Väitös (oppimisanalytiikka): MSc Umar Bin Qushem
MSc Umar Bin Qushem esittää väitöskirjansa ”Personalizing K–12 STEM Education through Technology-Enhanced Learning and Learning Analytics” julkisesti tarkastettavaksi Turun yliopistossa perjantaina 27.3.2026 klo 12.00 (Turun yliopisto, päärakennus, Tauno Nurmela -sali, Turku).
Vastaväittäjänä toimii tohtori Ari Korhonen (Aalto-yliopisto) ja kustoksena professori Mikko-Jussi Laakso (Turun yliopisto). Tilaisuus on englanninkielinen. Väitöksen alana on oppimisanalytiikka.
Tiivistelmä väitöstutkimuksesta:
Imagine a classroom where the lesson plan adapts to fit every single student, much like a GPS re-routes to avoid traffic. Although modern digital education has progressed, traditional classrooms still struggle to meet each student’s needs in key subjects like mathematics and life sciences. Even though governments and policymakers are responding by emphasizing the need to reshape personalized K-12 STEM education and revitalize teacher–student partnerships, a pressing challenge remains: “How can we effectively personalize learning for diverse student needs?”
Umar Bin Qushem’s doctoral dissertation addresses this question by exploring how adaptive learning tools—such as ViLLE and Virtual Reality—can create more personalized, data-informed educational experiences for primary and upper-secondary learners. Through Learning Analytics, the research evaluates key aspects of the learning process, including performance, behaviour, and motivation, to help boost learning outcomes. The overarching goal was to move beyond the traditional “one-size-fits-all” school model toward a more precise way of helping early-stage learners succeed in subjects like mathematics and science.
The research findings demonstrate that a successful intervention requires both smart technologies and consistent student engagement, while also underscoring the importance of stakeholder involvement—particularly the roles of teachers, learners, and technology. In a year-long mathematics intervention involving 720 pupils, a staggering 97% improved their skills, but the data revealed that there are no “magic shortcuts”: success required a consistent 68-day habit of at least three minutes of daily practice in the ViLLE gamified learning environment. Meanwhile, in a science intervention, 70 upper-secondary students using VR headsets found biology far more captivating than those watching videos; although test scores were similar, the VR group was significantly more motivated and satisfied. By turning abstract concepts like genetics into a 3D experience, these immersive tools built a bridge between theory and practice, showing that while digital tools can help learners build skills, it is deep engagement that truly brings learning to life.
Umar’s dissertation demonstrates that when a learning setting is thoughtfully designed to leverage technology for personalization and engagement, it can help ensure that no student gets left behind on their educational journey. It is about giving every child the right support, for the right reason, at exactly the right time. This is the fundamental philosophy of “Precision Education.” The model presented in this dissertation acts as a GPS for learning—identifying a student’s current position and mapping out a personalized path toward their goals. Most importantly, this approach is not about replacing teachers with machines but rather about supporting teachers with multimodal, evidence-based technologies that foster intrinsic motivation and facilitate knowledge discovery in STEM.
Ultimately, the doctoral research shows that an integrated approach—combining personalized learning paths with context-sensitive supports tailored to different student needs—leads to guided discovery and real classroom improvements. In the future, this model could be adopted or replicated nationwide to build STEM literacy and empower young learners. This work also offers a methodological blueprint for researchers, teachers, and EdTech designers seeking to develop future educational solutions.
