In her doctoral dissertation, Master of Education Hanna Vuojärvi examines university students’ experiences and views on utilising mobile technology in studying and everyday life. The multidisciplinary research work combines viewpoints from learning research, teaching technology, and computing science. In addition, Vuojärvi creates a theoretical framework for personal and mobile learning environments and their significance in university students’ studies.

Vuojärvi implemented her research at the University of Lapland where new students in 2004–2009 were offered to acquire a laptop for themselves; the laptops were partially paid for by the University. Students expected to be able to use mobile information and communication technology in their studies. Its potential, however, was not fully utilised.

According to Vuojärvi’s research, personal and mobile learning environments support flexible studying and learning aims, and students’ management of everyday life. Students with children found them especially useful. Mobile technology can also support making connections to working life which, according to a recent Finnish university student barometer by Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus, is a factor that considerably strengthens motivation for studying. Students’ view is that traditional approaches are still followed at the University, although even small changes would make studying processes more flexible. Students also criticise the skills of teaching personnel in using mobile information and communication technology to bring more versatility in their teaching methods, content, and operating environments.

The concept of a personal and mobile learning environment that is presented in the research work offers universities a strategic tool; the tool can be used to support the pedagogical use of information and communication technology at both strategic and practical levels. It does not concern only offering the equipment and applications, or having skills in using technology; moreover, it concerns the ability to apply new approaches, content, and environments – enabled by technology – in teaching and studying processes.

Vuojärvi’s dissertation encompasses six empirical sub research works and their theoretical examination in the framework of the activity theory. Four of the sub research works have been published in international scientific journals and two in international compilations. The research data was gathered as a part of the MobIT project, funded by the Ministry of Education.



About the public examination of the dissertation:

Hanna Vuojärvi’s dissertation Conceptualising Personal and Mobile Learning Environments in Higher Education will be examined in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lapland on 13 December 2013 at 12 noon. The public opponent will be Professor Päivi Häkkinen from the Finnish Institute for Educational Research at the University of Jyväskylä, and the custos will be Professor Heli Ruokamo from the University of Lapland. The public examination will take place in lecture hall 2 (ULapland main building, Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi). Welcome!


Information on the doctoral candidate:

Hanna Vuojärvi (maiden name Räisänen, born in 1979 in Pyhäjärvi) completed her senior secondary school diploma at the Haapajärven lukio in 1998. Vuojärvi obtained her Master of Education degree in 2003 at the University of Lapland and completed pedagogical studies in 2007.

She worked in 2003–2006 as a Lecturer of Information Technology in the Department of Research Methodology at the University of Lapland. Since 2007, she has worked as a Researcher and Project Manager in the MobIT and TravEd projects in the Centre for Media Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education. The projects have focused on pedagogical use of mobile information and communication technology in university-level and vocational training. Vuojärvi worked on her dissertation in these projects and in a multidisciplinary graduate school focusing on learning environments which is coordinated by the University of Turku.


For more information:
Hanna Vuojärvi, hanna.vuojarvi (at) ulapland.fi, tel. +358 40 484 4139
Press copies of the doctoral dissertation are available in the Lapland University Press, tel. +358 40 821 4242, publications (at) ulapland.fi.


Publication data:
Hanna Vuojärvi: Conceptualising Personal and Mobile Learning Environments in Higher Education. Acta Universitatis Lapponiensis 266. Lapland University Press: Rovaniemi 2013. ISBN 978-952-484-678-3. ISSN 0788-7604.


Sale:
Academic and Art Bookshop Tila (University of Lapland Library, Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi), tel. +358 40 821 4242, julkaisu (at) ulapland.fi, online orders at www.ulapland.fi/lup


ULapland / Communications / TN