i FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICE case Higher Education Mervi Friman & Mauri Kantola

DESIGN OF OUR STUDY 1. Diffusion of Ideas 2. Dissertations of institutional research for UASes 3. Finnish policy papers 4. Diffusion of dissertations to the policy papers? 5. Diffusion interviews 6. How to continue?

Education system - Finland Students at universities of applied sciences receive both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in their chosen field of study. 22 universities of applied sciences, 130,000 students ∙an intake of more than 25,000 full-time students in degree programmes for a Bachelor’s degree ∙an intake of more than 6,000 part-time students in degree programmes for a Bachelor’s degree ∙an intake of about 1,000 students in degree programmes for a Master´s degree

DIFFUSION OF IDEAS, Lewin, Fullan, Clark -In literature lot of analysis of the shearing & spreading (diffusion) of innovations in organisations and networks. -Often used Lewin (1957): -The organisation should first unfreeze the barriers of the innovation and -The organisation should then build a support system for the innovation -After that the org. is able to move and refreeze UNFREEZE MOVE REFREEZE

MINISTRY POLICY PAPERS Support for Information society UASs in HE system, profile, tasks dual system Lifelong learning & Further Education Internationalization & privatization UASs as developers of work organizations Work based curricula Quality assurance and HEI evaluation Regional Impact Export of Education MAIN TRENDS SUCH AS:

DIFFUSION? A: Common Themes for Policy Papers and Dissertations e-Learning (6 Dissertations) Entrepreneurship (2) Internationalisation (5) Regional Development (4) R&D development models (1) Quality assurance of UASs (4) UASs as a network (1) Strategic Management (2) Development of UAS curriculums (3)

DIFFUSION? B.Themes not in Dissertations but in policy Financial issues of higher education Research Financial structures of EU Dual model and HEI reform Development of open university activities Education of immigrants Recognition of prior learning (RPL) Collaborated use of material and immaterial resources of HEIs Size of HEIs & faculties Effects of the change in HEI legistlation

DIFFUSION?: C. Themes in dissertation but not in policy Change of the everyday work of HEI teacher Learning models in classroom level Project learning Opinions (experts, public) about UAS education How HEIs have developed the health care sector Learning in different professional sectors Recruitment problems of young adults Environmental issues Professional ethics

DIFFUSION INTERVIEW, 1. ministry level ”No systematic follow up –programme” – Each Ministry officer reads according to his/her own interest –no visible connections to the development plans of the ministry

DIFFUSION INTERVIEW, 2. teacher education colleges ⅘) Dissertations are used with students in teacher education Purpose to adapt the best practices use as learning material Touch to the professional field of educators

INTERVIEWS,3. researcher inside UAS -Shares contents with other experts in work -supported curriculum development -the formation of SIG has based on the diss. knowledge -has used the knowldege of dissertations in the development work in own organisation -cooperated in UAS networks sharing the knowledge of dissertations -organised workshops of the themes which are found also from dissertations -Some issues and themes of dissertations have discussed in the collaboration of SIG network of the universities -Some dissertation used in the working life -some project ideas risen from dissertation -The Finnish Thesis - project raised from the dissertations -The concept of work based learning based on some dissertations -dissertations strenghten the relationship between companies and practical oriented universities

INTERVIEWS, 4.researcher outside UAS -Deepens the understanding of the back grounds of UASs -Helps to communicate with the policy makers -Presented results of dissertations in seminars, conferences and journals -Educated experts in UAS sector using the results of dissertations -Articles into the text book for educators about some themes found from dissertations -Cooperates with dissertation authors -Results used to develop the UAS evaluation criteria by the (Finnish Higher Evaluation Council) FINHEEC

Fields of Diffusion To which fields/sector the issues of dissertations have speared? -UAS sector/ UAS community -criteria & principles for the thesis -UAS organisation/s -eLearning (through special interest groups, networks) -Bachelor and Master education -thinking skills (through special interest groups, networks) -teacher education -changes of educ. profession -working organisations -collaboration methods and tools

RESULTS Diffusions found from: POLICY LEVEL STRATEGIC LEVEL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) LEVEL INDIVIDUAL/PERSONAL LEVEL

OBSERVATIONS Most of the dissertations have mainly contibuted to the micro level for example, in everyday context in relation to learning, teaching and to work of HEI teacher Purpose of the dissertation writers have not been to discuss internationally but the purpose has been to develop and legimitate national education sector Aproximately out of 128 doctors, some 100 have worked in an UAS during their research work Some researchers (mainly health sector) have taken care of own field of profession in order to produce development to the profession through the new UAS sector

6. Ideas for Further Studies -New interventions for supporting the diffusion -Measurements of diffusion (effectiviness) in our context -Inclusion of other papers and studies than dissertations only