Engagement with a teaching career – how a group of Finnish university teachers experience teacher identity and professional growth

The aim of this qualitative study was to identify teachers’ ways of experiencing their identity and development challenges as teachers in the social and professional context of university. Identity and development as a teacher were examined based on interviews and drawings of career paths collected from a group of university teachers representing diverse scientific fields at one research-intensive university in Finland. Based on the findings, a typology of teacher identities and classification of development themes were constructed, illustrating the experiences and drawing on the themes found in the data and comparing them to Huberman’s teachers’ career cycle as well as Åkerlind’s views on university teachers’ changes. The findings showed that those who have reached a goal-reflective and stabilised teacher identity recognise development challenges, especially in the areas of self-development and facilitation of student learning, while those who have a constructive-conflicting or unsolved teacher identity struggle with the many pressures of teaching practice and reaching teacher comfort. The learning trajectories of the studied university teachers were varied and lasted considerably longer than suggested by teachers’ career cycle views.     

Inclusion of pupils with ADHD symptoms in mainstream classes with PBS

Inclusion is never only a practical issue of placement. School-wide systemic change, together with well-functioning, multi-tiered support, can promote the inclusion of all pupils. This paper draws on research conducted in two mainstream primary schools in Finland. The primary focus was to gain insight into practical solutions to facilitate the inclusion of pupils with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in mainstream teaching. Using an experimental, multiple-baseline, single-case design, we examined the effects of Check-in Check-out (CICO) support on changes in the behaviour of two pupils who displayed ADHD-type behaviours. The key features of CICO are brief morning and afternoon meetings with an adult, the use of a daily report card, regular positive feedback during the day, and parental involvement. This study examined if behavioural gains made during the implementation of CICO support can be maintained. Visual data analysis revealed differences in two CICO-ending strategies on maintenance in pupils with ADHD symptoms. The results suggest that consistent universal positive behaviour support systems together with additional behavioural support can facilitate the successful inclusion of pupils observed by teachers to have even severe disruptive behaviours in a mainstream learning environment.     

Check in–check out intervention for supporting pupils’ behaviour: effectiveness and feasibility in Finnish schools

Check In–Check Out (CICO) is a support programme for students with externalising problem behaviours. This study implemented in Finland is one of the first reports on the application of CICO in the European context. An experimental, multiple-baseline, single-case design is used to examine the effects of the CICO intervention on the problem behaviour and appropriate behaviour of three general education primary school pupils. The similarity of the observation data and the information provided in daily report card (DRC) are investigated to gauge the validity of the DRC assessments. The fidelity and social validity of the intervention are also analysed. CICO reduced problem behaviour in all pupils. The results suggest that DRCs are valid tools for estimating behaviour in applied settings. CICO was implemented with high fidelity, and it had excellent acceptability among school personnel. This study adds to the existing literature by implying that effective behaviour support for pupils with disruptive behaviours can be applied easily in general education settings and in diverse international contexts.     

Towards a framework for creative online collaboration: A research on challenges and context

The OnCreate project was initiated by ten universities with expertise in collaborative work in online-based learning environments and explores the specific challenges of implementing university courses in creative disciplines in such an environment. The first research phase comprises a literature search on creativity and its contextual factors in online collaboration in an educational setting. From this research a first set of possible key challenges and contextual key factors has been selected and applied to categorize the results of interviews and surveys on current good practice in creative online collaboration among experienced online teachers from the partner universities. From the key findings we formulate hypotheses to guide future research towards a framework for creative online collaboration. At the same time, the results can serve as inspiration for the educational practice. Notable observations of the good practice research among the partner universities are that they realise innovative collaboration concepts usually on mashed-up environments of state-of-the-art web services rather than on the omnipresent learning management systems (such as Moodle or Blackboard). Also, they show a paradigm shift from teaching to coaching and promotion of an open peer-review culture among the students.     

Learning the class test

European Journal of Psychology of Education - The class test is one of the important school practices which construct and convey to the pupils the predominant conception of ability and the related...     

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE: STUDENT COUNSELLING IN HIGHER EDUCATION ‐‐ A REPORT∗

The main themes developed during the Conference are introduced, and the contributors, evoked. What motivated the holding of the Conference and the particular choice of contributors is the very poor economic climate in Europe occurring at a time when university enrollments are undergoing unprecedented expansion. University student counsellors, who are expected to serve as a kind of interface between the outside world and the university, have as their primary task that of helping students, who seek their services, to cope, to develop survival skills, to benefit from the academic side of their studies, all while preparing a niche for themselves on the outside.

     

University Teachers as Developers of Technology-Enhanced Teaching—Do Beliefs Matter?

Previous research has identified a well-established link between teachers' beliefs and the practical implications of technology-enhanced learning (TEL). Until recently, there have been few studies of teachers' beliefs regarding their own role as developers of TEL in higher education. In this study, 18 university teachers' reflective writings on their role as developers of TEL were analyzed. All the teachers had developed their teaching methods for the instructional use of information and communication technologies (ICT). The findings of qualitative thematic analysis indicated four divergent teachers' roles: (1) active developers, (2) adaptive developers, (3) cautious developers, and (4) reluctant developers. These findings can be used to train teachers in educational change. (Keywords: Teacher beliefs, teacher roles, teaching development, technology-enhanced learning, university teaching, higher education)     

Effect of ultraviolet photofunctionalization of dental titanium implants on osseointegration

Objective

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UV) photofunctionalization of dental titanium implants with exposure to the oral cavity on osseointegration in an animal model.

Methods

Forty-eight titanium implants (Camlog® Conelog® 4.3 mmx9.0 mm) were placed epicrestally into the edentulous jaws of three minipigs and implant stability was assessed by measuring the implant stability quotient (ISQ). Prior to implantation half of the implants were photofunctionalized with intense UV-light. After three months, the implants were exposed and ISQ was measured again. After six months of implant exposure, the minipigs were sacrificed and the harvested specimens were analyzed using histomorphometric, light, and fluorescence microscopy.

Main results

Forty-two of 48 implants osseointegrated. The overall mean bone-implant contact area (BIC) was (64±22)%. No significant differences were found in BIC or ISQ value (multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), P>0.05) between implants with and without exposure to UV photofunctionalization.

Conclusions

No significant effects were observed on osseointegration of dental titanium implants nine months after exposure of UV photofunctionalization.

     

The Patterning of Collaborative Behavior and Knowledge Culminations in Interdisciplinary Research Centers

Minerva - Due to investments in interdisciplinary research endeavors, the number and variety of interdisciplinary research centers have grown exponentially during the past decades. While...