finedhallinta

A Year in Review – FinEd activities in 2024

In 2024, FinEd continued its work of supporting PhD researchers in our member universities, and facilitating co-operation between member universities especially as regards doctoral education. In this newsletter, we take a look at FinEd’s activities in 2024, extend our warmest thank-yous to everyone who participated in our events, and wish everyone a Happy New Year 2025. The events of the new year are decided in FinEd’s steering board in the end of January, and information will be posted on our website soon after that.

Responsibility for steering FinEd

University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is responsible for steering FinEd activities during the two-year period 2024–2025. The network’s activities were chaired by Prof. Markku Niemivirta until September 2024, with Prof. Jaana Viljaranta acting as chair from October 2024 onwards. We thank Markku for his work! Anna Rawlings continues as coordinator of FinEd’s activities.

FinEd Online Research Talks

The FinEd Online Research Talk events – FORT for short – launched in 2022 were continued in 2024. The FORT events comprise keynote talks on their ongoing research from professors and other researchers of FinEd’s member universities. The series has provided us with a new way of reaching out to doctoral researchers as well as the academic community more broadly. The FORT events also raise awareness of FinEd and showcase the broad range of research done within our network.

Our spring 2024 season FORT speakers were Prof. Sara Routarinne (UTU) with Learning-in-interaction: what makes video observations powerful for studying teaching and learning?, Prof. Petri Nokelainen (TAU) on Some examples of using Bayesian multilevel regression in educational research and Prof. Kristiina Brunila (UH) on Educational Futures are Here: Revisiting Approaches to Future-Proofing Education. The autumn season speakers were Prof. Pauliina Rautio (OU) on Multispecies justice in transdisciplinary research and interspecies action – tracing complexities and Prof. Pigga Keskitalo (LAY) on The Significance of Sámi Educational Research. Warm thank-you to the speakers!

Academic writing workshop for doctoral researchers, 14–15 August

Our annual scientific writing workshop was again arranged at the beautiful, inspiring Hanaholmen Conference Center at the border of Helsinki and Espoo, with 21 PhD researcher participants mentored by four senior mentors. Workshop activities included two keynote speeches, with Prof. Markku Niemivirta (UEF) speaking on the topic From planning to dissemination – Openly and ethically and Hilma Halme PhD (UH) on From research plan to defence, as well as group work with mentors on participants’ abstracts and article manuscripts, and time set aside for networking, sharing experiences with peers, and making new friends. We received some very positive feedback for the workshop, as well as a some suggestions for making it even better. As before, we will take these into account when planning and organising the 2025 workshop.

Speaker in front of a slide showing the title of the talk

People sitting at a beautifully laid dinner table in front of big windows showing a view of a park and the sea in the background

“I will recommend this workshop to all of my fellow doctoral researchers. The whole event made me feel really appreciated. In the academic world it is really nice to feel that doctoral researchers matter too.” – From participant feedback

FinEd preseminar at the FERA conference at University of Turku, 20 November

The 2024 preseminar was organised in collaboration with the network of educational science journals in Finland. The theme of the day was Tiedejulkaiseminen – miten vastaanottaa vertaispalautetta ja antaa hyvä vertaisarviointi (”Scientific publishing – how to receive and give a good peer review”). In the morning, editors-in-chief of Finnish educational science journals talked about how the editorial process and peer review is conducted in their journal. Additionally, participants and the editors together formulated ”guidelines for good peer review”. Fifteen PhD researchers participated in the afternoon’s FinEd workshop, in which Prof Janne Varjo (UH) and Mirjam Raudasoja PhD (JYU) demonstrated using their own articles as examples how an article manuscript develops into its final, published form. After this, participants familiarised themselves with the forms and instructions for both authors and reviewers of some central Finnish and international publishing houses and journals. Feedback on the clarity of their instructions and forms was given to the domestic journals.

“Tohtorikoulutus tulevaisuudessa” (“Doctoral education in the future”) lunch meeting

We continued the tradition started in 2022 of organising a lunch meeting for our member universities’ heads of doctoral programmes, vice-deans for research, and professors with extensive experience is supervising doctoral theses, in conjunction with the FERA conference on 21 November. The meeting aims to support and facilitate collaboration between FinEd member universities at a time when Finnish doctoral education is undergoing some fundamental changes. The lunch meeting has become an established part of our annual programme.

Research, emotions, and well-being seminar at Tampere University, 4–5 December

The network of doctoral programmes in language studies Langnet and FinEd collaboratively organised a Research, emotions, and well-being seminar at Tampere University on 4–5 December, with keynote speeches also viewable on zoom. The seminar focused on both individual-level affective processes in academic work and emotions related to academic structures. The aim was to offer early-career researchers concrete tools for dealing with emotions related to research work. Keynote talks were given by Riitta-Liisa Larjovuori (TAU), Johanna Hokka (TAU), Solveig Cornér (UH), and Jaana-Piia Mäkiniemi (TAU). There were also all told eight workshop sessions, run by Niina Lilja (TAU), Katriina Tapanila (TAU), Maija Hirvonen (TAU; two sessions), Susanna Hartikainen and Ilmari Puhakka (TAU), Elisa Kurtti (JYU), Laura Visapää (UH), and Marja-Liisa Helasvuo (UTU). We were able to take altogether 60 participants, 30 from both networks, with over 100 people applying. The feedback we received from the seminar suggests that the topic is important, and we hope to arrange another one sometime in the future.

Other activities

FinEd funded two FinEd early career researcher keynote speakers at different conferences in 2024. Lauri Räty PhD (JYU) spoke interestingly on the topic “Research-based pedagogical practices for teaching students with intellectual disabilities” at the OPPIVA conference at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu on 4 June. Anna Wallin PhD (TAU) gave an inspiring talk on the topic Mielikuvitus ja tarinallisuus laadullisessa tutkimuksessa (”Imagination and storytelling in qualitative research”) at the FERA conference at University of Turku on 22 November.

Two speakers behind a podium with the text "University of Eastern Finland" — FinEd keynote speaker Lauri Räty with main keynote speaker Judith Harackiewicz

A keynote speaker stands in front of her slides — FinEd keynote speaker Lauri Räty with main keynote speaker Judith Harackiewicz

Register for the Research, emotions and well-being seminar!

NB update: due to unexpected popularity and large volume of registrations in the first week, we are closing registration for live attendance ahead of time, effective 8 November. For distance participation (note: keynote speeches only) registration continues as planned until 22 November.

Registration is about to open for the Research, emotions and well-being seminar, held on 4–5 December 2024 at Tampere University (and partly hybrid on Zoom), organised by FinEd in collaboration with Langnet, the network of language-related doctoral programmes. The seminar focuses on emotional processes related to the individual in academic work, as well as emotions related to academic structures. The goal is to provide young researchers with concrete tools for dealing with emotions related to research work. The speakers and workshop leaders include experts who have studied emotions and well-being in academic work. Most of the presentations and workshops are held in Finnish, a few are held in English and one in Swedish. Please see the seminar programme below.

We have acquired external funding for the seminar to cover the travel and accommodation expenses of approx. 40 participants, of which 20 are allocated to doctoral researchers in educational sciences. With self-financing, more participants can be taken. The seminar is primarily aimed at doctoral researchers, but self-funding post-doctoral researchers are also welcome. Funding will be granted and places filled in order of registration. Registration starts on 4November at 9 o’clock and ends on 22November. Please register here.

SEMINAARIN OHJELMA / PROGRAM

Ke 4.12.2024: Yksilö ja tunteet / The individual and emotions

klo 12.15–12.30 (Auditorio D10b) Anna Rawlings, Anna Vatanen, Maija Hirvonen, Petri Nokelainen: Tervetuloa / Welcome

klo 12.30–13.15 (Auditorio D10b) Riitta-Liisa Larjovuori, TaY: Työhyvinvoinnin rakentuminen ja edistäminen yliopistotyössä

klo 13.15–14.15 Lounastauko / Lunch klo 14.15–15.30 Rinnakkaissessiot

Sessio 1A (Luokka A07), Niina Lilja, TaY: Writing funding applications and coping with rejections
Sessio 1B (Luokka A06), Katriina Tapanila, TaY: Miten erottaa ”minä” ja ”työ” tutkimustyössä? Tutkimusta ohjaavat usein henkilökohtaiset kiinnostuksen kohteet, jolloin tutkimustyö voi olla tärkeä osa omaa identiteettiä. Työpajassa pohditaan, miten tutkimusta voisi tehdä hyvinvointia tukevalla tavalla siten, että tasapaino säilyy eri elämänalueiden välillä.

klo 15.30–16 Kahvitauko / Coffee klo 16–17.15 Rinnakkaissessiot

Sessio 2A (Luokka A07), [speaker TBC]: Fixed terms one after the other – risk tolerance and the uncertainty of the academic career
Sessio 2B (Luokka A06), Susanna Hartikainen ja Ilmari Puhakka, TaY: Huijarisyndrooma ja epäonnistumisen pelko. “Kohta ne huomaa, etten osaakaan mitään…” Akateeminen maailma voi tuntua painostavalta ja tuomitsevalta varsinkin aloitteleville tutkijoille. Työpajassa käydään läpi ilmiötä ja kehitellään keinoja osaamiseen liittyvän epävarmuuden hälventämiseksi.

klo 19 Mahdollinen omakustanteinen illallinen (varmistuu myöhemmin) / Possible self-financed dinner (TBC)

To 5.12.2024: Akateemiset rakenteet ja tunteet / Academic structures and emotions

klo 8.30–9.30 (Auditorio D10b) Johanna Hokka, TaY: Searching for an average researcher amid competition and collegiality: key points from the project Academic Affects / Keskivertotutkijaa etsimässä kilpailun ja kollegiaalisuuden keskellä. Akateemisten affektien etnografia -hankkeen tuloksia (in English)

klo 9.45–11 Rinnakkaissessiot

Sessio 3A (Luokka E221), Elisa Kurtti, JY: Akateemisen työn absurdiudet ja hyvinvointi. Tiedemaailmassa navigoiminen on pullollaan ristiriitaisuuksia, joista moni juontuu myös itse tiedejärjestelmän toiminnasta. Kuinka säilyttää hyvinvointi ulkoisten ja sisäisten vaatimusten keskellä?
Sessio 3B (Luokka E222), Laura Visapää, HY: ”Pahamaineinen referee 2”, onko sitä? Palautteen vastaanottaminen ja antaminen vertaisarviointiprosessissa.

klo 11–12 Lounastauko / Lunch klo 12–13.15 Rinnakkaissessiot

Sessio 4A (Luokka E221), Maija Hirvonen, TaY: Tenure track: angst-filled pressure cooker or clear career path?
Sessio 4B (Luokka E222), Marja-Liisa Helasvuo, TY: Kilpailijoita vai kollegoja? Vertaisten kaksoisrooli.

klo 13.15–13.45 Kahvitauko / Coffee

klo 13.45–14.30 (Auditorio D10b) Solveig Cornér, HY: Betydelsen av socialt stöd och välmående i doktorsavhandlingsarbetet. The slides will be in English: The importance of social support and wellbeing in the doctoral thesis process; keskustelua voi käydä myös suomeksi.

klo 14.30–15.15 (Auditorio D10b) Jaana-Piia Mäkiniemi, TaY: Tutkijan tunnepohjainen työhyvinvointi ja siihen vaikuttavat tekijät sekä oman työn tuunaaminen

klo 15.15–15.45 (Auditorio D10b), Anna Rawlings, Anna Vatanen & Maija Hirvonen: Seminaarin koonti / Seminar wrap-up

Autumn 2024 season, FinEd Online Research Talks

It is time to announce another season of FinEd Online Research Talks (FORT)! The FORT events showcase the wide variety of research in educational sciences conducted in FinEd’s member universities, with one-hour online talks on current topics. FORT events are targeted particularly for PhD researchers, but other members of the scientific community, as well as all other interested parties, are also warmly welcome. Participation is free, details of the upcoming talks below!

30.9.2024 (Monday), from 12–13 o’clock

Multispecies justice in transdisciplinary research and interspecies action – tracing complexities, Senior Research Fellow Pauliina Rautio (University of Oulu)

In this talk, I will walk the line between my work as a researcher and Principal Investigator of many transdisciplinary projects and my volunteer work in caring for wild birds, framing them through each other, and specifically pursuing questions of multispecies justice. The presentation is illustrated with photographs I have taken, which convey their own kind of visual boundaries: photographing wild birds up close breaks species-typical boundaries and produces different kinds of distances between humans and birds.

Link to Dr Rautio’s talk https://uef.zoom.us/j/65494615351?pwd=76s8BxXiCAwTyj665jsT6k6DrPXUOO.1, Meeting ID: 654 9461 5351, Passcode: 610414

27.11.2024 (Wednesday), from 12–13 o’clock

The Significance of Sámi Educational Research, Professor Pigga Keskitalo, University of Lapland, Faculty of Education

Sámi people reside in the traditional regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Russian Kola Peninsula, where their educational practices are influenced by the frameworks of these countries. In the face of climate change, political challenges, justice issues, and increasing global interest in Arctic resources and land, Sámi educational research stands out as a vital force in shaping societal and educational advancements. This presentation delves into the significance of Sámi educational research in not only preserving and promoting Indigenous culture and knowledge but also in integrating these elements within broader educational and societal frameworks. By presenting key findings from recent research projects, this presentation explores the educational landscape in a decolonial context, offering valuable insights into the transformative potential of Indigenous education in the Arctic region.

Pigga Keskitalo is a Professor of Education at the University of Lapland, focusing in Arctic perspectives in education. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki and co-edited Indigenous Research Methodologies in Sámi and Global Contexts (Brill, 2021). Currently, she leads the LINCOSY research project (funded by the Academy of Finland) and the REBOUND project (funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC-STN) at the Faculty of Education, University of Lapland.

Link to Professor Keskitalo’s talk https://uef.zoom.us/j/63265609548?pwd=O1DyOmQ5pstsUclAZ8CRLkY0QTnvQ5.1, Meeting ID: 632 6560 9548, Passcode: 722140

Professor Pigga Keskitalo — Prof. Keskitalo’s image credit Roi-Foto

Opening soon: Call for FinEd scientific writing workshop

Attention, PhD researchers: the call for FinEd’s annual scientific writing workshop is about to open on Monday 25 March 2024.

What, where, when? The workshop focuses on the processes of academic and scientific writing, including individual and group work, mentor and peer feedback on participants’ texts, and interesting keynote speeches. Furthermore, it offers early career researchers an opportunity for networking, peer support, and making new friends. The workshop will be held at Hanaholmen Conference Hotel in Espoo, from 14–15 August 2024 (Wednesday – Thursday). FinEd will pay the expenses of successful applicants (accommodation and meals; remuneration of travel within Finland).

For whom? Doctoral researchers from the doctoral programmes on educational sciences of FinEd member universities, representing all paradigms, and writing either article-based or monograph dissertations, are invited to apply. Please note that while we welcome applicants at all stages of the PhD process, to get the most out of the workshop, you should have a textual part of your thesis (e.g., a section of an article, or chapter of your monograph/summary) to work on at the workshop. Participants will be asked to submit this for mentor comments before the workshop.

Based on the applications, max. 25 participants will be chosen by a committee of five FinEd steering group members, with a view to facilitating diversity (aiming for equal representation of FinEd member universities, researchers from different paradigms and at different stages of the PhD process), and with specific importance given to the motivation letter.

How to apply? To apply, please fill in the application form https://link.webropol.com/s/FinEdworkshop2024 and include a motivation letter of max. 500 words, describing why you are applying to the workshop and why you think you would benefit from it in your PhD process. The application period is from 25 March – 19 April 2024. Successful applicants will be informed about the choice in mid-May, with binding enrolment requested by the end of May.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact FinEd coordinator Anna Rawlings (anna.rawlings@uef.fi). We look forward to receiving your applications, see you in August!

Spring 2024 season, FinEd Online Research Talks

We have another season of FinEd Online Research Talks (FORT) coming up! The FORT events cover current topics in educational sciences and showcase the varied research conducted in FinEd’s member universities. The FORT events are targeted particularly for PhD researchers, but other members of the scientific community, as well as all other interested parties, are also warmly welcome. Participation is free, details of the talks below!

28.3. 2024 (Thursday), from 12–13 o’clock:

Some examples of using Bayesian multilevel regression in educational research, Professor Petri Nokelainen (TAU)

This lecture introduces the use of Bayesian regression methods in the analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal multilevel data sets. The presentation will begin with a brief comparison with frequentist methods. This is followed by a cross-sectional multilevel analysis using both frequentist and Bayesian methods. At the end of the presentation, the focus will be on the issues of longitudinal multilevel analysis from a Bayesian perspective.

Link to prof. Nokelainen’s talk: https://uef.zoom.us/j/62820705335?pwd=V3ZOeUE3ekhCUnlZOXNQRFRMbFVoUT09, Meeting ID: 628 2070 5335, Passcode: 278656

8.5.2024 (Wednesday), from 12–13 o’clock:
Educational Futures are Here: Revisiting Approaches to Future-Proofing Education, Professor Kristiina Brunila (UH), AGORA for the study of social justice and equality in education research centre

My talk draws on a four-year investigation within the FuturEd research initiative and recent collaborative articles to explore future trajectories of education and the evolving landscape of education governance. Focused on sociology of education and politics in education, the discussion centers on changing education governance and its implications for Future-Proofing Education. Examining the transition towards individually tailored governance strategies, the presentation highlights the driving forces behind this shift, including economic factors, transnational stakeholder networks, and advancements in life and behavioral sciences. The analysis extends to global, national, and local dynamics, emphasizing the profound implications of economically driven governance strategies. By integrating current and emerging trends, the presentation advocates for a novel approach to education governance. In conclusion, the concept of precision education governance is introduced as a strategic framework for crafting future-ready learning human kinds. Through scholarly inquiry and examination, the presentation offers insights into navigating the changing landscape of education governance.

Link to Professor Brunila’s talk: https://uef.zoom.us/j/64155661851?pwd=ekFqb1J3MUdQYis4VGJmOE1YenFKUT09 Meeting ID: 641 5566 1851 Passcode: 433701

Save the date: OPPIVA2024

The Annual Meeting of Research on Learning and Learning Difficulties will take place at the University of Eastern Finland Joensuu Campus (Yliopistokatu 2, Joensuu) from June 4^th to 5^th, 2024. Abstract submission will be open from March 15^th to April 15^th, presentations on all topics related to learning and learning difficulties are welcome – more info on the OPPIVA2024 website!

FinEd Newsletter 2023 – Year in Review

The year 2023 saw FinEd continuing its work of supporting PhD researchers in our member universities, as well as facilitating co-operation between member universities as regards doctoral education. In this newsletter, we take a look at the year 2023 and its activities. We also extend our warmest thank-yous to everyone who participated in our events in 2023 and wish everyone a Happy New Year 2024.

Responsibility for steering FinEd

The University of Helsinki has been responsible for steering FinEd activities during the two-year period of 2022–2023, with Vice-Dean, Prof. Auli Toom as chair. Auli will continue to represent University of Helsinki on the steering board, as responsibility for steering FinEd activities is handed over to University of Eastern Finland for 2024–2025. We thank Auli for her hard work during these two years, and welcome Prof. Markku Niemivirta as the new chair. Anna Rawlings continues as FinEd project coordinator.

FinEd Online Research Talks

The FinEd Online Research Talk events – FORT for short – launched in 2022 were continued in 2023. The FORT events comprise keynote talks from professors and other researchers from member universities on their ongoing research. The series has provided us with a new way of reaching out to doctoral researchers as well as the academic community more broadly. The FORT events also raise awareness of FinEd and showcase the broad range of research done within our network.

In the spring term of 2023, our FORT speakers included Professors Pirjo Aunio (University of Helsinki) on Relationships between children’s early numeracy, physical activity and motor skills learning; Tero Järvinen (University of Turku) on The significance of socioeconomic background for the educational dispositions and aspirations of Finnish comprehensive school leavers; and Maija Lanas (University of Oulu) on Decentering the adult and problematising the production of child in education. In the autumn term, Research Coordinator Milla Saajanaho PhD (University of Jyväskylä) gave a talk on Agency and developmental regulation in late adulthood, and Associate Professor Vesa Korhonen (Tampere University) on Towards recognizing the possible interrelated connections between student engagement and well-being within higher education studies.

The 2024 season of FORT events will be kicked off on Monday 22 January 2024, at 12 o’clock (noon) by Professor Sara Routarinne (University of Turku) with her talk entitled Learning-in-interaction: what makes video observations powerful for studying teaching and learning? The abstract and zoom link of Prof. Routarinne’s upcoming talk can be found on our website – you are warmly welcome to come along!

Writing workshop for doctoral researchers, 15-16 August

Our annual scientific writing workshop was again arranged at the beautiful, inspiring Hanaholmen Conference Center in Espoo, with 24 PhD-researcher participants mentored by five senior mentors. Workshop activities included two keynote speeches, How to cultivate wellbeing during the doctoral studies? from Prof. Kirsi Pyhältö (University of Helsinki) and Writing the summary for the article-based PhD thesis from Vice-Dean, Prof. Auli Toom (University of Helsinki), as well as group work with mentors on participants’ abstracts and article manuscripts, and time set aside for networking, sharing experiences with peers, and making new friends. We received some very positive feedback for the workshop, as well as a few suggestions for making it even better. As before, we will take these into account when planning and organising the 2024 workshop.

“The support I received was specific and will advance my research in a concrete way. The workshop is definitely one of the highlights in my PHD journey.”

“The networking part was the most important for me and found the small group sessions about abstracts really nice and good in atmosphere, I think my horizons really widened during this workshop and all the perspectives that I got from everyone.”

“We really had time to connect and network during the two days, and the atmosphere was nice and not too busy for a creative state-of-mind to develop. Altogether, this was a very pleasant and inspiring event. I will definitely recommend it to peers.” – Feedback comments from participants

Focus on Open Science in the Field of Educational Sciences – FinEd preseminar at the FERA Educational Research days, Åbo Akademi University, 22 November

The 2023 preseminar comprised two keynote speeches and a structured workshop on the topics covered in the talks. Dr Sami Syrjämäki (Head of Publications, Federation of Finnish Learned Societies) opened the preseminar with a talk on Contemporary Trends in Scholarly Publishing, followed by Professor Erika Löfström’s (University of Helsinki) talk entitled Open science – open ethics? After a break and some light refreshments, participants reconvened to work on designing their own open science plans in small groups, and finally sharing insights and new ideas with everyone.

We are learning that for many PhD researchers, the opportunity to meet, interact, and network with others who are working on their PhDs is one of the most important things that FinEd can provide, as illustrated by this participant comment:

“I found the seminar interesting, actually more interesting than I had thought in advance because many of the issues are already familiar to me. I wish that there would have been more time for interaction and discussion with other doctoral researchers because that is what made to attend the preseminar in the first place.” – Feedback comment from participant

We will keep the importance of peer connections in mind when planning and implementing future activities.

“Tohtorikoulutus tulevaisuudessa” (“Doctoral education in the future”) lunch meeting

Having examined and compared the criteria for article-based doctoral theses in member universities in 2022, members of FinEd’s steering group collected information on these criteria from international benchmark universities during the summer and autumn of 2023. Both the national and international data were collated and presented at a lunch meeting for member universities’ heads of doctoral programmes, vice-deans for research, and professors with extensive experience is supervising doctoral theses, at the FERA Education Science Days on November 23, 2023. We plan to make these lunch meetings a regular, annual event, with a view to facilitating and supporting open discussion and co-operation between member universities.

Other activities

FinEd funded an early-career-researcher keynote speech at the FERA Education Science days at Åbo Akademi University on 24 November 2024. Dr Anne-Elina Salo PhD (University of Turku, University of Jyväskylä) spoke on the topic Sosiaalisesti kestävää tulevaisuutta rakennetaan yhdessä: Miten jokainen kasvatuksen kentillä voisi tulla nähdyksi, kuulluksi ja ymmärretyksi? (”Socially sustainable future is built together: How can everyone in the field of education be seen, heard, and understood?”).

Early-career researcher keynote from Anne-Elina Salo

As in previous years, FinEd gave a greeting at the opening of the Media Education Conference MEC2023, hosted and organized by the Media Education Hub at the University of Lapland, on 25 September.

FinEd Online Research Talks, Autumn 2023 – Winter 2024

We are pleased to announce the 2023–2024 season of FinEd Online Research Talks (FORT). The FORT events cover current topics in educational sciences and showcase the varied research conducted in FinEd’s member universities. The FORT events are targeted particularly for PhD researchers, but all members of the scientific community, as well as all other interested parties, are also warmly welcome. Participation is free, details on the talks below!

Tuesday 14.11.2023, at 12–13 o’clock

Research coordinator Milla Saajanaho (University of Jyväskylä):

Agency and developmental regulation in late adulthood

Developmental regulation is a way for people to direct their lives through three mechanisms: proactive coping (i.e., planning the future and preventing future losses), primary control (i.e., goal striving and tenacity), and secondary control (i.e., adjustment and accommodation of one’s goals). This research talk will shed light on the theoretical basis of developmental regulation, its connections to agency, as well as its relevance in the lives of older people. Moreover, empirical results on preparation for aging and goal setting and goal adjustment in late adulthood is presented.

Milla Saajanaho, PhD (Health Science), MA (education), is a research coordinator in the Doctoral Programme in Education at the University of Jyväskylä (JYU). Prior, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Gerontology Research Center at JYU, first in the ERC-funded AGNES-project (PI Taina Rantanen) and, second, in the TRAILS-project (PI Katja Kokko, funded by the Academy of Finland), which forms the latest follow-up for the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development. Saajanaho’ s main research interests include aging, personal goals, and developmental regulation across the life span.

Link to Dr. Saajanaho’s talk https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/63121102874?pwd=YmlUUkwvZ1h4NFUyaTUzSU1vcCtsQT09

Meeting ID: 631 2110 2874, Passcode: 477467

Thursday 14.12. at 12–13 o’clock

Assoc. Prof. Vesa Korhonen (Tampere University):

Towards recognizing the possible interrelated connections between student engagement and well-being within higher education studies?

The starting point of this lecture is the identification and modeling of the key characteristics and dimensions of two extensively studied topics in higher education, namely student engagement and well-being. Furthermore, their potential common dimensions are discussed for an empirical framework. The factors related both to student engagement and well-being can be seen as integral to supporting comprehensive pedagogical well-being and agency within higher education teaching and learning communities. The presentation will include an examination of the application of the modeled framework, for instance, to analyze positive and negative remote learning experiences during exceptional circumstances in a university setting, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The lecture aims to stimulate discussion and thinking about integrating different traditions and theoretical backgrounds to diversify interpretations.

Vesa Korhonen is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, Finland. His main research interest has focused on teaching and learning in higher education. In this context, he has conducted research related to both students and teachers in the field of higher education for over two decades, as well as research related to the effects of digitalization of learning environments. He is a co-leader of the Higher Education in Transition (HET) research group at Tampere University and acting as co-convener in Research in Higher education network within the European Education Research Association (EERA). The most recent ongoing research focuses on a comparative perspective on the impact of assessment culture on the agency of higher education students in two different cultural contexts. Twitter @vakorhonen

Link to Assoc. Prof. Korhonen’s talk https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/69778742501?pwd=Q1dEbUh2RnVYem1GWk56bHhleEE2Zz09

Meeting ID: 697 7874 2501, Passcode: 096281

Monday 22.1.2024 at 12–13 o’clock

Professor Sara Routarinne (University of Turku):

Learning-in-interaction: what makes video observations powerful for studying teaching and learning?

This presentation delves into the role of videorecordings in unraveling the intricate dynamics of teaching and learning as interactional accomplishment. The basis of the presentation is the collaborative efforts of the CERLIs Learning-in-interaction research team, centering on the dynamics and processes inherent in teaching and learning within social and interactive contexts. Video-observations serve as a means to capture “thick descriptions” (Geerts, 1973) of real-time interactions. In this presentation I will critically analyze video documentation method in relation to other methods such as school ethnography, observation protocols, surveys, and interviews particularly focusing on its ability to capture subtleties of teaching and learning in various educational settings. To provide a comprehensive context, I will briefly review the development of documentary recording methods (from audio to video) tracing their origins back to Sinclair’s and Coulthard’s (1975) classroom discourse analysis and Mehan’s seminal work on “Learning lessons” (1979). I will also explore recent developments in research utilizing video data (e.g. Gardner, 2019). Furthermore, recent research has expanded its focus to encompass various dimensions, such as the professional embodiment of teachers (as seen in Jakonen, 2020), professional vision (as explored by Pouta et al., 2021), language socialization (examined in Burdelski & Howard, 2020), emotional support for students (see Salo et al, 2022), metacognitive regulation (as evidenced in Iiskala et al,. 2020), pedagogical touch (as demonstrated in Heinonen et al., 2020; Routarinne et al., 2020), and the use of video as a tool for professional development of both pre- and in-service teachers (e.g. Lepola et al., 2022). In conclusion, video observations hold a significant role in advancing our understanding of teaching and learning. The unique ability to unveil and go back to the subtleties and granularity of these interactions makes video analysis an indispensable tool in educational research with profound implications for professional development and understanding processes of teaching and learning.

Sara Routarinne is Professor at the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Turku, Finland. Her research interests include classroom interaction; Finnish language education; Conversation Analysis; Content Analysis; and Interactional linguistics.

Link to Prof. Routarinne’s talk https://uef.zoom.us/j/64772855098?pwd=YU91Ny9hU1p6c0g5dFBTVDBia1RDUT09

Meeting ID: 647 7285 5098, Passcode: 326909

More information on the FinEd preseminar at FERA 2023 conference

As previously announced, FinEd is organising another preseminar at the 2023 FERA Conference on Education (kasvatustieteen päivät), on 22 November 2023. The preseminar, entitled Focus on Open Science in the Field of Educational Sciences, will comprise keynote speeches by Professor Erika Löfström (University of Helsinki) and Dr Sami Syrjämäki (Head of Publications, Federation of Finnish Learned Societies). We are pleased to share the abstracts for the keynotes (below).

The schedule for the preseminar has also been decided. Taking into consideration the travel times and train schedules, we will be starting at 2PM with the keynote speeches, and the workshop will run from 4PM – 6PM. Register for the preseminar here https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/124740/lomake.html by 14 November at the latest. Details will be sent to registered participants prior to the preseminar.

We look forward to seeing you there! Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact FinEd coordinator Anna Rawlings at anna.rawlings@helsinki.fi.

Our speakers:

Professor Erika Löfström (UH): Open science – open ethics?

While ethics is a cornerstone in all research, navigating the ethics of your PhD research in the age of Open Science may sometimes involve difficult considerations, even challenges. There are demands of transparency and openness, not only about one’s results, but also practices, procedures and data. International and national expectations and guidance on research ethics have increased to support researchers in maintaining high ethical standards in their research. At the same time, researchers may struggle to get a sense of how to match expectations, some of which may even seem contradictory, such as opening data and protecting the identities of the participating individuals. In this talk, I will discuss some of the recent changes in the landscape of research and relate these to the expectations of transparency and openness, and their implications for research and researchers. I also provide suggestions and tools for handling ethical questions and dilemmas in research.

Dr Sami Syrjämäki PhD (Federation of Finnish Learned Societies): Contemporary Trends in Scholarly Publishing

Do you ever wonder about Elsevier, Green/Gold/Diamond Open Access, CC licenses, and predatory journals and how they are interconnected? Is there more to scholarly publishing than simply knowing how to craft an exceptional research article? The landscape of scholarly publishing is evolving swiftly, making it challenging to stay abreast of these developments. In this presentation, I will provide a concise overview of the key trends and the broader context of rapidly changing world of scholarly publishing.

Registration for the 2023 FinEd preseminar is open!

As in previous years, FinEd is arranging a preseminar in conjunction with the FERA Conference on Education. This year’s preseminar, Focus on Open Science in the Field of Educational Sciences, will take place at the Åbo Akademi University in Vaasa, on 22 November 2023. The preseminar explores the role of research in society and the legitimacy of scientific knowledge, and is targeted at PhD researchers writing their theses in the field of educational sciences in our member universities, with the aim of stimulating early-career researchers’ thinking and supporting their professional development as scientists.

The preseminar will be a full-day session, including two keynote speakers with expertise in aspects of open science especially related to conducting research and publishing, and a structured workshop on the topics covered in the keynotes. Our speakers:

Prof. Erika Löfström (University of Helsinki) is a member of the Diversity, Multilingualism and Social Justice (DIMISO) research group. Her research activities include, among others, the VIRT2UE project. Prof. Löfström’s talk will focus on ethics and research integrity.

Dr. Sami Syrjämäki PhD is Head of Publications at the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. Dr. Syrjämäki’s talk will focus on open-access publication within science and research.

Register for the preseminar here https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/124740/lomake.html by 14.11.2023. More information, including the abstracts for the talks, will be published in early October, and a detailed schedule will be sent to registered participants after registration closes.