Editorial

In August, 2012, four months after opening, Coursera—one of several Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) providers quickly gaining traction on the Internet—registered one million students, from nearly 200 countries. This is only one of the many staggering statistics that could be shared about the sudden popularity of MOOCs, the total of which speak to the worldwide interest in accessing university courses online. The large number of people enrolling in MOOCs, coupled with university interest in expanding online content, has put this new model in the spotlight. The term MOOC dates from 2008, developed initially as a pedagogical experiment focused on creating a more connected and democratic learning environment. However, since 2011, universities have used the term to describe course offerings geared toward a worldwide student body. Today, “MOOC” describes a range of pedagogical models. George Siemens distinguishes between “cMOOCs” which follow the original “connectivist” model and the more institutionalised and tightly structured “xMOOCs”. Despite the differences, the emergence of MOOCs as a whole poses a set of challenges to the educational community. Many of us seem to believe that MOOCs are finally delivering some of the technology-enabled change in education that we have been waiting nearly two decades for. This issue aims to shed light on the way MOOCs affect education institutions and learners. Which teaching and learning strategies can be used to improve the MOOC learning experience? How do MOOCs fit into today's pedagogical landscape; and could they provide a viable model for developing countries? We must also look closely at their potential impact on education structures. With the expansion of xMOOC platforms connected to different university networks—like Coursera, Udacity, edX, or the newly launched European Futurelearn—a central question is: what is their role in the education system and especially in higher education? This special issue of eLearning Papers brings together in-depth research and examples from the field to generate debate within this emerging research area

Language learning and technology

By and large, languages, both as first, second or foreign languages remain one of the most important core subjects at every educational level. In early stages, their inclusion in the curriculum is intricately connected with (pre-)literacy practices, but also as a main driver for the successful integration of minority students learning a second language. In addition, the attainment of a certain level of a foreign language by the end of compulsory education is a common goal in most educational systems around the globe. Arguably, the key drivers of success in learning a language range from motivational to attitudinal, but ultimately they also have to do with the amount of target language use, the access to quality input, and especially language teachers' readiness to incorporate the latest educational trends effectively in the language classroom, educational technologies amongst them

A semiparametric mixture regression model for longitudinal data

A normal semiparametric mixture regression model is proposed for longitudinal data. The proposed model contains one smooth term and a set of possible linear predictors. Model terms are estimated using the penalized likelihood method with the EM algorithm. A computationally feasible alternative method that provides an approximate solution is also introduced. Simulation experiments and a real data example are used to illustrate the methods

Design for learning spaces and innovative classrooms [Editorial]

During the last couple of decades our perception of what constitutes a good learning environment has changed. Educational institutions are facing new challenges resulting from technologically driven changes in teaching and learning, globalization of higher education and changes in the economic climate. Efficient use of facilities is becoming increasingly important as the funding mechanisms of educational institutions are becoming more results oriented. The design of spaces to support the generation of knowledge by students themselves is an important yet neglected field

Analysis of consumers’ negative perceptions of health tracking in insurance – a value sacrifice approach

Purpose This paper explores and identifies customer-value-related sacrifices that consumers attach to interactive health/life insurance. This paper aims to increase understanding of why individual consumers are not willing to embrace behaviour-tracking-based insurance applications. Design/methodology/approach The authors analysed data from a qualitative survey of Finnish insurance consumers who were not keen on adopting interactive insurance products. Findings Developed through thematic analysis, the framework presented in this paper illustrates consumers' value sacrifices on four dimensions: economic, functional, emotional and symbolic value. Research limitations/implications The framework and insights emerging in the study hold several implications related to increased understanding of consumers' perceptions of insurance and to developing interactive insurance services. In addition, this work provides a promising foundation and avenues for further considerations related to digital ethics in insurance. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first piece applying a value sacrifice perspective in studying consumers' unwillingness to adopt interactive insurance products.Peer reviewe

Earnings profiles of Finnish wage earners in 2000–2010

The employee’s salary normally increases with age and experience, but for how long? The purpose of this discussion paper is to investigate the age-wage profile with the help of register data. A trajectory analysis has been applied to the categorization of the register data, based on which six different groups in wage development have been identified. Taking various background factors into account, the wage profiles of the groups are modeled using a mixed statistical model. According to the results, the wage development of Finnish employees in relation to age takes the form of an undulating, up-and-down profile, the shape and peaks of which vary according to the wage group

Anaemia and enhancement of coagulation are associated with severe COVID-19 infection

Coagulation disturbances are common in severe COVID-19 infection. We examined laboratory markers in COVID-19 patients during the first wave of the pandemic in Finland. We analysed a wide panel of coagulation tests (IL ACL TOP 750/500) from anonymously collected samples of 78 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in intensive care units (ICUs; n = 34) or medical wards (n = 44) at Helsinki University Hospital in April-May 2020. These coagulation data were supplemented with the laboratory information system results, including complete blood count and C reactive protein (CRP). Coagulation and inflammatory markers were elevated in most: FVIII in 52%, fibrinogen 77%, D-dimer 74%, CRP 94%, platelet count 37%. Anaemia was common, especially in men (73% vs. 44% in women), and overall weakly correlated with FVIII (women R-2 = 0.48, men R-2 = 0.24). ICU patients had higher fibrinogen and D-dimer levels (p < .01). Men admitted to the ICU also had higher platelet count, leukocytes and FVIII and lower haemoglobin than the non-ICU patients. None of the patients met the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) criteria, but 31% had a D-dimer level of at least 1.5 mg/L. Presence of both anaemia and high D-dimer together with FVIII is independently associated with ICU admission. Antithrombin was reduced in 47% of the patients but did not distinguish severity. Overall, CRP was associated with coagulation activation. Elevated FVIII, fibrinogen and D-dimer reflected a strong inflammatory response and were characteristic of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The patients were often anaemic, as is typical in severe inflammation, while anaemia was also associated with coagulation activity.Peer reviewe

Energiatehokas lietteenkäsittely

SYKEn ja VTTn yhteisessä tutkimusprojektissa ”TERMOS – Energiatehokas lietteenkäsittely” selvitettiin jätevesilietteiden energiatehokkaita käsittelytapoja. Nykyään Suomessa puhdistamolietteen vallitsevana käsittelymenetelmänä on isoilla jätevedenpuhdistamoilla mesofiilinen mädätys (35 °C), mutta termofiilinen prosessi (55 °C) on suuremman tehokkuutensa ansiosta noussut mielenkiintoiseksi vaihtoehdoksi. Yksi tutkimuksen päätavoite oli tutkia mesofiilisen prosessin muuttamista termofiiliseksi sekä mesofiilisen ja termofiilisen prosessin kuormitettavuuseroja. Tämä tehtiin kokeellisesti pilot-mittakaavan mädätysreaktoreilla HSY:n Suomenojan jätevedenpuhdistamolla sijaitsevalla SYKE:n tutkimusasemalla Espoossa. Tulosten mukaan prosessin saattaminen termofiiliselle lämpötila-alueelle onnistuu nopeasti ja ilman häiriöitä. Termofiilinen prosessi havaittiin hajottavan orgaanista ainetta mesofiilista tehokkaammin ja tuottavan enemmän kaasua sekä myös hygienisoivan lietettä, toisaalta termofiilisesti mädätetyllä lietteellä on huonompi kuivattavuus ja huonolaatuisemmat rejektivedet. Kokeilujen aikana havaittiin myös fermentaatioon perustuva autoflotaatioilmiö, jonka esikäsittelyvaikutusta lietteeseen tutkittiin. Tulosten mukaan esifermentaatio parantaa oleellisesti kaasun yksikkötuottoa molemmissa mädätysprosesseissa, mutta vie termofiilisen prosessin edun. Tutkimuksen toisena päätavoitteena oli vertailla erilaisia käsittelyvaihtoehtoja energiatalouden, kasvihuonekaasupäästöjen ja kustannusten näkökulmasta. Tämä tehtiin case-pohjaisena järjestelmäanalyysina. Lietteen polttoa vertailtiin mädätysprosesseihin eri loppukäsittelyvaihtoehdoilla. Tarkasteltiin myös esisaostuksen ja rinnakkaissaostuksen vaikutuksia käsittelyketjuihin. Biokaasun tuotannon tehostaminen siirtymällä mesofiilimädätyksestä termofiiliprosessiin voisi olla jätevedenpuhdistamolle taloudellisesti kannattavaa erityisesti, mikäli laitos saa tuotetulle sähkölle syöttötariffin mukaiset lisätulot. Energiatalouden kannalta kompostointi olisi edullisin mädätteen käsittelytapa. Energiataseisiin perustuen lietteen poltto olisi päästöjen kannalta edullinen lietteen käsittelytapa sillä edellytyksellä, että tuotettu lämpöenergia voidaan hyödyntää esimerkiksi kaukolämmityksessä. Lietteenkäsittelyketjujen kasvihuonetaseet ja kustannustalous eivät kaikissa tapauksissa kulkeneet käsi kädessä. Yleisesti voidaan todeta, että kaikki tarkastelussa saadut tulokset ovat tapauskohtaisia ja riippuvaisia paikallisista olosuhteista

Transversely Excited Multipass Photoacoustic Cell Using Electromechanical Film as Microphone

A novel multipass photoacoustic cell with five stacked electromechanical films as a microphone has been constructed, tested and characterized. The photoacoustic cell is an open rectangular structure with two steel plates facing each other. The longitudinal acoustic resonances are excited transversely in an optical multipass configuration. A detection limit of 22 ppb (10−9) was achieved for flowing NO2 in N2 at normal pressure by using the maximum of 70 laser beams between the resonator plates. The corresponding minimum detectable absorption and the normalized noise-equivalent absorption coefficients were 2.2 × 10−7 cm−1 and 3.2 × 10−9 cm−1WHz−1/2, respectively