”This job never ends” : polytechnic teachers stress experiences and recovery from work in University of applied sciences

Tausta ja tavoitteet. Työstressi vaikuttaa opettajien psyykkiseen ja fyysiseen hyvinvointiin, lisää kustannuksia ja sairauspoissaoloja ja vaikuttaa työn tuottavuuteen. Pitkittynyt, kova stressi on yhteydessä opettajien alhaisempaan työtyytyväisyyteen. Opettajien hyvinvoinnin heikkeneminen vaikuttaa negatiivisesti myös opiskelijoiden oppimiseen. Työstä palautuminen on tärkeää terveyden, työkyvyn ja opettajan oman hyvinvoinnin kannalta. Nykypäivän työelämässä palautumiselle jäävä aika on vähentynyt ja yksilön on entistä enemmän huolehdittava itse omasta hyvinvoinnistaan ja palautumisestaan. Onnistunut palautuminen estää tehokkaasti työn vaatimusten kehittymistä stressitekijöiksi. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, mitkä työn elementit ammattikorkeakouluopettajat kokevat työssään stressaaviksi, millaisia vaikutuksia he kokevat työstressillä olevan, millaisia palautumisen keinoja heillä on käytössään ja mitkä asiat mahdollisesti estävät palautumisen onnistumista. Menetelmät. Tutkielmassa analysoitiin laadullisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin 22 ammattikorkeakouluopettajan haastattelua, jossa he kertovat osana laajempaa teemahaastattelua omasta hyvinvoinnistaan, stressikokemuksistaan ja työstä palautumisestaan. Haastatteluaineisto on kerätty loppuvuodesta 2019. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Ammattikorkeakouluopettajat kokevat liian suuren työmäärän, epätasaisen kuormituksen ja kiireen eniten stressaaviksi elementeiksi omassa työssään. Stressikokemusten vaikutusten tarkastelu osoitti, että opettajat kokevat työstressin vaikuttavan heihin ennen kaikkea psyykkisesti. Fyysisistä vaikutuksista erityisesti uneen liittyvät ongelmat heijastuivat opettajien jaksamiseen. Palautumisen keinojen tarkastelu osoitti, että ammattikorkeakouluopettajat kokevat tärkeimmiksi palautumisen keinoiksi harrastukset ja sosiaaliset suhteet. Suurin osa ammattikorkeakouluopettajista kokee haasteita työstä palautumisessaan. Valtaosa opettajista kokee, että palautuminen ei ole riittävää tai se on vain kausittaista. Kiire ja liian suuri työmäärä osoittautuivat suurimmiksi esteiksi sille, ettei palautuminen aina onnistuObjective of the study Work stress affects teachers mental and physical well-being, increases costs and sick leave, and affects work productivity. Prolonged, intense stress is associated with lower job satisfaction. The decline of teachers´ well-being also has a negative effect on students' learning. Recovery from work is important for health, ability to work and the teacher's own well-being. In today's working life, the time left for recovery has decreased and the individual must take more and more care of his or her own well-being and recovery. Successful recovery effectively prevents work demands from developing into stressors. The aim of this study was to find out which elements of work polytechnic teachers find stressful in their work, what effects they perceive as work stress, what means of recovery they have at their disposal and what things may prevent success of recovery. Methods The 22 interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis, in which they report on their own well-being, stress experiences and recovery from work as part of a broader thematic interview. The interview material has been collected since the end of 2019. Results and conclusions Polytechnic teachers perceive excessive workload, uneven workload and hurry as the most stressful elements in their own work. An examination of the effects of stress experiences showed that teachers perceive that work stress affects them above all mentally. Of the physical effects, sleep-related problems in particular were reflected in teachers' coping. An examination of the means of recovery showed that polytechnic teachers consider hobbies and social relationships to be the most important means of recovery. Most polytechnic teachers experience challenges in recovering from work. The majority of teachers feel that recovery is not enough or is only seasonal. Haste and too much work proved to be the biggest obstacles to recovery not always succeeding

Hyvä, paha matematiikka

Non peer reviewe

Feeling exhausted and isolated? The connections between university students’ remote teaching and learning experiences, motivation, and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

We investigated university students’ remote teaching experiences, how they predict psychological well-being, and whether the predictions vary depending on students’ motivation. Self-reports were collected from Finnish university students (N = 2686). Within the latent variable modeling framework, we classified students according to their expectancy-value-cost profiles, compared latent means, and tested whether the predictions differed across groups. Six groups described the data best: moderately motivated, utility-oriented, disengaged, indifferent, positively ambitious, and struggling ambitious. The groups differed significantly on remote teaching experiences and well-being, but predictions were similar across the groups: Engagement was predicted positively by evaluation of remote teaching and negatively by perceived strain, exhaustion positively by evaluation of teaching and perceived strain, and depressive symptoms by perceived strain and sense of alienation. Findings suggest that remote teaching experiences during the pandemic contribute to students’ psychological well-being in distinct ways, and that certain motivational mindsets might buffer against the negative effects.We examined university students’ experiences of remote teaching and learning, how the experiences are associated with well-being, and whether those associations differ according to motivation. Using latent variable modelling, we classified Finnish university students (N = 2686) based on their expectancy-value-cost profiles, compared latent means, and tested whether the predictions varied across profiles. Six expectancy-value-cost profiles were identified: moderately motivated, utility-oriented, disengaged, indifferent, positively ambitious, and struggling ambitious. Overall, positively ambitious students seemed most adaptive in terms of their study experiences and well-being. Similarly across the profiles, engagement was predicted positively by the evaluation of remote teaching and negatively by experienced strain, exhaustion positively by the evaluation of teaching and strain, and depressive symptoms positively by strain and sense of alienation. Findings suggest that subjective experiences of remote teaching and learning during the pandemic contribute to students’ well-being in unique ways and that distinct motivational mindsets may buffer against the negative outcomes.Peer reviewe

Environmental factors affecting the distributions of the native Eurasian beaver and the invasive North American beaver in Finland

When planning conservation and reintroductions of native species and control of invasive species, it is important to understand the environmental factors affecting species distributions. Habitat suitability largely determines where species can occur, but in addition to habitat and food resources, it is important to also consider human disturbance and climate when mapping possible distributions. We studied the environmental factors affecting the present distribution of the native Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) and the invasive North American beaver (C. canadensis) in Finland. We compared the role of food resources, aquatic habitat type, anthropogenic disturbance and climate for beaver occurrence with species distribution models. We created maps of suitable areas for the two species and compared how the results would change if these two ecologically similar species were modelled together. We found that aquatic habitat type and climate largely explain the present distributions of the species. In addition, there were differences between the species in their preference for food resources, aspen, birch and grey alder. However, we suspect that the species' reintroduction history, i.e. the differences in the present environment, much explain the differences found between the species. We conclude that when planning possible reintroductions for the Eurasian beaver, factors other than food resources should also be considered. We also suggest that studies on habitat suitability should consider the history of the species and include data from different environments. Thus, more comprehensive information for management planning would be achieved and a better ability to predict the location of optimal areas for the species

”Yksi yhdestä” -malli osana sääntelyn kehittämistä ja arviointia

Hanke selvitti yksi yhdestä -periaatteeksi (1/1-periaate) kutsutun normipurkuperiaatteen edistämistä työ- ja elinkeino-ministeriön (TEM) sekä maa- ja metsätalousministeriön (MMM) lainvalmistelutyössä. Hanke pilotoi ja testasi TEM:ssä laadittua laskentamallia työaikalain valmistelussa sekä elintarvikelainsäädännön kokonaisuudistuksessa. Ensimmäi-sessä vaiheessa hanke kartoitti kansainvälisiä yksi yhdestä –malleja ja kokemuksia niiden soveltamisesta dokument-tianalyysilla. Myös suomalaisten virkamiesten ja lainvalmistelijoiden näkemysten selvittäminen oli osa tätä vaihetta. Hankkeen toinen vaihe testasi TEM:n laskentamallia hyödyntäen haastattelu- ja kyselytutkimusta, yrityspaneeleita ja työpajoja. Loppuseminaari esitteli tuloksia hankkeen keskeisille sidosryhmille. Viestinnän ja tiedonlevittämisen tapoja olivat tapahtumat, verkkosivusto, blogit ja policy briefit. Artikkeli ammattilehdessä sekä tietojen tallentaminen jatko-käyttöä varten olivat myös osa hanketta. 1/1-malleilla on mahdollista laskea vain suoria yritysvaikutuksia. Kustannus-lajeista hallinnolliset taakat, julkiset maksut ja välittömät noudattamiskustannukset ovat laskettavissa olevia, harmikus-tannukset tyypillisesti eivät. Suomalaisen 1/1-mallin kehitystyötä ja pilotointia kannattaa jatkaa. On tärkeää huolehtia lainvalmistelijoiden riittävästä ohjeistuksesta ja tuesta. Selkeät tavoitteet, prosessit ja työkalut mahdollistavat aineisto-jen keräämisen ja analysoinnin mallia varten. Hallinnonalojen välinen koordinointi ja yhteistyö ovat välttämättömiä yksi yhdestä –jäämälaskennan ja –tilinpäätösmenettelyn toteuttamiseks

Profiles of mathematical skills and motivation among first grade students

Myönteinen motivaatio, kuten korkea kiinnostus ja myönteinen minäkäsitys, linkittyy usein hyviin suorituksiin, mutta tiedämme vasta varsin vähän koulupolkunsa alussa olevien oppilaiden matematiikan kiinnostuksen, minäkäsityksen ja osaamisen välisistä yhteyksistä. On myös viitteitä siitä, että nämä yhteydet eivät välttämättä ole samanlaisia kaikilla oppilailla. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena olikin selvittää, voidaanko ensimmäisellä luokalla tunnistaa oppilasryhmiä, joiden profiilit matemaattisissa taidoissa (lukumääräisyyden taju ja laskemisen taidot) ja motivaatiossa (kiinnostus ja minäkäsitys) ovat erilaisia. Tutkimukseen osallistui 265 norjalaista ensiluokkalaista (ikä KA = 6 v 9 kk), jotka voitiin jakaa latenttien luokkien ryhmittelyanalyysin avulla neljään ryhmään matemaattisten taitojen ja motivaation perusteella. Suurin ryhmä (46 %) koostui oppilaista, joilla oli keskimääräistä paremmat taidot, mutta hieman matalampi kiinnostus. Lisäksi löydettiin ryhmä (22 %), jota kuvasi suhteellisen hyvät taidot ja myönteinen motivaatio, ja ryhmä (21 %), jota kuvasi suhteellisen heikot taidot ja kielteinen motivaatio. Pienintä ryhmää (12 %) luonnehtivat heikot taidot, mutta korkea kiinnostus ja minäkäsitys. Ryhmien validoinnissa havaittiin, että taitotasosta riippumatta oppilaat, joilla oli myönteinen matematiikan motivaatio, arvostivat paitsi matematiikkaa myös yleisesti koulunkäyntiä enemmän kuin muut oppilaat. Matemaattiset taidot ja motivaatio eivät siis kulkeneet aina käsi kädessä.High interest and positive self-concept are often linked to good academic performance, but we still know fairly little about the interplay between and individual differences in interest, self-concept, and math performance in young children. Following a person-oriented approach, the aim of this study was to investigate what kinds of profiles of mathematical skills (i.e., number sense, counting and arithmetic) and motivation (i.e., interest, self-concept) can be identified among school-beginners. The participants were 265 Norwegian first-graders (M age = 6 y 9 mo). Using latent class clustering analysis, four distinct profiles were identified. The largest group (46%) consisted of students who displayed relatively high skills but slightly lower interest than on average. In addition, there was a group characterized by relatively high skills and positive motivation (22%) and, in contrast, a group with low skills and negative motivation (21%). Also, an interesting pattern of low skills but positive motivation was extracted (12%). Validation of the profiles by means of ANOVAs showed that students who had positive math-related motivation, regardless of their math skills, displayed high valuing of both math and school in general. The findings indicate that skills and motivation – especially interest – do not always go hand in hand.Peer reviewe

Going carless in different urban fabrics : socio-demographics of household car ownership

Diverse physical features of urban areas alongside socio-demographic characteristics affect car ownership, and hence the daily mobility choices. As a case of sustainable mobility, we explore how various urban environments and socio-demographics associate with the spatial and social distribution of household car ownership and carlessness in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Three urban fabrics characterizing the study area are established based on the transportation mode (walking, public transportation, or automobile) the physical urban environment primarily supports. The national level Monitoring System of Spatial Structure and Urban Form database, and the National Travel Survey (2016) are utilized to further include spatial and socio-demographic variables into our analysis across these fabrics. Our results show that households with and without cars differ in terms of residential distance to the city center, neighborhood density, house type, and socio-demographic profiles. Single pensioners and students are most likely to be carless, whereas families represent the opposite. Within the carless households the differences are also evident between different groups. For the more affluent households residing in dense and well-connected areas, and mostly possessing driver's licenses, carlessness is presumably a choice. Contrarily, many other carless households represent the less affluent often located in the more distant, low-density, and less accessible areas, while also possessing less driver's licenses, making carlessness more of a constraint, as the local urban fabric does not support such lifestyle. Consequently, carless households should be increasingly recognized as a focus group in sustainable urban planning in terms of identifiable best practices and potential vulnerability.Peer reviewe

Feeling exhausted and isolated? The connections between university students' remote teaching and learning experiences, motivation, and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

We examined university students' experiences of remote teaching and learning, how the experiences are associated with well-being, and whether those associations differ according to motivation. Using latent variable modelling, we classified Finnish university students (N = 2686) based on their expectancy-value-cost profiles, compared latent means, and tested whether the predictions varied across profiles. Six expectancy-value-cost profiles were identified: moderately motivated, utility-oriented, disengaged, indifferent, positively ambitious, and struggling ambitious. Overall, positively ambitious students seemed most adaptive in terms of their study experiences and well-being. Similarly across the profiles, engagement was predicted positively by the evaluation of remote teaching and negatively by experienced strain, exhaustion positively by the evaluation of teaching and strain, and depressive symptoms positively by strain and sense of alienation. Findings suggest that subjective experiences of remote teaching and learning during the pandemic contribute to students' well-being in unique ways and that distinct motivational mindsets may buffer against the negative outcomes.</p