Opiskelijoiden kokemuksia saavutettavuudesta opettajaopinnoissa

Tiivistelmä. Tukea tarvitsevien korkeakouluopiskelijoiden määrä on kasvussa kansainvälisesti, ja yhä useampi opiskelija tarvitsee tukea jossain vaiheessa opintojaan. Vaikka tuen tarvitsijoiden määrä korkeakouluissa on kasvussa, on opiskelijoiden tuen tarpeista saatavilla vain vähän tietoa. Yhdenvertaisuuslain (1325/2014) nojalla korkeakoulut ovat velvoitettuja tarjoamaan tukea opiskelijoille. Tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää, millaisia konkreettisia tukikeinoja opiskelijat ovat saaneet opettajaopinnoissaan ja millaisista tukikeinoista he ovat kokeneet hyötyneensä eniten. Lisäksi selvitetään saavutettavuuden eri osa-alueiden toteutumisen riittävyyttä, sekä pandemian vaikutuksia saavutettavuuteen. Tutkielmassa selvitetään myös opiskelijoiden ideoita opettajankoulutuksen saavutettavuuden kehittämiseksi. Tutkielman kohdejoukkona on yhden Suomen yliopiston vähintään toisen vuosikurssin opettajaopiskelijat. Tutkielma on toteutettu yhteistyössä Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön rahoittaman Hohto-hankkeen kanssa. Tutkielma on toteutettu fenomenologisena monimenetelmätutkimuksena. Teoreettinen viitekehys pohjautuu saavutettavuuden ja yhdenvertaisuuden käsitteille ja tuen tarpeen taustatekijöiden sekä saavutettavuuden eri osa-alueiden toteutumisen tarkastelulle. Saavutettavuudella tarkoitetaan korkeakoulussa yhdenvertaisten mahdollisuuksien tarjoamista kaikille opiskelijoille. Saavutettavuus sisältää fyysisen, psyykkisen ja sosiaalisen ulottuvuuden. Tutkielman aineisto on kerätty kyselylomakkeella. Laadullinen aineisto on analysoitu aineistolähtöisellä sisällönanalyysillä ja määrällisestä aineistosta on laskettu keskiarvot, keskihajonnat ja frekvenssit. Tutkielman tuloksista käy ilmi, että opiskelijat ovat kokeneet saaneensa eniten sosiaaliseen saavutettavuuteen liittyviä tukikeinoja, kuten lisäaikaa tentteihin. Opiskelijoiden hyödylliseksi kokemia tukikeinoja ovat esimerkiksi luentotallenteet sekä vaihtoehtoiset kurssisuoritustavat. Kaikilla saavutettavuuden osa-alueilla on vielä kehitettävää erityisesti tukea tarvitsevien opiskelijoiden mukaan. Tukikeinot hyödyttävät kaikkia opiskelijoita, eikä pelkästään tuen tarvitsijoita. Pandemian koetaan lisänneen tarvetta tuelle, vaikka osa opiskelijoista kokee etäopetuksen olevan hyödyllistä. Opiskelijoiden kokemuksista käy myös ilmi ideoita opettajankoulutuksen saavutettavuuden kehittämiseksi. Tutkielma antaa tietoa opiskelijoiden saamista tukikeinoista ja saavutettavuuden toteutumisesta opettajaopinnoissa. Tätä tietoa voidaan käyttää apuna opettajankoulutuksen kehittämistyössä.Students’ experiences of accessibility in pedagogical studies. Abstract. The number of higher education students that need support is growing internationally, and more and more students need support at some point in their studies. Even though the number of people needing support is growing, there is very little information available about students’ need for support. Higher education institutions are required by the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) to offer support for their students. The aim of this thesis is to find out what kind of concrete means of support students have been offered in their pedagogical studies and which kind they have found the most helpful. Additionally, the sufficiency of the realization of the different parts of accessibility are established, as well as the effects of the pandemic on accessibility. Students’ ideas on improving the accessibility in pedagogical studies are also established. The target group of the thesis is at least second year teacher students of one university in Finland. The thesis has been implemented in cooperation with the Hohto project that is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The thesis has been carried out as a phenomenological mixed method study. The theoretical framewok of the study is based on the concepts of accessibility and equality, as well as the examination of the realization of the different parts of accessibility. Accessibility stands for the providement of equal possibilities for all higher education students. Accessibility includes a physical, psychological and a social dimension. The data of the thesis has been collected through a questionnaire. The qualitative data has been analyzed with a data-based content analysis and averages, standard deviations and frequencies have been calculated from the quantitative data. The results of the thesis show that based on the students’ experiences, they have mostly gotten support means of social accessibility, such as additional time in exams. Support means that students find helpful are for example lecture recordings and alternative ways to complete a course. There is space for improvement on all parts of accessibility, especially according to students in need of support. Support means benefit all students, not only those in need of support. Students have experienced that their need for support has grown due to the pandemic, though some students find online education helpful. Students’ experiences also reveal ideas for the improvement of accessibility in pedagogical studies. The thesis provides information about the support means that students are offered, and the realization of accessibility in pedagogical studies. This information can be used as an aid in the development of teacher training

Autismikirjossa esiintyvät aistipoikkeavuudet ja niiden huomioiminen peruskoulussa

Tiivistelmä. Tutkielman aiheena on autismikirjossa esiintyvät aistipoikkeavuudet ja niiden ilmeneminen sekä toteutettavissa olevat tukitoimet peruskoulussa. Tavoitteena on koota narratiivisen kirjallisuuskatsauksen keinoin yhteen aiempaa kirjallisuutta ja tutkimustietoa sensorisen integraation toiminnasta, häiriöistä ja ilmenemisestä autismikirjossa. Lisäksi tutkielmassa selvitetään, millaisia konkreettisia, koulussa toteutettavissa olevia tukikeinoja autismikirjossa esiintyviin aistipoikkeavuuksiin on käytettävissä. Tutkielmassa tarkastellaan kahta tutkimuskysymystä. Ensimmäinen tutkimuskysymys on, miten aistipoikkeavuudet ilmenevät autismikirjon häiriöissä. Tässä tutkimuskysymyksessä käsitellään yleisimpiä autismikirjon häiriöissä esiintyviä aistipoikkeavuuksien muotoja, niiden etiologiaa sekä niistä johtuvia liitännäishäiriöitä. Toinen tutkimuskysymys on, miten aistipoikkeavuudet ilmenevät autismikirjon oppilailla peruskoulussa ja millaisia tukikeinoja voidaan toteuttaa. Tässä tutkimuskysymyksessä käsitellään aistipoikkeavuuksien ilmenemistä autismikirjon oppilailla peruskoulussa, sekä esitellään konkreettisia tukikeinoja kouluun. Tukikeinojen käsittelyssä otetaan huomioon kaikkien eri aistikanavien poikkeava toiminta. Aistipoikkeavuudet ovat autismikirjossa yleisiä ja ne tulevat esiin erityisesti aistirikkaassa kouluympäristössä. Aistipoikkeavuudet vaikeuttavat autismikirjon oppilaiden oppimista, joten ne tulee ottaa huomioon heti koulun alkaessa. Tärkeimmiksi tukikeinoiksi ovat nousseet ympäristön muokkaaminen sekä struktuuri. Tutkielmassa on kasvatusalan toimijoille soveltuvaa tietoa autismikirjossa esiintyvistä aistipoikkeavuuksista. Esiin nousseista aiheista voi olla hyötyä opetusta ja koulujen tilaratkaisuja suunniteltaessa. Tutkielmassa esitellyistä tukikeinoista voivat hyötyä kaikki oppilaat, huolimatta siitä onko heillä tuentarvetta vai ei. Tutkielma lähtee liikkeelle aiheen valinnan ja taustojen kuvauksella. Tämän jälkeen esitellään käytetty tutkimusmenetelmä, jonka jälkeen siirrytään tutkielman teoreettiseen viitekehykseen. Seuraavaksi vastataan tutkimuskysymyksiin omissa luvuissaan. Tästä siirrymme johtopäätöksiin, joissa tarkastellaan tutkimuskysymysten tuloksia suhteessa teoreettiseen viitekehykseen. Lopuksi pohditaan tutkielman luotettavuutta ja tehdään jatkotutkimusehdotuksia.The manifestation and support of sensory abnormalities in those within autism spectrum in primary school. Abstract. The following bachelor’s thesis explores the sensory abnormalities common to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, and the manifestation, etiology and support of these abnormalities in primary school. The aim of the thesis is, through narrative literature review, to gather literature and scientific research about the function, abnormalities and manifestation of sensory integration within the autism spectrum. In addition, the thesis aims to offer concrete support means which could be applied at schools. The thesis addresses two research questions. The first research question is, how do sensory abnormalities manifest in autism spectrum disorders. In approaching this research question, the thesis focuses on describing the most common sensory abnormalities within autism spectrum disorders, their etiology and comorbid conditions. The second research question is, how do sensory abnormalities manifest in primary school pupils within autism spectrum and what kinds of support means can be implemented. In approaching this research question, the thesis describes how sensory abnormalities affect the participation and performance of pupils within the autism spectrum in primary school. In addition, the thesis offers concrete support means for supporting the abnormal functioning of any of the sensory modalities in a school environment. Sensory abnormalities are common to disorders on the autism spectrum, and they appear especially in the sensory rich school environment. Sensory abnormalities affect the learning of pupils within autism spectrum and therefore should be considered since first enrolling in school. Adjusting the environment and its structure have stood out as the most essential means of support for these pupils. The thesis offers knowledge of the sensory abnormalities on the autism spectrum for professionals on the field of education. The thesis could also be utilized when planning teaching and school environment. The support means mentioned in the thesis, can be beneficial for every pupil whether they have special needs or not. The thesis begins with a description of the subject and its background. After this the method of research used in the thesis is introduced, whereupon the theoretical frame of reference is gone through. Next, the research questions are answered within their own chapters. From here the thesis moves on to the conclusions, in which the research questions are examined in relation to the theoretical frame of reference. Lastly, the reliability of the thesis is pondered, and suggestions, in regards to future studies, are made

Factors associated with decision-making on prophylactic hysterectomy and attitudes towards gynecological surveillance among women with Lynch syndrome (LS) : a descriptive study

To prevent endometrial carcinoma in Lynch syndrome (LS), regular gynecological surveillance visits and prophylactic surgery are recommended. Previous data have shown that prophylactic hysterectomy is an effective means of cancer prevention, while the advantages and disadvantages of surveillance are somewhat unclear. We aimed to evaluate female LS carriers' attitudes towards regular gynecological surveillance and factors influencing their decision-making on prophylactic surgery that have not been well documented. Pain experienced during endometrial biopsies was also evaluated. Postal questionnaires were sent to LS carriers undergoing regular gynecological surveillance. Questionnaires were sent to 112 women with LS, of whom 76 responded (68%). Forty-two (55%) had undergone prophylactic hysterectomy by the time of the study. The majority of responders (64/76; 84.2%) considered surveillance appointments beneficial. Pain level during endometrial biopsy was not associated with the decision to undergo prophylactic surgery. The level of satisfaction the women had with the information and advice provided during surveillance was significantly associated with the history of prophylactic hysterectomy (satisfaction rate of 73.2% versus 31.8% of nonoperated women, p = 0.003). The women who had undergone prophylactic surgery were older than the nonoperated women both at mutation testing (median of 42.3 years versus 31.6 years, p <0.001) and at the time of the study (median of 56.9 years versus 46.0 years, respectively, p <0.001). Women with LS pathogenic variants have positive experiences with gynecological surveillance visits, and their perception of the quality of the information and advice obtained plays an important role in their decision-making concerning prophylactic surgery.Peer reviewe

Body Weight, Physical Activity, and Risk of Cancer in Lynch Syndrome

Lynch syndrome (LS) increases cancer risk. There is considerable individual variation in LS cancer occurrence, which may be moderated by lifestyle factors, such as body weight and physical activity (PA). The potential associations of lifestyle and cancer risk in LS are understudied. We conducted a retrospective study with cancer register data to investigate associations between body weight, PA, and cancer risk among Finnish LS carriers. The participants (n = 465, 54% women) self-reported their adulthood body weight and PA at 10-year intervals. Overall cancer risk and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk was analyzed separately for men and women with respect to longitudinal and near-term changes in body weight and PA using extended Cox regression models. The longitudinal weight change was associated with an increased risk of all cancers (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04) and CRC (HR 1.03, 1.01–1.05) in men. The near-term weight change was associated with a lower CRC risk in women (HR 0.96, 0.92–0.99). Furthermore, 77.6% of the participants retained their PA category over time. Men in the high-activity group had a reduced longitudinal cancer risk of 63% (HR 0.37, 0.15–0.98) compared to men in the low-activity group. PA in adulthood was not associated with cancer risk among women. These results emphasize the role of weight maintenance and high-intensity PA throughout the lifespan in cancer prevention, particularly in men with LS

Body Weight, Physical Activity, and Risk of Cancer in Lynch Syndrome

Lynch syndrome (LS) increases cancer risk. There is considerable individual variation in LS cancer occurrence, which may be moderated by lifestyle factors, such as body weight and physical activity (PA). The potential associations of lifestyle and cancer risk in LS are understudied. We conducted a retrospective study with cancer register data to investigate associations between body weight, PA, and cancer risk among Finnish LS carriers. The participants (n = 465, 54% women) self-reported their adulthood body weight and PA at 10-year intervals. Overall cancer risk and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk was analyzed separately for men and women with respect to longitudinal and near-term changes in body weight and PA using extended Cox regression models. The longitudinal weight change was associated with an increased risk of all cancers (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04) and CRC (HR 1.03, 1.01–1.05) in men. The near-term weight change was associated with a lower CRC risk in women (HR 0.96, 0.92–0.99). Furthermore, 77.6% of the participants retained their PA category over time. Men in the high-activity group had a reduced longitudinal cancer risk of 63% (HR 0.37, 0.15–0.98) compared to men in the low-activity group. PA in adulthood was not associated with cancer risk among women. These results emphasize the role of weight maintenance and high-intensity PA throughout the lifespan in cancer prevention, particularly in men with LS

Uptake of genetic testing by the children of Lynch syndrome variant carriers across three generations

Many Lynch syndrome (LS) carriers remain unidentified, thus missing early cancer detection and prevention opportunities. Tested probands should inform their relatives about cancer risk and options for genetic counselling and predictive gene testing, but many fail to undergo testing. To assess predictive testing uptake and demographic factors influencing this decision in LS families, a cross-sectional registry-based cohort study utilizing the Finnish Lynch syndrome registry was undertaken. Tested LS variant probands (1184) had 2068 children divided among three generations: 660 parents and 1324 children (first), 445 and 667 (second), and 79 and 77 (third). Of children aged 418 years, 801 (67.4%), 146 (43.2%), and 5 (23.8%), respectively, were genetically tested. Together, 539 first-generation LS variant carriers had 2068 children and grandchildren (3.84 per carrier). Of the 1548 (2.87 per carrier) eligible children, 952 (61.5%) were tested (1.77 per carrier). In multivariate models, age (OR 1.08 per year; 95% CI 1.06-1.10), family gene (OR 2.83; 1.75-4.57 for MLH1 and 2.59; 1.47-4.56 for MSH2 compared with MSH6), one or more tested siblings (OR 6.60; 4.82-9.03), no siblings (OR 4.63; 2.64-8.10), and parent under endoscopic surveillance (OR 5.22; 2.41-11.31) were independent predictors of having genetic testing. Examples of parental adherence to regular surveillance and genetically tested siblings strongly influenced children at 50% risk of LS to undergo predictive gene testing. High numbers of untested, adult at-risk individuals exist even among well-established cohorts of known LS families with good adherence to endoscopic surveillance.Peer reviewe

UBR5 Is Coamplified with MYC in Breast Tumors and Encodes an Ubiquitin Ligase That Limits MYC-Dependent Apoptosis

For maximal oncogenic activity, cellular MYC protein levels need to be tightly controlled so that they do not induce apoptosis. Here, we show how ubiquitin ligase UBR5 functions as a molecular rheostat to prevent excess accumulation of MYC protein. UBR5 ubiquitinates MYC and its effects on MYC protein stability are independent of FBXW7. Silencing of endogenous UBR5 induced MYC protein expression and regulated MYC target genes. Consistent with the tumor suppressor function of UBR5 (HYD) in Drosophila, HYD suppressed dMYC-dependent overgrowth of wing imaginal discs. In contrast, in cancer cells, UBR5 suppressed MYC-dependent priming to therapy-induced apoptosis. Of direct cancer relevance, MYC and UBR5 genes were coamplified in MYC-driven human cancers. Functionally, UBR5 suppressed MYC-mediated apoptosis in p53-mutant breast cancer cells with UBR5/MYC coamplification. Furthermore, single-cell immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated reciprocal expression of UBR5 and MYC in human basal-type breast cancer tissues. In summary, UBR5 is a novel MYC ubiquitin ligase and an endogenous rheostat for MYC activity. In MYC-amplified, and p53-mutant breast cancer cells, UBR5 has an important role in suppressing MYC-mediated apoptosis priming and in protection from drug-induced apoptosis.Significance: These findings identify UBR5 as a novel MYC regulator, the inactivation of which could be very important for understanding of MYC dysregulation on cancer cells

Mortality by age, gene and gender in carriers of pathogenic mismatch repair gene variants receiving surveillance for early cancer diagnosis and treatment: a report from the prospective Lynch syndrome database

BACKGROUND: The Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD) collates information on carriers of pathogenic or likely pathogenic MMR variants (path_MMR) who are receiving medical follow-up, including colonoscopy surveillance, which aims to the achieve early diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Here we use the most recent PLSD cohort that is larger and has wider geographical representation than previous versions, allowing us to present mortality as an outcome, and median ages at cancer diagnoses for the first time. METHODS: The PLSD is a prospective observational study without a control group that was designed in 2012 and updated up to October 2022. Data for 8500 carriers of path_MMR variants from 25 countries were included, providing 71,713 years of follow up. Cumulative cancer incidences at 65 years of age were combined with 10-year crude survival following cancer, to derive estimates of mortality up to 75 years of age by organ, gene, and gender. FINDINGS: Gynaecological cancers were more frequent than colorectal cancers in path_MSH2, path_MSH6 and path_PMS2 carriers [cumulative incidence: 53.3%, 49.6% and 23.3% at 75 years, respectively]. Endometrial, colon and ovarian cancer had low mortality [8%, 13% and 15%, respectively] and prostate cancers were frequent in male path_MSH2 carriers [cumulative incidence: 39.7% at 75 years]. Pancreatic, brain, biliary tract and ureter and kidney and urinary bladder cancers were associated with high mortality [83%, 66%, 58%, 27%, and 29%, respectively]. Among path_MMR carriers undergoing colonoscopy surveillance, particularly path_MSH2 carriers, more deaths followed non-colorectal Lynch syndrome cancers than colorectal cancers. INTERPRETATION: In path_MMR carriers undergoing colonoscopy surveillance, non-colorectal Lynch syndrome cancers were associated with more deaths than were colorectal cancers. Reducing deaths from non-colorectal cancers presents a key challenge in contemporary medical care in Lynch syndrome. FUNDING: We acknowledge funding from the Norwegian Cancer Society, contract 194751-2017