Researcher of the Month is a joint publication series of the Faculty of Education's Centres for Research CERLI and CELE, presenting one researcher once a month. In January, University Lecturer Johanna Tigert from CERLI takes the spotlight.
Currently, I am researching topics related to my own field of expertise, linguistically and culturally responsive pedagogy, as well as broader themes in teacher education. I am not currently involved in any major projects, so my research focus tends to be somewhat fragmented, but on the other hand, I enjoy being able to freely tackle research topics that interest me. At the moment, I am researching, among other things, the use of language portraits to support teacher candidates' reflection, the presence of multilingualism and cultural diversity in schools' vision and mission statements, and the role of integrative teaching in teacher education curricula.
Investigating these topics is important because teacher education and teaching must respond to societal changes and transformations, which in my field of research are particularly related to considerations concerning increasing linguistic and cultural diversity. Research is needed to answer practical questions, for example, when we at the teacher training institution consider how to modify our curriculum, or when schools seek ways to provide equitable education to students regardless of their backgrounds. On the other hand, research contributes to the higher-level social debates about what is important to us in Finland – and in the world: what kind of future do we want to build? Educational research offers a meaningful contribution to these debates.
My daily life as a researcher currently consists mainly of tasks performed using digital tools. These include video meetings with fellow researchers to advance projects, using qualitative research tools to analyze research data, and writing, editing, and commenting on articles on various platforms. My hope is to soon be able to get out into schools to collect data for a future project.
I collaborate mainly with colleagues in the United States, as I have spent almost my entire research career there, except for the last three years. Together with my U.S. colleagues, we primarily study topics related to learning and teaching English as a new language. I have documented part of this career path in an upcoming book I co-authored with a colleague, Becoming Language Teacher Educators: Critical Friendships and Communities. Since returning to Finland, I have also enjoyed getting to know and networking with other researchers working in Finland, both at the University of Turku and at teacher training departments at other universities.
When I'm not researching, teaching, or performing administrative tasks in my job as a university lecturer, I try to find time for creative, hands-on work. I renovate my house, sew, throw pottery, and upholster furniture. I enjoy life in Finland and the joys of returning here – seeing my family and rediscovering beloved dialectal words.
My greetings to those working in learning and teaching research: Although there are clear challenges ahead in the field, they also mean that we are needed more than ever. Now is not the time to lose your heart!
The previously published presentations have been compiled on the series' website.
