Learning and the formation of the occupational identity of the student organising the Winterfest : event Thesis of a co-operation project between the student group of a polytechnic and the working life

The objective of polytechnics is to offer instruction that takes into account the demands of the working life and prepares the students for tasks of expertise. The research and development work for supporting the working life and the region is additionally regarded an essential activity field of the polytechnics. The thesis addresses a subject matter where the Faculty of the Behavioural Sciences of Helsinki and two polytechnics (HAAGA-HELIA, Metropolia) co-operate to develop the new environments of learning that would integrate the learning of the students and the work places. The aim of the thesis is to examine the learning and the formation of the occupational identity of the student in a co-operation project between the polytechnic and the working life. In this thesis I also attempt to develop applicable instruments for evaluating learning in projects that take place between polytechnics and the work places. In the project, a group of seven students organised a new cultural event together with a network of working life actors. The project was organised in SYMBIO-learning environment of the HAAGA-HELIA university of applied sciences of Porvoo. In this thesis three research questions were formed: 1) What were the students learning in the process of organising the Winterfest -event? 2) What were the instructors' views of the learning of the students like during the process? 3) What kind of a new model or means did the learning process produce of the organising of events? The cultural-historical activity theory and its views of learning form the theoretic framework of the thesis. The formation of identity is examined from a socio-constructive point of view. The data consisted of learning narratives, data gathered from the meetings and of the written end product of the project. The method was a content analysis of qualitative data. The central dimensions of learning were professional identity and self-confidence, the co-operation and networking skills of the working life and the characteristics and contents of the event industry. Surpassing school-based learning in a working life project brought about a new kind of an object of activity, which rendered possible the formation of motivation and meaningfulness. As a result of the learning activity, a handbook for the production of cultural events was produced. The thesis provided evidence that project based learning can be regarded as a remarkable form of studying from the perspective of motivation and meaningfulness. It seems likely that project based learning would be a suitable method for advancing the interaction between school and society. Based on the thesis some instruments of assessing the project based learning were suggested.Ammattikorkeakoululle on asetettu tavoitteeksi tarjota työelämän vaatimuksia mukailevaa, ammatillisiin asiantuntijatehtäviin valmistavaa opetusta. Tehtäväkenttään lukeutuu tämän ohella työelämää ja toimintaympäristöjä tukeva tutkimus- ja kehitystyö. Tutkielmani nivoutuu Helsingin yliopiston ja ammattikorkeakoulujen (HAAGA-HELIA ja Metropolia) tutkimushankkeeseen, joka tutkii ja kehittää ammattikorkeakoulun ja työelämän väliseen yhteistyöhön tähtääviä oppimisympäristöjä. Tarkastelen pro gradu -tutkielmassani opiskelijan oppimista ja ammatillisen identiteetin muodostumista ammattikorkeakoulun ja työelämän välisessä yhteistyöprojektissa. Pyrin tutkielmani avulla myös kehittelemään projektimuotoisen oppimisen arviointiin soveltuvia välineitä. Projektissa seitsemän henkilön opiskelijaryhmä rakensi yhdessä työelämän kanssa uuden kulttuuritapahtuman. Projekti toteutettiin Porvoon HAAGA-HELIAn SYMBIO -oppimisympäristössä. Tutkimuskysymykset ovat: 1) Mitä ja miten opiskelijat oppivat Winterfest -tapahtuman rakentamisprosessissa? 2) Millaisia olivat ohjaajien näkemykset opiskelijaryhmän opiskelusta ja oppimisesta prosessin aikana? 3) Millaisen uuden mallin tai välineen prosessi tuotti tapahtumanjärjestämisestä? Kulttuurihistoriallinen toiminnan teoria ja sen näkemykset oppimisesta muodostavat tutkielman teoreettisen viitekehyksen. Identiteetin muodostumista tarkastelen sosiokonstruktivistisesta näkökulmasta. Aineisto muodostuu oppimiskertomuksista, palaveriaineistosta ja projektin kirjallisesta lopputuotoksesta. Analyysimenetelmänä on laadullisen aineiston sisällönanalyysi. Keskeiset oppimisen ulottuvuudet olivat ammatillinen identiteetti ja itseluottamus, työelämän vuorovaikutus- ja verkostoitumistaidot sekä tapahtuma-alan ominaispiirteet ja sisällöt. Kouluoppimisen ylittäminen työelämäprojektissa ja sen myötä hahmottunut uudenlainen toiminnan kohde mahdollistivat oppimisen motivaation ja mielekkyyden. Oppimistoiminnan tuloksena opiskelijat tuottivat uuden kulttuurisen artefaktin, Non Profit -kulttuuritapahtuman tuottamisen käsikirjan. Tutkielma osoitti, että projektimuotoinen opiskelu voidaan nähdä merkittävänä opiskelun muotona opiskelijan oppimisen mielekkyyden ja motivaation kannalta. Projektimuotoinen opiskelu voidaan todeta oikeansuuntaiseksi välineeksi myös oppilaitoksen ja yhteiskunnan välisen vuorovaikutuksen edistämisessä. Tutkielmani pohjalta tein ehdotuksia projektimuotoisen oppimisen arviointiin soveltuvista välineistä

Monitoring of water quality with HPLSEC and fluorescence method in the ozonated recirculating aquaculture system

In recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), it is important to monitor the water quality to keep the fish healthy. Especially in water treatment with oxidizing agents, for example, ozone (O3) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the monitoring of the quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water is advisable to keep track of the treatment’s effect. Previously in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) studied, HPLSEC and fluorescence method for monitoring and characterization of organic matter was used here to track the effect of oxidative treatments; 5 duplicated treatments (2 × O3, 1 × O3 + H2O2, 1 × H2O2, 1 × control) were performed for four months with weekly samplings. Systems that contained O3 injection reduced fluorescence on average over 90%, except tyrosine-like fluorescence with removal of 80%. Combined O3 + H2O2 treatment did not bring any advantages over pure O3 treatment, and H2O2 had no significant effect on fluorescence. Humic and fulvic compounds were detected to largely be derived from inlet lake water, while large protein-like structures were mostly created in RAS. A peak of benzoic acid-like molecules was also detected in all RAS waters. Treatments did not change the molecular weight profile of DOM systems and inlet water, having most of their fluorescence coming from medium-sized (108–1322 Da) molecules. DOC was lower in O3 treatments, but the linear connection between DOC and fluorescence was not observed, although this was proposed in earlier studies. Most likely, the oxidizing treatments induce change to DOM in a way that such comparison becomes inaccurate, although this must be studied further in the future

Step-by-step analysis of drinking water treatment trains using size-exclusion chromatography to fingerprint and track protein-like and humic/fulvic-like fractions of dissolved organic matter

This paper provides a glimpse into the removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during conventional drinking water treatment and evaluates the potential of high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) as a supplementary tool for routine monitoring of drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Two DWTPs in Central Finland were systematically evaluated using HPSEC with simultaneous UV and fluorescence detection. For tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like, and humic/fulvic-like DOM fractions of various molecular weight (MW) values, the total and step-by-step removal efficiencies were estimated along the treatment trains. Overall, both DWTPs removed ∼70% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and reduced by 80-90% the total fluorescence and total UV absorbance (UVA). DOM fractions of high MW > 1500 Da were efficiently >95% removed. Fractions of intermediate MW 750-1500 Da were 80-90% removed, whereas the removal efficiency for fractions of low MW < 600 Da was in the range of 60-70%. The lowest removal efficiency across all fractions and detection was observed by UVA210 for the DOM fraction of small MW < 300 Da, for which only 20-30% was removed. In one of the DWTPs, the chromatographic area of this fraction occasionally increased, indicating the formation of degradation and/or oxidation products. Pre-ozonation of raw water reduced total tyrosine- and tryptophan-like fluorescence by ∼30%, humic/fulvic-like fluorescence by ∼20%, and total UVA254 by ∼25%. In the conventional coagulation/flocculation, high MW fractions were removed almost completely, whereas the removal of low MW fractions was only ∼20%. The coagulability of individual fractions was correlated with their hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity estimated using the ratio of UVA210/UVA254. In one of the DWTPs, oxidation with ClO2 induced the formation of DOM with MW 750-1500 Da due to the polymerization or release of DOM from colloidal matter. This new DOM was partly removed in the subsequent sand and activated carbon (AC) filtration and partly ended up in the treated water. In the AC filters, 20-60% of DOM fractions of low MW < 600 Da were removed, and fluorescent compounds exhibited two-fold higher removal efficiencies compared to UV absorbing compounds. Analyses of SUVA and the ratio of UVA210/UVA254 provided surrogate quantification of the aromatic character and hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of unfractionated and fractionated DOM.peerReviewe

Monitoring WWTP performance using size-exclusion chromatography with simultaneous UV and fluorescence detection to track recalcitrant wastewater fractions

A trial monitoring of a typical full-scale municipal WWTP in Central Finland was aimed to explore applicability of high performance liquid chromatography – size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with simultaneous UV and fluorescence detection as a tool for advanced routine monitoring of wastewater treatment. High, intermediate, and low molecular weight (MW) fractions of untreated wastewater (influent) and treated wastewater (secondary effluent) were characterized in terms of UV absorbance at 254 nm (UVA254) and specific fluorescence representing tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like, and humic/fulvic-like compounds. The activated sludge treatment removed 97 ± 1% of BOD, 93 ± 2% of COD, 71 ± 7% of DOC, and 24 ± 7% of TN, while the overall reduction of UVA254 was 50 ± 6%. Total fluorescence signal declined by ∼80% for tyrosine-like, by 60–70% for tryptophan-like, and by 7–36% for humic/fulvic-like compounds. Low and intermediate MW humic/fulvic-like compounds fluorescing at λex/λem = 390/500 nm demonstrated recalcitrant behavior. Protein-like and humic/fulvic-like fractions of low MW < 1 kDa accounted for 60–65% of total UVA254 and 50–70% of total fluorescence of whole influent and effluent samples. Strong linear correlations were observed between wastewater BOD, COD, DOC, UVA254 and tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like fluorescence.peerReviewe

UV/VIS spectroscopy as a method to characterize well water quality. [UV/VIS-spektroskopi som metod att karakterisera brunnsvattenkvalité]

The applicability of UV/VIS spectroscopy for the characterization of well water quality was studied by analyzing 219 private wells from sparsely populated areas of Finland. In addition to conventional water quality indicators, such as conductivity, nitrate and DOC, a series of UV/VIS spectroscopic parameters were determined: A-224, A-254, A-280, A-365, A-436, the area under 250–350 nm, the area under 250–500 nm, SUVA-254, Molar Absorbance-280, Specific Color, A2/A3 and A2/A4, in order to find the most proper surrogate for the organic matter amount and the best indicator of organic matter quality. Three parameters, A-254, A-280 and the area under 250–350 nm were found to be applicable as surrogates for conventional aggregate organic matter indicators, giving rough approximations of organic content in well waters. A-224 can be used to estimate roughly the nitrate concentration in well water samples. A2/A4, SUVA-254 and Molar Absorbance-280 correlated positively with the high molecular weight fraction of NOM and therefore indicate surface water percolation or soil organic matter leaching into the wells. A2/A4 was found to be the most appropriate bulk spectroscopic parameter for the characterization of NOM structure and origin from wells with low and high dissolved organic matter content.nonPeerReviewe

Removal of selected antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs during post‐treatment of municipal wastewater with UV, UV/chlorine and UV/hydrogen peroxide

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are only partially removed by convectional wastewater treatment plants. This study aimed at assessing the post‐treatment degradation of selected antibiotics and antiretroviral drugs by direct UV photolysis and advanced oxidation processes (UV/H2O2 and UV/Cl2) using low‐pressure mercury lamp. The rate of degradation largely followed pseudo first‐order reaction kinetics. Amongst the six studied APIs, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and zidovudine were readily degraded by more than 90% using direct UV photolysis. Addition of Cl2 and H2O2 to the UV process led to an increase in the rate of degradation for all the compounds. The effectiveness UV/Cl2 process was affected to a greater extent by the background effluent organic matter. This implies that higher electrical energy and oxidant would be required in the UV/Cl2 process relative to UV/H2O2 process. Generally, electrical energy required to remove 90% of the target compounds increased in the order UV/H2O2 < UV/Cl2 < UV processes.peerReviewe

Tietokoneohjelma PESSI - havaintoesitys torjunta-aineiden huuhtoutumisesta [elektroninen aineisto]

Nimekkeen selvennys: Pestisidien simulointi/ Pesticide Simulation ; A computer program PESSI - a Demonstration of Pesticide runoff.vo