University of Lapland (Finland)
University of Lapland is the northernmost university in Finland with four faculties and more than 5500 students and 650 members of staff. It is an international, multidisciplinary public university whose areas of expertise include art and design, education, law, social sciences, as well as Northern and Arctic issues and tourism research. As a research-based higher education institution, the teaching and research facilities offer students and scholars the opportunity to pursue academic excellence, at all levels. The Faculty of Education offers teacher training along with other pioneering programs, such as Media education and Adult education. Media Education Hub (MEH) is a leading unit for education and research with experience of carrying out interdisciplinary research projects and developing educational models for different contexts. The task of MEH is to teach media education and educational use of ICTs, and to carry out research and development projects in the field. The fields of expertise of MEH are IT in teaching and learning, playful and game-based teaching and learning and critical media education.
Adjunct professor, University lecturer Mari Maasilta is specialized in critical media literacy and media research. Her research focuses on critical media education, mediatisation of society and empowerment through media. She teaches critical media education, and topics such as disinformation and fact checking.
Adjunct professor, University lecturer Marjaana Kangas is specialised in playful and game-based learning. Her research has mainly focused on understanding teaching and learning processes in various learning contexts, especially on the use of digital tools, play and games in 21st century education. Playful learning, students’ and teachers’ agency, digital media literacies and competences, out-of-school practices and creative collaboration have been at the core of her research interests. The research includes topics from early childhood to adult education.
Coordinator Heli Järvenpää works in Financial and Property Administration. Her responsibilities are financial services and supplementary funding.