About Us

SPROK is a collaborative research to business (R2B) project by Åbo Akademi University, together with Novia University of Applied Sciences. We aim to develop a fun and safe digital language-learning game that will become part of a standard classroom curriculum.
about-sprok

The game has various levels that can be adapted to the user’s skills. Everyone, regardless of age, can play, choose the difficulty level, and advance at their own pace. Children in pedagogical education are the main target group. We’re creating a solution to help the learning of foreign languages be easy and fun.

The project was born out of the research REDIT, which aimed to answer the language needs of immigrant children. SPROK is currently funded by Business Finland.

SPROK is a research-based, efficient, and engaging tool to teach culturally relevant language skills, with classrooms.

The population of immigrant students is increasing, not just in Finland but also in the European Union, and globally. The successful integration of immigrant students requires they are provided an effective education in the language(s) of their new environment.

Language enables students to communicate with their peers and teachers, to have opportunities to advance in their studies, access higher education, to understand their rights within the community, and to have a broader range of job opportunities.

SPROK’s gamified digital solution can be adapted for adult language learners and second language learners.

In addition to children learning the language of the new home country, the game can also be adapted to be used for the learning of any second language.

SPROK is developed through user-centered design (UCD), which ensures that the needs of target audiences are met by involving them in the process. The design will also be supported by methods of cultural and linguistic sensitivity to meet the needs of a variety of learners.

Digital learning games have been used to improve language learning, motivation, and confidence in students. Games provide immediate feedback, consist of differentiated tasks, and are a safe environment for students to practice a language.

The content of the game will support the Finnish curriculum for preparatory education so that teachers of newly arrived schoolchildren can integrate it into their pedagogical lessons.

The SPROK Team

Emmanuel Acquah

Project Leader

emmanuel.acquah(at)abo.fi

ABOUT EMMANUEL
Emmanuel Acquah is SPROK project leader. He is an Associate Professor of Education (tenure-track) within Minority Research at the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies Åbo Akademi University, where he is currently the Director of a master’s in teaching and learning. His main research interests are in the promotion of equity in the education and practice of teachers with multicultural and multilingual students. He has a related interest in diversity, equality, and inclusion. Acquah contributes solid knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods for educational research and interdisciplinary research background. His main role in the project is providing leadership, and support and ensuring successful implementation.
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Anette Bengs
Project Coordinator
anette.bengs(at)abo.fi
ABOUT ANETTE
Anette Bengs is the project coordinator based at the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies at Åbo Akademi University. She has a background in developmental psychology. Her current research interests are on inclusion across the lifespan, with a particular focus on digital tools as facilitators of inclusion. In her position as a project researcher at the Experience Lab at ÅAU, she was involved in several projects targeting inclusive facilitator technology and multicultural user experience design and evaluation. She is currently coordinating and working as a researcher in several international projects targeting digitalization and inclusion in education.
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Maria Hokkinen
Business Champion
maria.hokkinen(at)abo.fi
ABOUT MARIA

Maria Hokkinen is SPROK’s Business Champion, preparing the commercialization of the R2B project. Hokkinen holds a PhD in Business Administration and has strong expertise in both business communications and research. Her research interests lie in the field of integration, especially from a consumer behavior, work life, and language learning perspective. She is also a skilled PR professional with an entrepreneurial background and qualifies as a school subject teacher. In the project, she is conducting market and competitor analysis, business model studies, networks and community engagement, and events production.

Sheila Riikonen
Business Champion

sheila.riikonen(at)abo.fi

ABOUT SHEILA

Sheila Riikonen is SPROK’s Business Champion, preparing the commercialization of the R2B project. She holds a master’s degree in social science from the University of Helsinki and a BA in Communications from the University of the Philippines – Diliman. Riikonen is a go-to-market specialist with experience in international business development for EdTech, SaaS, and hi-tech companies. She conducts market and competitor analysis, business model studies, networks and community engagement, and events production. She has references and multicultural expertise in international markets including EMEA, Americas, and APAC. 

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Blaine Taylor

EduTech Expert

blaine.taylor(at)abo.fi

ABOUT BLAINE
Blaine Taylor is a Central Michigan University graduate who with ECEC programs for 15 years in America, Russia, Kuwait, and Finland. With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family Studies, his Master’s thesis in Educational Leadership focused on the integration of technology into early learning classrooms. He continues to work on this subject at Åbo Akademi University where he is a doctoral student in the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies. His other research interests are in second language acquisition and language educational policy. He teaches scientific writing courses and is an avid gamer.
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Jonna Weis

Research Assistant

jonna.weis(at)abo.fi

ABOUT JONNA

Jonna Weis is SPROK’s research assistant based in Vaasa. She holds a master’s degree in English language from University of Oulu, Finland. Her research interests focus mainly on language acquisition, having written a case study on the code-mixing of bilingual children for her master’s thesis. Her expertise also covers international business communication and translation. At SPROK, she collaborates with team members to help commercialize the project, including tasks of collecting, managing, and analyzing data. She is a language enthusiast, speaking Finnish, English, German, and Spanish and has an avid interest in cultural studies.

Tobias Björkskog

Game Dev. Expert
tobias.bjorkskog(at)novia.fi
ABOUT TOBIAS

Tobias Björkskog, Project Manager at Novia University of Applied Sciences, is an experienced chief technology officer (CTO) and Project Manager with a background in the game industry. His expertise includes organizing education in game development, developing games/simulations as both a programmer and project manager, as well as helping game companies with their businesses.

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Joakim Finholm

UX Testing Expert
joakim.finholm(at)novia.fi
ABOUT JOAKIM

Joakim Finholm is an experienced Media assistant at Nokia University, where he tutors art students in media arts. His specialties are moving pictures and sound. Besides the work at Novia, Joakim also works as a cinematographer, audio engineer, musician, and artist.

Joachim Högväg

UX Testing Expert

joachim.hogvag(at)abo.fi

ABOUT JOACHIM

Joachim Högväg handles UX Testing as an Expert at Experience Lab, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies (FPV) at ÅAU in Vaasa. He has an M.A. in Cognitive Science and is a Certified Usability Analyst (HFI). Experience Lab by Mediacity marks 15 years of expertise in user experience and interactivity – exploring and measuring human experiences using tailored digital solutions such as eye tracking, EEG, psycho-physiological measures, questionnaires, and interviews. SPROK’s playable demos are tested with the lab’s unique methods and measuring tools.

ABOUT JOACHIM
Joachim Högväg handles UX Testing as an Expert at Experience Lab, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies (FPV) at ÅAU in Vaasa. He has an M.A. in Cognitive Science and is a Certified Usability Analyst (HFI). Experience Lab by Mediacity marks 15 years of expertise in user experience and interactivity – exploring and measuring human experiences using tailored digital solutions such as eye tracking, EEG, psycho-physiological measures, questionnaires, and interviews. SPROK’s playable demos are tested with the lab’s unique methods and measuring tools.

SPROK Steering Committee

Peter Vesterbacka
ABOUT PETER

Peter Vesterbacka is an entrepreneur from the FinEst Bay Area at the Heart of Eurasia, Helsinki, Finland. Branded communities co-created and started by Peter include the HP Bazaar, Mobile Monday, Slush, and Startup Sauna, to name a few. He was the Mighty Eagle at Angry Birds for many years, taking that brand to unprecedented heights. Vesterbacka is also an adjunct professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Tongji University, one of the leading universities in China. In 2011, Time Magazine named Peter one of the 100 most influential people on the planet.

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Heidi Ruhala
ABOUT HEIDI

Heidi Ruhala is the CEO and founder of Ankkalampi – Daycare Chain. She has over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship with strategy and business development as well as financial planning and investments. An added solid background in marketing and sales provides a strong understanding of customer expectations and satisfaction. She has an extensive network, excellent leadership, communication skills, strategic thinking, and a growth mindset.

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Sebastian Laitila
ABOUT SEBASTIAN
Sebastian Laitila is a University Teacher at the University of Vaasa. He has vast experience in game design/development and modeling working in this field for 22 years. Laitila has 3 years of experience as an entrepreneur and has held a few hackathons and game jams. He worked as an interactive software developer specializing in VR and is currently working as a university teacher in digital communications at the University of Vaasa.

Nancy L. Commins

ABOUT NANCY
Dr. Nancy L Commins is a Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado Denver. Over the past four decades, she has worked with students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds as a classroom teacher, program director, school district administrator, independent consultant, and university professor in the U.S. and Finland. All her efforts have been focused on increasing equity for multilingual students.

Erno Lehtinen

ABOUT ERNO
Erno Lehtinen is an emeritus professor of education at the University of Turku and a visiting professor at the Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). He was head of the Finnish national “Doctoral Programme on Multidisciplinary Research on Learning Environments” and the doctoral programme on “Research on Learning, teaching, and learning environments” of the University of Turku. He has supervised 46 completed PhD theses. Lehtinen has published about 400 scientific publications including many articles in top journals of Educational sciences and educational psychology. Lehtinen is a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters and International Academy of Education. He was president of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI 2001-2003) and founding editor-in-chief of Frontline Learning Research. In 2009 he got the Oeuvre Award of the EARLI.
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Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen
ABOUT Wilhelm

Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen (PhD 2003, Hanken School of Economics) is a professor of business administration at the School of Economics, Åbo Akademi. He has an interest in knowledge processes, focusing on communication and knowledge sharing at individual and group levels, and expertise in language issues in international business. His research has been published in Industrial Marketing Management, and Journals of International Business Studies, International Management, Management Studies, World Business, Human Resource Management and Management and Organization Review. He is on the board of the Nordic Academy of Management (NFF) and a member of the Advisory Board of the Research Group on Management and Language (GEM&L). He also represents Åbo Akademi in KATAJA, the Finnish doctoral program in business administration. In 2023, he joined the steering committee of Åbo Akademi’s minority research profile.

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Dr. Mariana Rocha
ABOUT MARIANA
Dr. Mariana Rocha is a lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the Technological University of Dublin in Ireland. With a dedicated focus on the design, development, and playtesting of both digital and non-digital games, her research is centered on enhancing learning and training experiences. Dr. Rocha is a member of the Happy Math project, funded by the Science Foundation Ireland. Her work within this initiative involves creating and testing innovative games to reduce mathematics anxiety among primary school children. Dr. Rocha’s expertise extends beyond digital platforms. She has successfully conceptualized and created board games to support and train teachers in blended learning methodologies and technology integration within the classroom setting.

Project Partners

Åbo Akademi University

Åbo Akademi University is a Swedish-language multidisciplinary academic university in Finland. ÅAU contributes to society through general learning, education, and new scientific knowledge. With campuses in Turku and Vaasa, Åbo Akademi University offers internationally renowned research and education. Through cross-border collaboration, the university serves as the gateway to Finland for the Nordic countries. ÅAU’s activities are steered by the values of academic tradition in terms of the freedom of research and education as well as ethical responsibility. The university endeavors to enhance diversity, inclusion, equality, and sustainability. ÅAU has 1,200 employees and around 5,100 students. The number of postgraduate students is about 800. In 2022, ÅAU awarded around 400 Master’s degrees and 30 Doctoral degrees. The number of scientific publications averages 1,500 annually.

Novia University of Applied Sciences

Novia University of Applied Sciences is the largest Swedish-language university of applied sciences in Finland. Novia’s area of activity is located along the Finnish coast and it operates in Vaasa, Turku, Raasepori, and Pietarsaari. Novia has 5,000 students and a workforce consisting of about 350 people. Novia UAS has a close working relationship with the business community and an active alumni network.
Schools

The SPROK project collaborates with schools in Finland and beyond. Both teachers and students are involved in the development process and contribute valuable knowledge and information based on the school context.

Project Funders

Business Finland

Business Finland is a government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel, and investment promotion. Business Finland offers Research to Business (R2B) funding for public research organizations for preparing the commercialization of research-driven product or service ideas and for conducting applied research that supports commercialization. Business Finland has awarded funding for the SPROK project for the period 1.9.2023-31.8.2025.

Svenska Kulturfonden

Svenska Kulturfonden (The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland) aims to support and strengthen the culture and education of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland, by supporting education, arts and culture, and social cohesion through non-profit organizations. The REDIT research project that the SPROK project stems from has been funded by Svenska MultiFinder.
Högskolestiftelsen i Österbotten
Högskolestiftelsen i Österbotten is a foundation that supports Swedish-speaking higher education in the Ostrobothnia region. The REDIT research project that SPROK project stems from has been funded by Högskolestiftelsen i Österbotten.

Networks

We welcome collaboration and would like to connect with you!
Please contact us if you are:

Language and Teaching Experts

Different languages have different issues during teaching and experts in these areas have different perspectives. These are invaluable to teaching within and between languages.

Educational Policy Experts

Understanding the various structures between EU nations is key to SPROK’s success and to understanding how to create functional classroom software for EU Classrooms.

Cultural Experts

SPROK’s entire process depends on culture being included in its language teaching. Experts on cultural values, perceptions, traditions, and history help us make language learning more effective and relevant in usage.

Game design and development enthusiasts

Game designers handle creating the worlds, characters, and experiences that players immerse themselves in – let’s be in touch!

Multilingual speakers and students

English, German, Spanish, Italian, French…Europe is a continent of many languages. Do you have a passion for multilingualism? Stay in touch to be among the first to test the game!