article surveys quantitative aspects of the educational performance of this age group, pointing out similarities and dissimilarities between the various European countries.The final part is concerned with the effects of inequality of opportunity (socio-cultural, sex-based, and regional) on educational achievement. It is evident that education for this age group is in a state of ferment — new aspects include: the growing importance attached to guidance, the abolition of traditional types of examinations in many countries, the individualisation of instruction, the increased emphasis on technological training, and the greater range of options.

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Zusammenfassung In diesem Aufsatz wird versucht, ein soziologisches Bild von Fünfzehn- bis Neunzehnjährigen in Europa zu geben. Dabei wird auf die Wandlungen der Sozialisierungsfunktionen der drei Einrichtungen — Familie, Schule und Kameraden — hingewiesen.Im zweiten Teil bringt der Artikel einen Überblick über die quantitativen Aspekte der Erziehung dieser Altersgruppe, wobei die Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede zwischen den verschiedenen europäischen Ländern gezeigt werden.Zum Schluss folgt eine Auseinandersetzung mit den Auswirkungen der (soziokulturellen, geschlechts-bedingten und regionalen) Chancen-Ungleichheit im Bildungsbereich. Offensichtlich befindet sich die Erziehung dieser Altersgruppe in einem Gärungsprozess — zu den neuen Aspekten gehören: die zunehmende Bedeutung der Bildungsberatung, die Abschaffung traditioneller Prüfungsmethoden in vielen Ländern, die Individualisierung des Unterrichts, die wachsende Betonung der technischen Ausbildung und das grössere Angebot an Wahlfächern.

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Résumé Cet article s'efforce de dresser un profil sociologique des jeunes Européens de 15 à 19 ans, et met en évidence les changements qui se sont opérés dans les fonctions de socialisation des trois institutions: la famille, l'école et les camarades.La seconde moitié de l'article passe en revue les aspects quantitatifs du rendement éducatif de ce groupe d'âge, établissant similitudes et différences entre les divers pays européens.La dernière partie traite les effets de l'inégalité des chances (socio-culturelles, sexuelles et régionales) sur le rendement en éducation. Il apparaît clairement que l'éducation pour ce groupe d'âge est dans un état de fermentation; les nouveaux aspects comprennent: l'importance croissante accordée à l'orientation, l'abolition des types traditionnels d'examens dans de nombreux pays, l'individualisation de l'enseignement, davantage d'accent mis sur la formation technologique et la gamme plus étendue des options.

     

Teacher burnout profiles and proactive strategies

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Teacher burnout has been identified as a significant occupational hazard. However, our understanding about individual variations in burnout risk among...     

Comprehensive school teachers’ professional agency in large-scale educational change

This article explores how comprehensive school teachers’ sense of professional agency changes in the context of large-scale national educational change in Finland. We analysed the premises on which teachers (n = 100) view themselves and their work in terms of developing their own school, catalysed by the large-scale national change. The study included theory-driven interventions in the case school communities, as well as pre- and post-test measurements. The results suggested that the learning of active professional agency was facilitated among teachers during the 2 years of development work. A significant number of teachers had adopted a more holistic orientation towards the reform. Moreover, the number of teachers who considered themselves as the subjects of the development work increased slightly. This increase suggests that teachers’ intentional and responsible management of new learning proceeds from the interpersonal meaning-making process to the internal process that regulates the elements of a teacher’s professional agency.     

Strategies for academic engagement perceived by Finnish sixth and eighth graders

This study explores strategies students use to construct their academic engagement in the social environment of school. The study is based on group interview data collected from 161 sixth (78) and eighth (83) grade students. Students reflected both engaging and disengaging episodes. Data were content analysed. The results show that students reported using only confirming strategies in teacher–student interaction. More diverse strategies were described in relation to peer interaction. The results indicated that simultaneously maintaining functional peer relations and engaging effectively in academic activities is a highly challenging task which requires strategic flexibility and self-regulative skills. In terms of the development of more engaging learning environments for students, our results suggest that more attention should be paid to creating positive opportunities to participate, in terms of both academic activities and peer interaction.     

Evaluating university-industry collaboration: the European Foundation of Quality Management excellence model-based evaluation of university-industry collaboration

Tertiary Education and Management - The growth in university-industry collaboration has resulted in an increasing demand for methods to evaluate it. This paper presents one way to evaluate an...