Ammattikorkeakouluopiskelijoiden näkemyksiä opinnäytetyön työelämäyhteydestä

This exploratory case study examined higher education students’ perceptions of the connection between the thesis and working life. The quantitative material included the statistical indicators of the feedback on the thesis given by the students of one of Finnish University of Applied Sciences in the field of health and well-being (n=595) in the nationwide ARDOP 2019 questionnaire. The qualitative material consisted of thematic interviews with 16 students. The results were examined in the framework of the integrative pedagogy model. The study indicated that there are many perspectives and challenges associated with the connection between the thesis and working life. The main themes related to the completion of the theses were the cooperation, the process and the supervision. At its best, theses serve as a joint guided learning arena for the student, the world of work and the higher education institution, where genuine development challenges are considered and resolved in the joint interaction and collaboration of all actors, taking into account the operating cultures and processes of each participating organization.