Milla is our Finnish gem, bringing her ideas, innovation and ever present smile to the Digital & Collaborative Learning team. In her role as Postgraduate Director Milla helps to develop and deliver our popular 35-week programme, two things she absolutely loves. Our learners love her too, with her positive attitude and refreshing perspective always standing out when she teaches.
A fluent speaker of the complex Finnish language, Milla is passionate and extremely interested in the power that play, creativity and innovation have in relation to technology, drama education, improvisation, art, agency and design thinking – which she frequently has the chance to embrace within her role at academyEX.
Furthering this her research interests include technology in education, co-creation and innovation with students and teachers, and agile and collaborative leadership – which are some of the pillars of how we teach and learn here and why Milla fits in so perfectly as one of our expert educators.
When thinking about the future, Milla is fascinated and excited by machine learning. She claims that the more we learn about machines the more we realise and appreciate the way humans are different from them – a truly positive and human-centered take on a technology prospect many find intimidating. When thinking about the past, Milla would love the chance to catch up with her late mother, since she was one of those truly amazing human beings with the ability to uplift everyone around her.
As well as being an expert educator, Milla was also once an expert Lucia! She was once chosen to take on this important role in her Finnish hometown’s St Lucy’s Day celebration, which saw her smiling, wishing everyone Merry Christmas and most importantly wearing a crown made of real candles for the first time in decades as part of this important tradition. Safe to say, Milla got a fair amount of wax in her hair but she still kept on smiling.
Milla is a much loved member of the team here at academyEX, and the fact that she sums her life up in the song ‘Singing in the Rain’ showcases not only her love for tap dancing but also how her positive attitude continues to overcome any obstacle she’s faced with. And she doesn’t stop there, Milla is always looking for what else she can do better and what new things she can learn!
Academic achievements:
Bachelor of Education, University of Eastern Finland https://www.uef.fi/en Primary School Teacher Education, specialising in Art Education and ICT in Education
Master of Philosophy (Education) - University of Eastern Finland
Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Change for Good - academyEX
Publications