Technology heroes build a better future

Technology is present in both work and leisure. When we are expected to use it, we should also have a say in what kind of technology we use. This idea has been at the core of my research for over twenty years: How can we build a better world by giving users a voice in technology design?

In computer science, user-centered technology development has a long tradition. As early as the 1970s, it was recognized that technology entered working life without consulting users about its impact. In recent decades, this issue has been studied from the perspective of children and youth. My own research focuses on their interaction with technology, especially in school contexts.

In schools, technology skills are often seen as basic competencies, such as learning word processing or programming. As researchers, we believe a deeper understanding is needed: grasping the design process of technology, evaluating technical solutions, and identifying areas for improvement. This opens up opportunities to influence the kind of technology we will use in the future.

Even if children are not yet developing new solutions themselves, a deep understanding of how technology works and is designed helps them critically assess machine learning, algorithmic decision-making, and the role of AI in everyday life. They can consider when AI decisions are acceptable and when they are not, and make informed choices about their own use of technology.

In Oulu, we call people with this competence as technology heroes. The term is based on the Danish concept of a design protagonist – a person who is the main character and hero of their own life. A technology hero can use and explore technology critically and curiously, question how it works, experiment and build new things, and imagine better solutions.

Technology heroes bring hope and creativity into the world of technology. Today’s discourse around technology is often negative: screen time is restricted, phones are banned in schools, social media causes depression, and AI is feared. While these concerns are valid, technology criticism should not be rooted in fear, but in curiosity and knowledge.

Technology will continue to change our everyday lives regardless. Mobile phones are a good example of how quickly and radically our ways of operating can change. That’s why we shouldn’t fear technology, but neither should we accept it uncritically. The best approach is to see it as a tool for building a better world.

What should schools teach to help children become technology heroes?

The basics are already in place in Finland, but we hope to see more:

• technical understanding of machine learning and algorithms
• grasping the design process of information technology
• familiarity with the innovation process from a business perspective
• critical reflection on the current state and its history
• imagining alternative technological futures
• addressing ethical perspectives in design and use
• attitude development: “I can, I’m capable, and we all can influence the future”

All of this can be integrated into existing subjects. At the University of Oulu, we’ve implemented these ideas with teachers: programming in math, technology reflection in English, designing AI-based business ideas in interdisciplinary projects, and integrating technology into art, crafts, and social studies.

Technology heroes don’t just use technology – they build a better future with it. We’ve referred to this thinking in various contexts as technology education, sometimes innovation education, and increasingly as democracy education. We believe it’s important for every citizen to see that our shared future can be changed. We can all be part of that change – through technology and beyond.

Not everyone needs to become an activist standing on the barricades for a better world. But we can approach technology with healthy skepticism while maintaining trust in the future. My colleagues and I believe that if every child and young person learned even a little of this mindset, and if they had even a spark of a technology hero in themselves, it could make our tech-filled future better. A future that is more inclusive, democratic, sustainable – and above all, one in which we all can thrive.

The blog post is based on Marianne Kinnula's new professor’s inaugural lecture on 12 September 2025.