How can we design AI learning assistants to transform the way learners discover and navigate opportunities within the ECIU learning environment? This challenge invites you to rethink how personalised guidance can empower learners to achieve their goals. Using cutting-edge AI technologies, you'll co-create solutions that support diverse learner and professional needs and preferences while exploring the digital landscape with Microsoft Co-pilot platform and Virtual Reality with Microsoft Mesh environment where you can interact with your own digital avatars in a virtual classroom.

Through a dynamic program combining online sessions and an intensive three-day workshop at Tampere university, you will learn how to create AI agents capable of providing personalized assistance in learning and competence development, such as in the ECIU Engage platform. With opportunities to design assistants with different characteristics, response styles, and functionalities, you’ll have the freedom to create, innovate and experiment. Guided by workshops, expert mentoring, and peer collaboration, you’ll develop a prototype that balances ease of use, response accuracy, and effective learner guidance. Your designs will be evaluated by AI specialists, pushing you to deliver impactful, practical solutions.

By joining this challenge, you’ll develop AI prototypes that serve as personalised assistants for assisting individuals in learning and in competence development in digital environments (AI chatbot) or Virtual Realities (AI avatar). The prototypes can contribute to navigating the ECIU Engage platform and make a lasting contribution to the way ECIU offers learner guidance, designed for students, by students! These assistants will offer tailored guidance, adapt to individual learner styles, and potentially integrate seamlessly into the existing Engage platform. The final prototypes will be evaluated by AI experts based on usability, accuracy, and effectiveness in supporting learner journeys. The potential for further development by the ECIU will be evaluated as well.

The ECIU AI hackathon is organized in collaboration with Gameful Realities research center and EVIL-AI project.

Motivation letter is a personal statement and it might include a brief introduction of yourself, explanation why are you interested in the learning opportunity you are applying to, any relevant experience or skills that you have, your goals and how this opportunity will help you achieve them, This document should not be more than 400 words.

Motivation Letter

Tampere University

ECIU AI assistant hackathon

Creating learner guidance AI tools for the digital and virtual environments

Critical and innovative thinking

Inter-personal skills

Media and information literacy

This course is a continuation course after the basic course Finnish 1. The target level of the course is A1.3, functional elementary proficiency (CEFR application by Finnish National Agency for Education). The course consists of self-study modules in Moodle. In addition to that, there are optional online meetings to practise interaction. By the end of the course the student will have tools for simple interaction using basic phrases to following topics: family, hobbies and leisure, talking about studies, simple inquiries and announcements related to studying .

The prerequisite for this course is the previous course Finnish 1 or corresponding skills (CEFR level A1.2). This course is an online implementation consisting of different materials and activities. The teaching language is English.

The course material will open in Moodle on 7.1.2025, last day for submissions of tasks is 9.5.2025 and the material is available in Moodle until mid-June.

Finnish 2

Finnish online (spring -25 implementation)

Language learning

This course is an introduction to the Finnish language. The target level of the course is A1.2, developing elementary proficiency (CEFR application by Finnish National Agency for Education). The course consists of self-study modules in Moodle. In addition to that, there are optional online meetings to practise interaction. By the end of the course the student will have tools for simple interaction using basic phrases to following topics: greetings, meeting people, introductions, vocabulary related to food and beverages, expressions of time.  

No previous knowledge of the Finnish language is needed. This course is an online implementation consisting of different materials and activities. The teaching language is English.

The course material will open in Moodle on 7.1.2025, last day for submissions of tasks is 9.5.2025 and the material is available in Moodle until mid-June.

Finnish 1

This module leads students on an informed self-reflective journey to develop confidence in their language and intercultural communication skills.

Content of the course is:

- language-proficiency testing
- strategies for communication in other languages
- reflections upon intercultural encounters
- intercultural communication difficulties and solutions

CEFR-level of the course is B2

Developing Language-learner Competence, Confidence and Intercultural

Online micromodule

Intra-personal skills

Global citizenship

This course is an introduction to the Finnish language. The target level of the course is A1.2, developing elementary proficiency (CEFR application by Finnish National Agency for Education). The course consists of self-study modules in Moodle. In addition to that, there are optional online meetings to practise interaction. By the end of the course the student will have tools for simple interaction using basic phrases to following topics: greetings, meeting people, introductions, vocabulary related to food and beverages, expressions of time.  

No previous knowledge of the Finnish language is needed. This course is an online implementation consisting of different materials and activities. The teaching language is English.

The course material will open in Moodle on 2.9.2024, last day for submissions of tasks is 9.12.2024 and the material is available in Moodle until 6.1.2025.

Finnish online (Autumn 24 implementation)

This course is a continuation course after the basic course Finnish 1. The target level of the course is A1.3, functional elementary proficiency (CEFR application by Finnish National Agency for Education). The course consists of self-study modules in Moodle. In addition to that, there are optional online meetings to practise interaction. By the end of the course the student will have tools for simple interaction using basic phrases to following topics: family, hobbies and leisure, talking about studies, simple inquiries and announcements related to studying .

The prerequisite for this course is the previous course Finnish 1 or corresponding skills (CEFR level A1.2). This course is an online implementation consisting of different materials and activities. The teaching language is English.

The course material will open in Moodle on 2.9.2024, last day for submissions of tasks is 9.12.2024 and the material is available in Moodle until 6.1.2025.

This thematic module focuses on visual accessibility in games and VR experiences. It briefly introduces basics of visual accessibility, and some of the needs of individuals with different visual needs. Next, the lecture provides two main discussion points; 1. how most games are visually inaccessible, and how some mainstream games are accidentally accessible to large extent, and, 2. how games, and especially VR, experiences can be very valuable and allow access to life experiences that visually impaired individuals can’t easily access such as diving, mountain climbing, or even being a sniper in an army.

Games, Gamification, Serious Games and Accessibility

Nonstop MOOC on methods and technologies for accessibility

Resilient communities

The course covers the basic principles and methods of translating visual information into text. Both human-led methods and automatic technologies are introduced, including audio/video description, automatic image/video captioning and alternative texts.

Visuals to Text

The module will introduce the requirements and considerations for accessible entertainment, including going to a theater or museum, and watching a movie. As a part of this module, students will watch an accessible movie on YouTube and share their experiences in a learning diary reflecting on the many considerations and elements required to make a movie accessible to a large audience, including subtitling, audio descriptions, lighting etc.

Entertainment and Accessibility

This thematic module introduces the student to the definition of accessibility and discussion in society, but also to the role of disability legislation. People with disabilities are often excluded from the mainstream of society. Disabilities affect people’s lives in multiple ways, both as individuals and as part of society. Disability can also be either temporary or permanent, but accessibility is not just a temporary feature.

Defining and Discussing Accessibility in Society

This module introduces the student to different ways of making accessible lectures. The student learns ways of evaluating the accessibility of the classroom from the point of view of lighting, sound design, visual information and mobility. The student also learns to think about the possible disabilities and special needs of people on the classroom and how to accommodate for them. The student will also learn about how to work with different types of interpreters and personal assistants for disabled people in the classroom setting.

Accessible Lectures

This thematic module covers the basic principles of easy spoken interaction. It provides examples from authentic conversations involving speakers who benefit from easy spoken interaction.

Easy Spoken Interaction

This thematic module introduces the student to aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) techniques such as the use of pictures or symbols. Lectures focus on strategies (such as PECS, first-then boards) and the use of different systems (such as ARASAAC, Mulberry or Sclera) in different situations. Technologies, culture and the environment are also briefly discussed

Picture Communication

Technology overall, provides a safe, controlled, predictable environment for individuals with developmental disabilities, and using gestures and haptic interaction allows input mechanisms that do not rely on traditional keyboards and mouse interfaces. In this module, several different applications of gestures-based and haptic interaction will be presented and the limitation and benefits of each will be discussed. Example applications will be a combination of those that are commercially available and those that are developed in various research projects across the world.

Haptics and Gestures (Gesture-based Interfaces)

During this module, the student will modify their own document (thesis, publication, course work…) to make it more accessible. The module teaches how to make documents accessible and what kind of methods are available. The module introduces for example how to make accessible tables, images, footnotes, and charts.

Accessible Documents

Entrepreneurship, technology and innovation

This module introduces the student to speech-to-text interpreting, also known as print interpreting. The student will learn about what STT interpreting is, what are the requirements for working as an STT interpreter and what the work can be like in practice. The student will independently practice the 10 finger typing method and try interpreting a couple of short videos.

Introduction to Speech-to-Text Interpreting

Nonstop MOOC on methods and technologies for accessibility,

The course gives an overview of social-haptic communication as a communication approach for people with sensory loss (visual impaired, hearing impaired, dual sensory impaired), other client groups (dementia, learning difficulties etc.) with friends, family and professionals.

Social Haptic Communication

**This course is meant for doctoral students only** currently completing a research writing project, e.g., an academic article or monograph.

The content of the course:

· The writing process

· Rhetorical conventions of research writing, including argumentation, style, structure, readability, and academic integrity

· Online writing tools, including AI-based tools

· Journal selection and the peer review process

On completion of the course, successful students will be able to:

· communicate their own argument using formal academic style;

· structure and organize academic articles and monographs;

· understand the article publication process, including evaluating journal requirements, selecting a journal, preparing a manuscript for publication, and responding to reviewers;

· understand how to use online tools, including AI-based tools; and

· give and receive peer feedback on scholarly texts in an interactive online writing group meeting and/or Moodle forum.

Academic Writing for Doctoral Students

Online asynchronous course for doctoral students

In this module, we will look at different technologies for physical and motor rehabilitation, including exergames, virtual reality, gestures, robots and more. Examples from research and current medical practices will be described, along with their benefits and limitations. Further, trends in assistive augmentation, e.g. technologies that enable us to enhance physical, sensorial, and cognitive capabilities, will be discussed.

Rehabilitation and Assistive Augmentation

This module introduces you to accessible media. Media accessibility is concerned with how media content and services can be accessed by people who are not able to access them in their original form. The module includes basic information about media accessibility and a movie clip that follows the principles of accessible filmmaking.

Accessible Media

**Prerequisites for the course: General chemistry knowledge required (For example: Chemistry for engineers 1 & Chemistry for engineers 2 )**

The course deals with important and timely topics devoted to solar energy harvesting, conversion, and storage. The core contents of the course can be summarized as follows:

1. Global energy scenario and the importance of solar energy
2. Principles of solar energy conversion and storage
3. Photovoltaics (inorganic, organic, hybrid, from solar cells to modules)
4. Conversion of solar energy into chemical energy (e.g., solar fuels)
5. How to store solar energy – case study: batteries
6. Chemistry of materials for solar energy conversion and storage
7. Environmental impact of solar energy technologies
8. Challenge-based work related to the topics of the course

Solar-Driven Chemistry

Online Challenge

Energy and sustainability

Circular economy

The course covers the basic principles and methods of translating speech to text. Both human-led methods and automatic technologies are introduced, including subtitling/captioning, print interpreting, speech recognition, re-speaking.

Speech to Text (Subtitling)

The module introduces the very basics of user experience evaluation in the context of human-technology interaction. These are described through concrete evaluation cases, that demonstrate how special characteristics of certain user groups may affect, and need to be taken into account in, the evaluation design. The examples consist of field studies conducted with special user groups, such as individuals with developmental disabilities, visually impaired users, physically disabled users, and children.

Accessibility and User Experience

This module will guide students through the intersection of translation studies and cutting-edge technology, exploring how technological advancements like immersive media (e.g., virtual reality and augmented reality), artificial intelligence, robotics, and more are reshaping translation practices and the role of translators in a digital world. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current trends and possible future developments of translation through the analysis of various case studies, both real and fictional. They will also learn how to critically reflect and reconstruct the mechanics, dynamics, and strategies behind future translations through individual and group exercises. Additionally, students will be encouraged to imagine and navigate a possible future of translation, preparing them to discover new potentials to tackle the challenges of translation in a rapidly changing world.

Futures of Translation

Explore our evolving mediascape through the lens of translation and its possible futures

This module introduces the student to the Finnish legislation regarding accessibility, teaching, and people with disabilities's right for assistance in the classroom. The student will learn about the education-specific accessibility legislations as well as more general legislation regarding the rights of the people with disabilities. The student will also reflect on these topics and think about how they relate to their own experiences and possible future plans in the field of education.

Teaching and Accessibility Legislation

This thematic modules Web accessibility I and II introduces guidelines and other standards related to web accessibility, such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The first module explains the web accessibility principles (POUR), but focuses on technical specifications, primarily explaining the WAI-ARIA, the Accessible Rich Internet Applications suite of web standards.

Web Accessibility I (Technical)

The course provides a crash course on the topic of collaboration in extended reality (XR), providing the learner with insights on state-of-the-art technologies and XR-related research. After taking the course, the learner will have basic knowledge on how collaboration in XR works in various domains, and how it might shape up to work in the future.  
  
Whether you're an aspiring developer, a creative artist, a business professional, or simply curious about the potential of XR, this is a technology that you should at least get acquainted with. This course will empower you to unlock the boundless possibilities of this transformative technology.

Introduction to Collaborative XR

Dive into the XR world

There are numerous unique challenges and expectations related to submitting English-language abstract proposals and presenting at international conferences, thus, this course will prove beneficial regardless of students’ conference experience and native language.

This English-medium asynchronous online course is offered to master’s and doctoral students over a six-week period. The course aims to support master’s and doctoral students wishing to share their research projects with an international conference audience.

The course will improve students’ ability to:

Write and submit a conference abstract

Choose and organize appropriate content

Design effective visuals

Present their content to an international audience

Deal with questions posed by conference delegates.

Effective Conference Presentations: Sharing Your Research

Online asynchronous course for master’s and doctoral students

This thematic module familiarizes the student with the audiodescription (AD) of artistic products and venues of different kinds: art galleries, museums and theatre plays. The module introduces the production processes and the basic principles and guidelines for this type of AD and familiarizes the student with authentic examples of AD in museums around the world.

Audio Description of Art

The course covers the basic principles and methods of translating speech and audio to text. Both human-led methods and automatic technologies are introduced, including audio captioning, print interpreting, speech recognition, re-speaking.

Speech and Audio to Text

The module introduces the ways MT is being used today, specifically when it is used for 'gisting', or achieving an understanding of a text that is in a language a person does not speak themselves. The module will then focus on the various proposals and projects focused on using MT to promote linguistic accessibility.

Linguistic Accessibility and Machine Translation

This module introduces you to accessible social media. The module focuses on basic information about social media accessibility, accessibility of emojis and tips how to make your own social media account more accessible.

Accessible Social Media

This thematic module briefly introduces the student to artificial intelligence (AI) and some of the ways in which AI is used to empower people with disabilities. Lectures focus on three cases; 1) communication and connection, 2) employment and 3) daily life. AI can empower people with disabilities, but there are also concerns about the diversity, inclusiveness, and accessibility of AI, which are also briefly addressed.

Accessible AI

From designing for disability, to designing for abilities and for augmenting human capabilities, this thematic module takes a broader look at the trends in research on accessibility with a focus on ideas, designs, prototypes, and products for the 21st century. The module will introduce ongoing research on Cyborgs, artificial limbs and augmentations, brain-computer interactions, AI, etc., through published research in HCI and accessibility, and other venues. The module discusses how our understanding of human abilities is changing, and the different research trajectories from where we are today

Trends in Accessibility Research

This thematic module covers the main principles of speech-based human-technology interaction, focusing on spoken interfaces which facilitate accessibility. Agent design for spoken interfaces. This includes both speech output (e.g., spoken prompts for people with visual disabilities) and speech input (e.g., speech control for physically disabled personnel). The students will also be introduced to different Voice Assistants and how they are being used in facilitating accessibility in the real-world.

Spoken Interfaces

This thematic modules Web accessibility I and II introduces guidelines and other standards related to web accessibility, such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The second module explains the web accessibility principles (POUR), but focuses on the content to make it readable and understandable, including requirements that address cognitive accessibility.

Web Accessibility II (Content)

During this course students have possibilities to reflect on and learn current phenomenon on disability participations. Course offers different interpretations how society can see disabilities in different models. One current topic is for instance how covid19 has negatively impacted the everyday life of disabled people in the context of physical and digital environments. The course offers tips and hints about what to consider for example meetings in physical environments or online meetings related to accessibility.    
  
During the course students have chances to reflect and learn on the everyday life experiences of disabled people.

How to Face Disabled Person

This thematic module covers the basic principles and methods of writing easy language or translating standard texts into texts in easy language. It provides examples of different types of easy texts, such as informative texts, news, and literature.

Easy Language

Course contents comprises of:

- The politics and geopolitics of hydrogen transitions
- The structure and actors of hydrogen geopolitics
- Major fossil fuel exporters in transition
- Energy security
- Hydrogen diplomacy
- Competing visions of hydrogen futures

Member university

Tampere University

Member university

Tampere University

Learning opportunities of Tampere University