Ongoing Projects
Funded by Research Council of Finland
- Research Council of Finland funded ATOM (2025-2029), PI Sumita Smarma
- Research Council of Finland funded TAKEOVER (2024-2028), PI Netta Iivari
- Academy Research Fellowship Critical DataLit project (2023-2027), exploring youth’s data literacies, with an emphasis in supporting social justice in the context of digital citizenship education, PI Eva Durall Gazulla
- Academy of Finland funded project AI-REG (2022-2027) studies ambiguity that arises from the European Artificial Intelligence Act proposal (AI Act), PI Karin Väyrynen
- Academy of Finland funded FutuProta (2022-2026) project that examines ‘technology protagonism’, i.e., how the future citizens would be able to act as technology protagonists who have the ability to question digital technology use and demand for socially sustainable technological solutions. PI Marianne Kinnula
Funded by European Union
- European Social Fund (ESF) funded ARTiFAB project (2024-2026) helps to bridge the digital gap in the Oulu region by organizing workshops for those currently outside of working life, that combine digital small-scale manufacturing and art. The topical combination supports the goals of Oulu’s European Capital of Culture 2026 program and inspires those who have not previously been interested in technology to learn the skills of the future.
- Horizon Europe (Culture, creativity and inclusive society) funded Critical ChangeLab (2023-2026) research and innovation project develops a model of democratic pedagogy using creative and narrative practices to foster youth’s active democratic citizenship, providing robust evidence to support democratic curriculum development.
- European Regional Development Fund (Euroopan aluekehitysrahasto, Pohjois-Pohjanmaan Liitto) funded Metapilot Factory - strengthening the understanding of metaverse technologies in the Northern Ostrobothnia region (2023-2026)
- Tarinatalo - a virtual learning environment for supporting the reading, writing and literacy skills of children and adolescent (site in English here). Tarinatalo is a part of the Metapilot Factory -project
Funding for India collaboration
- Team Finland Knowledge funded DTC (Design Thinking Curriculum) (2025-2027) in collaboration with Indian Institure of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi), India.
- University of Oulu funded IMPACT - Adding Impact to Design Thinking Research (2025) in collaboration with Indian Institure of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi), India. Bridging the gap between governance and emerging technologies by educating policymakers about Design Thinking, aiming for more effective and child-centric policies through framing challenges in schools from a human-centered perspective and aligning Design Thinking with school education.
- An India Pilot initiative seed-funded 6GSmart Schools (Envisioning Sustainable 6G Smart Schools with Children, by Children) (2022-2025) as part of the India Pilot initiative from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
Other
- Design@school - a long-term research effort related to bringing designerly thinking to schools
Some completed projects
Funded by Research Council of Finland
- Academy of Finland funded Participatory AI with Schoolchildren (PAIZ) on critical AI literacy with children using design fiction and hands-on activities. PI Sumita Sharma
- Academy of Finland funded MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE -Critical Design and Making by Children (Lasten kriittinen teknologiasuunnittelu ja -värkkäys)
- Academy of Finland funded Tekoälyn kokemuksia älykaupungissa: Kaupunkielämää tukevien AI-sovellusten osallistava suunnittelu, PI Aale Luusua
- Academy of Finland funded MULTICS- Multi-scoped infrastructuring : Forming a knowledge infrastructure for ILTER Network (in Finnish: Moniulotteinen infrastrukturoituminen: Tutkimusinfrastuktuurin muodostaminen ILTER- verkostolle), PI: Helena Karasti
- Participatory Urban Design with Advanced IT support, Academy of Finland project 2008-2011 (PUDAS), PI: Kari Kuutti
Funded by European Union
- Horizon 2020 funded RESET (Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together), PI: Netta Iivari
- European Social Fund (ESR) funded Diginet (ICT Training and Internships Digitally in the Network) aims to develop a digital solution that is particularly suitable for distance teaching and learning situations, as well as related pedagogical models. This supports the digital learning skills of the target group, such as self-study skills, tool use skills and teacher guidance skills, and the digital job search skills of the target group. The project is done in collaboration with Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
- Horizon 2020 funded COMnPLAY SCIENCE - learning science fun and creative way
- European Social Fund (ESR) funded Make4Change project (2020-2026) aimed to provide Oulu citizens with valuable 21st century skills through digital fabrication and making.
- European Social Fund (ESR) funded TIKO-Silta
(Co-operative Model of Information Processing Science Between High
Schools and Higher Education) aiming to find concrete ways to increase
co-operation between secondary and higher education, with an interest in
increasing girls' participation in IT. The project was done in collaboration with Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
- European Social Fund (ESR) funded LUNO- Lukiolaisista nostetta ohjelmistoalalle - Battling
the gender segregation in our field by making the IT field more
interesting for senior high school students, particularly girls, by
teaching them programming and designerly thinking as well as giving them
more information about our field in general. The project was done in
collaboration with Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
- Marie Curie ITN CHESS - Connected Health early stage researcher network (CHESS)
- Ai-Move - Development of an artificial intelligence system for a service built to prevent and support musculoskeletal disorders funded by EIT-Digital. We cooperate with RI.SE (SE), Qinematic (SE), Bright Cape (NL)
- EU IST 7thframework project funded Understanding and
strengthening children’s participation and agency in issues concerning
their life: Usability of Music for Social Inclusion
of Children,2008-2011 (UMSIC)
- Integrated project on Interaction and Presence in Urban Environments, EU IST 6th framework project, 2007-2011 (IPCity) - IT support for participatory urban design
Other
- Digital transformation of the Finnish taxi Industry (Financially supported by Wihuri Foundation and Academy of Finland's PROFI-4 GenZ)
- Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation postdoctoral research project: Climate change in the News. Principal investigator: Dorina Rajanen.
- Finnish Cultural Foundation funded DeMaKids project - Children as technology makers and shapers, integrating technology making into comprehensive school education
- Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation postdoctoral research project: Teachers’ role in shaping the educational network infrastructuring - positioned as designers of technology enhanced learning. Principal Investigator: Eija Halkola.
- Understanding and supporting open and democratic development approaches, such as open source software development as a specific focus of study and My Data.