Promoting knowledge practices in upper secondary schools: case studies from Finland and Bulgaria

ABSTRACT

This exploratory case study was conducted in two upper secondary schools in Finland and Bulgaria. The aim of the study was to investigate how to apply trialogical design principles could be used to improve students’ knowledge work competence, and teachers’ re-structured obligatory courses following pedagogical design principles for knowledge creation practices. The courses were organised in the form of students’ collaborative inquiry and project work. The research questions focused on the implementation of the design principles, students’ self-assessed learning of knowledge work competencies and the experiences of students and teachers. The main data consisted of students’ self-evaluation answers to a pre-questionnaire (N = 76) and a post-questionnaire N = 52), and teachers’ (N = 4) plans and interviews. The results showed that students’ experiences were positive, but they also found shortcomings in their knowledge work competences. The teachers were also satisfied with the experiences, but they found problems in teachers’ collaborative planning at the end of the process (in Finland) and in organising student teamwork and in reporting the contributions (in Bulgaria). The set of design principles was useful as a collaborative guidance tool for the teachers’ planning, and in these two cases, the form of an inquiry learning and project work. However, the teachers need practical guidelines to implement the trialogical design principles.

KEYWORDS:

• Knowledge work competence
• upper secondary school
• pedagogy: change

Acknowledgments

The study was partially supported by the EU-funded KNORK project (543154-LLP-1-2013-1-FI-KA3-KA) and ARONI Research Project (285806) funded by the Academy of Finland. The authors are grateful to teachers and students who volunteered to participate in the study, to Dr Minna Lakkala for encouragement and ideas, and to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partly supported by the Academy of Finland [Grant 28 806] and the European Commission (KNORK 402765 543154-LLP-1-2013-1-FI-KA3-KA).

Notes on contributors

Liisa Ilomäki

Liisa Ilomäki, EdD., Docent (Adjunct professor) in education and technology, works at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her research interests include the use of digital technologies in learning and teaching and the development of students’ knowledge work competence. Ilomäki has been involved in several European and national research projects in technology-enhanced learning.

Tania Vasileva

Tania Vasileva, PhD, is a professor of electronic engineering at the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria. She has taught several courses on semiconductor devices, VLSI and ASIC design. Currently she is the Scientific Manager of the Electronics Systems Technology School associated with the Technical University. Her research interests include collaborative learning and using cloud computing in education.

Stela Stefanova

Stela Stefanova, Ph.D., is currently working as an associate professor and principal in the Electronic Systems Technology School associated with the Technical University of Sofia. Her teaching activities are in the fields of CAD Systems in Electronics and Computer networking with intensive use of information and communication technologies.