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Tässä katsausartikkelissa Lapin yliopiston matkailututkijat tarkastelevat teemoja, joiden voidaan katsoa sijoittuvan suomalaisen kriittisen yhteiskuntatieteellisen matkailututkimuksen keskiöön. Uuden työn, matkailun vastuullisen talouden, hitauden ja läheisyyden, monilajisuuden, osallisuuden ja kulttuurisensitiivisyyden teemojen kautta on viime vuosina rakennettu aktiivisesti tutkimusta, jota voisi kuvailla Matkailututkimuksen pohjoista koulukuntaa (Nordic School of Tourism Research) edustavaksi tutkimukseksi – tutkimukseksi, joka pyrkii muun muassa purkamaan vastakkainasetteluita (kuten me ja toiset, luonto ja kulttuuri) ja ottaa aktiivisesti kantaa siihen, millaisia matkailun maailmoja tutkijat ovat tutkimuksen kautta luomassa. Kriittinen yhteiskuntatieteellinen tutkimusote näkyy käsillä olevan katsauksen teemoissa myös siinä, että useampi teemoista tuo esiin myös muiden kuin ihmistoimijoiden roolin yhteiskuntatieteellisiä kysymyksiä käsiteltäessä.

Abstract A fungal biorefinery is presented to valorize food waste to fungal monofilaments with tunable properties for different textile applications. Rhizopus delemar is successfully grown on bread waste and the fibrous cell wall is isolated. A spinnable hydrogel is produced from cell wall by protonation of amino groups of chitosan followed by homogenization and concentration. Fungal hydrogel is wet spun to form fungal monofilaments which underwent post‐treatments to tune the properties. The highest tensile strength of untreated monofilaments is 65 MPa (and 4% elongation at break). The overall highest tensile strength of 140.9 MPa, is achieved by water post‐treatment. Moreover, post‐treatment with 3% glycerol resulted in the highest elongation % at break, i.e., 14%. The uniformity of the monofilaments also increased after the post‐treatments. The obtained monofilaments are compared with commercial fibers using Ashby's plots and potential applications are discussed. The wet spun monofilaments are located in the category of natural fibers in Ashby's plots. After water and glycerol treatments, the properties shifted toward metals and elastomers, respectively. The compatibility of the monofilaments with human skin cells is supported by a biocompatibility assay. These findings demonstrate fungal monofilaments with tunable properties fitting a wide range of sustainable textiles applications.

Abstract Since February 2022, the full-scale war in Ukraine has been strongly affecting society and economy in Ukraine and beyond. Satellite observations are crucial tools to objectively monitor and assess the impacts of the war. We combine satellite-based tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) observations to detect and characterize changes in human activities, as both are linked to fossil fuel combustion processes. We show significantly reduced NO2 levels over the major Ukrainian cities, power plants and industrial areas: the NO2 concentrations in the second quarter of 2022 were 15–46% lower than the same quarter during the reference period 2018–2021, which is well below the typical year-to-year variability (5–15%). In the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the NO2 tropospheric column monthly average in April 2022 was almost 60% smaller than 2019 and 2021, and about 40% smaller than 2020 (the period mostly affected by the COVID-19 restrictions). Such a decrease is consistent with the essential reduction in population and corresponding emissions from the transport and commercial/residential sectors over the major Ukrainian cities. The NO2 reductions observed in the industrial regions of eastern Ukraine reflect the decline in the Ukrainian industrial production during the war (40–50% lower than in 2021), especially from the metallurgic and chemical industry, which also led to a decrease in power demand and corresponding electricity production by thermal power plants (which was 35% lower in 2022 compared to 2021). Satellite observations of land properties and thermal anomalies indicate an anomalous distribution of fire detections along the front line, which are attributable to shelling or other intentional fires, rather than the typical homogeneously distributed fires related to crop harvesting. The results provide timely insights into the impacts of the ongoing war on the Ukrainian society and illustrate how the synergic use of satellite observations from multiple platforms can be useful in monitoring significant societal changes. Satellite-based observations can mitigate the lack of monitoring capability during war and conflicts and enable the fast assessment of sudden changes in air pollutants and other relevant parameters.

Abstract The study examines students’ disciplinary learning in physics and interdisciplinary science learning opportunities that students encounter during a collaborative invention project. Thirteen student teams (aged 11 to 12, N = 46) designed and constructed a prototype of a technology invention meant to solve one of the challenges students face in daily life. The data was collected from a physics achievement test taken both before and after the invention project and artifacts (student essays and process portfolios) that students constructed during the project. Seven inventions were categorized as physics-intensive and six as non-physics in nature. The change in students’ achievement prior to and after the invention project was rather modest, and the increase was related to the level of physics-intensity of the inventions made during the project. However, the process portfolios revealed various interdisciplinary science learning opportunities and physics learning that could not be identified with the achievement test. Further, the co-occurrence analysis revealed several interdisciplinary learning opportunities that connected physics contents to the interdisciplinary themes. Working with varied materials and technologies and experimenting with them enabled the students to ponder different science topics and perhaps deepen their understanding through creative problem-solving. We conclude that such collaborative invention projects challenge teachers to take an active role in designing invention challenges so as to more explicitly interlink students’ invention processes with science learning. In order to foster students’ science learning opportunities, teachers should intensively evaluate each student-team’s learning throughout the project and use portfolios to reflect on and scaffold their science learning systematically.

Background: The previous body of research literature has reported several separate cognitive processes relevant in solving mathematics wps. Therefore, it is of the essence to seek for effective intervention and instruction for students in need for support in learning. Aim: This article reports the outcome of an intervention targeted at mathematics word problem (wp) skills. Setting: This study included three data collection points: (1) Pre-measurements, (2) post-measurements and (3) follow-up measurements. Pre-measurements were performed in August, post-measurements immediately after the intervention period in October and followup measurements in December. Methods: A programme, which included face-to-face support in mathematics wp strategies with the think-aloud protocol, was applied. The participants were 28 Finnish third-graders (14 training group students and 14 control students). Their mathematics wp skills were tested three times (pre-, post- and follow-up assessments). The groups were matched by gender, family type and the mathematics wp pre-measurement score level. The groups differed neither by literacy skills (i.e. technical reading, reading comprehension) nor by task orientation at baseline. Results: Some acceleration of mathematics wp skills among the training group students was found but the growth dramatically declined as soon as the face-to-face support stopped. The results further showed improvement in the efficacy of correct answers or attempted mathematics wp items among training group students. Conclusion: The results suggested that training consisting of face-to-face support is crucial for accelerating mathematics wp strategies among students struggling with mathematics. Repeated, cyclic periods of support are suggested for sustained effect.

The study focuses on examining elementary pupils' (N = 42, 11-13 years old) reflections on collaborative design processes, team collaboration and their co-inventions. Digital and traditional fabrication technologies were used in a 2-year co-invention project containing approximately 16 sessions during year 1 and 11 sessions in year 2. Between the two project periods, the pupils were asked to write a structured essay about their co-invention and design process, and in year 2 they kept journal notes in each team's design-folder. Each pupil's structured essay was analyzed with qualitative content analysis that focused on three main aspects: (1) description of the co-invention, (2) progress of the co-invention process and (3) quality of collaboration. Based on the essay analysis, we constructed a "Co-invention Table" with five categories: user, conceptual design, technical design, appearance, and construction. The nature of the 13 pupil-teams' co-inventions varied greatly, and these co-inventions were divided according to three main functions: (1) improving cleanliness, (2) providing reminders or (3) addressing well-being. The essays provided information on how creative ideas were generated and how critical thinking and evaluation of ideas were crucial in improving ideas for further development. The collaboration was dependent on everyone's active and equal participation into work and the importance of an adequate division of the labor was highlighted.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has shown very promising results in hard tissue engineering because of its similarity to bone and hence the capability to promote osteogenic differentiation. While the bioactivity of HA is uncontested, there are still uncertainties about the most suitable hydroxyapatite particle shapes and sizes for textile scaffolds. This study investigates the influence of the shape and size of HA particles on as spun fibers of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and HA, their mechanical and thermal properties as well as their influence on the fiber degradation in simulated blood matrix and their capability to mineralize in simulated body fluid. The key findings were that the different HA particles’ size does not affect the melting temperature and still maintains a thermal stability suitable for fiber production. Tensile testing revealed decreased mechanical properties for PHBV/HA as spun fibers, independently of the particle morphology. However, HA particles with 30 nm in width and 100 nm in length at 1 wt% HA loading achieved the highest tenacity and elongation at break amongst all composite fibers with HA. Besides, the Ca/P ratio of their mineralization in simulated body fluid is the closest to the one of mineralized human bone, indicating the most promising bioactivity results of all HA particles studied.

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to examine primary school students’ learning experiences with immersive virtual reality (I-VR). Traditional education practices are failing to inspire new cohorts of young people who have grown up with digital culture based on active participation. Given this development, the pedagogic use of I-VR systems represents a promising way of fostering students’ learning engagement. This study involved engaging three groups of 10–12-year-old students with an I-VR system as part of an environmental studies project. Data were collected from the students before, during, and after the project via surveys that included structured and open-ended items. Through qualitative content analysis, we analysed the students’ experiences, comprehension of virtual reality, assessment of learning impact, and desire for educational I-VRs. In general, we aimed to contribute to more learner-driven development for the technology. The students’ experiences were primarily positive and revealed various actualised physical, cognitive, and emotional affordances. Their comprehension of virtual reality was influenced by the devices used, mental immersion, and aspects of the current project. Furthermore, I-VR was experienced as having influenced learning motivation, methods, and content. Finally, the students imagined various I-VRs for learning, most of which included time travel to imaginary spaces.

Traditional educational research has been criticized for the gap between the research and practice communities, meaning that outcomes do not transfer to educational praxis. To meet this challenge, policymakers, funders, and researchers are developing research–practice partnerships (RPPs). The purpose of this research is to study the research–practice partnership as a strategy for educational transformation in the Finnish educational context. This study highlights the multifaceted perspectives of key RPP stakeholders: teachers, principals, municipality administrators, and researchers. Their experiences were explored through semi-structured interviews. The data were examined through content analysis and categorized into themes depicting the goals and goal-setting process in RPPs, the experiences of RPP activities, and the factors facilitating and challenging RPPs. The results show that stakeholders viewed the goals through the perspectives of professional development; supporting the growth and learning of students; and developing school, municipality, and research practices. Regular participation solidified the commitment to the RPP process. Horizontal interaction worked well between stakeholders, but challenges arose with vertical interaction. We found multiple roles for researchers and municipality administrators. Researchers found that they take on a new role in RPPs as change agents and facilitators. Regarding the facilitating or challenging aspects of RPPs, an open and flexible attitude and atmosphere and readiness for change are demanded on all actor levels. Mutual appreciation and sensitivity facilitate RPP activities. We propose taking all stakeholder perspectives into account when designing RPPs aimed at systemic change and that RPP processes should facilitate both horizontal and vertical interaction.

The purpose of this study was to explore six-year-old Finnish preschoolers' collaboration during a designing session, where they received a task to collaboratively design and sketch forest animals' nests. Peer interaction is a natural part of craft, design and technology education because the learning situation itself provides various possibilities for collaboration. Craft making is traditionally seen as an individual execution, where makers are producing their own craft products instead of collaboration and shared outcomes. During this intervention, an experience of a shared designing and making situation was provided for children. The article focuses particularly on children's verbal and embodied interactions, as well as children's social roles in their groups, depending on their ability to use language during the designing process. Children's activities were examined within Vygotsky's sociocultural framework for learning and classified using a micro-level analysis methodology for tracking children's collaboration and meaning making in designing. The results showed that six-year-old pre-schoolers succeeded in working collaboratively and they managed to solve the designing task with their peers, but embodied expressions also played a notable role in designing. Four types of roles, which children had in their peer groups, were found.

IntroductionThe growing trend of social media use has influenced all segments of society, including education, during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, authentic leadership is an emerging concept in positive psychology for dealing with emergencies in the digital era. The possibility of a relationship between the two was checked in preservice teachers studying in a teacher education department of a university in Pakistan. The conceptual framework of the study was built around teaching acceptance model (TAM) and Authentic leadership theory.MethodsThe survey method suited the aim of the research, and questionnaires aided us in gathering participant self-reporting responses. We conducted two surveys, and in between them, a course was taught online using social media as a teaching and learning platform. The survey results checked preservice teachers’ positive intentions toward social media-based learning, and the post-course survey studied the development of Authentic leadership attributes among the preservice teachers. Technology acceptance was measured across three constructs: ease of use, usefulness, and positive intentions. The results also reported the development of three authentic leadership characteristics: ethics, self-regulation, and self-awareness.Results and discussionThis study is among the pioneering studies integrating TAM (i.e., the acceptance of social media-based learning) with leadership theory (i.e., authentic leadership). It also adds a methodological contribution by combining symmetrical (i.e., partial least squares structural equation modeling) and asymmetrical (i.e., fuzzy set qualitative comparative technique) for data analysis. The study’s findings are valuable for teacher education institutions, as they help prepare future teachers to become authentic leaders capable of addressing future crises by leveraging education through social media-based teaching and learning platforms.