Research groups

"School Bridging the Worlds of Adolescents" – BRIDGE. This research project shifts the focus from individuals to communities. (PI) and conduct two long-term Change Laboratory interventions in two comprehensive schools and neighbourhoods located in Helsinki. Researchers and artists collaborate with students, school staff members, guardians, and key informants from the communities important to the participants to analyze and model the dynamics of adolescents' multiple worlds. The project uses a systemic framework of the multiple worlds of adolescents’ (school, home, leisure, and digital worlds) in a way that supports the identification of the potential and pressures within these worlds. This is achieved by combining systemic models developed in research with artistic work. The project is carried out in collaboration between the University of Helsinki and the City of Helsinki’s Education Division.

Myths about the brain and learning, or neuromyths, such as "we only use 10% of our brains" and "all dyslexic children see letters backwards", are also common among educators. Despite being repeatedly disproved or lacking research evidence, these myths live on as science-based truths all over the world. Now, through a joint study by the Helsinki Research Community of Special Educational Needs (PI ), we seek to understand the neuromyths held by student teachers, teacher trainers, teachers and others working in the field of teaching and education. We are collaborating with Associate Professor Jo Van Herwegen (UCL, UK) and are currently collecting the first data with a translated version of her measure. 

Active Numeracy is a mul­tidiscip­lin­ary research group from the fields of edu­ca­tional sciences, sport sciences, psy­cho­logy, and technology led by Professor . Active Numeracy research group broadly investigates factors affecting mathematical learning and learning difficulties. The aim is to produce novel multidisciplinary research knowledge, which lays the foundation for developing new pedagogical strategies to support children's learning. The multidisciplinary research group consists of professionals from educational sciences, sport sciences, psychology, and technology.

Tuettu project is a consortium research project led by Professor and formed by researchers from the University of Helsinki and Tampere University. The project investigates questions involving inclusion from the point of view of educational class placement. Tuettu project aims to answer the question of what kind of consequences do student’s class placement and student composition of the class have for students receiving special support and their classmates.