Teacher education, school and society

We conduct research on the social contexts of education, schools, teacher training, and teaching. We train teachers for primary, secondary, and higher education. We are also responsible for teaching and research in sociology and gender studies. Our activities aim at social responsibility, multidimensional sustainability, and social justice.

Introduction

Our research unit explores teacher education, the school community and other growth environments, including teachers, children and young people and their guardians in the context of societal and ecological changes. Four main themes can be identified in our research:

1) cultural diversity and identities

2) democracy, social justice and equality, socio-ecological resilience, and relations

3) research methodologies and ethics

4) teacherhood, pedagogies and competences.

The education provided by our unit is research-based. Our societal impact is grounded in research knowledge that supports education policy and decision-making, as well as in educating teachers for basic, secondary, and higher education, other education professionals, and future academics, also for international roles. Our unit offers a degree in primary teacher education, pedagogical studies for subject teachers and university pedagogy studies. Our unit also offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree.

We advance the transformation of education by committing to dialogue between research and practice in cooperation with academic and societal stakeholders. Our societal impact work is based on research activism, pedagogical development, and promoting the accessibility of research knowledge. Our goal is to bring research into social debate and societal change in ways that are understandable, participatory, and impactful.

Research group

The Arts-based and Creative Researchers Network (Taideverkko)

Research group

SERSus - Psychological and Educational Perspectives on Socio-Ecological Resilience and Sustainability

Research group

Narratives in educational research collective (NarratED)

Research group

Social Justice at the Focus of Education (SAFE)

Research methods

Our research unit employs (post)qualitative, quantitative, multi, and mixed research methods. These include creative and arts-based, narrative, feminist and new materialist and posthuman approaches. Our research data comprises ethnographical data, interviews, surveys, creative and arts-based data, visuals and writings. It is generated in various authentic settings, also utilizing the faculty’s infrastructures. Research is carried out in cooperation with national and international stakeholders. Collaboration consists of joint projects, publications, networks, and education.