Futureproofing digital entrance exams in Finnish higher education
Virtakoivu, Venla (2023)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023112431383
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023112431383
Tiivistelmä
This thesis provides an overview of the possibilities for implementing a digital entrance exam service in Finnish higher education. It also aims to identify and describe influencing factors and their intersections in the realm of digital entrance exams. Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences use entrance exams as one selection method for student admissions. Traditionally, these entrance exams were conducted with paper and pen on university campuses. In recent years, higher education institutions have digitized and conducted entrance exams using various solutions, both onsite and online. However, a common framework for implementing digital entrance exams has yet to be established.
This study explores the foundation of national student admissions and current digital entrance exam solutions. Secondly, it aims to highlight the issues that require resolution and consensus for the development of a national digital entrance exam service. This development project focuses on elucidating the technological, pedagogical, operational, and legislative conditions that must be addressed during the developmental steps.
This development project employs a multiphase mixed-method design, connecting various data collection methods and analyses to complement each other. Qualitative and quantitative methods in this project support diverse perspectives on the multidimensional realm of digital entrance exams, involving various influencing factors and key actors.
The findings of the development project suggest that a digital entrance exam service should not only offer appropriate software for administering the entrance exams but also provide processes for assisting and guiding applicants and securely transferring data. It should ensure that administrative and academic personnel have clear visibility into the processes, and the expenses must be reasonable. The current boundary conditions for developing the digital entrance exam service were also presented, and the need for further investigation and discussion was identified.
This study explores the foundation of national student admissions and current digital entrance exam solutions. Secondly, it aims to highlight the issues that require resolution and consensus for the development of a national digital entrance exam service. This development project focuses on elucidating the technological, pedagogical, operational, and legislative conditions that must be addressed during the developmental steps.
This development project employs a multiphase mixed-method design, connecting various data collection methods and analyses to complement each other. Qualitative and quantitative methods in this project support diverse perspectives on the multidimensional realm of digital entrance exams, involving various influencing factors and key actors.
The findings of the development project suggest that a digital entrance exam service should not only offer appropriate software for administering the entrance exams but also provide processes for assisting and guiding applicants and securely transferring data. It should ensure that administrative and academic personnel have clear visibility into the processes, and the expenses must be reasonable. The current boundary conditions for developing the digital entrance exam service were also presented, and the need for further investigation and discussion was identified.