Meet the Team

Heidi Hyytinen

Professor

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Heidi Hyytinen, PhD, is a Full Professor of University Pedagogy at the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland. Her research focuses on teaching and learning in higher education, with a particular emphasis on the development and assessment of generic skills. She has led and co-led several research projects in the field of higher education.

Neea Heinonen

University Lecturer

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Neea Heinonen (PhD) works as a University Lecturer in University Pedagogy at the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland. She teaches and supervises in both basic and intermediate studies in university pedagogy as well as in the master’s thesis seminar in university pedagogy. Her research focuses on the development of university teachers’ pedagogical expertise, particularly their ability to notice and interpret pedagogically significant situations in teaching and learning contexts (known as professional vision). In addition, her research interests include university teachers’ conceptions of learning and teaching and how these are related to their observation and interpretation skills. Her experience is especially focused on multi‑method research designs and the use of eye‑tracking methods as part of university pedagogy research.

Sirkku Lähdesmäki

University Lecturer

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Sirkku Lähdesmäki (PhD) works as a University Lecturer in University Pedagogy at the University of Eastern Finland. She is responsible for teaching in basic and intermediate studies, teaching practices, and the supervision of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. Her research interests include teachers’ pedagogical use of artificial intelligence and related competences, such as digital competence, AI literacy, and self‑efficacy. In addition, she studies teachers’ instructional design skills and their reflective skills related to pedagogical competence, as well as the methodological development of these areas. During the academic year -26, she is responsible for the development project Pedagogical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Assessment Processes.

Sanna Väisänen

University Lecturer

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Sanna Väisänen (PhD) is a University Lecturer in university pedagogy, teaching and supervising both basic and intermediate courses in university pedagogy and master’s thesis seminar for undergraduate students. Her research interests include students’ study-wellbeing, learning analytics, and flipped classroom, with a focus primarily on the higher education context.

Ulla Ritvanen

Academic Affairs Specialist

University of Eastern Finland, Student and Learning Services

Ulla Ritvanen (M.Ed.) works as an Academic Affairs Specialist in Student and Learning Services. She teaches and provides guidance in the basic and intermediate university pedagogy courses, focusing particularly on teaching practice. She is also responsible for academic advising related to university pedagogy studies as well as recognition of prior learning processes.

Ilpo Jäppinen

E-learning Specialist

University of Eastern Finland, Student and Learning Services

Venla Hiltunen

Academic Affairs Specialist

University of Eastern Finland, Student and Learning Services

Venla Hiltunen (MA) works as an Academic Affairs Specialist in Student and Learning Services at the University of Eastern Finland. Within the university pedagogy team, she is responsible for the study administration of university pedagogy studies, general study guidance, and internal communication.

Niko Loikkanen

Doctoral Researcher, Project Researcher

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Niko Loikkanen is a doctoral researcher in the University Pedagogy Research Group at the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology of the University of Eastern Finland. His doctoral dissertation examines university teaching staff’s AI-related literacy and competencies. In addition, he works as a project researcher in a project that develops AI based formative assessment practices.

Katja Suvanto

Doctoral Researcher

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Katja Suvanto, MA, is a doctoral researcher in university pedagogy at University of Eastern Finland. Her research is about Finnish university students’ English language shame. Suvanto also works as a university instructor of academic English at University of Helsinki.

Henna Timonen

University Teacher, Doctoral Researcher

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Henna Timonen, MA, works as a university teacher in the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology at the University of Eastern Finland. In her doctoral research, she examines questions of power and discourse in English Medium instruction (EMI) within the Finnish higher education context.

Lotta Väänänen

Doctoral Researcher

University of Eastern Finland, Philosophical Faculty, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Lotta Väänänen is a doctoral researcher in the university pedagogy research group at the School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland. Her doctoral research examines higher education students’ critical thinking skills, well‑being, and academic achievement, as well as the interrelations between these factors.