Pre-conference workshop 2026 – Process analytics in computing education: A hands-on TNA workshop

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Joensuu, Finland

Modern educational environments generate fine-grained trace data that capture the step-by-step actions students perform during learning. In computing education, such traces have the potential to bring unprecedented insights into the learning process, for instance, through analyzing programming iterations, problem-solving strategies, or peer collaboration stages. However, fully capitalizing on this rich data requires analytical methods designed to handle both its temporal richness and structural complexity.

This year’s workshop at Koli Calling introduces Transition Network Analysis (TNA), a novel methodology designed to transform high-frequency interaction logs into models of learning dynamics. Attendees will gain hands-on experience applying TNA to real-world computing education datasets, analyzing case studies, and discussing how to apply TNA to their own research data. Participants will learn how TNA brings empirical rigor to computing education research. The session covers TNA’s analytical toolbox for identifying recurring learning patterns and uncovering distinct student profiles. We will demonstrate TNA’s statistical validation suite (including bootstrapping, permutation testing, and case-dropping), which enables rigorous testing of every dynamic, evaluating subgroup differences, and drawing evidence-based conclusions about learner interactions. Through these capabilities, participants will learn how TNA bridges trace data with conceptual frameworks to ground new theories or empirically test existing ones.

Figure: Example of TNA for modeling SRL and problem-solving in student-AI interactions (López-Pernas et al., 2025)

We will illustrate TNA and its complementary tools through hands-on activities using intuitive, no-code software. No prior programming background is required, and researchers across all career stages and experience levels are invited to participate.

Workshop organizers

Mohammed Saqr, School of Computing, University of Eastern Finland
Kamila Misiejuk, CATALPA, Fernuniversität in Hagen
Eduardo Oliveira, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne
Sonsoles López-Pernas, School of Computing, University of Eastern Finland

Workshop program

The full-day workshop starts on the morning of Wednesday, November 4.

09:00 – 09:20 Welcome and introduction
09:20 – 10:30 Introduction to TNA
10:30 – 11:15 Examples of TNA in computing education
11:00 – 12:00 Hands-on: Data coding
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 14:30 Hands-on: Implementing TNA with no-code tools
14:30 – 15:00 Discussion

Workshop venue and travelling

The pre-conference workshop will be held at the University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu campus, on the premises of the School of Computing (Joensuu Science Park, Länsikatu 15, 80100 Joensuu). The workshop will be on the second floor of the building, in the seminar room TBA. There are instructions on how to access the room in the main lobby of the Joensuu Science Park building.

The pre-conference participants may book a hotel in Joensuu for the night prior (Tuesday November 3). The recommended hotels within walking distance from the workshop venue are as follows.

Please note that accommodation in Joensuu is not part of the conference package for the main conference, but the workshop participants are expected to book and cover these hotel costs separately.

On the afternoon of November 4, after the workshop, there will be buses organized to transport participants to the main conference venue in Koli. The Koli Calling bus to the main conference at Break Sokos Hotel Koli will depart from Joensuu. The exact time and the pick-up locations will be announced closer to the event for the registered participants who are joining the main conference in Koli. The Koli conference bus takes the participants back to Joensuu after the conference on Sunday morning. Please refer to the conference website for more details about the schedule.

Workshop registration and participation fee

A registration fee of 15 EUR will be collected to cover lunch and coffee during the workshop. This fee may be paid together with the main conference registration. If you are participating only in the workshop and not in the main conference, please contact the organizers at conference@kolicalling.fi for registration.