Arto Laukkanen
Exercise and physically active lifestyle became a natural part of my life already in my childhood. Gradually, I began to form an understanding of how we need expertise and professionals to promote exercise and physical activity in society. However, physical activity is a very complex phenomenon, and the interest in understanding the phenomena associated with it eventually led to my career as a researcher, as well as a teacher.
I chose the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences because it’s the only university-level unit for physical education in Finland. The best things about Jyväskylä are its short distances and closeness to nature, as well as its competitively strong and vibrant university.
Research and teaching support each other
I started working on my doctoral dissertation in the spring of 2011 as part of the family-based daily physical activity intervention led by Professor Taija Juutinen. After completing my doctoral degree, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences as well as the Faculty of Education and Psychology. I started my current job as a senior lecturer in the early spring of 2022.
Scientific research and teaching based on social interaction balance the everyday life well. In addition, there’s flexibility in the job, and I feel like many of the things I do are more voluntary in nature, so it’s easy to stay motivated. Setbacks are a natural part of both daily life and professional life. When you get to do work that feels meaningful, you are also able to handle setbacks better.
Multidisciplinarity is an asset
The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ is a community whose values ​​and core missions are meaningful to me. Nowadays, the importance of education and research is emphasised. The members of the JYU community are thus helping to build a more functional society.
Working at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally in a diverse environment. The multidisciplinary nature of the faculty is an asset in the national and international scientific community where the focus is on innovation and creating collaborative networks.
In recent years, the faculty’s work community has undergone a major transformation, and as a result of everyone’s determined efforts, the community has become even more unified.
Three tips for parents
In the research into children’s physical activity, the most burning question at the moment is what kind of living environment and society can provide a sustainable foundation for physical activity, development, and learning in the lives of children and adolescents. Both observational and experimental long-term follow-up studies are needed to reliably assess the development of relationships and causal relations.
Parents have an important role in creating conditions and supporting the physically active lifestyle of their children. I have three simple tips for parents on how to increase physical activity in daily life:
- The foundation for development is laid during the first six years of life, so try to minimise restrictions and to exercise as well as go outdoors with your children whenever possible.
- Maintain an atmosphere that encourages physical activity in daily life, such as walking or cycling to school and other distances. A child will benefit from setting boundaries and establishing clear rules, so you can set limitations for your child when necessary.
- Try to also take time for your own regular exercise routine. It doesn’t take anything away from the children and helps parents to better cope with the daily family life.
