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This study investigates the relationship between first-year higher education students' (N = 405) approaches to learning and academic performance on engineering mathematics courses. In addition, we study what combinations of approaches to learning students apply, how these combinations change over time, and whether they are linked to the pedagogical design. The students were divided into an intervention group taught with an instructional model based on flipped learning, and a control group taught with a modern lecture-based model. The students' approaches to learning were measured five times during one academic year. Multiple linear regression, dominance analysis and cluster analysis were used in analyzing the data. We found that a high level of organized studying and a low level of surface approach to learning were positively linked to exam performance, but a deep approach to learning was not linked to performance. In the last three measurements, the students in the intervention group were overrepresented in the cluster with the most desirable profile in terms of approaches to learning. In the long term, flipped learning seemed to foster deep approach learning and organized studying better than the lecture-based model.

Ethical and sustainable thinking is an important competence in the engineering education to support students' abilities to act and perform in a responsible manner in corporate contexts, and consequently contribute to a sustainable future. This paper investigates engineering students' attitudes towards ethical and sustainable thinking focusing on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles in the context of entrepreneurship courses as a part of larger research project. Engineering students from a Finnish and an Estonian university (N = 342) responded to a self-assessment survey. The students' attitudes towards CSR principles were assessed both on the enterprise level and the individual level as expectations of potential future employees. The findings indicate that engineering students acknowledge the need to take into account responsible thinking and that it is important for enterprises to be both socially and environmentally responsible in their activities. The self-assessment tool of ethical and sustainable thinking associated with the entrepreneurship competence model and CSR principles can be helpful in practice when university teachers wish to support and assess their students' attitudes towards CSR principles among other entrepreneurship competencies when creating new course content.

It is well-established that individual innovativeness is an indispensable quality for employees working in a variety of workplace environments. However, the interaction between the psychological and organizational factors influencing innovativeness remains unclear. This study seeks to address that research gap by examining a model comprising a mix of psychological factors (implicit theory and goal orientation) and organizational culture. Data were collected from 315 staff members working in 34 different departments/schools at Tampere University, Finland. The study employed a Bayesian multilevel path analysis that matched the hierarchical structure of the data to test the hypotheses. The results suggest that psychological factors reflecting goal orientation are the most important for interpreting individual innovativeness. Specifically, mastery goal orientation was shown to be a positive predictor and performance-approach goal orientation a negative predictor of innovativeness. Unexpectedly, departmental culture had neither a direct effect on innovativeness nor a moderation effect on the relationships between the psychological variables and innovativeness. Plausible explanations for these results and implications for future research are discussed. Keywords: Innovativeness, Organizational culture, Goal orientation, Implicit theory, Higher education, Innovation, Bayesian approach, Multilevel path analysis, Mindset, Staff, JEL classification: O3, I23

Given that little is known how peer feedback reflects adolescents’ academic well-being in different cultures, this study investigates, by means of multiple-group structural equation modeling (SEM), the influence of peer feedback on the mindset and academic motivation of Chinese (N = 992) and Finnish (N = 870) students in the fourth to the ninth school grades. Within this investigation, we also explore the culture-invariant and culture-dependent nature of student feedback, mindset and academic motivation. The results indicate that the way students praise their peers in their feedback primes and modifies their mindsets and academic motivation. Person-focused praise reflects a fixed mindset and negative academic motivation (i.e., avoidance), whereas process-focused praise undermines negative academic motivation. The pupils in the two samples had growth mindsets. However, the Finnish students preferred to bestow neutral praise and to be more negative with regard to their academic motivation whereas the Chinese students favored process- and person-focused praise, the former reflecting not only their growth mindset but also their positive academic motivation (i.e., trying).

Abstract This review provides an overview of the empirical research concerning guidance in the context of vocational education and training (VET). The study examines practices, providers and supporting and hindering factors related to guidance and learning at the workplace. After the inclusion/exclusion process, the final number of research articles included in this review is 18. Results show strong evidence for the collective nature of workplace guidance, with the entire work community providing learners with guidance and assistance. Guidance provided to VET students at workplaces seems to relate strongly to the activities of the members of communities of practice. Guidance provided by the members of communities of practice opens up opportunities for learners to participate in collective practices by gradually assuming more responsibility and more demanding tasks as their skills develop. The learner’s self-regulative skills, such as responsibility and the ability to take the initiative and to actively seek guidance, affect how guidance is afforded to him/her in the work community during training. Furthermore, these skills may also determine the learner’s prospects for developing expertise in future workplaces.

This article presents a two-phase study exploring the usage of technology in higher education as well as the role of the general innovativeness in predicting the actual use of technology. During the first phase of the study, which involved 502 staff members, a descriptive analysis of their usage of social media, technological devices, and Microsoft Office 365 cloud services was performed, with various demographic variables being considered. During the second phase, which involved a subsample of 106 staff members, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine a model in which the general innovativeness and the demographic variables acted as predictors of the actualized innovativeness. The results showed that the staff used social media, devices, and cloud services quite satisfactorily. The examination of their user profiles revealed that there were significant differences among the staff members on the basis of their demographic variables, especially their gender, job type, and discipline. The results of the SEM showed that the general innovativeness contributed positively, as was expected, to predicting the adoption of devices, non-academic social networking sites and Office 365 cloud services. The results further suggested that males were early adopters of devices, while academics were early adopters of commercial services and academic social networking sites. However, the academics appeared to lag behind the administrators in terms of adopting Office 365 cloud services. The implications of the study and directions for future research are also presented.

This paper examines the perceptions of vocational expertise and school-to-work pathways among WorldSkills Competition (WSC) achievers and their co-workers and employers within the Finnish context. At the biennial international WSC, young people (aged 18-to-23 years) from over 60 countries demonstrate their skills in more than 40 trades. Individualized training for this competition is provided through the cooperation of vocational institutions (e.g., expert coaches, team leaders and competition panellists) and industry (e.g., mentors, sponsors, materials, equipment). Semi-structured thematic interviews (N=51) were conducted in 2013 and 2014 with former Finnish WSC medal or diploma winners (n=18) who had since begun their working lives (1-to-15 years of work experience). Their employers (n=16) and colleagues (n=17) were also interviewed. Results showed that in addition to vocation-specific knowledge and skills, problem-solving skills, creativity, social skills and self-regulatory skills were acknowledged as the most significant elements of vocational expertise. The findings also indicated that formal vocational education combined with deliberate practice and training based on expert mentoring improved the long-term career progress and vocational expertise of the WSC achievers.

Active learning has gained growing political, instructional, and research interest. However, the definitions of active learning are wide. The learning outcomes related to it have been mostly positive but the measurement methods are not without problems. This review provides an overview of active learning, especially in the context of engineering higher education, by answering two research questions: (1) How is the concept of active learning defined and justified in engineering higher education research? (2) What are the learning outcomes connected to active learning and how is learning measured in engineering higher education research? Sixty-six empirical articles were analyzed inductively with qualitative content analysis. The analysis showed that active learning was defined in various ways, and in some articles, it was not defined at all. In addition, justification (theoretical or empirical) for the use of active learning was seldomly reported. Finally, the indicators used to measure the impact of active learning on students’ learning outcomes were mostly based on students’ self-report data and focused on course specific development in subject-related knowledge. More thorough descriptions and theoretical justifications, as well as the consideration of learning outcomes with appropriate research methods, could reinforce the transparency of empirical interventions and the application of active learning.

This commentary to the recent article by Musso et al. (2013) discusses issues related to model fitting, comparison of classification accuracy of generative and discriminative models, and two (or more) cultures of data modeling. We start by questioning the extremely high classification accuracy with an empirical data from a complex domain. There is a risk that we model perfect nonsense perfectly. Our second concern is related to the relevance of comparing multilayer perceptron neural networks and linear discriminant analysis classification accuracy indices. We find this problematic, as it is like comparing apples and oranges. It would have been easier to interpret the model and the variable (group) importance’s if the authors would have compared MLP to some discriminative classifier, such as group lasso logistic regression. Finally, we conclude our commentary with a discussion about the predictive properties of the adopted data modeling approach.

This study uses a person-centered approach to investigate construction workers' learning at work, focusing on their approaches to learning, self-efficacy beliefs and work engagement and how these vary according to their goal orientation profiles. Survey data were collected from Finnish construction sector employees (N = 1,280) in June 2021. The data were analysed using latent profile analysis (LPA). Analyses revealed four goal orientation profiles: Disengaged (19.1%), Avoidance-oriented (2.1%), Performance-oriented (43.0%) and Mastery-oriented (35.7%). Profiles based on high learning orientation (Performance-oriented, Mastery-oriented) had higher emphasis on a deep approach to learning, as well as higher self-efficacy and work engagement. The profiles differed less regarding unreflective approach to learning. The results illuminate construction workers' learning processes in terms of learning strategies and motivation and how they compare to those of the more extensively studied student population. The results also encourage finding ways to support workers' mastery orientation to benefit not only learning but also well-being by enhancing more reflective learning approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the enhancement of employability for professional self-employed individuals in business management by mapping occupational standards in entrepreneurship within the Indonesian Qualification Framework (IQF). The study aims to identify the types of entrepreneurship occupations and their corresponding competencies to bridge the gap between formal education and industry needs. Utilizing a combination of the Mapping Study method and Rapid Assessment Process (RAP), the research collects and analyzes secondary data from national employment databases, industry reports, academic publications, and government documents. The findings reveal a comprehensive occupational matrix detailing the progression from foundational to advanced entrepreneurial roles, each with specific core and elective competencies. These competencies are crucial for roles emphasizing strategic leadership and business development. The study provides a structured approach for developing targeted training programs and vocational education policies that align with industry requirements, ultimately enhancing the employability of self-employed business professionals. Recommendations include aligning training programs with industry needs, enhancing access to certification programs, increasing awareness of occupational standards, incorporating practical experience, and standardizing competency descriptions across regions and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal abilities as critical competencies are a prevalent subject in hospitality training. However, there remains a need to further study how teachers and trainers apply instruction practices to develop and strengthen students' interpersonal abilities. This study aimed at identifying instruction practices used by teachers and trainers to ensure students' development of interpersonal abilities and establishing students interpersonal abilities from teachers and trainers use of instructional practices. A qualitative research approach using a descriptive study design was used. A sample of 26 participants was purposively selected from vocational institutions and workplaces. In-depth interviews and observations were used to collect data. The study found out that discussions and presentations strengthened by mentoring were key to inculcating and strengthening the students' interpersonal abilities. However, some students were confronted with challenges; remembrance of what was discussed, teacher and trainers acting as barricades during the use of instructional practices leading to student passiveness, being laughed at by fellow peers, understanding what has been discussed and in task-specific- feedback from trainers at the beginning of the workplace training. Thus, the study concluded that teacher-trainer collaboration was crucial for clear harmonization of instructional practices of students' interpersonal abilities development and strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research evidence continues to reveal that using active learning methods in the classroom has a positive impact on student learning. Additionally, awareness by faculty and administrators of the importance and value of using active learning methods continues to grow in higher education. However, some faculty find the consistent implementation of active learning methods challenging. Many continue to teach the way they were taught, and the majority of terminal degree programs do not include training on learning theory and effective teaching. The study explored the internal and external barriers preventing faculty use of active learning methods in higher education across the United States and the relationship between the barriers and faculty demographics. A sample of one thousand full-time and part-time faculty teaching in private and public higher education institutions completed a twenty-four-item survey on perceived barriers to using active learning in the classroom. Results suggest that male and full professors identified more barriers than their counterparts and listed workload and competing demands high on their lists of barriers to utilizing active learning. The results also showed that training, mentoring, and professional development are vital components for supporting faculty in the utilization of active learning pedagogies and are instrumental in supporting faculty in their efforts to become better teachers of their discipline. Limitations of the study include the use of classroom observation or in-depth interview methodologies to contribute more in-depth data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global crises, the priorities of vocational education and training (VET) need to be reconsidered. VET should educate critically reflective global citizens who are capable of acting to create a more just and sustainable world both in their workplaces and in society at large. This study examines VET teachers' views on addressing controversial global issues, and how cultural-discursive, material-economic, and socio-political arrangements enable or hinder their opportunities to address these issues in Finnish upper secondary VET. The data comprise questionnaire responses (N = 187) and focus group discussions (N = 12). The mixed method approach uses basic statistical and reflexive thematic analysis methods, with the theory of practice architectures as the theoretical and methodological framework. The findings show that teachers are open to engaging with controversial global issues beyond curricular requirements and the diversity of students supports pluralistic discussions. However, the role of VET teachers as global civic educators is not recognised in the Finnish VET system focusing on efficiency and acquiring individual competencies, preferably outside the school. Reduced contact teaching limits teachers' opportunities to deal with complex and uncertain global issues, and to create the safe, open classroom climate necessary for difficult conversations to take place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports published within the issue including "Role of Motivation in the Moral and Religious Judgment of Mathematically Gifted Adolescents," by Petri Nokelainen and Kirsi Tirri, "Changing the World: Tolerance and Creativity Aspirations Among American Youth," by Seana Moran, and "Purpose in Life Among High Ability Adolescents," by Kendall Cotton Bronk, W. Holmes Finch, and Tasneem L. Talib.

The educator's choice of techniques is intended to foster a strong love of learning. The different methods of learning can improve learners' abilities. The need of pupils to learn cannot be met by only conventional teaching. When pupils graphically answer the provided question, this is clearly seen. This paper studied students' performance for the graph based topic 'Smith Chart' for the course 'Radar and Microwave Engineering' for the third year of engineering students. Total 64 students of the same class considered for the experiment. Video based learning (VBL) is methodology is used in this paper. Total 64 students learn the said chart (Smith Chart) through videos. VBL along with collaborative approach is carried out for experimental group. The two group posttest is carried out. The two group post test results presented in the paper. The assessment is carried out w.r.to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Bloom's Level (BL). The objectives of the study are to introduce and make students understand Smith chart (BL: Understand, LO1); to determine transmission line parameters and impedance along the line (BL: Apply, LO2); to examine the effect of load variations on transmission line parameters. (BL: Analyze, LO3). The results w.r.to LOs and BL are presented in this paper for both control and experimental group. To assess the level of effectiveness of the intervention feedback is taken from experimental group. Almost 96% students liked the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated how well two different student-centred instructional models fostered engineering students' learning in a time of crisis. We analysed students' (N = 375) approaches to learning during four engineering mathematics courses in a Finnish university before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students' deep and surface approaches to learning, as well as organised studying, were measured five times during an eight-month period. For the control group the student-centred elements were added to the framework of traditional lecture-based teaching, whereas the intervention group's instructional model disrupted the structures of traditional teaching more profoundly. Our results indicate that the pandemic and related restrictions were linked to a decrease in students' deep approach to learning and organised studying, and an increase of surface approach to learning in both groups. However, the intervention group's instructional model supported the deep approach to learning better than that of the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors behind university teachers' ability to implement instructional changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire comprised of open-ended and Likert-scale questions was administered to teachers at a Finnish university in April 2020. The sample consisted of 378 university teachers who were categorised into four groups based on their digital innovativeness and the extent to which they implemented changes to adapt their teaching practices to COVID-19 restrictions: Avoider Survival Adapters, Avoider Ambitious Adapters, Embracer Survival Adapters, and Embracer Ambitious Adapters. We examined the association between the teacher groups and their learning patterns and background characteristics. The findings showed that Embracer Ambitious Adapters have significantly more meaning-oriented and application-oriented learning patterns than Embracer Survival Adapters, though Avoider Survival Adapters have more problematic learning patterns. Furthermore, the results indicated that pedagogical training and having more teaching experience helped innovative teachers embrace more changes in their teaching practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of discipline, the results showed that teachers working in hard disciplines (e.g., physics) were more likely to belong to the Embracer Survival Adapters group, while teachers working in soft disciplines (e.g., history) were more likely to belong to the Embracer Ambitious Adapters group. Possible interpretations of these findings and perspectives for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Kohlberg, a moral teacher is an independent moral agent capable of addressing moral dilemmas based on general principles of justice. In addition to moral reasoning, teachers require competencies in moral sensitivity, moral motivation, and the implementation of morality. In the current period of global transition, moral sensitivity in teaching is particularly emphasized along with the skills to identify culture-invariant and culture-dependent moral factors. In this lecture, the role of the moral teacher is explored in the context of current global crises and everyday moral dilemmas in teaching. Purposefulness and professional ethics are identified as important assets for a moral teacher during the current global transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented which discusses various articles including one from James Reed Campbell and Annie Xuemei Feng comparing adult productivity of American Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics Olympians with Terman's Longitudinal Study, one from Kirsi Tirri and Petri Nokelainen on the attributions of the Finnish Olympians and Pre-Olympians, and one from Seokhee Cho and James Reed Campbell summarizing two national studies in Korea with gifted students and academic Olympians.

What is active learning? While active learning has been demonstrated to have positive impacts on student learning and performance, defining the concept has been elusive. Previous research examining active learning definitions in STEM fields found that the vast majority of published articles did not define active learning, and those that did defined active learning as interacting, engaging, or not lecturing. The current research extends this STEMfocused work by examining both social science and STEM science publications. A restricted systematic review of literature was conducted using the SCOPUS database, resulting in 547 relevant articles focused on active learning from 2017 to 2022. An examination of the articles indicated that 71% of the reviewed articles did not define active learning and that the instructional strategies most often cited as fostering active learning emphasized social interactive learning strategies (e.g., small groups, team-based learning, discussion, and cooperative learning), as well as critical thinking strategies (e.g., problem-based learning, case-based learning, and inquiry-based learning). In addition, an in-depth qualitative analysis of the 161 definitions provided within the articles yielded three main emergent themes: (a) active learning is defined as grounded in student-centered constructivist theory, (b) active learning is defined as promoting higher-order thinking and deep learning, and (c) active learning is defined as an instructional strategy involving activity, participation, and engagement. Given these main findings, a representative definition was created: Active learning is a student-centered approach to the construction of knowledge focused on activities and strategies that foster higher-order thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The engineering education field has concentrated more on rationality and knowledge than on emotions, even though the latter are important in students' learning processes and in the engineering profession. This study examined engineering students' descriptions of the roles of teaching in their perceived emotions. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data from interviews with 26 engineering students. The results show that students' emotions are influenced by their perceptions of 1) a teacher-created atmosphere, such as teacher interest, enthusiasm, emotions, and encouragement, and 2) teaching procedures, such as course arrangements, lectures, public performances, and active learning. The findings call for more attention to the nuances of student – teacher relationships in engineering classrooms, as they can affect the ways in which students experience teaching procedures, as well. These results can help engineering educators better understand students' teaching-related emotions and make instructional choices that enhance student emotions that are conducive to learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a study illustrating the relationship between digitalization and professional development from an identity-centered perspective. Drawing on a unique data set of 101 empathy-based stories from 81 Finnish government workers, the findings show how workers might experience and respond to work-identity alignments and misalignments in a digitalized working life and how this might influence their professional development. We identify four typifications—the thriving developer, the loyal transformer, the stagnant self-doubter, and the career crafter— and illustrate how digitalization can either support or hinder professional development by inducing work-identity (mis)alignments and how workers may respond to these in different ways by engaging in identity work and job crafting. In particular, our findings emphasize the role professional identity and agency play in professional development and highlight the importance of recognizing how digitalization of work can threaten or support workers' professional identities to build a supportive working environment where the workers feel like they are valued and able to develop in a meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's aim is to examine vocational students' perceptions of self-regulated learning in work-based settings regarding Finnish vocational education and training (VET). We examined the participants' self-reported thoughts and experiences of VET learning and vocational development that were reflected against SRL theory. The interview data (N = 33) included apprentices (n = 15) in work-based and students in school-based VET (n = 18) in the fields of social and healthcare, business and administration, and construction. Overall, the results indicated that learning at work promoted vocational students' cognitive engagement and motivation. The interviews also introduced certain SRL strategies that guided the participants' efforts to learn. In particular, many of the vocational students had taken the initiative to set goals, done strategic planning, and monitored their own performance jointly with their teachers or co-workers. However, the self-reports also revealed some shortcomings in the students' SRL behaviour. The importance and availability of social support and positive feedback from VET teachers and workplace trainers/co-workers to vocational students' learning and self-efficacy were underlined in the self-reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we extend the Multiple Intelligence Profile Questionnaire (Tirri and Komulainen, 2002) based on Gardner's (1983) MI theory with spiritual intelligence (SQ). The operationalization of SQ was tested with an empirical sample of Finnish preadolescents, adolescents and adults (N = 496). First, we studied if 20 spiritual intelligence items reflect the categories of spiritual sensitivity (Hay, 1998; Bradford, 1995). The categories are: Awareness sensing, Mystery sensing, Value sensing, and Community sensing. Second, we optimized the number of items to create the eighth component to the MIPQ. The results of confirmatory factor analysis show good generalizability characteristics of the scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineers value undergraduate research experience as an important step towards becoming an engineer. However, what the word 'experience' means in this context is ambiguous. We draw from qualitative interviews with engineering faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students to identify four categories of experience that they consider relevant to engineering: (1) practical experience: 'real-world' skills and opportunities that resemble the work done in engineering careers and graduate school, (2) social experience: the interpersonal aspects of working with a team, including norms of behavior and communication, (3) professional experience: skills and opportunities that are useful in aspects of students' lives beyond a specific job, such as how to manage their time, and (4) epistemic experience: learning about and applying abstract engineering knowledge. By deriving a typology of 'experience' based on how faculty members and students talk about undergraduate research, this study offers insights into how engineers in universities understand engineering expertise, professionalization, and collaboration. Reflecting on what kinds of 'experience' a good engineer needs also reveals the power dynamics between mentors and novices, and between junior engineers' sometimes conflicting roles as both laborers and learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand factors related to turnover intention (TI) and job satisfaction (JS) in the information technology and engineering sectors. Specifically, this study investigates the role of workplace learning opportunities (WLO) afforded by the environment and individual's subjective career success (SCS). The connections between learning opportunities and career success are examined, as well as their connections to JS and TI. Design/methodology/approach: The current research was based on self-report questionnaire data (N = 153). The questionnaire included existing instruments measuring WLO, SCS, JS and TI. The analyses of the data included Pearson product-moment correlations, path analysis (based on multiple regression) and analysis of relative importance (dominance analysis). Findings: Results indicated that higher access to resources that support learning, more opportunities for professional growth and satisfactory career decisions made by employees were connected to lower TI. The processes of well-being and learning are strongly intertwined and mutually reinforce each other, reducing the willingness to change a job in the near future. Originality/value: This study adds to the previous research by providing more detailed knowledge on the connections between the various dimensions of WLO and SCS. The findings of the present study can offer insights for developing work environments where employees wish to remain, learn and are satisfied with their job and careers, thus ultimately supporting their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interaction with art through digital technology is not a very recent research inquiry. In the mid-1960s, technologybased art emerged, and by 1980 onwards, experimental art and technology had grown remarkably. To bring practice and research closer to technology, art, and design, researchers have deepened their knowledge of the creative process in art and technology. On the other hand, to develop the technology blended practice required an educational base from the stage of schooling. Virtual reality (VR) is one of the platforms that could help to learn and explore new idea as well as create a new dimension for creativity practice. Inclusion of art teaching and learning VR technology required to verify and evaluate its usability. Heuristic research undertakes exploration of human experience in a qualitative manner. It is a systematic, organized method for investigating human lived experience. The VR content required a significant evaluation criteria on development of content and usability of content This study focusing on the behavior of the VR content and its proximity towards practice and usability. The study following descriptive methodology to create a synergy within practice-based research, heuristic criteria, and activity system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to well-being, workplace learning has gained increasing interest in supporting employee and organizational development and success. Focusing on specific factors affecting workplace learning and well-being, this study examines the links between individual factors (basic psychological need satisfaction) and environmental factors (expansiveness of the workplace as a learning environment), job satisfaction, and turnover intention. Survey data were collected from the employees (N = 153) of two Finnish engineering companies from 2018 to 2019. The data were analyzed with correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (observed and latent variable path analysis). Results show that a more expansive workplace learning environment is associated with higher satisfaction of basic psychological needs. High levels of autonomy and competence need satisfaction, versatile work, promotion of learning, and acknowledgment of skills are positively associated with job satisfaction. Higher levels of autonomy and non-routine work tasks are associated with lower turnover intention. The results indicate that turnover intention is not necessarily associated with only negative conditions or perceptions, as high levels of competence and participation and understanding of the workplace are positively associated with turnover intention. The findings provide information about workplace factors that are relevant to improving employees' workplace learning and well-being. The results also highlight the ambiguous nature of turnover intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have often neglected the role of hopelessness in violent behavior during adolescence. Moreover, little research has examined this relationship over time. Using data from Waves I and II of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we explore the relationship between hopelessness and youth violent behavior over time. Poisson regression was used to analyze contributors to violence in just Wave I, and again across time in Wave II using explanatory and control variables from Wave I. Results indicate that hopelessness is positively associated with violent behavior. Furthermore, while hopelessness and most other explanatory variables predicted violent behavior in Wave I, almost all variables became non-significant or negative except hopelessness and acts of minor delinquency when predicting violence in Wave II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an interview with Doctor (Dr.) Kirsi Tirri, an internationally renowned leader in gifted education, discussing her motivation to enter the field, challenges faced in Finland, the types of knowledge and skills researchers should have, and the strengths and limits of gifted education. Dr. Tirri also shares her plans for the future.

Motivation plays an important role in students' school behavior, and research has established that students' learning environment experiences such as teachers' behavior toward them contribute to their motivation and behavior at school. Self-determination theory (SDT) offers an interesting frame of reference in the study of the relationship between students' learning experiences at school and their school behavior. Considering three basic psychological needs (the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), the SDT points to the importance of nutriments and support in the social environment in order to allow growth in motivation, engagement, and (psychological) well-functioning. In addition, thwarting these needs is supposed to contribute to maladaptive functioning. Teachers can play an important role in the fulfillment of students' basic psychological needs by delivering support (autonomy support, structure, and involvement); however, controlling instructional behavior, chaos in the classroom, and teacher rejection and neglect are supposed to be a treat to the fulfillment of students' basic psychological needs. In the current innovative longitudinal study, teachers' need-supportive behavior as well as teachers' thwarting of these needs are considered and their relationship with students' academic engagement (adaptive functioning) and procrastination behavior (maladaptive functioning) is studied. In addition, attention is paid to differential effects of teachers' behavior with regard to boys and girls. Participants were 566 students belonging to 20 mathematics/English grade 1 secondary education classes in the Netherlands. Multilevel analyses revealed evidence for the importance of both teachers' need-supportive and need-thwarting behaviors in relation to students' academic engagement and procrastination behavior. In addition, the findings revealed that teachers' need-supportive behavior is more important for students' academic engagement (adaptive functioning), while teachers' need-thwarting behavior has larger effects on students' procrastination behavior (maladaptive functioning). Furthermore, evidence was found that boys often seemed to be more sensitive to their teachers' behavior than girls. The findings highlight the importance of both teachers' need-supportive and need-thwarting behaviors in daily classrooms and contribute to deepen our insight into and understanding of factors leading to adaptive and maladaptive functioning of boys and girls in relation to learning tasks at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore workers' stories about digitalization of work and professional development. The data (101 stories) were collected from 81 Finnish government workers through the method of empathy-based stories (MEBS). MEBS is a qualitative data collection method in which participants write short imaginary texts based on an introductory script (frame story) designed by the researcher. In this study, participants were presented with two frame stories in which they were asked to imagine why digitalization had either supported or hindered professional development. The stories were analyzed inductively using qualitative thematic analysis. The findings illustrate the double-edged nature of digitalization, as it may both support and hinder professional development and learning by changing work tasks, work practices and knowledge development and management. Overall, the stories revealed that the participants perceived that digitalization may support professional development and learning, especially by providing opportunities for job control in terms of flexibility, and new ways for knowledge development and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee innovative behavior is an important factor in improving an institution. Employee innovative behavior can encourage performance and develop institutional competencies in order to achieve the stated goals. This research is a quantitative study with a data analysis model using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This research was conducted on lecturers who already have educator certificates at Private Universities in the Bogor region with Institution Accreditation B. The purpose of this study is to find ways in improving the innovative behavior of lecturers through in-depth analysis of the influence among variables. The evaluation results of the measurement model show that there are two indicators of personality variables and one indicator of innovative behavior variables that are found invalid. The results of the structural model evaluation can be concluded that; 1) the empowerment has a positive effect on innovative behavior of lecturers with a path coefficient 0.189; 2) the personality has a positive effect on innovative behavior of lecturers with a path coefficient 0.278; 3) self-efficacy has a positive effect on innovative behavior of lecturers with a path coefficient 0.201; 4) the empowerment has a positive effect on self-efficacy with a path coefficient 0.153; 5) personality has a positive effect on self-efficacy with a path coefficient 0.680; 6) personality has a positive effect on empowerment with a path coefficient 0.375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from occupational practitioner to vocational educator means moving from the logic of production to the logic of teaching; the purpose of knowledge changes from enhancing production to enhancing learning. This process touches issues of transmitting vocational knowledge from a workplace context to a school context; it has been explored in the literature, but few studies have focused on transmitting vocational knowledge from the perspectives of guiding in a workplace to teaching in a classroom. This article reports a study on the preparation of Norwegian trainee teachers in vocational teacher education. It examines how they talk about the transition from occupational practitioner to vocational educator and identifies important challenges faced by trainee teachers regarding the transition from guiding apprentices to teaching students (i.e., newcomers). The analysis explores how transforming dominant ways of knowing and being as occupational practitioner is crucial to achieving the tasks of a vocational educator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]