‘Are You OK?’ Students’ Trust in a Chatbot Providing Support Opportunities

Best Paper Award of the 8th International Conference on Learning and Collaboration Technologies Presented in the context of HCI International 2021 24-29 July 2021Chatbots show promise as a novel way to provide support to students. However, a central issue with new technologies such as chatbots is whether students trust the technology. In the present study, we use a chatbot to proactively offer academic and non-academic support to students (N = 274) in a Finnish vocational education and training (VET) organization. Students responded to the chatbot with a very high response rate (86%), and almost one-fifth (19%) of the respondents disclosed a need for support. Survey with a subset of participants (N = 49) showed satisfactory trust (total trust score 71% as measured by a human-computer trust scale) and satisfaction (average of 3.83 as measured by a five-point customer satisfaction instrument) with the chatbot. Trust was positively correlated with satisfaction as well as students’ likelihood to respond to the chatbot. Our results show that this kind of approach is applicable for recognizing students’ latent needs for support. Future studies should target the formation of trust in more detail and cultural differences in trusting chatbots.Chatbots show promise as a novel way to provide support to students. However, a central issue with new technologies such as chatbots is whether students trust the technology. In the present study, we use a chatbot to proactively offer academic and non-academic support to students (N = 274) in a Finnish vocational education and training (VET) organization. Students responded to the chatbot with a very high response rate (86%), and almost one-fifth (19%) of the respondents disclosed a need for support. Survey with a subset of participants (N = 49) showed satisfactory trust (total trust score 71% as measured by a human-computer trust scale) and satisfaction (average of 3.83 as measured by a five-point customer satisfaction instrument) with the chatbot. Trust was positively correlated with satisfaction as well as students’ likelihood to respond to the chatbot. Our results show that this kind of approach is applicable for recognizing students’ latent needs for support. Future studies should target the formation of trust in more detail and cultural differences in trusting chatbots.Peer reviewe

Finnish Education Professionals’ Thoughts on Adaptive Learning Technologies

With the rapidly increased use of digital technologies in education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to discuss these technologies’ impact on the teaching profession. Using thematic analysis and epistemic network analysis (ENA), we analyzed 114 social media posts by Finnish education professionals commenting on an opinion piece about technology partly taking responsibilities usually attributed to a teacher. Out of the analyzed posts, 32 were supportive, 30 ambivalent, and 52 critical towards the presented scenario. The epistemic network analysis graphs showed some differences between posts with a different attitude. Supportive posts, on average emphasized technological capabilities and their connections with teacher workload and self-directed/self-regulated learning. In comparison, the critical posts on average emphasized human presence and its connections with pupil diversity and technological capability. Our findings both reveal the relevant themes in the discussion about technologies’ impact on the teaching profession and underline the differences in supportive and critical argumentation.Peer reviewe

Työturvallisuusohjeiston laatiminen Oulun Satama Oy:lle

Opinnäytetyön aiheena oli työturvallisuusohjeistuksen laatiminen Oulun Satama Oy:lle. Ohjeistukseen on koottu yleisiä työturvallisuuslakeja, vaatimuksia, ohjeita ja oikeita työ- sekä toimintatapoja satamassa työskentelyyn. Tämä ohjeistus löytyy liitteestä 1. Tavoitteena oli koota selkeä työturvallisuusohjeistus, josta alueella urakoivat, vuoden ympäri työskentelevät ja vierailijat saavat ohjeita työturvallisuuteen liittyvissä asioissa. Työssä käydään läpi lakeja ja asetuksia, jotka ovat keskeisiä satamassa urakoiville. Lisäksi käsitellään työturvallisuuden ylläpitoon liittyviä asioita, kuten työpaikassa työskentelevien henkilöiden vastuita ja velvollisuuksia, työtapaturmaa käsitteenä ja niiden ennaltaehkäisy. Työhön on myös koottu erityisesti satamiin liittyviä turvallisuusmääräyksiä. Työn tuloksena saatiin laadittua pohja sataman työturvallisuusohjeistukselle, jota on mahdollista ylläpitää ja muokata sataman päivittäisille työntekijöille ja tuleville urakoitsijoille sekä muille toimijoille

Building Data Science Capabilities into University Data Warehouse to Predict Graduation

EUNIS 2018 Congress, Tuesday 5 June - Friday 8 June 2018, Centre de Conférences, UPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris. Proceedings. EUNIS European University Information Systems, Paris, 2018The discipline of data science emerged to combine statistical methods with computing. At Aalto University, Finland, we have taken first steps to bring educational data science as a part of daily operations of Management Information Services. This required changes in IT environment: we enhanced data warehouse infrastructure with a data science lab, where we can read predictive model training data from data warehouse database and use the created predictive models in database queries. We then conducted a data science pilot with an objective to predict students’ graduation probability and time-to-degree with student registry data. Further ethical and legal considerations are needed before using predictions in daily operations of the university.Peer reviewe

Personalized Learning Analytics-Based Feedback on a Self-Paced Online Course

Self-regulated learning skills are very important on self-paced online courses, where students have great autonomy but limited guidance. We combined goal setting strategies and personalized feedback to support students’ self-regulation and keep them engaged in a self-paced online course. We describe our setup and the findings of the project

Curricular Concept Maps as Structured Learning Diaries : Collecting Data on Self-Regulated Learning and Conceptual Thinking for Learning Analytics Applications

The collection and selection of the data used in learning analytics applications deserve more attention. Optimally, selection of data should be guided by pedagogical purposes instead of data availability. Using design science research methodology, we designed an artifact to collect time-series data on students’ self-regulated learning and conceptual thinking. Our artifact combines curriculum data, concept mapping, and structured learning diaries. We evaluated the artifact in a case study, verifying that it provides relevant data, requires a limited amount of effort from students, and works in different educational contexts. Combined with learning analytics applications and interventions, our artifact provides possibilities to add value for students, teachers, and academic leaders.The collection and selection of the data used in learning analytics applications deserve more attention. Optimally, selection of data should be guided by pedagogical purposes instead of data availability. Using design science research methodology, we designed an artifact to collect time-series data on students’ self-regulated learning and conceptual thinking. Our artifact combines curriculum data, concept mapping, and structured learning diaries. We evaluated the artifact in a case study, verifying that it provides relevant data, requires a limited amount of effort from students, and works in different educational contexts. Combined with learning analytics applications and interventions, our artifact provides possibilities to add value for students, teachers, and academic leaders.Peer reviewe

Vaikuttavuutta yhteisöllisyydellä? : Työpaikan tuen merkitys tietojenkäsittelytieteen MOOC-kursseilla

Aikaisemman tutkimuksen perusteella työpaikan tuki liittyy työssäoppimisen tuloksiin. Avointen ja skaalautuvien (MOOC) verkkokurssien osalta ilmiötä on kuitenkin tutkittu vasta vähän. Selvitimme, miten työssäkäyvät avoimille verkkokursseille osallistuneet opiskelijat erosivat toisistaan työpaikan tuen suhteen, miten osallistujat kuvasivat kurssien vaikutuksia, ja miten työpaikan tuki oli yhteydessä kokemuksiin kurssien vaikutuksista. Kysymyksiin vastattiin analysoimalla noin kuudensadan työssäkäyvän ICT-alan MOOC-kursseja suorittaneen vastaukset sähköpostitse lähetettyyn kyselyyn. Klusterianalyysin perusteella vastaajat jakautuivat Laajasti tuettuihin, jotka saivat suorittaa kurssia työajallaan ja joiden työyhteisö oli kiinnostunut aiheesta, Työyhteisön huomioimiin, Työaikaa hyödyntäviin, ja Ei-tuettuihin. Näistä Laajasti-tuetut ja Työyhteisön huomioimat kokivat kurssit hyödyllisemmiksi kuin Työaikaa hyödyntävät ja Ei-tuetut. Kurssien vaikutusten laadullisessa analyysissä tunnistettiin mm. seuraavat teemat: ymmärryksen lisääntyminen, hyöty nykyisessä työssä (Ei-tuetut raportoivat odotusarvoa vähemmän), hyöty opinnoissa, halu opiskella lisää, hyöty työuralla ja kiinnostuksen lisääntyminen. Tulokset korostavat työyhteisön sosiaalisen tuen merkitystä avoimilla verkkokursseilla: työajan hyödyntäminen ilman laajempaa yhteisön tukea ei kurssien koetun hyödyn kannalta eroa tilanteesta, jossa tukea ei saa lainkaan. Työyhteisön tuen merkitykseen tulisi kiinnittää huomiota sekä työpaikoilla että verkkokurssien suunnittelussa.Peer reviewe

Magnetic Nanoparticles in Human Cervical Skin

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, magnetite/maghemite, have been identified in human tissues, including the brain, meninges, heart, liver, and spleen. As these nanoparticles may play a role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, a pilot study explored the occurrence of these particles in the cervical (neck) skin of 10 patients with Parkinson's disease and 10 healthy controls. Magnetometry and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles in the skin samples of every study participant. Regarding magnetite/maghemite concentrations of the single-domain particles, no significant between-group difference was emerged. In low-temperature magnetic measurement, a magnetic anomaly at similar to 50 K was evident mainly in the dermal samples of the Parkinson group. This anomaly was larger than the effect related to the magnetic ordering of molecular oxygen. The temperature range of the anomaly, and the size-range of magnetite/maghemite, both refute the idea of magnetic ordering of any iron phase other than magnetite. We propose that the explanation for the finding is interaction between clusters of superparamagnetic and single-domain-sized nanoparticles. The source and significance of these particles remains speculative.Peer reviewe

InDEx – Industrial Data Excellence

InDEx, the Industrial Data Excellence program, was created to investigate what industrial data can be collected, shared, and utilized for new intelligent services in high-performing, reliable and secure ways, and how to accomplish that in practice in the Finnish manufacturing industry.InDEx produced several insights into data in an industrial environment, collecting data, sharing data in the value chain and in the factory environment, and utilizing and manipulating data with artificial intelligence. Data has an important role in the future in an industrial context, but data sources and utilization mechanisms are more diverse than in cases related to consumer data. Experiences in the InDEx cases showed that there is great potential in data utili zation.Currently, successful business cases built on data sharing are either company-internal or utilize an existing value chain. The data market has not yet matured, and third-party offerings based on public and private data sources are rare. In this program, we tried out a framework that aimed to securely and in a controlled manner share data between organizations. We also worked to improve the contractual framework needed to support new business based on shared data, and we conducted a study of applicable business models. Based on this, we searched for new data-based opportunities within the project consortium. The vision of data as a tradeable good or of sharing with external partners is still to come true, but we believe that we have taken steps in the right direction.The program started in fall 2019 and ended in April 2022. The program faced restrictions caused by COVID-19, which had an effect on the intensity of the work during 2020 and 2021, and the program was extended by one year. Because of meeting restrictions, InDEx collaboration was realized through online meetings. We learned to work and collaborate using digital tools and environments. Despite the mentioned hindrances, and thanks to Business Finland’s flexibility, the extension time made it possible for most of the planned goals to be achieved.This report gives insights in the outcomes of the companies’ work within the InDEx program. DIMECC InDEx is the first finalized program by the members of the Finnish Advanced Manufacturing Network (FAMN, www.famn.fi).</p