Erno Lehtinen

1.1.2010 - 31.12.2014
University of Turku
pedagogics

One of the major research challenges for Professor Erno Lehtinen of the University of Turku has been to understand the qualitative variation seen in learning from early childhood development through to occupational situations in adulthood. His scientific breakthrough has been to turn the focus of research onto how micro-level human cognitive structures, cultural models of knowledge and actions as well as motives and intentions emerging in social situations can produce high-level expertise, on the one hand, and severe learning difficulties, on the other.

According to Professor Lehtinen, number sense is an essential foundation for mathematical thinking and reasoning at all levels of mathematics learning. An inadequate mental model of natural numbers will hamper understanding of more advanced forms of number sense and often lead to mathematical learning difficulties and in adulthood to problems coping with situations requiring everyday maths skills.

Unless the problems in learning maths at school are overcome, they will continue to have a detrimental effect in adulthood. Professor Lehtinen’s research integrates both neuropsychological processing, classroom experiences and the highly complex mathematical understanding required in adulthood.