How Covid-19 Intruded and Improved My Applied LESLLA Research in Progress : Reflections on Research-Design and Research Ethics of an Empirical Serious Game Study on L2 Literacy Support of Adult Migrants in Finland

In this paper, I am reporting on the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on my ongoing doctoral study. Due to the disruptive effects of the pandemic in 2020, it was not possible to carry out planned field-testing with adult literacy learners in Finland. This paper intends to illuminate the pandemic-related research implications for this study, by highlighting how the pandemic circumstances challenged and crystallized this study’s initial focus and feasibility, consequently, changing and, therefore unexpectedly, enhancing this study’s research design. This paper reflects on the evolution of a specific study design, its process and progress to encourage reflection and discussion on current and future LESLLA study design, feasibility, and ethical considerations in exceptional conditions.