Minds Hub Research Group at the University of Helsinki study motivation, learning and well-being in changing global context. We investigate students' school careers and development across compulsory comprehensive education to higher education and subsequent transition to working life. Our aim is to understand how digitalization, diversity, inequality and stress affect youth development at large. We are responsible for four Academy of Finland funded research projects and promoting new data collection methods. We collect and integrate longitudinal, physiological and situational data. The Director is Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro.
The aim of the research in Brain, Music and Learning team is to investigate the neural mechanisms of learning in humans. Particularly interested we are in investigating whether music or physical activity to might promote well being and learning in various age groups in formal and informal contexts.
Brain, Music and Learning team belongs to Cicero Learning network and is part of Cognitive Brain Research Unit at the University of Helsinki and of the Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body, and Mind. The Director is Research director Mari Tervaniemi.
HiPerCog group studies, and aims to develop a theory of, High Performance Cognition (HPC). A key tenet of HPC is that it arises through learning of a demanding dynamic task. HiPerCog works on projects studying skill learning in a range of tasks, including games, programming, and neurofeedback. HiPerCog also develops methods for measurement of behaviour, psychophysiology, and brain imaging. The Director is Ben Cowley.
The Research Group for Educational Psychology at the University of Helsinki aims at bridging between education, psychology and interdisciplinary research on learning. We study processes related to student and teacher learning, motivation, engagement, emotions and well-being at different levels of education aiming to improve educational practices on this basis. We are responsible for running a teacher education program with educational psychology as the major. We promote innovations in teacher education by developing new forms of collaborative learning supporting the gradual development of student agency and involvement in their own learning (e.g., phenomenon-based studying). The Director is Professor Kirsti Lonka.
The main tasks for the Centre for University Teaching and Learning are to carry out and support research in the field of University Pedagogy and to coordinate and organize courses on university pedagogy for academic personnel within all disciplines at the University of Helsinki. The Director is Professor Auli Toom.
Technology in Education Research Group (TEdu) investigates the usage of digital technologies in educational practices both in schools and in higher education. The group participates intensively in research collaboration and practically-oriented development projects with many national and international partners. The research of the group focuses on the following topics: the usage of digital technologies in schools and higher education institutions, the development of technology-enhanced pedagogical and knowledge practices in educational settings, supporting teachers and educators in pedagogically meaningful usage of digital technologies, and institutional level differences and solutions in organizing and supporting the educational usage of digital technologies. The Director is Liisa Ilomäki.
Our group aims to understand how people use and evaluate scientific evidence. We investigate individual differences in cognitive skills (e.g., numeracy and cognitive flexibility) and how individual traits such as curiosity, intellectual humility, openness, and motivation to seek answers, and willingness to consider alternative viewpoints contribute to how and why people seek, filter, and integrate information. The Director is Jaana Simola.