The motivations for rewarding the teachers emphasized the excellent feedback from their students and the teachers’ passionate approach to teaching and improving their work methods. Several of the premiered teachers have supervised a large number of theses in various degree programmes and have played a significant role in coordinating the teaching at their own departments.
Valtteri Niemi, Professor, Department of Computer Science
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
The main thing is to inspire the students into learning. This involves many things; active contact with the students and listening to them, your own enthusiasm and relaying it to the students, providing material in an interesting way, etc. It is also important to follow the course feedback and other feedback, so you know how you’ve done for real.
What have you learned from the students?
I have learned a lot. By supervising theses you learn about the topic matter, or at least you are reminded to update your obsolete ideas. Many students write their Master’s thesis while working and/or about a topic related to their work, which lets the supervisor keep abreast of what is happening in the fast-paced labour market. While I’m teaching courses, the students surprisingly often ask me questions I’ve never heard before or haven’t even thought of before. Further, students who are already working can bring up practical observations, and I would like them to be even bolder with this, without revealing any business secrets, of course.
Katja Lauri, Research Director, INAR
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
Speaking of people in general, I especially appreciate the ability to listen to others. For a teacher, this can be translated into the ability, or at least striving, to see the subject matter and teaching/learning session from the perspective of the students. This is a great help for the planning and implementation of teaching. The shared goal of teacher and student is the increase of the student’s competence. In an optimal case, the teacher’s competence also increases.
What have you learned from the students?
I’ve learned lots from my students! Some wise person has said that you haven’t properly learned new knowledge or a new skill until you have managed to teach it to someone else. It’s so true! But I think I appreciate the general things I’ve learned during my teaching sessions the most. At the start of my teaching career, I was a truly insecure teacher, and my greatest fear was that the students would see how ignorant and unskilled I was. Sometimes I even “hid” behind complex explanations that no one would understand or be able to question. Nowadays, the occasions when a student asks an unexpected question that I don’t know the answer to or I haven’t even thought about, are the absolute best! They are often followed by a great give-and-take where everybody learns something new.
Ekaterina Ezhova, University Lecturer, INAR
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
I cannot name one thing. I see the teacher’s main role in providing seamless knowledge transfer to the next generation. To succeed in this, a teacher should be genuinely interested in his course, inspire students, but also hear students, account for their opinions about the education process, and support those who need it.
What have you learned from the students?
It is better to say I have been constantly learning. Students have lots of ideas and opinions different from my own. Sometimes, seemingly simple questions or discussions in class can be surprisingly insightful and provide me with perspectives I never thought of before. I think I am more flexible now as a teacher compared to when I started, more open to questions and discussions, and grateful for them.
Leena Kalliovirta, University Lecturer, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
Patience.
What have you learned from the students?
Patience among other things. Patience is often a challenge for my hurried nature.
Kjell Knapas, University Instructor, Department of Chemistry
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
I think the primary characteristic of a teacher is to understand that they are working for the future careers of their students. The best assessment of the quality of bachelor-level teaching will come from graduates some 5-15 years after they have entered the job market. However, in practice we need to base our planning and modifications on other factors. The feedback during courses (or immediately after) is relevant, though it may not tell us the whole truth.
The teacher must also actively consider the impacts of their teaching. In our modern society, problem-solving will not fall short due to lack of information. Instead, it may stumble on the critical analysis of information or insufficient application capacity, which are caused by the lack of basic insights. This means that the teacher needs to identify the core matter that is significant for students’ careers.
What have you learned from the students?
I’m constantly learning small, concrete things from the students every now and then. Sometimes there are students at our lab courses who have carried out lab work in other learning seats and/or the workplace, and I’ve learned many practical tricks from them. Secondly, our digitally native students can handle their computers and other devices better than me, so I’ve had many useful tips from the students in this area, too. Especially my younger colleagues, such as third-year students working as assistants, sometimes give me good ideas on a broader scale.
Another kind of learning from students is how each student needs to be taught and instructed. It varies individually on a large scale in any case, and especially during the past years as more international students have joined our lab courses. This has set extra challenges for us since they may be used to very different cultures of teaching. During lab courses, I try to create a personal supervisor connection with each student.
Laura Ruotsalainen, Professor, Department of Computer Science
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
I think the most important feature of a teacher is their enthusiasm about both the subject, and about transferring enthusiasm and knowledge to the students. It should be fun to learn new things, and the teacher can try to make that come true with their attitude and with carefully planned teaching methods.
What have you learned from the students?
Every year, I learn to become enthusiastic again, both about the topics I’m teaching and about new things, as I see it happen to the students. In addition, I’m learning to constantly improve my teaching methods and materials on the basis of student feedback.
Niina Kuosmanen, University Lecturer, Department of Geosciences and Geography
What do you think is most important in a teacher?
I think it’s important that the teacher’s interest in the students and in teaching them is reflected to the students. I also feel that it is important as a teacher to listen to the students, which keeps you on the map about how your teaching methods are working on each course and with each group. In my experience, it is important for a teacher to encourage students in finding and utilising information, to question and discuss things so that, besides learning the information, they will understand why the knowledge gained during each course is vital and how they can apply the knowledge and skills in their own field.
What have you learned from the students?
The questions and ponderings of students often give me new perspectives and ideas on the topics we are discussing, and this can inspire me to look at my own research or teaching from another angle. I’ve learned how many different ways of learning there are and how important it is to acknowledge different learners in my teaching. Further, I’ve discovered that it’s important to be easily accessible, and to stop and listen to the students, and also talk to them about other topics than their studies.