A phronetic approach to educational design-based research: Issues and aspirations

This paper is a theoretical attempt to show how the Aristotelian notion of phronesis may provide a fruitful viewpoint to trigger and animate a series of discussions on educational design-based research. In particular, we focus on the overall meaning that the notions of intervention and theory can acquire. What concerns the former, phronesis helps avoid interpreting intervention as the making of an object, be it a learning environment, an application, a piece of software. Conversely, it posits that intervention can be fruitfully located within teachers’ professional judgment. The specific focus on professional judgment helps point to a different conception of “theory”, which does not revolve around the development of generalized principles informing the practice. Conversely, theory can be viewed as the effort to articulate teachers’ experiences in the form of stories “from the field”. &nbsp

Changes in Beer Labels and their Meaning : A Holistic Approach to the Semiosic Process

The purpose of this study is to find a framework for a holistic approach to, and form a conceptual toolbox for, investigating changes in signs and in their interpretation. Charles S. Peirce s theory of signs in a communicative perspective is taken as a basis for the framework. The concern directing the study is the problem of a missing framework in analysing signs of visual artefacts from a holistic perspective as well as that of the missing conceptual tools. To discover the possibility of such a holistic approach to semiosic processes and to form a conceptual toolbox the following issues are discussed: i) how the many Objects with two aspects involved in Peirce s definition of sign-action, promote multiple semiosis arising from the same sign by the same Interpretant depending on the domination of the Objects; ii) in which way can the relation of the individual and society or group be made more apparent in the construction of the self since this construction is intertwined with the process of meaning-creation and interpretation; iii) how to account for the fundamental role of emotions in semiosis, and the relation of emotions with the often neglected topic of embodiment; iv) how to take into account the dynamic, mediating and processual nature of sign-action in analysing and understanding the changes in signs and in the interpretation of signs. An interdisciplinary approach is chosen for this dissertation. Concepts that developed within social psychology, developmental psychology, neurosciences and semiotics, are discussed. The common aspect of the approaches is that they in one way or another concentrate on mediation provided by signs in explaining human activity and cognition. The holistic approach and conceptual toolbox found are employed in a case study. This consists of an analysis of beer brands including a comparison of brands from two different cultures. It becomes clear that different theories and approaches have mutual affinities and do complement each other. In addition, the affinities in different disciplines somewhat provide credence to the various views. From the combined approach described, it becomes apparent that by the semiosic process, the emerging semiotic self intertwined with the Umwelt, including emotions, can be described. Seeing the interpretation and meaning-making through semiosis allows for the analysis of groups, taking into account the embodied and emotional component. It is concluded that emotions have a crucial role in all human activity, including so-called reflective thinking, and that emotions and embodiment should be consciously taken into account in analysing signs, the interpretation, and in changes of signs and interpretations from both the social and individual level. The analysis of the beer labels expresses well the intertwined nature of the relationship between signs, individual consumers and society. Many direct influences from society on the label design are found, and also some indirect attitude changes that become apparent from magazines, company reports, etc. In addition, the analysis brings up the issues of the unifying tendency of the visual artefacts of different cultures, but also demonstrates that the visual artefacts are able to hold the local signs and meanings, and sometimes are able to represent the local meanings although the signs have changed in the unifying process.Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on löytää kehys holistiselle mallille ja luoda työkaluja käsitteellistä analyysia varten, jonka avulla voidaan tutkia ja tulkita muutoksia merkeissä ja merkkien tulkinnassa. Charles S. Peircen merkkiteoria kommunikatiivisesta perspektiivistä on otettu tämän teoreettisen kehyksen perustaksi. Käsittelen neljää seuraavaa kysymystä tutkimuksessani, jotta holistinen lähestymistapa semioottisiin prosesseihin ja käsitteellisten työkalujen luominen olisi mahdollista: i) Kuinka monet Objektit kaksine aspekteineen, jotka kuuluvat Peircen määritelmään merkityksenannosta, voivat edistää monilukuisia semiosiksia samasta merkistä saman tulkitsimen kautta riippuen dominoivasta Objektista? ii) Millä tavoin yksilön ja yhteisön tai ryhmän suhde voidaan tuoda paremmin esille itsen rakentamisessa, koska tämä rakentaminen on kietoutunut merkityksen muodostamisen ja tulkinnan kanssa? iii) Miten voidaan ottaa huomioon emootion fundamentaalinen rooli semiosiksessa ja emootioiden rooli ruumiillistumisen aiheessa, joka on usein laiminlyöty? iv) Miten voidaan ottaa huomioon merkityksenannon dynaaminen, välittävä ja prosessuaalinen luonne, kun analysoidaan merkkien muutoksia, merkkien tulkintaa ja tulkinnan muutoksia? Tämän tutkimuksen lähestymistavaksi on valittu monitieteellinen tarkastelu. Käsittelen käsitteitä, joita on työstetty sosiaalipsykologiassa, kehityspsykologiassa, neurobiologisissa ja neuropsykologisissa tieteissä sekä semiotiikassa. Yhteistä näiden lähestymistapojen aspekteille on se, että ne tavalla tai toisella keskittyvät merkkien toimimiseen välittävinä elementteinä selostettaessa ihmisen toimintaa ja kognitiota. Holistista lähestymistapaa ja muodostettuja käsitteellisiä työkaluja käytetään analysoimaan yksittäistä tapaustutkimusta. Tapaustutkimus koostuu oluttuotemerkin analyysista, ja kahden eri kulttuurin oluttuotemerkkien vertailusta. Tutkimuksen mukaan eri teorioilla ja lähestymistavoilla on tiettyjä samankaltaisuuksia, jotka täydentävät toisiaan. Lisäksi samankaltaisuudet eri tieteenalojen välillä antavat uskottavuutta käsitellyille näkökannoille. Holistisen lähestymistavan kautta tulee ilmi, että kehkeytyvä semioottinen itse kietoutuneena Umweltiin sisältäen emootiot, voidaan selostaa semioottisten prosessien kautta. Kun tulkinta ja merkityksien muodostaminen nähdään semiosiksen kautta, mahdollistaa se ryhmien analysoinnin joka ottaa huomioon ruumiillisen ja emotionaalisen aspektin. Voidaan sanoa, että emootioilla on ratkaiseva rooli ihmisen toiminnassa, johon luetaan mukaan nk. syvällisen pohdinnan. Emootiot ja ruumiillistuminen pitäisi ottaa tietoisesti huomioon sekä yhteiskunnallisella että yksilöllisellä tasolla, kun analysoidaan merkkejä, tulkintaa, merkkien muutoksia ja tulkinnan muutoksia. Olutetikettien analyysi osoitti hyvin yksilön, yhteisön ja merkkien kietoutuneen luonteen. Tutkimuksessa löydettiin monia suoria ja epäsuoria vaikutuksia yhteiskunnasta merkkien muutoksiin ja tulkinnan muutoksiin. Lisäksi analyysi nosti esille eri kulttuurien välillä tapahtuvan visuaalisten elementtien yhtenäistyvän tendenssin, mutta demonstroi myös, että visuaaliset artefaktit voivat säilyttää lokaaleja merkityksiä ja ilmaista joskus näitä merkityksiä, vaikka merkit ovatkin muuttuneet yhtenäistävässä prosessissa

In-Time On-Place Learning

The aim of this short paper is to look at how mobile video recording devices could support learning related to physical practices or places and situations at work. This paper discusses particular kind of workplace learning, namely learning using short video clips that are related to physical environment and tasks preformed in situ. The paper presents challenges of supporting learning as part of work practices taking place in the workplace, because learning has different attributes during work than in formal educational contexts: e.g. it is informal, just in time and social. The theoretical framework of the design is the tradition of pragmatism. We start with the concepts of experience, change of practices / habits and reflection, claiming that living through experiences suggest changes for practices and these trigger reflective processing of the situations. We present an Android application ‘Ach So!’ for creating and annotating short videos as potential solution for informal learning for physical work practices. The paper ends in proposing future steps in the development of the application. The co-design process for the application is lean and iterative, where the design receives feedback from the project partners, skilled workers, apprentices and managers of SMEs targeted to be the main users of the application.Peer reviewe

Indicators for enhancing learners’ engagement in massive open online courses: A systematic review

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have paved a new learning path for the 21st-century world. The potential to reach a massive geographically dispersed audience is one of the major advantages of MOOCs. Moreover, they can be offered on a self-paced and self-regulated basis and have become an integral part of lifelong learning, especially in workplaces. However, one persistent problem is the lack of learners’ engagement. A harmonisation of studies providing a holistic view into aggregating indicators for enhancing learners’ engagement in MOOCs is lacking. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated MOOC adoption, and learners’ engagement in MOOCs has become even more essential for the success of this educational innovation. We examine the existing literature to derive indicators important for enhancing learners’ engagement in MOOC learning environments. Using a systematic approach, 83 empirical studies were examined, and 10 indicators were identified as important considerations for enhancing learners’ engagement while designing MOOCs—from initiatives for individual learners to platform and instructional design perspectives. We also present a table describing these indicators and offer a structured discussion on each one. We believe the results provide guidelines for MOOC designers and instructors, educational policymakers, higher education institutions, and MOOC engagement researchers.Peer reviewe

Culture coding : a method for diversifying artefact associations in design ideation

It can be claimed that technological systems are, in some ways, reflections of the designers’ way of thinking. These designs affect the behavior of the users and contribute to the reproduction of future designs, thus strengthening the existing human-technology relations. To address these issues critically, there is a need to challenge design ideation processes for generating a larger variety of design proposals that can contribute to varied users and user behavior. For this purpose, we propose a new method- Culture Coding, that can complement design ideation processes where generating, developing, and elaborating ideas is crucial. In this qualitative study, we explore the value of the proposed method in design by using design activities and a research-through-design approach. The experimental setup consists of two Design Cases where study participants contributed by taking part in two co-design workshops. The findings of the study indicate that Culture Coding may help to guide attention to new perspectives and challenge assumptions of the design context.Peer reviewe

Main functionalities of the Knowledge Practices Environment (KPE) affording knowledge creation practices in education

ACM,; 978-1-4092-8498-4; Editors: Claire O'Malley, Daniel Suthers, Peter Reimann, Angelique Dimitracopoulou;Peer reviewe

Pragmatic Knowledge Services

Peer reviewe

Case Study Experiments of the Knowledge Practices Laboratory (KP-Lab)

This presentation was part of the session : Technologies That Support the Latest Pedagogical Frameworks, KP-LabMerja Bauters: Lecturer and researcher in University of Helsinki (since 2005), Lecturer in EVTEK University of Applied Sciences (since 1998), Usability coordinator in Knowledge Practices Laboratory, Doctor Philosophy Faculty of Arts (2007) from University of Helsinki. Hannu Markkanen: M.Sc. (Eng.) Researching Lecturer in Media Engineering at Metropolia and will be Metropolia’s project leader. He has been involved in and coordinated EU funded R&D projects in the field of learning technologies for past 15 years. His R&D experience includes knowledge-based expert systems, network-based learning environments and collaborative learning environments. Hanna Barclay: M.Sc. in International Politics degree from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and a MA Political Studies degree from the University of Aberdeen. Currently works as a Project Coordinator in the R&D support services at EVTEK University of Applied Sciences. Prior to this she has worked in diverse international project management and coordination tasks in different public and third sector organisations in Finland. Katriina Schrey-Niemenmaa; M.Sc (E.Eng) degree and MQ (Master of Quality) from Helsinki University of Technology. Pproject director at the EVTEK University of Applied Sciences since 2001. Prior to that she has worked for 20 years at the engineering education and industry - university co-operation interface focusing on competency management, life-long learning issues, quality in education and new learning solutions. This has included positions with Nokia, The Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers, TEK, and Kone Corporation.IACEE 11th World Conference on Continuing Engineering EducationKP-Lab is a five year research and development project financed by the EU 6th Framework Program. The aim of the project is to create a learning system which facilitates innovative practices of sharing, creating and working with knowledge in education and workplaces. The KP-Lab aims at developing theories, tools and practical models in teaching and learning as well as digital applications. This presentation will outline how the experimental development work adapting trialogical learning is done with the students as part of a media engineering course called "multimedia product". The course was developed further through scenario writing (see Carroll, 2000) to reach the new pedagogical practices and technological means to support these. This work was executed in co-operation with the KP-Lab pedagogical partners. The goal of the multimedia product course is to provide an opportunity for the students to use and extend their skills on the design of a multimedia product or service in an authentic situation, still being able to get support for the process. (see Muukkonen et al. 2006 and Paavola et al. 2004). The results of this process are a product or service that is delivered to the client, as well as all the artifacts the students create together in the process. In the course, the first prototype of one of the KP-Lb tools, namely the Shared Space and its tools were used. Shared Space is an environment, which provides support and means for collaborative work around shared object that are developed. The students and teacher can comment directly to the shared objects using a commenting tool. They can link semantically the objects and tasks to express their meaningful relations. They can write collaboratively their project reports and deliverables using integrated wiki. They can annotate semantically the shared objects for example by using a domain based light way ontology. Furthermore, the students have participated in the design and evaluation process by giving feedback and ideas of how they would prefer to use the Shared Space and its tools as well as by organizing different kind of usability tests and evaluations.Distance Learning and Professional Education ; International Association for Continuing Engineering Educatio

Are you there? : Presence in collaborative distance work

doi linkki ei toimi 31.1.2022, ilmoitettu lehteen/USAlready before the pandemic, digitally mediated collaborative work and communication were perceived as challenging. We investigate the attitudes towards emerging technologies and for transforming practises in workplaces. The focus lies on understanding the readiness for appropriating emotional tracking on presence and support for collaboration. The research-based design framework allowed to combine the various perspectives of the transdisciplinary team. Methods included participatory design, design thinking, contextual inquiry and prototype testing for enhancing presence while working with shared objects in video conferencing to explore the appropriation of tools. The findings revealed four indications: 1) awareness of interlocutors’ presence during synchronous communication is crucial. 2) Emotion and behaviour tracking raises concerns about privacy and personal control over what is displayed to others, and technology could be simpler non-distracting the work at hand. 3) The prototype was found to enhance the feeling of presence without disturbing work at hand, and 4) appropriation requires a step-by-step approach.Peer reviewe

KP-LAB Knowledge Practices Laboratory -- Guidelines and models on implementing design principles of KP-Lab, application scenarios and best practices v2

deliverablesThis deliverable provides an updated and extended description of the KP-Lab co-design framework as well as a summary of main design methods used so far. The purpose of this deliverable is to explicate the underlying rationale as well as systematic structure of the co-design process. The report starts with a brief outline of the theoretical considerations underlying the design-framework as well as a comparison with current approaches in software-engineering. Against this background, the main methodological challenges are sketched. In the main part of the report the actual co-design framework, including its guiding principles, the overall process framework as well as concrete design practices are depicted. The report ends with an outlook on the next steps to be taken. This document replaces Deliverable 2.1 Guidelines and models on implementing design principles in KPLab, application scenarios and best practice, v.1 submitted at M6