This document summarizes the research focus areas and activities of the School of Computing at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). It discusses four main areas of focus: 1) educational technology, 2) interactive technologies, 3) natural language processing and text analysis, and 4) inclusive technologies for specific user groups. For each area, it provides 1-2 sentences about the lead researchers and example projects. It also summarizes outreach activities including an annual science festival and technology clubs for children.

1. edTech @ School of
Computing, UEF
Dr. Jarkko Suhonen
School of Computing, UEF
19 September 2012
jarkko.suhonen@uef.fi

2. Technologies for Education and
Development research focus area
• edTech – Prof. Erkki Sutinen; hKp://www.uef.fi/edtech
1) Educational technology
2) ICT for Development
3) Computer Science Education
• Interactive technologies – Prof. Markku Tukiainen;
hKp://cs.uef.fi/pages/int
1) Eye-­‐‑tracking and Intelligent Interfaces
2) Inclusive design
3) Agile and participatory methods in Software Engineering –
Software Factory
4) Design methods in cross-­‐‑cultural HCI and senior ICT education.

3. Natural Language Processig and Text analysis methods
• Detecting emotions in texts
• ICT methods and tools to
enhance corporate leadership
– Minining opinions of
customers via Social
environments
• Semi-­‐‑automatic assessment of
essays

4. Inclusive technologies for specific user
groups
• Technologies for children with individual needs – Games (Kinetic),
robotics and tangible technologies (touch screens)
– Example: CASCATE project with autistic children;
hKp://www.uef.fi/cascate/cascate
• Institute of Inclusive Science and Solutions; hKp://www.uef.fi/iss
• Joint effort between SoC and Special Education in UEF

5. CASCATE
Symbol recognition
Story telling
Modelling
Physical play element

6. 1. Games for mathematics education
2. Sensor technologies in
environmental education
3. Mobile and smart games for
museums
hKp://people.ubilife.net/teemu/?page_id=4
Mobile games for formal and informal
education

7. • Online and blended learning solutions in Computer Science
• ViSCoS -­‐‑ hKp://cs.joensuu.fi/viscos
• IMPDET; online PhD studies in educational technology and ICT4D;
hKp://www.impdet.org
• Social softare tools in supporting online collaborative work and
community building
– Edmodo microblogging tool
– Wiki and Blog platforms
– Google Edu Tools
– Adobe Connect Pro, Google + Hangouts
• Cognitive and social tools to support learning of programming
• Jeliot
– a program visualization tool for learning Java programming
– hKp://cs.joensuu.fi/jeliot
• Robotics for learning programming
– visual environments for programming Lego robotics.
Computer Science Education

8. Computer Science Education - Jeliot

9. • Learning environments and materials
for HIV/AIDS education
– NetAIDS for Ugandan Youth
– SURA YA UKMWI – The faces of
AIDS,
hKp://www.surayaukimwi.com/
ICT for Development -­‐‑ 1

10. – Technological and pedagogical development of contextualized
IT Education.
• Contextualised Bachelor degree program in Tumaini University,
Tanzania
– Problem based approach -­‐‑ activities in community. For
example, OLPC project in primary education
• Similar initiatives in Mosambique and South Africa.
ICT for Development -­‐‑ 2

11. 9/16/13
Jyri Kemppainen
11
• Continuous co-­‐‑operation with Tumaini University at Iringa
since 1999
• Started with infrastructure operations – a finnish NGO has a
major role
• M.Sc. Education in Computer Science for a few Tanzanians in
Joensuu Campus 2002-­‐‑2004
• Research co-­‐‑operation in IT education development started 2001
– As a result, three years B.Sc. program in IT since 2007
• Staff and student exchange programmes
• Current research aims at M.Sc education in ITSM
– Might become a first shared degree between Tumaini University and
UEF.
Long-­‐‑term collaboration in Tanzania

12. – International Annual SciFest-­‐‑Festival of Science and Technology
hKp://www.scifest.fi/home_en.php
Outreach activities -­‐‑ SciFest

13. Outreach activities – Kids’ Club
• Combination of a technology club and research
laboratory environment
– Administrated by University of Joensuu (nowadays UEF) since
2001
– Based on regular club meetings twice in a month during school
semesters at the university’s premises
• Objectives
– To provide a meaningful hobby for school children
– To provide a platform for educational technology research
– To develop tools and methods for technology education in
collaboration with schools and teachers

14. Kids’ Club Africa
• TekkiKids at Meraka Institute
(SA)
• TEDITE Kids’ Club in Zambia
• Kids’ Club Mozambique with
street kids