“I’m curious to understand and to find solutions to the most critical questions in education. What are the most important educational goals today and tomorrow? How to develop meaningfulness of education in the complex world to support good life for all?”

Lauri Palsa, PhD, is an educator, researcher and runner based in Helsinki, Finland. Palsa is fascinated to combine the research-based abstract ideas with the local realities in a meaningful way. Palsa is inspired in finding impactful solutions to promote literacies through cross-sectoral cooperation, research-based practices and respectful dialogue.

Currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä, Palsa is able to explore data literacy and datafication in the formal education system. In the Running with data -research project Palsa contributes to new knowledge about literacy in the current non-formal dataspaces.

Palsa serves as the chairperson for the Finnish Society of Media Education (FSME), a non-profit civil society organization founded in 2005 develops and promotes media education and media literacy in Finland.

Palsa defended his PhD dissertation in 2021. By researching the ways in which the concept of multiliteracy travelled across the curricular framework from the international education policies to the local basic education curricula across the Finnish municipalities, Palsa was able to develop a theory of conceptual contextualization. Study was particularly focused on competence-based education.

Conceptually Palsa is fascinated by the opportunities of diverse literacies across the various areas of education, learning and culture. Through research, profession and education Palsa has been able to consider the aspects, relations and practical implications of various transversal literacy conceptualisations, including media literacy, multiliteracy and data literacy.

For the past decade Palsa has gained an experience in developing media literacy and media education nationally in Finland. He has been responsible for various initiatives such as policy development, research and implementation, program management, team leadership and project funding. The scale of duties consists of partnerships, project, concepts, lectures, consultations and research. Palsa values solutions strengthening future orientation, participation and well-being in working life.

Running offers Palsa a unique way for discovery, learning and being.  As a long-distance runner and a running coach, Palsa highlight the diversity, inclusiveness and joy in sport. Palsa is dedicated in strengthening the research-based understanding and discussion within the running community.