During the past 2500 years many things have changed, but the way of learning philosophy has not, in a sense, not changed. 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 courses that I have taught (at University of Helsinki):
Lapsuuden ja kasvatuksen filosofia (Philosophy of Childhood and Education), Winter 2026. This was the first ever complete Philosophy of Education course taught in the Philosophy Dispcipline at Helsinki University. The course focused on the ethical and political aspects of education, touching upon also methodological questions in philosophy of education. My approach was both thematical and historical as many philosophy classics have held education central to their moral and political theory.
Etiikan johdantokurssi (Introduction to Ethics), online and lecture course, University of Helsinki and Open University. I was involved in the design and building of the course have taught the course two times a year during 2018-2023. The six-week long course employed a case-based approach and included 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 (Seminar in Philosophy of Education) 2015-2016
Social Justice and Diversities in Education 2017-2018
Filosofian ja elämänkatsomustiedon ainedidaktiikka (Pedagogy of Philosophy and Worldviews, Culture and Ethics) 2014, 2015, 2019, 2024
Opettaja työnsä tutkijana (Philosophy of Science for Teachers) 2018, 2019
Tutoring:
I am currently supervising three Master and two Doctoral students (2026).
Earlier, I have also offered group-based tutoring, such as reading
tutorials for Philosophy Majors 2018-2023 and tutorials in the Pedagogy of Philosophy and Worldview Education (2014, 2015, 2019, 2024).
