Study Guide

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing this course, the students will be able to
• critically evaluate and apply research knowledge
• use the chosen methods to analyse ja solve problems in working life
• work independently as an expert in demanding contexts in which he/she is managing his/her own and possibly also the others’ work in a target-oriented way
• communicate and network in his/her own field and in international environment
• take into account communal and ethical perspectives of his/her professional field

Content

An essential part of Master-level studies is a thesis of 30 credits. The thesis process starts immediately at the beginning of the studies, and it continues through the entire cycle of studies.

The thesis is implemented as a development project with a research-based approach and a close connection to practical work. The student carries out his/her development work at his/her workplace, in RDI projects of the Turku University of Applied Sciences, in working life connections or in a manner agreed with the supervisor. The thesis is based on commission, if possible. It is preferable that the thesis is based on an assignment.

The thesis relies on in-depth information and data gathering and analysis, and the development process utilizes relevant research methods following principles of good scientific practice. The thesis includes documenting and reporting on development activities. The student will become familiar with the methodological skills necessary for development and reporting in the course on research and development methods.

In Master’s programmes in Culture and Arts, the thesis is divided in two parts:
- A 5 credits course Development work methods and design (1st semester), and
- Implementation and reporting of the development project, 25 credits (2nd ja 3rd semester).

Implementation and reporting of the development project (25 ECTS) includes the following steps:
• Presenting the thesis plan and finalizing it making use of feedback
• Thesis agreement
• Implementation, related research activities and documentation of the work in accordance with industry practice and in a meaningful way for the thesis
• Participation in group supervision sessions (“thesis learning café”) and individual guidance of the thesis
• Presentation of the results after completion of the thesis and downloading the thesis in Theseus database
• Maturity test: The student must write a maturity examination in the field of the thesis. This demonstrates awareness with the subject and the linguistic competence. If the (excellent) competence of the school education language has already been assessed in previous studies, the maturity test will only serve as a test the professional expertise. The maturity test is evaluated on a scale approved/ failed.
• Ensuring that there is no plagiarism in the thesis and (self)evaluation of the thesis

Evaluation scale

H-5

Objective

After completing this course, the students will be able to
• find and evaluate references, information and data relevant for the development task
• construct relevant conceptual framework for the development project
• apply project management tools in planning the development project
• write a research and data management plan
• consider ethical aspects and GDPR in their research and development work
• communicate of their development project and its results to different target groups through appropriate channels

Content

• Professional, theoretical and research contexts for individual development projects
• Ethical considerations and GDPR in research and development projects
• Planning research data collection and management
• Information and data retrieval and evaluation for the needs of the development project
• Applying project management tools in a development project
• The role of research in a development project
• Writing and communications in research and development projects

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing the course, the student is able to:

- analyse changes in the operating environments and anticipate future developments applying the concepts and methods of futures studies
- evaluate impacts of the changing operating environments on her/his work, work community and organization, as well on the industry/field at large
- develop one’s competences and expertise in a focused and goal-oriented way in anticipation of the future competence requirements in the work life
- improve and innovate operations and work processes in the organization using multidisciplinary and multiprofessional futures knowledge.

Content

- Future of work and income
- Future competence needs
- Changing career paths and professional identities
- Future technologies, human–technology interaction
- Circular economy and sustainable future
- Theories and methods of future studies and foresight
- Importance of foresight for innovations and strategic planning and decision-making

Materials

On the itslearning course platform.

Teaching methods

Reading/viewing online learning materials, individual written assignments and group activities in multidisciplinary groups.

International connections

Planning and implementation of the course is based on multidisciplinary collaboration and co-teaching.

Sustainable development is included in the learning objectives and contents of the course (especially Theme 3 and Assignment 3), as well as in the mode of teaching/learning: the course implementation is entirely based on distance learning on the itslearning platform and using Zoom meetings for multidisciplinary group working. All learning materials are available in a digital form, freely available and easily accessible.

Student workload

Online meeting: Collaborative work in multidisciplinary groups in Zoom, 12 h

Online learning: Independent online learning on the itslearning course platform: 123 h

Group work and assignments:
• Starting day: multidisciplinary groups working with SITRA’s megatrend cards.
• Master Minds Hackathon and a pre-meeting of the hackathon : multidisciplinary teams work to solve real working-life problems. Each team presents their solution and composes a report using a provided PowerPoint template.

Individual work and assignments:
• Pre-assignment: familiarizing oneself with Sitra’s megatrend materials.
• Assignment 1. Future orientation: futures consciousness and attitudes towards future (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 2. Professional future scenarios: imagining alternative professional futures (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 3. Sustainable future: analysing sustainability transformation and ecological reconstruction from the perspective of one’s own field and work (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 4. Reflective report: utilizing futures thinking and anticipation methods in one’s own work (in the itslearn

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

To pass the course, students are expected to participate in the contact days and to contribute to group work in them, as well as to complete and turn in all the assignments. Missing contact day participation will be compensated by an extra assignment. All the assignment have be assessed as "approved".

For an assignment to be approved, it needs to:
- follow the given assignment instructions,
- demonstrate use of instructed source materials,
- make use of concepts of future anticipation and futures studies in an appropriate way,
- demonstrate ability to analyse and evaluate one's own and one's organization's actions and their impacts, as well as changes and trends in the operating environments and their impacts on one's work and employer organization.

Content scheduling

The course is compulsory for all Turku UAS Master Students. It will be implemented partly in multidisciplinary groups comprised of students across the various study programmes, and partly within each study programme on their own itslearning course platform.

There are three online meetings (2.9.2024, 13.11.2024 and 25.11.2024) common to all students of the various study programmes.

The course is mainly based on independent learning using the study materials and assignments in the itslearning course platform. In addition, the study programmes may add and cover discipline specific topics. This will be guided by the tutor teacher during the programme’s contact days.

***

PRE-ASSIGMENT

The Future Operating Environments course will start already on TUAS Master School Opening Day 2.9.2024 with an orientation to the course and multiprofessional team discussions in which team members share experiences and thoughts on the impacts of megatrends on their professional field and their own work.

Familiarize yourself with the following materials and be prepared to discuss megatrends on the opening day:
• Sitra 2023: Megatrends
• Sitra 2023: Megatrend cards 2023


***

THEME 1: CHANGING WORLD AND WORKING LIFE (calendar weeks 36–38)
• Common starting day 2.9. for all students of the various study programmes: orientation to the course, a keynote talk on the future working life and competence requirements, and group work with SITRA’s megatrend cards (tutor teachers will guide working of the groups).
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment: Future orientation (DL 22.9.2024)


THEME 2: FUTURES STUDIES AND ANTICIPATION (calendar weeks 39–41)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment 2: Professional future scenarios (20.10.2024)


THEME 3: SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (calendar weeks 42–46)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment 3: Sustainable future (DL 17.11.2024).


THEME 4: SHAPING MY OWN FUTURE (calendar weeks 47–50)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Group work: Master Minds Hackathon 8.30–17 (a full-day event) and its pre-meeting 13.11.2024 at 10–11) for all students of the various study programmes. In the Hackathon, multidisciplinary student teams work to solve real working-life problems, i.e. assignments provided by commissoners. Students will familiarize themselves with the Hackathon instructions and assignments before the Hackathon day in the itslearning platform and submit their team reports there after the Hackathon (DL 8.12.2024).

There are two optional ways of participating in the Hackathon: 1) as a commissioner, or 2) as a member of a team.

• Assignment 4: a reflective report on utilizing futures thinking and anticipation methods in one’s own work (DL 8.12.2024).

Further information

Online meetings in Zoom:

- Master School Opening day with the megatrend activity on Monday 2.9.2024.
- Pre-meeting of the hackathon on Wednesday 13.11.2024 at 10–11.
- Master Minds Hackathon on Monday 25.11.2024 at 8.30–17.

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment will be based on the individual and group assignments submitted in the itslearning course platform and on the demonstrated contribution to the group work in contact days (i.e. in online meetings).

Tutor teacher evaluates the assignments (assignments 1–4). To pass the course, students are expected to participate in the contact days and to contribute to group work in them, as well as to complete and turn in all the assignments. Missing contact day participation will be compensated by an extra assignment. Tutor teachers will keep records of participation in group work in contact days and evaluate the compensatory assignments.

Qualifications

-

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing this course, the students will be able to
• critically evaluate and apply research knowledge
• use the chosen methods to analyse ja solve problems in working life
• work independently as an expert in demanding contexts in which he/she is managing his/her own and possibly also the others’ work in a target-oriented way
• communicate and network in his/her own field and in international environment
• take into account communal and ethical perspectives of his/her professional field

Content

An essential part of Master-level studies is a thesis of 30 credits. The thesis process starts immediately at the beginning of the studies, and it continues through the entire cycle of studies.

The thesis is implemented as a development project with a research-based approach and a close connection to practical work. The student carries out his/her development work at his/her workplace, in RDI projects of the Turku University of Applied Sciences, in working life connections or in a manner agreed with the supervisor. The thesis is based on commission, if possible. It is preferable that the thesis is based on an assignment.

The thesis relies on in-depth information and data gathering and analysis, and the development process utilizes relevant research methods following principles of good scientific practice. The thesis includes documenting and reporting on development activities. The student will become familiar with the methodological skills necessary for development and reporting in the course on research and development methods.

In Master’s programmes in Culture and Arts, the thesis is divided in two parts:
- A 5 credits course Development work methods and design (1st semester), and
- Implementation and reporting of the development project, 25 credits (2nd ja 3rd semester).

Implementation and reporting of the development project (25 ECTS) includes the following steps:
• Presenting the thesis plan and finalizing it making use of feedback
• Thesis agreement
• Implementation, related research activities and documentation of the work in accordance with industry practice and in a meaningful way for the thesis
• Participation in group supervision sessions (“thesis learning café”) and individual guidance of the thesis
• Presentation of the results after completion of the thesis and downloading the thesis in Theseus database
• Maturity test: The student must write a maturity examination in the field of the thesis. This demonstrates awareness with the subject and the linguistic competence. If the (excellent) competence of the school education language has already been assessed in previous studies, the maturity test will only serve as a test the professional expertise. The maturity test is evaluated on a scale approved/ failed.
• Ensuring that there is no plagiarism in the thesis and (self)evaluation of the thesis

Evaluation scale

H-5

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing this course, the students will be able to
• find and evaluate references, information and data relevant for the development task
• construct relevant conceptual framework for the development project
• apply project management tools in planning the development project
• write a research and data management plan
• consider ethical aspects and GDPR in their research and development work
• communicate of their development project and its results to different target groups through appropriate channels

Content

• Professional, theoretical and research contexts for individual development projects
• Ethical considerations and GDPR in research and development projects
• Planning research data collection and management
• Information and data retrieval and evaluation for the needs of the development project
• Applying project management tools in a development project
• The role of research in a development project
• Writing and communications in research and development projects

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Objective

After completing the course, the student is able to:

- analyse changes in the operating environments and anticipate future developments applying the concepts and methods of futures studies
- evaluate impacts of the changing operating environments on her/his work, work community and organization, as well on the industry/field at large
- develop one’s competences and expertise in a focused and goal-oriented way in anticipation of the future competence requirements in the work life
- improve and innovate operations and work processes in the organization using multidisciplinary and multiprofessional futures knowledge.

Content

- Future of work and income
- Future competence needs
- Changing career paths and professional identities
- Future technologies, human–technology interaction
- Circular economy and sustainable future
- Theories and methods of future studies and foresight
- Importance of foresight for innovations and strategic planning and decision-making

Materials

On the itslearning course platform.

Teaching methods

Reading/viewing online learning materials, individual written assignments and group activities in multidisciplinary groups.

International connections

Planning and implementation of the course is based on multidisciplinary collaboration and co-teaching.

Sustainable development is included in the learning objectives and contents of the course (especially Theme 3 and Assignment 3), as well as in the mode of teaching/learning: the course implementation is entirely based on distance learning on the itslearning platform and using Zoom meetings for multidisciplinary group working. All learning materials are available in a digital form, freely available and easily accessible.

Student workload

Online meeting: Collaborative work in multidisciplinary groups in Zoom, 12 h

Online learning: Independent online learning on the itslearning course platform: 123 h

Group work and assignments:
• Starting day: multidisciplinary groups working with SITRA’s megatrend cards.
• Master Minds Hackathon and a pre-meeting of the hackathon : multidisciplinary teams work to solve real working-life problems. Each team presents their solution and composes a report using a provided PowerPoint template.

Individual work and assignments:
• Pre-assignment: familiarizing oneself with Sitra’s megatrend materials.
• Assignment 1. Future orientation: futures consciousness and attitudes towards future (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 2. Professional future scenarios: imagining alternative professional futures (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 3. Sustainable future: analysing sustainability transformation and ecological reconstruction from the perspective of one’s own field and work (in the itslearning course platform; tutor teacher evaluates, pass/fail).
• Assignment 4. Reflective report: utilizing futures thinking and anticipation methods in one’s own work (in the itslearn

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

To pass the course, students are expected to participate in the contact days and to contribute to group work in them, as well as to complete and turn in all the assignments. Missing contact day participation will be compensated by an extra assignment. All the assignment have be assessed as "approved".

For an assignment to be approved, it needs to:
- follow the given assignment instructions,
- demonstrate use of instructed source materials,
- make use of concepts of future anticipation and futures studies in an appropriate way,
- demonstrate ability to analyse and evaluate one's own and one's organization's actions and their impacts, as well as changes and trends in the operating environments and their impacts on one's work and employer organization.

Content scheduling

The course is compulsory for all Turku UAS Master Students. It will be implemented partly in multidisciplinary groups comprised of students across the various study programmes, and partly within each study programme on their own itslearning course platform.

There are three online meetings (2.9.2024, 13.11.2024 and 25.11.2024) common to all students of the various study programmes.

The course is mainly based on independent learning using the study materials and assignments in the itslearning course platform. In addition, the study programmes may add and cover discipline specific topics. This will be guided by the tutor teacher during the programme’s contact days.

***

PRE-ASSIGMENT

The Future Operating Environments course will start already on TUAS Master School Opening Day 2.9.2024 with an orientation to the course and multiprofessional team discussions in which team members share experiences and thoughts on the impacts of megatrends on their professional field and their own work.

Familiarize yourself with the following materials and be prepared to discuss megatrends on the opening day:
• Sitra 2023: Megatrends
• Sitra 2023: Megatrend cards 2023


***

THEME 1: CHANGING WORLD AND WORKING LIFE (calendar weeks 36–38)
• Common starting day 2.9. for all students of the various study programmes: orientation to the course, a keynote talk on the future working life and competence requirements, and group work with SITRA’s megatrend cards (tutor teachers will guide working of the groups).
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment: Future orientation (DL 22.9.2024)


THEME 2: FUTURES STUDIES AND ANTICIPATION (calendar weeks 39–41)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment 2: Professional future scenarios (20.10.2024)


THEME 3: SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (calendar weeks 42–46)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Assignment 3: Sustainable future (DL 17.11.2024).


THEME 4: SHAPING MY OWN FUTURE (calendar weeks 47–50)
• Students familiarize themselves independently with the materials in the itslearning course platform.
• Group work: Master Minds Hackathon 8.30–17 (a full-day event) and its pre-meeting 13.11.2024 at 10–11) for all students of the various study programmes. In the Hackathon, multidisciplinary student teams work to solve real working-life problems, i.e. assignments provided by commissoners. Students will familiarize themselves with the Hackathon instructions and assignments before the Hackathon day in the itslearning platform and submit their team reports there after the Hackathon (DL 8.12.2024).

There are two optional ways of participating in the Hackathon: 1) as a commissioner, or 2) as a member of a team.

• Assignment 4: a reflective report on utilizing futures thinking and anticipation methods in one’s own work (DL 8.12.2024).

Further information

Online meetings in Zoom:

- Master School Opening day with the megatrend activity on Monday 2.9.2024.
- Pre-meeting of the hackathon on Wednesday 13.11.2024 at 10–11.
- Master Minds Hackathon on Monday 25.11.2024 at 8.30–17.

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment will be based on the individual and group assignments submitted in the itslearning course platform and on the demonstrated contribution to the group work in contact days (i.e. in online meetings).

Tutor teacher evaluates the assignments (assignments 1–4). To pass the course, students are expected to participate in the contact days and to contribute to group work in them, as well as to complete and turn in all the assignments. Missing contact day participation will be compensated by an extra assignment. Tutor teachers will keep records of participation in group work in contact days and evaluate the compensatory assignments.

Qualifications

-