Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, and EdTech Estonia are organizing an international vocational education hackathon from November 15th to 17th. Over 48 hours, participants will develop and test innovative ideas to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational education and offer new solutions to educational challenges.
According to hackathon project manager Janika Leoste, participants face several challenges. “Our goal is to develop solutions that support the promotion of vocational education and the development of skills necessary for future work. Over three days, at TalTech's innovation and entrepreneurship center Mektory and Tallinn University, we aim to generate ideas that enhance the availability of sustainable and upgradable learning materials, support vocational teachers and their successors, and address challenges related to curriculum design and implementation,” Leoste added.
Marit Kuusk, head of vocational education at the Ministry of Education and Research, noted that vocational education reform and educational innovation go hand in hand, as the labor market and its needs are constantly evolving. “The state aims to better integrate vocational education with other levels of education, combining theoretical and practical training to meet labor market demands. Flexibility, personalized learning, and a learner-centered approach form the foundation for innovative ideas and help make vocational education more attractive,” said Kuusk.
Omari Loid, a representative of EdTech Estonia, stated that the current demands on the education system surpass available resources. He noted that the workload of teachers is already critically high, with no significant increase in teacher numbers expected in the near future. “It is therefore crucial to find smarter ways to utilize existing resources. This is where the potential of educational technology comes into play. This hackathon offers a unique opportunity to identify and test innovative solutions that optimize educational resources and alleviate teachers’ workloads,” said Loid.
Nearly 200 participants (half of whom are students) from Estonia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Armenia, China, Mexico, India, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden, and many other countries will take part in the vocational education hackathon. Experts in vocational education, school leaders, teachers, students, software developers, UX specialists, business leaders, educational technologists, and policymakers will work together to find solutions for vocational education. The teams will be supported by 20 mentors, and the best solutions will be announced by the jury on Sunday, November 17, at Tallinn University.
The hackathon is organized by the Ministry of Education and Research, EdTech Estonia, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, and DigiEduHack 2024 in collaboration with the European Social Fund. Prizes for participants are provided by the Ministry of Education and Research, Tallinn University’s School of Educational Sciences, EdTech Estonia, Tallinn Education Department, Energy Discovery Centre, Tallinn University of Technology, Miltton, sTARTUp Day, Bonsay Technologies, Machine Learners, Tartu Applied College, Estonian Maritime School, and the Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Centre.
The education hackathon in Tallinn is part of the Europe-wide DigiEduHack 2024 week of digital education hackathons, which concludes on November 17. During the week, over 50 hackathons with more than 1,000 participants from 26 countries will take place. DigiEduHack is an education movement supported by the European Commission aimed at promoting innovation, collaboration, and creativity while driving positive changes in digital education.
Contact Information:
Janika Leoste
Project Manager, EdTech Hack 2024
Senior Research Fellow in Educational Robotics, School of Educational Sciences, Tallinn University
Assistant Professor in IT Didactics, School of IT, Tallinn University of Technology
janika.leoste@tlu.ee
T: +372 504 5081