Henna Vilppu
PhD
henvirt@utu.fi +358 29 450 3240 +358 50 355 2485 Assistentinkatu 5 Turku |
Regulation of learning; Learning and teaching in different higher education environments; Teacher professional development; Teacher education; Impact of pedagogical training; Eye-tracking
Education and degrees
2026: Adjunct Professor (Title of Docent) in Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä
2026: Master of Arts (English), University of Turku
2016: PhD (Education), University of Turku
2009: Master of Arts (Education), University of Turku
Recent academic work experience
Since 2021, I have been working as a university researcher at the UTUPEDA Centre and the Dept. of Teacher Education at the University of Turku. From 2021–2026, I have also worked as a postdoctoral researcher on various research projects with varying degrees of work allocation at the University of Turku (KOPTUKE Baseline, FinTED, SITE, Read2Learn) and the University of Jyväskylä (SITE, spring 2022, 50%). Previously, I have worked as a university researcher, senior researcher, doctoral student, project researcher, and research assistant at the Dept. of Teacher Education, University of Turku.
My research aims to understand learning and teacher professional development at higher education settings. My doctoral thesis focused on university students’ regulation of learning and text processing in various context. Since then, the focus of my research has shifted to the professional development among preservice teachers and university teachers, as well as teacher training. I have studied student selection in teacher education, and the competence development of preservice teachers during teacher training. Additionally, I have studied the impact of pedagogical training on conceptions of teaching and teachers’ visual attention.
From 2019 onwards, my teaching duties have focused on teacher pedagogical studies (university pedagogy). I have been the responsible teacher for several courses: Yliopistopedagogiikan perusteet B/2 (5 op), Basics of University Pedagogy B/2 (5 op), 2019–2022; Oman opetustyön kehittäminen I ja II (á 5 op) / Tieteenalakohtainen yliopistopedagogiikka I ja II (á 5 op), 2020–; Ohjattu opetusharjoittelu (12 op) / Opetusharjoittelu omassa työssä (6 op), Opetusharjoittelu uudessa ympäristössä (6 op); 2021–.
Additionally, I have taught several courses in collaboration with my colleagues: Opetustaidot käytännössä (5 op), 2024– / Teaching skills in practice (5 op), 2025–; Tutkimus opetustyön tukena (8 op), 2025–2026; Yliopistopedagogiikan perusteet (10 op), 2022–2024; Yliopistopedagogiikan perusteet A/1 (5 op), Basics of University Pedagogy A/1 (5 op), 2019–2022; Opetuksen ja oppimisen haasteet (6 op), 2021.
In addition, I have teaching experience in primary teacher education, especially in research workshop studies (research methods). I have supervised bachelor’s and master’s theses and currently I’m a 2nd or 3rd supervisor for four PhD theses (3rd supervisor for one completed PhD thesis).
- Medical students' biomedical and clinical knowledge: Combining longitudinal design, eye tracking and comparison with residents' performance (2017)
- Learning and Instruction
- University students’ regulation of learning and text processing – examples from medical and teacher education (2016) Vilppu Henna
- Yliopisto-opiskelijoiden oppimisen säätely ja tekstin prosessointi : esimerkkeinä lääketieteen ja luokanopettajakoulutuksen opiskelijat (2016)
- Yliopistopedagogiikka
- Sisätauteihin erikoistuvien lääkäreiden asiantuntemus potilastapauksen tulkitsijana (2014)
- Yliopistopedagogiikka
- Promoting the Understanding of Photosynthesis Among Elementary School Student Teachers Through Text Design (2013)
- Journal of Science Teacher Education
- The Role of Regulation and Processing Strategies in Understanding Science Text Among University Students (2013)
- Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research
- First-year medical students' conceptual understanding of and resistance to conceptual change concerning the central cardiovascular system (2012)
- Instructional Science
- Lääketieteen ja hammaslääketieteen ensimmäisen vuoden opiskelijat oppimisensa säätelijöinä (2010)
- Peda-Forum: Yliopistopedagoginen Aikakausjulkaisu
- Regulation of learning and study orientations of medical students (2010)
- Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences
- The Effect of Text in Understanding Photosynthesis Among University Students With Different Learning Strategies (2010) Earli, Text and graphics SIG, Tracing the mind: How do we learn from text and graphics? Ahopelto I, Mikkilä-Erdmann M, Virtanen H



