Heidi Hyytinen
Biographic Data
| ID | 1500663 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Heidi Hyytinen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Heidi |
| FAMILY NAME | Hyytinen |
| SIGNATURE | HYYTINEN H |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Helsinki |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5078-1429 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 10 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
A Qualitative Study on Variation in the Written Argumentation of Finnish Final‐Stage Undergraduate Students
Higher education students need generic skills such as written argumentation to succeed in their studies and in modern working life. However, research has shown that some students struggle with these skills even at later stages of higher education. We examined Finnish final‐stage undergraduate students' argumentative texts ( n = 200). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the quality of written argumentation and its variation between st…
A systematic review of empirical literature on the segregation of educational institutions and its consequences in Finland
While Finland has been considered a model for educational equity, the last decade has brought up concerns about educational segregation. This systematic literature review captures an overview of research on factors contributing to educational segregation and its consequences in Finland. A literature search of studies investigating various aspects of segregation in Finland and published both in English and Finnish was conducted, and altogether 40 …
Exploring intersectional inequalities in students' sense of belonging in education across educational pathways and across educational contexts
Introduction The study investigated inequalities in the sense of belonging in education among students in primary, secondary and tertiary levels in various European, North American and Oceanian countries. Variation across different educational contexts was explored by examining example countries (Finland, Hungary and Ireland). An intersectional approach to inequalities was adopted; more specifically, an intersection between gender, migration and …
Generic skills in higher education – teachers’ conceptions, pedagogical practices and pedagogical training
Teachers’ conceptions of teaching play a key role in the pedagogical practices they apply in their teaching. Previous studies of conceptions of teaching generic skills have been mainly qualitative with small samples, and thus there is a need for a more extensive quantitative study. This study investigates the associations between higher education teachers’ conceptions of teaching generic skills, pedagogical practices, pedagogical training, and te…
A systematic-narrative review of performance-based assessments of critical thinking in higher education
Critical thinking encompasses a complex interplay of cognitive skills, knowledge, and dispositions. In this systematic-narrative review, we analyze performance-based assessments of critical thinking in higher education. The aim is to explore how prior peer-reviewed empirical studies conceptualize and assess critical thinking, the methods and frameworks employed, and the specific aspects measured. A total of 28 articles from 2013 to 2023 were incl…
Struggling for equal access and success: Disability in European higher education
peer reviewed
Learning profiles and their relation to the experiences of learning generic skills at the end of the first year of university study
University students’ approaches to learning and generic skills have important consequences for studying and success in higher education. However, person-oriented research, which explores how students with different learning profiles evaluate their learning of individual generic skills, has not been the core interest of previous studies. This study investigates the learning profiles of university students ( N = 901) in two disciplines and their re…
Students’ work experience in relation to their career engagement and metacognitive awareness
Higher education students in Finland and all over the world are often engaged in a paid job alongside their studies. The purpose of the present study is to explore how humanities students’ work experience is related to their career engagement and metacognitive awareness. More precisely, the aim is to investigate how the nature and amount of work are associated with career engagement and metacognitive awareness. A total of 302 master’s students fi…
How do self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students' critical thinking performance
Critical thinking is a multifaceted construct involving a set of skills and affective dispositions together with self-regulation. The aim of this study was to explore how self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students’ performance in critical thinking assessment. The data were collected in 18 higher education institutions in Finland. A total of 2402 undergraduate students at the initial and final stages of their ba…
Perceived interest in learning sustainability competencies among higher education students
Purpose This study aims to assess higher education students’ interest in learning sustainability competencies and their pro-ecological worldviews at a large research-intensive university in Finland to provide a background information for developing a sustainability science course. Design/methodology/approach In total, 797 students participated in the study. The data were collected through an online survey that measured students’ interest in learn…
Understanding master’s thesis writers in a Finnish EMI context: Writing conceptions, apprehension about grammar, self-efficacy for thesis writing and thesis grade
English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) results in an increasing number of students writing their master’s theses in English as a second language (L2). The thesis process is challenging for many students, and academic writing in L2 English could add to these challenges. However, in EMI contexts, little is known about students’ writing and language-related conceptions and their relationship with writing success. Hence, this study investigates var…
The Challenge of Position-Taking in Novice Higher Education Students’ Argumentative Writing
Argumentative writing is the central generic skill in higher education studies. However, students have difficulties in basic argumentation skills. Novice students do not necessarily receive adequate guidance, and their prior education may not have supported the requirements of higher education writing. Position-taking is at the core of argumentation, but students are often hesitant to make their point. Furthermore, they may have an incorrect and …
Linguistic, Contextual, and Experiential Equivalence Issues in the Adaptation of a Performance-Based Assessment of Generic Skills in Higher Education
This qualitative study investigated the various linguistic, contextual, and experiential equivalence issues embedded in a performance-based instrument aimed at assessing generic skills in higher education. A rigorous translation and adaptation process (American English to Finnish) was conducted on one instrument, namely Collegiate Learning Assessment ( CLA +) International . The data were obtained from cognitive laboratories ( n = 13), with think…
Systematic Review of Learning Generic Skills in Higher Education—Enhancing and Impeding Factors
The research field on generic skills in higher education has expanded rapidly. In addition, the importance of generic skills has been highlighted both in educational policy discourses and in practice of higher education. The present study reviews theoretical, methodological, and empirical viewpoints on learning generic skills and synthesizes the empirical evidence about the factors that enhance and impede student learning of generic skills. Altog…
Towards a successful transition to work - which employability factors contribute to early career success
The transition from university to working life is a challenging phase for graduates. The focus in the present longitudinal study is on employability factors and their association with this transition and with early career success. The participants were 43 graduates who were interviewed at the time of their graduation and filled in a follow-up questionnaire three years later. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results r…
Exploring internal structure of a performance-based critical thinking assessment for new students in higher education
Critical thinking is a combination of complex cognitive skills. It is important for the successful acquisition of disciplinary skills in higher education and thus, it is a valuable competency for a new student. The complex nature of critical thinking leads to challenges for its assessment even in performance assessments such as CLA + International (Collegiate Learning Assessment). The aim with this study is to examine internal associations of a c…
Exploring first-year university students’ learning journals: Conceptions of second language self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing
This qualitative study analyzes first-year university students’ conceptions of their second language (L2) self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing in English. The data consist of learning journals (N = 74), collected at a Finnish university in an English as a medium of instruction (EMI) context. L2 self-concept descriptions included positive, mixed, and negative ends of the continuum as well as stories of change. These descriptions enc…
The dynamic relationship between response processes and self-regulation in critical thinking assessments
The performance task and selected-response questions trigger different processes. • The performance task evokes holistic response and self-regulatory processes. • Selected-response questions result in fragmented and question-oriented processes. • Students’ response and self-regulatory processes are intertwined. • Variation in self-regulation is associated with the complexity of response processes. Our aim was to explore higher education students’…
Developing a performance assessment task in the Finnish higher education context: Conceptual and empirical insights
BackgroundPerformance assessment development is a three-phase process of (1) defining the construct of what is to be measured, (2) constructing the test items, task, and scoring criteria, and (3) collecting empirical evidence on extent to which they tap into the intended construct.AimsIn the light of the three-phase process, this pilot study presents the development of performance assessment for research on critical thinking and moral judgement t…
Reactively, Proactively, Implicitly, Explicitly? Academics’ Pedagogical Conceptions of how to Promote Research Ethics and Integrity
Problematising the equivalence of the test results of performance-based critical thinking tests for undergraduate students
Exploring first-year university students’ learning journals: Conceptions of second language self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing
This qualitative study analyzes first-year university students’ conceptions of their second language (L2) self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing in English. The data consist of learning journals (N = 74), collected at a Finnish university in an English as a medium of instruction (EMI) context. L2 self-concept descriptions included positive, mixed, and negative ends of the continuum as well as stories of change. These descriptions enc…
Reactively, Proactively, Implicitly, Explicitly? Academics’ Pedagogical Conceptions of how to Promote Research Ethics and Integrity
How do self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students' critical thinking performance
Critical thinking is a multifaceted construct involving a set of skills and affective dispositions together with self-regulation. The aim of this study was to explore how self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students’ performance in critical thinking assessment. The data were collected in 18 higher education institutions in Finland. A total of 2402 undergraduate students at the initial and final stages of their ba…
Problematising the equivalence of the test results of performance-based critical thinking tests for undergraduate students
Reactively, Proactively, Implicitly, Explicitly? Academics’ Pedagogical Conceptions of how to Promote Research Ethics and Integrity
Developing a performance assessment task in the Finnish higher education context: Conceptual and empirical insights
BackgroundPerformance assessment development is a three-phase process of (1) defining the construct of what is to be measured, (2) constructing the test items, task, and scoring criteria, and (3) collecting empirical evidence on extent to which they tap into the intended construct.AimsIn the light of the three-phase process, this pilot study presents the development of performance assessment for research on critical thinking and moral judgement t…
The dynamic relationship between response processes and self-regulation in critical thinking assessments
The performance task and selected-response questions trigger different processes. • The performance task evokes holistic response and self-regulatory processes. • Selected-response questions result in fragmented and question-oriented processes. • Students’ response and self-regulatory processes are intertwined. • Variation in self-regulation is associated with the complexity of response processes. Our aim was to explore higher education students’…
The Challenge of Position-Taking in Novice Higher Education Students’ Argumentative Writing
Argumentative writing is the central generic skill in higher education studies. However, students have difficulties in basic argumentation skills. Novice students do not necessarily receive adequate guidance, and their prior education may not have supported the requirements of higher education writing. Position-taking is at the core of argumentation, but students are often hesitant to make their point. Furthermore, they may have an incorrect and …
Linguistic, Contextual, and Experiential Equivalence Issues in the Adaptation of a Performance-Based Assessment of Generic Skills in Higher Education
This qualitative study investigated the various linguistic, contextual, and experiential equivalence issues embedded in a performance-based instrument aimed at assessing generic skills in higher education. A rigorous translation and adaptation process (American English to Finnish) was conducted on one instrument, namely Collegiate Learning Assessment ( CLA +) International . The data were obtained from cognitive laboratories ( n = 13), with think…
Systematic Review of Learning Generic Skills in Higher Education—Enhancing and Impeding Factors
The research field on generic skills in higher education has expanded rapidly. In addition, the importance of generic skills has been highlighted both in educational policy discourses and in practice of higher education. The present study reviews theoretical, methodological, and empirical viewpoints on learning generic skills and synthesizes the empirical evidence about the factors that enhance and impede student learning of generic skills. Altog…
Towards a successful transition to work - which employability factors contribute to early career success
The transition from university to working life is a challenging phase for graduates. The focus in the present longitudinal study is on employability factors and their association with this transition and with early career success. The participants were 43 graduates who were interviewed at the time of their graduation and filled in a follow-up questionnaire three years later. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results r…
Exploring internal structure of a performance-based critical thinking assessment for new students in higher education
Critical thinking is a combination of complex cognitive skills. It is important for the successful acquisition of disciplinary skills in higher education and thus, it is a valuable competency for a new student. The complex nature of critical thinking leads to challenges for its assessment even in performance assessments such as CLA + International (Collegiate Learning Assessment). The aim with this study is to examine internal associations of a c…
Exploring first-year university students’ learning journals: Conceptions of second language self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing
This qualitative study analyzes first-year university students’ conceptions of their second language (L2) self-concept and self-efficacy for academic writing in English. The data consist of learning journals (N = 74), collected at a Finnish university in an English as a medium of instruction (EMI) context. L2 self-concept descriptions included positive, mixed, and negative ends of the continuum as well as stories of change. These descriptions enc…
Perceived interest in learning sustainability competencies among higher education students
Purpose This study aims to assess higher education students’ interest in learning sustainability competencies and their pro-ecological worldviews at a large research-intensive university in Finland to provide a background information for developing a sustainability science course. Design/methodology/approach In total, 797 students participated in the study. The data were collected through an online survey that measured students’ interest in learn…
Understanding master’s thesis writers in a Finnish EMI context: Writing conceptions, apprehension about grammar, self-efficacy for thesis writing and thesis grade
English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) results in an increasing number of students writing their master’s theses in English as a second language (L2). The thesis process is challenging for many students, and academic writing in L2 English could add to these challenges. However, in EMI contexts, little is known about students’ writing and language-related conceptions and their relationship with writing success. Hence, this study investigates var…
Learning profiles and their relation to the experiences of learning generic skills at the end of the first year of university study
University students’ approaches to learning and generic skills have important consequences for studying and success in higher education. However, person-oriented research, which explores how students with different learning profiles evaluate their learning of individual generic skills, has not been the core interest of previous studies. This study investigates the learning profiles of university students ( N = 901) in two disciplines and their re…
Students’ work experience in relation to their career engagement and metacognitive awareness
Higher education students in Finland and all over the world are often engaged in a paid job alongside their studies. The purpose of the present study is to explore how humanities students’ work experience is related to their career engagement and metacognitive awareness. More precisely, the aim is to investigate how the nature and amount of work are associated with career engagement and metacognitive awareness. A total of 302 master’s students fi…
How do self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students' critical thinking performance
Critical thinking is a multifaceted construct involving a set of skills and affective dispositions together with self-regulation. The aim of this study was to explore how self-regulation and effort in test-taking contribute to undergraduate students’ performance in critical thinking assessment. The data were collected in 18 higher education institutions in Finland. A total of 2402 undergraduate students at the initial and final stages of their ba…
Exploring intersectional inequalities in students' sense of belonging in education across educational pathways and across educational contexts
Introduction The study investigated inequalities in the sense of belonging in education among students in primary, secondary and tertiary levels in various European, North American and Oceanian countries. Variation across different educational contexts was explored by examining example countries (Finland, Hungary and Ireland). An intersectional approach to inequalities was adopted; more specifically, an intersection between gender, migration and …
Generic skills in higher education – teachers’ conceptions, pedagogical practices and pedagogical training
Teachers’ conceptions of teaching play a key role in the pedagogical practices they apply in their teaching. Previous studies of conceptions of teaching generic skills have been mainly qualitative with small samples, and thus there is a need for a more extensive quantitative study. This study investigates the associations between higher education teachers’ conceptions of teaching generic skills, pedagogical practices, pedagogical training, and te…
A systematic-narrative review of performance-based assessments of critical thinking in higher education
Critical thinking encompasses a complex interplay of cognitive skills, knowledge, and dispositions. In this systematic-narrative review, we analyze performance-based assessments of critical thinking in higher education. The aim is to explore how prior peer-reviewed empirical studies conceptualize and assess critical thinking, the methods and frameworks employed, and the specific aspects measured. A total of 28 articles from 2013 to 2023 were incl…
Struggling for equal access and success: Disability in European higher education
peer reviewed
A Qualitative Study on Variation in the Written Argumentation of Finnish Final‐Stage Undergraduate Students
Higher education students need generic skills such as written argumentation to succeed in their studies and in modern working life. However, research has shown that some students struggle with these skills even at later stages of higher education. We examined Finnish final‐stage undergraduate students' argumentative texts ( n = 200). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the quality of written argumentation and its variation between st…
A systematic review of empirical literature on the segregation of educational institutions and its consequences in Finland
While Finland has been considered a model for educational equity, the last decade has brought up concerns about educational segregation. This systematic literature review captures an overview of research on factors contributing to educational segregation and its consequences in Finland. A literature search of studies investigating various aspects of segregation in Finland and published both in English and Finnish was conducted, and altogether 40 …
Psychology (18 works) · Mathematics education (13 works) · Pedagogy (10 works) · Computer Science (7 works) · Education and Critical Thinking Development (7 works) · Critical thinking (6 works) · Higher education (6 works) · Student Assessment and Feedback (6 works) · Political science (5 works) · Qualitative research (5 works)