Finnish Speakers

Dr.Annica Isacsson

Annica Isacsson, Ph.D, is currently working as a Research Manager at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, School of Vocational Teacher Education. Annica´s main areas of expertise are in vocational and higher education work-based pedagogy, applied research, future competences, academic writing, innovations, and in integrating research projects in education. She has managed and co-ordinated international research projects for more than 20 years, been responsible for export of educational services, of tourism degree programs as well as counseling and teaching in universities of applied sciences for more than 10 years.

She has worked and managed her own company within the field of academic exchange and tourism for 15 years. Annica has also worked within the field of special needs education and has business experience from marketing consumer goods.

Her dissertation relates to lifelong learning, competences, and professional organizations. She has excellent language skills and is fluent in Swedish (mother tongue), Finnish, English and French.

Elisa Helin

– Counsellor of education in Finnish National Agency for Education.
– I specialize in CPD of educational personnel and ECEC, special need education, basic education as well as early childhood education and care.

My experience within the Finnish education system include:
• Real classroom practice from 1988 to 2011 (teaching at all grades levels in basic education, both special need education teacher and class teacher).
• Initial and in-service teacher education from 1991 to 2011 (teacher trainer in Helsinki University – Viikki Teacher Training School).
• Participation in the national and local curriculum writing process and its implementation in practice.
• Leader of the national core curriculum work for ECEC in 2016.
• Experience in developing CPD of educational personnel and ECEC personnel, team leader of CPD in Finnish National Agency for Education.
Author of several textbooks in math and Finnish language (over 140 books)

Jorma Turunen

Jorma Turunen is a classroom and ethics teacher in Viirinkangas  Primary school in Rovaniemi Finland. He has a special interest in education and ICT as a tool in everyday classroom teaching. Mr Turunen has worked for many years in a pedagogical group in Rovaniemi aiming to promote digital learning in local schools. The ongoing focus of his professional interest is implementing new ideas of Finnish curriculum in practice.

Riikka Kastu

Riikka Kastu, M.Phil in Music Education, Bachelor of Culture and Arts, Music Pedagogue (UAS) is a Music teacher with a great variety of different forms. Kastu is currently teaching at Helsinki Vocational School Stadin Aikuisopisto; Vocational qualification in social and health care, a program for future Practical Nurses. Music is taught as a method used in rehabilitation and also as supportive method for growth as a human being, focusing mainly on Education for Children.
Figure notes (c), Music Therapy Methods and Visual
Arts combined with Movement are used as techniques in teaching.
Kastu also teaches Working life Skills for Musicians at Helsinki Conservatory of Music and manages her own company for voice work, singing and consulting. She has International experience from Canada, Belgium, Poland, Estonia and other countries she’s lived and worked at.
Riikka Kastu is highly motivated to work with an older people, people with special needs and with children. Music (and rhythm) is a language of the World. Lifelong learning and understanding the needs of another person – From Human to Human.

Sirkku Nikamaa-Linder

FRSA, teacher, teacher educator sirkku.nikamaa@workinprogress.fi

Sirkku Nikamaa-Linder has extensive frontline experience in crosscultural projects within Europe, Asia and Middle East. She has been the named planner, manager, and lead implementer for multistakeholder projects for education development, delivering teacher education and trained trainers. Sirkku has been responsible for developing competency building programs for teachers and teacher educators for both private sector and government level projects. Within these projects she has developed strategies to implement new competency-based curricula and ICT in education.
She has experience in building effective projects defined by the team’s ability to develop favourable conditions in which jointly identified concepts and practices, often originating in Finland, can become applicable and relevant in other cultures.

Prof. Tuija Turunen

Professor Tuija Turunen holds a position of Dean at the Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Finland. She leads several national and international projects and has an excellent track record of high quality scientific and popular publications. She has presented her work in numerous international conferences and in various public media. Professor Turunen leads UArctic Thematic Network on Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity, which currently hosts nineteen member institutions across the circumpolar north. She also leads the Arctic Council Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) project: Teacher Education for Diversity and Equality in the Arctic and UNESCO UNITWIN Network on Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity in Education. Professor Turunen’s current research interests focus on teacher education, professional development in higher education, educational transitions, especially starting school, multi-professional work in schools, and preventive school welfare work.