The importance of financial recession for mental health among students: short- and long-term analyses from an ecosocial perspective

Background and aim: Referring to the ecosocial theory and utilising the ‘natural experiment’ setting provided by the global recession at the beginning of 1990s, the aim of our study was to analyse the short- and long-term associations between trade and mental health in young students followed until mid-adulthood. Method: The study was based on two prospective cohort studies, the older and the younger Northern Swedish Cohort which both consisted of all pupils in a middle-sized industrial town in Northern Sweden. At age 21, the younger cohort entered the labour market during the deep recession of the early 1990s, while the older cohort entered the labour market during the boom of the 1980s. Both cohorts were followed up with a high response rate in mid adulthood. For this study, all students were selected at age 21. Results: At age 21, those who studied during recession had more depressive and functional somatic symptoms than those who studied during boom. The cohort differences did not remain over age: by the follow-up in early middle age the differences between the cohorts were non-significant, most notably due to decreased depressive symptoms in the younger cohort and increase of functional somatic symptoms in the older cohort. Conclusions: The short-term mental health consequences of the business cycle seem to be more extensive than limited only to those who are unemployed, even though the possible long-term consequences seem to be more complex. Thus, the macrolevel had a great short-term impact on the individual level in relation to the microlevel setting of university/school. The chronosystem was also of major importance. Future research would benefit from taking the context into account

Self-regulation in higher education: Students’ motivational, regulational and learning strategies, and their relationships to study success

Peer reviewe

Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers’ Professional Competences

The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers’ self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey were analysed using statistical methods. It was found that the use of active learning methods, such as goal-oriented and intentional learning as well as autonomous and responsible group work, are strongly and positively related to the achievement of professional competences. To develop the best competences, student teachers need high learning motivation and excellent self-regulation strategies. The mean scores in professional competences of highly motivated student teachers with excellent self-regulated learning were significantly higher when their experiences of active learning increased. Moreover, student teachers with high motivation and moderate self-regulation also benefited significantly from the use of active learning methods.Peer reviewe

Pyhäjärven entinen kunnantupa Karkkilassa : Rakennussuojelusta ja sen käytännön toteutumisesta kunnantuvan tapauksen valossa

Tutkielma käsittelee Karkkilassa sijaitsevaa entistä kunnantupaa. Sen ensimmäisessä osassa tutkitaan kunnantuvan historiaa ja toisessa osassa rakennussuojelun toteutumista käytännössä. Kohteesta ei ole aiempaa tutkimusta ja asia ajankohtaistui rakennuksen täyttäessä 120 vuotta samaan aikaan kun sen kaavallinen suojelu kyseenalaistettiin. Tutkielman keskeisenä metodina on arkistotutkimus, jota täydentävät paikallishistoriaa käsittelevät tekstit, paikallislehtikirjoitukset sekä henkilöhaastattelut. Pyhäjärven kunnantuvan on suunnitellut arkkitehti Usko Nyström 1897, se on paikkakunnan ensimmäinen arkkitehdin suunnittelema rakennus ja tutkielman mukaan myös Suomen vanhin arkkitehdin suunnittelema kunnantupa. Rakennuksen tyylipiirteissä korostuu 1800-luvun lopulla puurakennuksissa suosittu sveitsiläistyyli. Pyhäjärven kunnantupa valmistui 1898 itsenäisen Pyhäjärven ja sittemmin Karkkilan kunnan ensimmäiseksi hallintorakennukseksi ja kuntakokousten pitopaikaksi symboloiden siten paikkakunnan itsenäistymistä. Rakennus on pitkän historiansa aikana toiminut myös seurojen kokoustilana, kouluna, kirjastona, rukoushuoneena sekä kulttuuritilana. Karkkilan kaupunki osti yksityisomistuksessa olleen kunnantuvan kiinteistön vuonna 2012, josta lähtien se on ollut tyhjillään, eikä huoltotoimenpiteitä ole tehty. Rakennussuojelua ohjaava lainsäädäntö toimii tältä osin empiirisen tutkimuksen pohjatietona. Pyhäjärven entinen kunnantupa suojeltiin maankäyttö- ja rakennuslailla 2003 ja 2013. Suojelu kyseenalaistettiin Karkkilan kaupungin toimesta, mistä alkoi vuosia kestänyt kiista rakennuksen kohtalosta. Tutkimuksessa nostan esiin eri tahojen toimia ja vaikutusmahdollisuuksia asiassa pyrkien avaamaan suojelusta käytävää prosessia käytännön tasolla. Kaupunki haki suojelusta poikkeamista, jonka elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus myönsi, vaikka museotahojen lausunnot eivät sitä puoltaneet vaan määrittivät rakennuksen kulttuurihistoriallisesti, paikallishistoriallisesti ja rakennustaiteellisesti arvokkaaksi. Paikalliset järjestöt olivat ryhtyneet toimiin kunnantuvan suojelun puolesta ja myös valittivat hallinto-oikeuteen suojelusta poikkeamispäätöksestä. Toisaalta paikkakunnalla ryhtyivät toimiin myös kunnantuvan purkamista ajavat aktiivit. Tämä vastakkainasettelu leimasi myös paikallislehtikirjoittelua. Kiista suojelusta poikkeamisesta ratkesi, kun hallinto-oikeus kumosi myönnetyn poikkeamispäätöksen ja pysytti kunnantuvan suojelun, mutta suunnitelmat lähialueen muutoksista vaaransivat edelleen kunnantuvan tilanteen. Virkamiesvalmistelulla on ollut keskeinen rooli asiasta kehkeytyneen kiistan muodostumisessa. Toiminta ei ole ollut hyvän hallintotavan mukaista ja monelta osin maankäyttö- ja rakennuslain sekä hallintolain vastaista. Kaupungin viranhaltijoiden vaihtuminen toi muutoksen asioiden valmisteluun, mutta poliittisten päätösten osalta yhteistä näkemystä ei ole vielä saavutettu. Myös kunnantupaa ja sen lähialueita koskeva kaavamuutosprosessi, jonka yhteydessä päätetään kunnantuvan kohtalosta, on tutkielman valmistuessa keskeneräinen. Tutkimus osoittaa kolmannen sektorin, etenkin paikallisyhdistysten merkittävän ja toisinaan kohtuuttomankin haasteellisen roolin kulttuuriympäristön vaalijana. Edelleen se näyttää, kuinka kunnantuvan tapauksessa ei ole toimittu maankäyttö- ja rakennuslain (MRL) edellyttämällä tavalla

Vocational fields as different learning environments in the workplace learning system of Finnish VET

Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin vuosituhannen alussa osaksi ammatillista peruskoulutusta liitettyä työssäoppimisen järjestelmää. Sen toteuttamiseen liittyviä käytäntöjä ja prosesseja eri koulutusaloilla tarkasteltiin tutkimuksessa opiskelijoiden näkökulmasta. Laajahkoon kyselylomakeaineistoon (N=3106, n=1603) pohjautunut tilastollinen analyysi osoitti, että eri koulutusalojen välillä on suuria eroja työssäoppimisen vaatimusten (tavoitteellisuus, ohjaus ja arviointi) toteuttamisessa, oppimisen organisoimisessa koulutuksen ja työelämän rajapinnalla sekä opiskelijoiden oppimisessa työpaikalla. Sosiaali- ja terveysalalla työssäoppimisen käytännöt ja prosessit näyttivät toteutuvan kaikista sujuvimmin, heikoimmin ne sen sijaan toteutuivat toistaiseksi tekniikan ja liikenteen sekä kaupan ja hallinnon alalla. Tutkimus näyttää myös tukevan viimeaikaisen oppimisen tutkimuksen tähdentämää seikkaa: kun opiskelijat kokevat oppimisympäristöjensä – koulun ja työelämän – olevan lähellä toisiaan, niin he myös näyttävät oppivan tehokkaasti. Tutkimuksen pohjalta voidaankin antaa suosituksia harjoittelujen sekä muiden koulutuksen ja työelämän rajapinnalla olevien oppimistilanteiden kehittämiselle.The purpose of this study was to examine, from the point of view of students, the learning practices and processes of the workplace learning system adopted in 2001 for Finnish vocational education and training (VET). The data were collected from final year vocational students (N=3106, n=1603) via an Internet-based questionnaire. The findings from the quantitative analyses showed that there were remarkable differences between different vocational fields in (1) carrying out the demands of the workplace learning system (setting the learning goals, guidance, and assessment), (2) learning organization at the interface of school-based learning and workplace learning, and (3) students’ learning in the workplace. The practices and processes of the workplace learning system were most effective in the social and health care field, whereas they were weakest in the fields of technology and transport, and commerce and administration. The results of this study support those of recent learning studies that when students feel that their learning environments (school and working life) are very well integrated, they also seem to learn more effectively. As practical conclusions, this study suggests ways that students’ learning periods and situations in working life should be organized

Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers’ Professional Competences

The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers’ self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey were analysed using statistical methods. It was found that the use of active learning methods, such as goal-oriented and intentional learning as well as autonomous and responsible group work, are strongly and positively related to the achievement of professional competences. To develop the best competences, student teachers need high learning motivation and excellent self-regulation strategies. The mean scores in professional competences of highly motivated student teachers with excellent self-regulated learning were significantly higher when their experiences of active learning increased. Moreover, student teachers with high motivation and moderate self-regulation also benefited significantly from the use of active learning methods

Comparative analysis of vaginal microbiota sampling using 16S rRNA gene analysis

Background Molecular methods such as next-generation sequencing are actively being employed to characterize the vaginal microbiota in health and disease. Previous studies have focused on characterizing the biological variation in the microbiota, and less is known about how factors related to sampling contribute to the results. Our aim was to investigate the impact of a sampling device and anatomical sampling site on the quantitative and qualitative outcomes relevant for vaginal microbiota research. We sampled 10 Finnish women representing diverse clinical characteristics with flocked swabs, the Evalyn (R) self-sampling device, sterile plastic spatulas and a cervical brush that were used to collect samples from fornix, vaginal wall and cervix. Samples were compared on DNA and protein yield, bacterial load, and microbiota diversity and species composition based on Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We quantified the relative contributions of sampling variables versus intrinsic variables in the overall microbiota variation, and evaluated the microbiota profiles using several commonly employed metrics such as alpha and beta diversity as well as abundance of major bacterial genera and species. Results The total DNA yield was strongly dependent on the sampling device and to a lesser extent on the anatomical site of sampling. The sampling strategy did not affect the protein yield or the bacterial load. All tested sampling methods produced highly comparable microbiota profiles based on MiSeq sequencing. The sampling method explained only 2% (p-value = 0.89) of the overall microbiota variation, markedly surpassed by intrinsic factors such as clinical status (microscopy for bacterial vaginosis 53%, p = 0.0001), bleeding (19%, p = 0.0001), and the variation between subjects (11%, p-value 0.0001). Conclusions The results indicate that different sampling strategies yield comparable vaginal microbiota composition and diversity. Hence, past and future vaginal microbiota studies employing different sampling strategies should be comparable in the absence of other technical confounders. The Evalyn (R) self-sampling device performed equally well compared to samples taken by a clinician, and hence offers a good-quality microbiota sample without the need for a gynecological examination. The amount of collected sample as well as the DNA and protein yield varied across the sampling techniques, which may have practical implications for study design.Peer reviewe

Vaginal Microbiota Composition Correlates Between Pap Smear Microscopy and Next Generation Sequencing and Associates to Socioeconomic Status

Recent research on vaginal microbiota relies on high throughput sequencing while microscopic methods have a long history in clinical use. We investigated the correspondence between microscopic findings of Pap smears and the vaginal microbiota composition determined by next generation sequencing among 50 asymptomatic women. Both methods produced coherent results regarding the distinction between Lactobacillus-dominant versus mixed microbiota, reassuring gynaecologists for the use of Pap smear or wet mount microscopy for rapid evaluation of vaginal bacteria as part of diagnosis. Cytologic findings identified women with bacterial vaginosis and revealed that cytolysis of vaginal epithelial cells is associated to Lactobacillus crispatus-dominated microbiota. Education and socio-economic status were associated to the vaginal microbiota variation. Our results highlight the importance of including socio-economic status as a co-factor in future vaginal microbiota studies.Peer reviewe