On-line assessment for e-learning: options and opportunities

The desire to produce educational multi-media packages of ever greater sophistication is such that other, more problematic, elements of e- or on- line learning receive less attention by academics and courseware developers alike. One such problematic area is that of assessment, which is surprising, as e-learning assessment procedures are more critical in defining the learning that takes place. However, because e-learning can create a much richer, more varied active learning experience than would normally occur via the passive didactic teaching mode currently utilised in most universities and centred on the use of the lecture, it also has the potential to provide new and innovative assessments modes and systems. The extent to which the potential of innovatory assessment is realised via e-learning depends on two factors. First, the level of computer component and interactivity utilised in elearning. Second, the attitude of academic staff towards their teaching role, and, more specifically, how they operate within an elearning environment. The speed of the development in online technologies and techniques is such that the information given here will not provide all the answers, it should, nevertheless, enable some of the correct questions to be pose

Kansallinen varautumissuunnitelma polion paluun torjumiseksi 2012-2014

Tämän vanhan painoksen korvaa uusi, muutettu painos osoitteessa http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-302-482-3</A

Aapisten välittämä luontokuva ja luontosuhde

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selvittää, miten monipuolisia aineksia kolmen suurimman kustantajan uusimmat aapiskirjat tarjoavat lapsen maailmankuvan ja luontokuvan rakentumiselle. Tarkastelin aapisia lähemmin luontokuvan kannalta. Yhtenä tärkeänä tutkimuksen kohteena oli aapisten lukukappaleiden ja kuvituksen välittämän luontoon kohdistuvan tiedon totuudenmukaisuus. Onko tieto johdonmukaista alkuopetuksen muun ympäristöön kohdistuvan opetuksen kanssa? Selvittelin myös, minkä toimijan kannalta aapiset pääasiassa näkevät luonnon ja millaista ihmisen ja luonnon välistä suhdetta ne tukevat. Koska tarkoitukseni oli luonnehtia aapisia mahdollisimman tarkasti, analysoin kustakin kirjasta lukukappaleiden realistisuustason, päähenkilöt ja erilaisten tekstityyppien osuudet. Tutkimuksessa olivat mukana Aapiskirja (Otava), Aapinen (WSOY) ja Iloinen Aapinen (Weilin+ Göös). Erilaiset fiktiiviset kertomukset ovat pääasiallisin tekstityyppi aapisissa. Runot ovat toiseksi suurin ryhmä faktatekstien ja näytelmien osuuden ollessa hyvin pieni. Jokaisen aapisen sisällössä painottuu eri tavalla fiktiivisten kertomusten arkielämän kuvaukseen liittyvät kertomukset, sadut ja tarinat sekä faabelit. Päähenkilöiden esiintymisessä on myös kirjakohtaisia eroja. Useimmiten päähenkilöinä esiintyvät lapset, satuolennot ja personoidut eläimet. Kirjat painottavat myös eri tavoin realiteetit huomioon ottavia ja mielikuvituksenomaisia ratkaisuja. Aapisissa kuvataan lapsen lähiympäristöä ja kotiseutua laajemman ympäristön jäädessä vähemmälle. Kaupunkiympäristö on myös hyvin vähän esillä. Otavan ja WSOY:n aapiset tarjoavat totuudenmukaista tietoa luontokuvan jäsentymiselle ja tukevat humanistista ihmisen ja luonnon välistä suhdetta. Weilin+ Göösin aapinen tukee mystistä luontosuhdetta ja henkistää myös elottoman luonnon kohteet

eReflections – Ten years of educational technology studies at the University of Oulu:essays contributed by the network builders

Abstract This electronic publication focuses on the development of educational technology studies in the University of Oulu. The publication addresses contemporary essays contributed by the network builders, the people who were in key position when developing both the curriculum and the research unit for educational technology. The articles cover a wide range of the unit's research area. The articles deal with technological, pedagogical as well as organizational and managerial topics

The association of problematic gaming characteristics with dietary habits among Finnish vocational school students

Digital gaming is a popular pastime among young people, but its links to dietary habits have been little studied. The purpose of the study was to describe dietary habits and to examine their associations to problematic gaming behavior with regard to the degree of daily digital gaming time and the overall levels of disordered-like gaming behavior among students in vocational education in the Oulu region of Finland. This cross-sectional study consisted of a total of 773 first-year vocational school students who had played digital games regularly. Data was collected by using an online survey measuring sociodemographic information, dietary habits, amount of digital gaming time, and symptoms of problematic gaming behavior. Most prevalent weekly consumed food types were chicken (90.1%), chips (87.7%), and sausages/cold cuts (85.4%). Around one-fourth of students skipped breakfast on weekdays and at weekends. A higher amount of digital gaming time was associated with skipping breakfast on weekdays. More elevated levels of disordered gaming behavior were particularly associated with the use of a group of food types encompassing carbohydrate-dense and fast food. Current research provides indications that digital gaming may have an impact on youths’ dietary habits, while at the same time, however, emphasizing that the issue can be affected by several interrelated and complex factors

Associations between digital gaming behavior and physical activity among Finnish vocational students

Digital gaming is considered to be a major sedentary lifestyle among youth. The time spent on digital gaming may also affect the physical behavior of young adults. Objective This study aimed to investigate the associations between various characteristics of digital gaming behavior (i.e., gaming time, device, and game type) and participation in physical activity among Finnish vocational students. Materials and methods The research employed a cross-sectional survey design. The analyzed sample consisted of 773 students (455 males, 318 females) from eight vocational school units in Northern Finland who regularly played digital games. Data were collected via an online self-reported questionnaire, which included questions concerning average weekly time spent on digital gaming, preferred device, favorite types of games, and physical activity. Results The students spent an average of two hours each day playing digital games. Males preferred to play using personal computers (PCs), whereas mobile gaming was more popular among females. Shooter (42.4%) and entertainment (64.2%) games were the most popular game types among males and females, respectively. The results revealed that male gender and PC gaming were both positively related to physical inactivity among vocational school students. A preference toward sport games was inversely related with physical inactivity. Conclusion The presented findings can be utilized to develop interventions that target the prevention of sedentary behavior among vocational students. Further longitudinal studies will be required to reliably assess the relationship between digital gaming and physical activity