(4) Daytime telephone number (+ international code):
+358 9 191 295 66
(6) E-mail:
mauri.ahlberg@helsinki.fi
(7) Organisation:
University of Helsinki
(8) Full postal address:
Department of Applied Sciences of Education
Siltavuorenpenger 20 R (POB 9)
00014 University of Helsinki, FINLAND
(9) Country:
Finland
(10) Are you a(n):
Academic
Consultant
(11) Position in organisation:
Head of research group
(12) Personal web page:
http://www.helsinki.fi/people/mauri.ahlberg
(13) Integration approaches:
Rank
1
Systems thinking
5
Complexity science
2
Participatory methods
1
Knowledge management
2
Diverse epistemologies
1
Inter- or trans-disciplinarity
1
Research/ policy/ practice nexus
1
Other (Continual creation and testing of integration)
1
Other (Design experiments, case studies, pragmatic scientific realism)
(14) Theories and methods:
My research group’s work is focused on real problems of the real World. Without good integrating theories is impossible to find out what are real problems. Our approach is pragmatic, but often critical scientific realistic. We have different theories of the world, but we share common integrating approach and methods. Our integrating research includes theories, methods and practices of Education for Sustainable Development and other areas of education. I have developed theory and practice of integrating education, which my research group uses, tests, and improves. The same applies to an emerging theory and practice of high quality learning and theory and practice of continual quality improvement. My research group uses and tests versions of improved concept mapping, which I have created together with them since 1984. In September 2005 we are practicing use of CmapTools (version 4), which we have found to be a very empowering tool to promote of both individual and collaborative knowledge building. Many participants in my research group also continually use, test and improve version of improved Vee heuristic, which I developed at the beginning of 1990s. We have used a mixed methods approach (combined methods approach; multimethod approach). The World is the biggest system known. It has both qualitative and quantitative properties. We have used mainly design experiments, action research, cases studies, observation, and interviews. We have used concept mapping in all phases of research: From explicating theory, and research design to collecting and analysing research data to presenting overviews of research results and discussion.
(15) Areas you work in:
Rank
1
Education
2
Environment
3
Health
2
Innovation and business
2
Policy and government
5
Risk and security
3
Society and human behaviour/ culture
1
Other (Education for Sustainable Development)
2
Other (Collborative knowledge building)
(16) How do you describe yourself:
educational researcher, who undertands importance of constructing tentative integrating theories and their continual testing
(17) An example:
Details of examples are mainly on my homepage (http://www.helsinki.fi/people/mauri.ahlberg ) under Publications: My starting points are real problems of the real world. The universe and the World are systems. If there were a part of universe not linked to other parts of the universe, then humankind would have no possibilities of getting any knowledge of it. I have search for, and tested relevant theories and methods. I have created integrating tentative theories, tested them both theoretically and empirically in practice with my research group since 1989. I am continually searching, integrating and testing theories which enhance understanding of real problems of the real World and how to best alleviate and solve them. I am continually searching, integrating and testing effective methods for alleviating and solving real problems of the real World. This is the implementation phase of plans, visions, missions, strategies and objectives. On my homepage, under publications are listed many research reports which explicate my approach in practice. I believe in networking and collaboration. I have collaborated in Integration and Implementation e.g. with Professor Patrick Dillon (University of Exeter, UK) and Professor Alberto Canas (IHMC, USA). I have been a research leader of the Finnish part project of OECD/UNESCO ENSI and SEED programs since 1997. We have experimented with improved concept mapping, Vee heuristics, design experiments, collaborative knowledge building using Knowledge Forum® program etc. I have enriched Education for Sustainable Development by creating three new aspects to sustainable development, using ideas of different capitals and Sternberg’s theory of wisdom.
(18) References:
(1) Dillon, P. & Åhlberg, M. 2006. Integrativism as a theoretical and organisational framework for e-learning and practitioner research. Accepted to be published in Technology, Pedagogy and Education 16:1. (2) Åhlberg, M. 2005j. EDUCATING FOR WISDOM, CREATIVITY AND INTELLIGENCE AS A MAIN PART OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. A paper at the Fifth Conference of ESERA (European Science Education Research Association), August 28 – September 1, 2005, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain, http://bulsa.helsinki.fi/~maahlber/Ahlberg_ESERA_Paper_29.8.05.doc. (3) Åhlberg, M. 2005h. Integrating Education for Sustainable Development. In Leal Filho, W. (Ed.) 2005. Handbook of Sustainability Research. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 477 - 504.
(The original manuscript: http://bulsa.helsinki.fi/~maahlber/Ahlberg_15.10.2004.doc ). (4) Åhlberg, M. 2004d. Concept mapping for sustainable development. Paper presented at The First International Conference on Concept Mapping, Public University of Navarra, Spain. September 14 – 17, 2004. Also published digitally: http://cmc.ihmc.us/papers/cmc2004-233.pdf This paper is in the printed version of Conference proceedings:
Åhlberg, M. 2004d. Concept mapping for sustainable development. In Canas, A., Novak, J., Gonzales, F. (Eds.) Concept Maps: Theory, Methodology, Technology. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Concept mapping. CMC 2004. Pamplona, Spain, Sept 14 – 17, Vol. 1, 39 – 44. (5) Åhlberg, M. 1998c. Education for sustainability, good environment and good life. In Åhlberg, M. & Leal Filho, W. (Eds.) 1998. Environmental education for sustainability: good environment, good life. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 25 - 43.
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