During the past 2500 years many things have changed, but philosophy in a sense has not changed a bit. Learning philosophy still requires familiarizing oneself with the thinking and argumentation of some great thinkers – and then trying to do the same yourself. In my teaching I strive to activate the students’ own thinking process – which is what the best lecturers do with no more advantaged technology than chalkboard and chalk. I am a firm believer in this kind of pedagogy. In reading tutorials I always start with the students own comments and questions.
However, everyone learns in their personal way. Also, teaching bigger groups with less resources is the unfortunate reality at many universities. I think that digital tools can give lecturers more options to reach different kinds of learners, and offer possibilities for the students to interact more and in various ways during the classes. At the same time, digital tools should be understood as they are: just tools. They should not be used to substitute in-person interaction and tutoring.
Selection of the courses that I have taught during 2014-2024 (University of Helsinki):
Etiikan johdantokurssi (Introduction to Ethics), online and lecture course, University of Helsinki and Open University. I have taught the course one or two times a year during 2018-2023. The six-week long course has a case-based approach and includes animations, lecture videos and small writing tasks for the students as well as online or in-person group tutorials. I have taught the course also as a flipped mass course. Read more about digital philosophy teaching: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/digi-phil/ (Finnish and English) or https://blogs.helsinki.fi/filosofiadigiloikka/category/digiloikkaprojektin-paivakirja/ (Finnish only) or (research article, In Finnish): https://netn.fi/artikkelit/digitaalisuus-tuli-filosofiaan-digitaaliset-opetusvalineet-ja-ajattelun-taitojen/
Filosofinen kirjoitusharjoitusseminaari (Essay writing course in Philosophy) 2018 – 2024
Kasvatusfilosofian seminaari (Philosophy of Education seminar) 2015-2016
Social Justice and Diversities in Education 2017-2018
Filosofian ja elämänkatsomustiedon ainedidaktiikka (Pedagogy of Philosophy and Secular Ethics) 2014, 2015, 2019, 2024
Opettaja työnsä tutkijana (Philosophy of Science for Teachers) 2018, 2019
Tutoring:
Etiikan johdantokurssin pääainetutoriaalit (tutorials of ethics for Philosophy Majors) 2018-2023
Filosofian ja elämänkatsomustiedon ainedidaktiikan ryhmät (tutorials in the pedagogy of philosophy and secular ethics) 2014, 2015, 2019, 2024
Tarna Kannisto, PhD 