Play & storytelling first
We start with stories, drawings, cardboard, and conversation, not screens. Open-ended play and narrative become the gateway into difficult ideas: algorithms, data, networks, AI.
Professional Development for Educators
I help teachers, schools, and cultural institutions teach computing in a way that feels human and playful.
Together, we turn computer science and AI into something you can explore with cardboard, crayons, city streets, and curiosity — so teachers feel at home in this new territory, and students understand how technology shapes their world.
Tell me about your teachersHow I work with teachers
Across projects in Helsinki, Tampere, Texas, New York, Melbourne, Georgia, Zurich and beyond, a few principles keep returning.
Beyond “learn to code”
Computer science is more than syntax. We look at systems, the internet, hardware, data, machine learning, and the social impact of technology — always tied to children’s lived experience.
Learning by doing (for teachers)
Teachers begin experimenting immediately with their own classes and return with messy artefacts, questions and successes. The goal isn’t to follow a script, but to build professional knowledge together.
Uniting multiple domains
Computing shows up in art, language, maths, biology, urban design, and citizenship. PD sessions often pair a computational concept (like algorithm, data, perception) with a second domain to show how these ideas travel.
Who this is for
These programs are designed for people who care about learning first, technology second:
- Primary and lower secondary teachers who are new to computing.
- ICT / CS specialists who want richer, more creative approaches.
- Librarians, museum educators and cultural workers.
- School and district leaders planning how to weave CS and AI across the curriculum.
Most groups are mixed on purpose. A typical cohort might include a Year 2 classroom teacher, a digital lead, an art teacher and a curriculum coordinator — all working together on a shared set of ideas.
Ways we can work together
Below are the main formats schools, districts, universities and cultural institutions tend to book. Each can be adjusted in depth, age range, and focus.
Keynote + hands-on workshop (½–1 day)
Ideal for conference and in-service days. A story-rich keynote on playful computing, AI literacy, or using public space as a classroom, followed by a practical lab where teachers try unplugged and low-tech activities linked to their own subjects.
Two-day intensive (cluster / region)
Day 1 builds foundations in playful computer science and AI in the classroom. Between sessions, teachers test activities with their students. Day 2 is for lesson-sharing, troubleshooting, and planning next steps for their school or region.
Site-specific PD for playgrounds
I'm hoping to organise a site-specific training around the Ruoholahti Computer Playground in late 2026. Drop me an e-mail if this interests you!
Online series and coaching
Short online series around themes such as AI literacy in primary grades or “computers across the curriculum”, with optional coaching for digital leads and curriculum designers.
10-week blended “Train-the-Trainer”
Two in-person training days frame eight weeks of classroom experimentation, online prompts, and reflection. Teachers use a full year of lesson plans and materials, and emerge as local champions for computing and AI.
A comprehensive K–5 computer science curriculum and PD journey. Teachers work with a 9-part video series, a self-study journal, and 33 lesson plans with student handouts, vocab, and pacing guides.
Activities mix Scratch, unplugged projects, and optional hardware, aligned with CSTA K–12 CS standards and emerging AI frameworks.
Mud-pies, Make-believe & Machine Learning
A workshop or mini-series on early AI literacy. We explore perception, representation, learning from data, natural interaction, and societal impact through drawing, movement, role-play and simple digital tools.
Teachers learn to introduce AI concepts without hype or fear, using unplugged activities as a bridge to digital tools and children’s everyday experiences.
What participants and schools gain
For teachers
- Identity as CS educators, not “I’m bad at computers”.
- Concrete lessons they can run immediately, for different ages and contexts.
- Language and tools to talk about AI, data, and networks with children.
- Ways to assess invisible processes like problem decomposition and debugging.
For schools & systems
- A cohort of teachers who act as local leaders and mentors.
- Reusable materials fitted to existing curricula and standards.
- Documentation and stories that support strategic plans for CS and AI.
- A clearer, more humane narrative about technology to share with families and communities.
What teachers say
“I can’t remember the last time I was on a course where the lecturer was this enthusiastic about their subject and this inspiring. Linda’s good energy was contagious and studying online felt much nicer than it usually has.”
“The material we received from the course is exactly the kind you can take straight into your own teaching.”
“This was a much-needed course that offered concrete teaching methods and ideas. Throughout the course we kept in mind the children we are studying for.”
⭐ All respondents rated the course 5/5 overall and expected to use more than half of the ideas in their own classrooms.
A typical 10-week journey
Every project is tailored, but many follow a pattern similar to this:
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Kickoff day
Foundations of computer science in the early years, with hands-on sessions using unplugged activities, Scratch, and “computers & society” discussions.
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Weeks 1–8: Classroom experiments
Teachers try lesson ideas with their own students. Weekly prompts, short videos, and online reflection keep the group connected.
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Week 9: Pedagogy, equity & differentiation
Focus on reaching different learners, assessing understanding, and shifting classroom culture around computing.
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Week 10: Wrap-up
Project presentations, peer feedback, and planning “what next”, with a closing workshop on sustaining the community and scaling the work.
Experience & references
Universities & teacher education
Tampere University (honorary doctorate and collaborations on teacher education), Zurich Teacher Training University, Copenhagen Teacher Training University.
School systems & ministries
New York Department of Education, San Francisco Unified School District, Victoria Department of Education (Australia), Ministry of Education of Georgia, and regional education authorities in Europe and Asia.
Cultural & municipal partners
Cities, museums, and foundations developing playful computing exhibitions, playgrounds, and professional learning for educators and cultural workers — including the Ruoholahti Computer Playground in Helsinki.