Ago Luberg, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Software Science and Programme Director of Informatics and Artificial Intelligence, mainly teaches programming and software development courses. Every year, his classes include 500–1,000 students, from first-year undergraduates to secondary school students enrolled in TalTech’s optional programming courses. He works together with dozens of assistant lecturers – senior students who help create a supportive environment where newcomers can take their first steps into the IT world.

Learning as a Meaningful Process

Luberg defines learning as the learner’s own active process – making sense of knowledge and skills through practice and repetition. “Learning doesn’t happen when someone is just talking in a lecture. It happens when the learner does, experiments, and understands – even when they discover that their previous understanding was wrong. That, too, is learning,” he says. He believes that the purpose of learning should go beyond memorising facts – it is about understanding how things truly work.

According to Luberg, a lecturer’s role is to create an environment for learning. “You can’t force learning – it has to happen within the learner. The lecturer can set the conditions and remove obstacles, but in the end, the student must make the effort,” he emphasises. He considers trust and partnership vital – students are not in a subordinate position but are part of the same team.

As a teacher, he describes himself as an innovator who constantly looks for new teaching methods; approachable, as he listens to students’ needs and strives for flexibility; and patient, because learning requires time and repetition. Students describe him in the same way – active, flexible, and quick to respond.

Inspiration and Motivation

What keeps Luberg motivated as a teacher is the feeling that he is doing something meaningful. “There may be more challenges – and perhaps more money – in an IT company, but here I can contribute to society and help train the next generation of specialists,” he says. He draws inspiration from his colleagues and collaborations with educational psychologists as they seek ever better teaching solutions.

Among TalTech’s core competencies, Luberg considers critical thinking the most important – the ability to distinguish information, assess its reliability, and think one step ahead. “AI can write the text for you, but you need to understand whether it’s correct, relevant, and ethical,” he explains.

Equally essential, he believes, is collaboration, as software development is always teamwork. In his courses, students repeatedly experience situations where solving a task requires role distribution, taking responsibility, and supporting each other.

Luberg stresses that general competencies should not remain theoretical – they should be integrated into courses through practical elements, such as practising learning strategies or giving feedback.

Good Teaching Practice – Shared Understanding and Responsibility

From TalTech’s Good Practice of Teaching, Luberg most identifies with the principle that the lecturer creates conditions and the learner takes responsibility for learning. He believes this requires ongoing discussion with students: “If a lecturer changes their teaching approach but students don’t understand why, resistance may arise. We need to discuss and agree together on why we do what we do.”

Whereas Luberg once saw the main goal of teaching as transmitting knowledge, he now values personal growth most of all. “If a student remembers me ten years later and recalls a positive experience – that they became a better person – then I know I’ve done something right,” he says.

His vision of learning at TalTech is supportive, trusting, and partnership-based. Students should not feel like a “requirement” for the university but as valued partners who contribute to both the university and society. “When students feel that they belong and are trusted, learning reaches a whole new level,” he concludes.

Learn more about good learning and teaching practices: taltech.ee/learning