Päivi Portaankorva-Koivisto is a University Lecturer in Mathematics Teachers' Professional Learning at the Department of Education, University of Helsinki. She supervises doctoral students within the Doctoral Programme in School, Education, Society, and Culture and contributes to STEAM education initiatives as a Maker@STEAM supervisor. Focus on multilingual classrooms and preparatory education Extensive collaboration in Finland on teacher development Active in educational research and conferences Her research examines mathematics education for multilingual learners, teacher identity formation, and the integration of digital tools in pedagogy. She has participated in projects like Vastaantulo (2017-2019) and LumaLähetit (2014-2019), emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and language-aware teaching. Her recent publications analyze reflective practices, curriculum design, and equity in education. She has delivered oral presentations at national events, served on editorial boards for journals like LUMAT , and contributed to professional networks. Her work bridges theory and practice through interventions such as observational tools for teacher training.
Sari Ylinen is an Associate Professor (tenure track) in Welfare Sciences at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere. She also holds affiliations with the University of Helsinki as a docent in the Faculty of Medicine and supervisor in doctoral programs. Her research bridges cognitive neuroscience and clinical applications, focusing on language processing across diverse populations. Her primary research explores: Neurocognitive mechanisms of language acquisition in infants and children Speech pathology in neurodegenerative disorders (especially Parkinson's disease) Cross-linguistic phonology and pronunciation assessment Predictive coding in auditory processing and learning Recent publications show strong focus on developing quantitative voice analysis metrics for Parkinson's disease and investigating neural foundations of early language development. Her work frequently employs electrophysiological methods and computational linguistics approaches. Awards include: Doctoral Thesis Award (2007, University of Helsinki) Young Investigator's Award (2007, Finnish Academy of Science) She actively supervises doctoral candidates and has led multiple research projects including: TELL me: Technology-enhanced language learning with mobile devices (2016-2018) Predictive coding in language learning (2015-2018) Intelligent speech technology for game-based learning (2019) She participates in the Cognitive Brain Research Unit and Learning and Plasticity research network.
Pirjo Aunio is a Professor of Special Education at the University of Helsinki's Department of Educational Sciences since 2013, where she leads the Helsinki Special Education Research Community (Helsinki SEN). She serves as Director of the Doctoral Program in Cognition, Learning, Teaching and Communication, and as a supervisor in the Doctoral Program in School, Education, Society and Culture. Additionally, she holds a distinguished visiting Professor position in Early Childhood Education at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Professor Aunio's research focuses on mathematical skills development, learning difficulties in mathematics, assessment of mathematical performance, and evidence-based interventions. Her work examines the multifactorial nature of early numeracy skills, the development of assessment tools like the FUNA-DB and FUNA-JR, and the interplay between motor skills, executive functions, and mathematical development in children. She has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and has developed practical assessment and intervention tools used by educators worldwide. Her recent research output shows a strong focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of mathematical interventions, particularly examining word problem-solving skills, early numeracy assessment tools, and the relationship between physical activity and mathematical development. Her work demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach connecting educational psychology, cognitive science, and practical classroom applications. Proposal for Nomination for the best PhD thesis for Association for Finnish Education (2007) The best PHD thesis in Faculty of Behavioral Sciences (2007) Professor Aunio has supervised numerous doctoral students and leads major research projects including a multi-country study across South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia focused on children's mathematical, language, executive functions and motor skills development. She also leads a research consortium with University of Helsinki, Åbo Akademi, University of Turku and University of Jyväskylä developing digitalized assessment tools for children aged 5-16 years. Her work has significant impact on educational practice through evidence-based instruments for identifying children with mathematical learning difficulties and supporting their learning. She leads the Helsinki research community of Special Educational Needs (Helsinki SEN) and has developed the ThinkMath online service, which provides research-based support for children's mathematical and thinking skills development. Her research consortium has created assessment tools like the FUNA-DB and FUNA-JR that are used internationally to identify and support children with mathematical learning difficulties.
Laimute Balode is a researcher at the Department of Languages within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Helsinki. She also teaches courses at the University of Latvia, demonstrating her strong connection to Baltic linguistic studies across institutions. Her academic profile shows continuous engagement with Baltic philology and she serves as a supervisor in the Doctoral Program in Linguistics. Her research interests focus on Latvian hydronymics, Baltic comparative toponymics, Latvian and Lithuanian onomastics (including both anthroponymics and toponymics), and lexical parallels in Baltic languages. Her extensive publication record spanning from 2005 to present demonstrates sustained scholarly productivity in these areas. Dr. Balode's research output shows consistent activity with 147 publications to date, including articles, book chapters, conference abstracts, and books. Her recent work (2020-2024) reveals continued focus on Baltic onomastics, with particular attention to contemporary naming practices, surname changes in Latvia, and comparative studies of Latvian and Lithuanian linguistic features. Cross of Commander of the Order for Merits of Lithuania (2011) Medal of the Baltic Assembly (2011) Lithuanian Government's Prize for lifetime achievement in humanitarian sciences (2014) Kultainen ansiomerki 30 vuoden palveluksesta tieteen hyväksi (2018) The Balt's Award (2018) Her academic service includes supervising doctoral students, participating in 239 academic activities including conferences and seminars, conducting peer reviews, and engaging in media appearances discussing Baltic languages and cultures. She has been involved in significant research projects such as the Lithuanian Academic Scheme for International Cooperation in Baltic Studies and the NordPlus Higher Education initiative uniting Baltic and Nordic cultures.
Magdalena Sandell serves as a Lecturer in Swedish and Communication at Arcada University of Applied Sciences in Finland, where she holds operational responsibility for the Language Unit. Her role encompasses curriculum development and administrative leadership for institutional language instruction, with direct contact via magdalena.sandell@arcada.fi. Her academic focus centers on Swedish language pedagogy within Finland's bilingual context, emphasizing communication competence and academic literacy. She develops teaching methodologies for Swedish as a second language, targeting students in higher education settings where Swedish proficiency is mandated by national language policies. No scientific awards, research grants, or graduate student mentorship records are documented in available sources. The Language Unit under her management coordinates mandatory Swedish language courses across Arcada's programs, addressing Finland's constitutional requirement for bilingual education in Swedish-speaking regions.
Kirsi Korkealehto serves as Development Manager at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, leading the digital pedagogy development team and participating in international university cooperation. She is an active member of the KOPEDA research group focused on higher education pedagogy. Her educational qualifications include a PhD, MA in Philology, and MA in Learning and Educational Technology. Previously, she worked as a lecturer at HAMK, contributing to national and international projects in educational development. Korkealehto's research centers on digital transformation in language education, examining social presence in synchronous online learning, telecollaboration across borders, and gamification techniques. She investigates how multimodal approaches sustain engagement in higher education while addressing teacher training and curriculum design for vocational contexts. Her work bridges theory and practice through projects like KiVAKO, emphasizing cultural responsiveness in pedagogy. Analysis of her 2018-2025 publications reveals consistent focus on engagement drivers in digital language learning: social presence (2025), telecollaboration models (2021, 2018), and gamification (2018). Recent work expands into 21st-century skill integration (2021) and sustainable multimodal frameworks (2019), with strong emphasis on teacher development for online course quality (2019, 2020). No scientific awards were documented in the source material. Korkealehto's advisory activities and grant funding are not specified in available records. Her current responsibilities prioritize developing institutional digital competence through teacher training programs and international partnerships rather than direct student supervision. She directs Haaga-Helia's digital pedagogy development team and contributes to the KOPEDA research group, driving initiatives in educational export, language teaching innovation, and competence development. Current projects include the EduMedia consortium and Diggari tram ride program for teacher digital upskilling.
