Pienryhmätoiminta alle 3-vuotiaiden lasten päiväkotiryhmissä:varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien ja lastenhoitajien näkemyksiä

Tiivistelmä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, millaista pienryhmätoiminta on alle 3-vuotiaiden lasten päiväkotiryhmissä ja millainen merkitys sillä on varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien ja lastenhoitajien näkökulmasta. Lisäksi tavoitteena on tutkia, mitkä asiat pienryhmätoiminnassa koetaan haasteina. Lopuksi tarkastelemme, eroavatko varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien ja lastenhoitajien näkemykset toisistaan. Tuomme tutkimuksen teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä esille alle 3-vuotiaan lapsen kehityksen pääpiirteet, pienryhmätoiminnan periaatteet päiväkodissa sekä pienryhmätoiminnan merkityksen lapselle ja varhaiskasvattajalle. Esittelemme teoriaosuudessa aikaisemmin tehtyjä tutkimustuloksia mahdollisimman laajasti. Tämä laadullinen tutkimus toteutettiin avoimella kyselylomakkeella sosiaalisen median kautta. Tutkimukseen osallistui 34 varhaiskasvatuksen opettajaa ja lastenhoitajaa. Verkossa julkaistu kyselylomake mahdollisti, että saimme kerättyä tutkimusaineistoa ympäri Suomea. Analysoimme tutkimusaineiston aineistolähtöisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin, sillä pyrimme selvittämään kyselyyn osallistuneiden näkemyksiä pienryhmätoiminnasta. Analyysin perusteella pienryhmätoiminnan käytänteet voidaan jakaa suunnitteluun, toteutukseen ja arviointiin liittyviin toimintatapoihin. Pienryhmätoimintaan liittyvät käytänteet ovat moniulotteisia, eikä tässä tutkimuksessa löytynyt yhtä ainoaa oikeaa tapaa toteuttaa sitä alle 3-vuotiaiden lasten päiväkotiryhmissä. Tutkimuksen mukaan pienryhmätoimintaa toteutetaan päivittäin, mutta käytänteet vaihtelevat päiväkoti- ja ryhmäkohtaisesti. Tutkimuksen perusteella pienryhmätoiminnalla nähdään olevan merkitystä niin lapsille kuin varhaiskasvattajillekin. Pienryhmätoimintaa pidetään merkittävänä, sillä tällöin varhaiskasvattaja on intensiivisemmin läsnä lapselle ja lasten yksilöllisten tarpeiden huomioon ottaminen helpottuu. Pienryhmätoiminta koetaan rauhoittavana toimintatapana, mikä on tärkeää sekä lapsen että varhaiskasvattajan hyvinvoinnin kannalta. Tutkimuksen mukaan suurimpina haasteina pienryhmätoiminnassa pidetään tiimityön tuomia haasteita sekä tarvittavien resurssien puutetta. Jos kaikki tiimin varhaiskasvattajat eivät ole sitoutuneita pienryhmätoimintaan tai kun varhaiskasvattajat eivät saa eriävistä näkemyksistään johtuen sovittua yhteisiä pelisääntöjä, tulee pienryhmätoiminnan toteuttamisesta haastavaa. Tila- ja henkilökuntaresurssien puutteiden koetaan rajoittavan pienryhmätoiminnan toteuttamista. Kun pienryhmille ei ole tilaa tai henkilökuntaa ei ole riittävästi, pienryhmätoiminta vaatii henkilökunnalta ennen kaikkea suunnitelmallisuutta ja joustavuutta. Tutkimuksemme osoittaa, että varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien ja lastenhoitajien näkemysten tulokselliset eroavaisuudet eivät olleet merkittäviä, sillä nämä varhaiskasvatuksen ammattiryhmät näkevät pienryhmätoiminnan miltei yhteneväisesti

Aesthetic Perspectives on Urban Technologies : Conceptualizing and Evaluating the Technology-Driven Changes in the Urban Everyday Experience

The pervasiveness of technology has undeniably changed the way the urban everyday is structured and experienced. Understanding the deep impact of this development on the everyday experience and its foundational aesthetic components is needed in order to determine how the skills and capacities to cope with the change, as well as to steer it, can be improved. Urban technology solutions – how they are defined, applied and used – are changing the sphere of everyday experience for urban dwellers. Philosophical and applied approaches to urban aesthetics offer perspectives to understand technologically mediated sensory experiences within the urban realm. This chapter shows how new urban technologies act as an agent of change within the familiar urban environment. We outline how the perspective of philosophical aesthetics can be used to understand urban technologies and their role in the constitution of everyday urban lifeworlds.The pervasiveness of technology has changed the way urban everyday is structured and experienced. An understanding of the deep impact of this development on everyday experience and its foundational aesthetic components is necessary in order to determine how skills and capacities can be improved in coping with such change, as well as managing it. Urban technology solutions – how they are defined, applied and used – are changing the sphere of everyday experience for urban dwellers. Philosophical and applied approaches to urban aesthetics offer perspectives on understanding technologically mediated sensory experiences within the urban realm. This chapter shows how new urban technologies act as an agent of change within the familiar urban environment. We outline how the perspective of philosophical aesthetics can be used to understand urban technologies and their role in the constitution of everyday urban lifeworlds.Peer reviewe

Comparison of Finnish meat inspection records and average daily gain for cattle herds differing in Mycoplasma bovis test-status

Detecting Mycoplasma bovis on cattle farms represents a challenge in the absence of an outbreak or cases of M. bovis mastitis, yet identification of an infection is essential to control the spread of the disease successfully. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine whether meat inspection records can aid identification of cattle farms supporting M. bovis infection, and (2) to compare the average daily weight gain estimated from carcass weight for cattle originating from farms differing in M. bovis test-status. Meat inspection records were collected from two abattoirs in 2015; 80 677 animals in total. All the dairy and mixed breed cows and bulls used for meat production were categorized according to known M. bovis infection status of the farms from which the cattle were derived; positive, contact or control farms. The associations between animals from different M. bovis categories and lung lesions of bulls and cows (pneumonia and pleuritis), identified during meat inspection, and estimated average daily gain (ADG) of bulls, were investigated. The odds ratios for lung lesions, especially pleuritis, were higher in M. bovis test-positive or contact farms compared with control farms. Additionally, odds ratios for pleuritis were higher among animals from M. bovis test-positive farms and animals from contact slaughtering farms originating from M. bovis-free rearing farms. Bulls originating from M. bovis test-positive farms had higher estimated average daily gain than cattle from control farms. Meat inspection records can be used alongside other methods to detect M. bovis-positive farms where M. bovis causes lung lesions. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Decline after immobilisation and recovery after remobilisation of synovial fluid IL1, TIMP, and chondroitin sulphate levels in young beagle dogs

OBJECTIVE: To monitor the concentration of markers of cartilage and synovium metabolism in the knee (stifle) joint synovial fluid of young beagles subjected to immobilisation and subsequent remobilisation.METHODS: The right hind limb of 17 dogs was immobilised in flexion for 11 weeks. Simultaneously, the contralateral left knee was exposed to increased weight bearing. The remobilisation period lasted 50 weeks. Litter mates served as controls. The concentration in joint lavage fluid of interleukin 1 (IL1) was measured by immunoassay, the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was determined by an extraction method, chondroitin sulphate (CS) concentration by precipitation with Alcian blue, hyaluronan (HA) by an ELISA-like assay using biotinylated HA-binding complexes, matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) by sandwich ELISA, and synovitis was scored by light microscopy.RESULTS: Synovitis or effusion was absent in all experimental and control groups. Immobilisation decreased the joint lavage fluid levels of IL1 (p<0.05), TIMP (p< 0.05), and the concentration of CS down to 38 (p<0.05) in comparison with untreated litter mates with normal weight bearing. Immobilisation did not affect the activity of PLA2, or the concentration of MMP-3 or HA in synovial fluid. Joint remobilisation restored the decreased concentrations of markers to control levels. Increased weight bearing did not change the concentrations of markers in comparison with the control joints with normal weight bearing.CONCLUSIONS: 11 weeks joint immobilisation decreased the concentration of markers of cartilage and synovium metabolism in the synovial fluid, and remobilisation restored the concentrations to control levels. The changes in joint metabolism induced by immobilisation, as reflected by the markers, are thus different from those found in osteoarthritis, where increased levels of these markers are associated with enhanced degradation and synthesis. These findings suggest that the change induced in joint metabolism by immobilisation is reversible in its early stages

Eläinavusteinen terapia : Katsaus tutkimuskirjallisuuteen ja toimintaan Suomessa

Eläinavusteiset menetelmät ovat ihmisen terveyttä, hyvinvointia ja elämänlaatua edistävää toimintaa, jossa eläimellä on avustava tehtävä. Eläinavusteisessa terapiassa eläin toimii osana tavanomaista terapiaa, jonka tavoitteena on parantaa ihmisen fyysistä, kognitiivista ja sosiaalista toimintakykyä sekä tunnetaitoja. Tässä katsauksessa tavoitteena on tuottaa tietoa eläinavusteisten menetelmien käytöstä Suomessa sekä tarjota kootusti tutkimustietoa eläinavusteisten menetelmien toimivuudesta osana erilaisia terapioita ja kuntoutusprosesseja. Katsauksessa tarkastellaan eläinavusteisen terapian toimivuutta ja hyötyä ja tarpeenmukaisuutta osana kuntoutusprosessia etenkin psykoterapian, puheterapian, fysioterapian ja toimintaterapian näkökulmista. Katsauksen menetelmänä on kartoittava kirjallisuuskatsaus. Tutkimuskirjallisuutta käydään läpi vuosilta 2010–2017 ja kotimaista toimintaa kartoitetaan ammattilaisten ja kuntoutujien haastatteluiden sekä taustoittavien keskustelujen avulla. Lisäksi katsauksen yhteydessä toteutettiin Kelan verkkosivuilla kysely eläinavusteisten menetelmien käytöstä. Katsauksessa esitellään eläinavusteisen terapian hyötyjä ja haittoja sekä tutkimusnäytön että ammattilaisten ja kuntoutujien kokemusten perusteella. Lisäksi esitellään eläinavusteisista menetelmistä hyötyviä kuntoutuksen kohderyhmiä ja kuvaillaan eläimen kanssa työskentelyn toteutustapoja osana erilaisia kuntoutusprosesseja. Katsauksessa käsitellään myös työskentelyyn osallistuvan eläimen edellytyksiä toimia osana terapiaa ja terapeutilta itseltään vaadittavaa täydennyskoulutusta

Species and habitats in danger : estimating the relative risk posed by oil spills in the northern Baltic Sea

Large-scale oil spills can have adverse effects on biodiversity in coastal areas where maritime oil transportation is intense. In this article we conducted a spatial risk assessment to study the risk that potential tanker accidents pose to threatened habitat types and species living in the northern Baltic Sea, which has witnessed a rapid increase in maritime oil transportation within the past two decades. We applied a probabilistic method, which combines three components: a Bayesian network describing tanker accidents and uncertainties related to them, probabilistic maps showing the movement of oil, and a database of threatened species and habitats in the area. The results suggest that spatial risk posed by oil spills varies across the area, and does not correspond, for example, to the frequency of accidents in a given area. The relative risk is highest for seashore meadows, which is important to take into account when managing these habitats. Our analysis underlines the importance of a thorough risk assessment, which is not only based solely on one or two specific factors such as accident probabilities or the trajectories of spilled oil but also contains as broad a view of the consequences as possible. We believe that the probabilistic methodology applied in the study will be of high interest to people who have to cope with uncertainties typical for environmental risk assessment and management.Peer reviewe

Associations of physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness with heart rate variability in 6- to 9-year-old children: the PANIC study

Abstract: Purpose: To study the associations of physical activity (PA), sedentary time (ST), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with heart rate variability (HRV) in children. Methods: The participants were a population sample of 377 children aged 6–9 years (49% boys). ST, light PA (LPA), moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and PA energy expenditure (PAEE) were assessed using a combined heart rate and movement sensor, maximal power output per kilograms of lean body mass as a measure of CRF by maximal cycle ergometer exercise test, and HRV variables (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, and HF) using 5 min resting electrocardiography. Data were analysed by linear regression adjusted for years from peak height velocity. Results: In boys, ST was inversely associated (β = − 0.185 to − 0.146, p ≤ 0.049) and MVPA, VPA, PAEE, and CRF were directly associated (β = 0.147 to 0.320, p ≤ 0.048) with HRV variables. CRF was directly associated with all HRV variables and PAEE was directly associated with RMSSD after mutual adjustment for ST, PAEE, and CRF (β = 0.169 to 0.270, p ≤ 0.046). In girls, ST was inversely associated (β = − 0.382 to − 0.294, p < 0.001) and LPA, MPA, VPA, MVPA, and PAEE were directly associated with HRV variables (β = 0.144 to 0.348, p ≤ 0.049). After mutual adjustment for ST, PAEE, and CRF, only the inverse associations of ST with HRV variables remained statistically significant. Conclusions: Higher ST and lower PA and CRF were associated with poorer cardiac autonomic nervous system function in children. Lower CRF in boys and higher ST in girls were the strongest correlates of poorer cardiac autonomic function

Communities in high definition : Spatial and environmental factors shape the micro-distribution of aquatic invertebrates

According to metacommunity theories, the structure of natural communities is the result of both environmental filtering and spatial processes, with their relative importance depending on factors including local habitat characteristics, functional features of organisms, and the spatial scale considered. However, few studies have explored environmental and spatial processes in riverine systems at local scales, explicitly incorporating spatial coordinates into multi-taxa distribution models. To address this gap, we conducted a small-scale study to discriminate between abiotic and biotic factors affecting the distribution of aquatic macroinvertebrates, applying metacommunity concepts. We studied a mountain section in each of three perennial streams within the Po River Basin (northern Italy). We sampled macroinvertebrates both in summer and winter, using specific in situ 50-point random sampling grids. Environmental factors, including benthic organic matter (BOM), flow velocity, water depth, and substrate were recorded together with spatial coordinates for each sampling point. The relationships between community metrics (taxon richness, abundance, biomass, biomass-abundance ratio, and functional feeding groups) and explanatory variables (environmental and spatial) were assessed using generalised additive models. The influence of the explanatory variables on community structure was analysed with joint species distribution models. Environmental variables-primarily BOM-were the main drivers affecting community metrics, whereas the effects of spatial variables varied among metrics, streams, and seasons. During summer, community structure was strongly affected by BOM and spatial position within the riverbed, the latter probably being a proxy for mass effects mediated by biotic and stochastic processes. In contrast, community structure was mainly shaped by hydraulic variables in winter. Using macroinvertebrate communities as a model group, our results demonstrate that metacommunity concepts can explain small-scale variability in community structure. We found that both environmental filtering and biotic processes shape local communities, with the strength of these drivers depending on the season. These insights provide baseline knowledge that informs our understanding of ecological responses to environmental variability in contexts including restoration ecology, habitat suitability modelling, and biomonitoring.Peer reviewe

The Barents area changes – How will Finland adapt? (Barentsin alue muuttuu – miten Suomi sopeutuu?)

The cumulative impacts of environmental, climatic and societal changes and their consequences will affect the development of the Arctic region in the coming decades. Adaptation to these changes will require measures of all the actors in the region. Finland, part of the Euro-Arctic region, will adapt to these changes in a variety of ways. The Barents area is unique in the Arctic in being a multicultural, relatively densely populated area with well-developed industries and infrastructure. This report examines adaptation to changes and their consequences in the Barents area in terms of governance and Finland’s capacities to adapt. The aim has been to produce comprehensive information from the Finnish perspective for local and national decision-makers about long-term changes in the region, their expected impacts and adaptation options, and to support decision-making that will advance adaptation. The report includes recommendations. This report is based on the contribution of Finnish experts to an Arctic Council and Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) project titled ”Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic” (AACA). The project has prepared a pilot report by Nordic and Russian experts on the Barents area in English on changes, their impacts and adaptation options. The report will be published in 2017 (AMAP 2017)

Promoting Value Practice in Museums Creates Impact

This article examines how museological value discussion can offer a tool for museum professionals to engage themselves in the current discourse regarding building sustainable futures. The focus of the article is on collection care and collection development. It describes the latest interview and workshop results regarding museum values in the field of collection development among Finnish museum professionals and students. In addition, it emphasizes the integration of theoretical knowledge and its practical application. Promoting and creating opportunities for value discussion among museum professionals increases the ability of these professionals to further engage in such value-related discourse with various stakeholders. Eventually, the benefits of this kind of value-based discussions are to be seen in the more coherent and focused ones regarding museological values between and among various parties, be they museum professionals, politicians, students or museum visitors. The initial idea for the interviews, and subsequently the workshops as well, emerged from a collection development survey conducted in 2012 among Finnish art museums, which was published in 2016 by the author. Based on the material analyzed at that time, it became clear that the issue of active values in Finnish museums would need further study.Peer reviewe