Generation AI: A Finnish approach to K-9 AI Education
| Date | 10 Jun 2026 |
| Time | 10:00 - 11:30 in UTC |
| Presenter |
Matti Tendre
, University of Eastern Finland
Nicolas Pope
, University of Eastern Finland
|
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, yet most educational discussions focus on using AI tools rather than understanding how AI systems work. This talk introduces the Finnish Generation AI research and development program, which has spent the past several years developing pedagogical models, classroom activities, and open educational technologies for AI literacy in schools.
The presentation explores how AI education can be approached as an empirical science education, where learners investigate, experiment with, and reason about AI systems rather than simply use them. Particular attention is given to the role of data, uncertainty, inference, prediction, and evaluation.
The talk will showcase two classroom tools developed in the Generation AI project. Somekone is an explainable social media simulator that helps learners investigate how digital traces are collected, how profiles are constructed from behavioral data, and how recommendation systems shape information environments. Little Language Machine is an interactive learning environment that allows learners to train and inspect their own small language models, making otherwise invisible processes such as token prediction, training, loss minimization, and model evaluation visible and discussable.
Through these examples, the talk examines how we can help learners move beyond seeing AI as a black box toward understanding how data-driven systems learn from data, make predictions, and influence individuals and
societies. The session will provide both conceptual insights and practical examples for teaching about modern AI in educational settings.
Other links from the session
Generation AI web page here https://www.gen-ai.fi/
The CEDE Model: A Learning-Sciences Based Approach for Critical and Transformative K–12 AI Education
Presenters
About the presenter
Matti Tedre is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Eastern Finland, Extraordinary Professor at North West University (RSA), and Guest Professor at TU Wien (AT). He leads Generation AI, a six-year national strategic research program on K–12 AI literacy education. He also co-leads Finland's national doctoral training pilot, which funds 100 PhD positions in AI, and works in the Nordic project "Nordic Education at the Frontline of Responsible AI". Tedre has authored approximately 200 publications in computing education research, and for the past 7 years his work has centered on advancing the theory, design, and empirical foundations of AI education and AI literacy.
About the presenter
Dr. Nicolas Pope has been involved in research on a wide range of educational technologies for over 15 years. He has a background as a software engineer and is currently a senior researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, investigating the explainability of social media algorithms, generative AI and other fundamental AI concepts in K-12 classrooms. He also has experience with constructionist modelling environments, immersive 3D video conferencing for elementary schools in Africa and Europe and the co-creation of games.