PhD Defense: Achieving Gender Equity in STEM Education With CSCL

PhD Defense: Achieving Gender Equity in STEM Education With CSCL

Computer-supported collaborative learning, Gender, PhD defense
Our treasured colleague, Dana Kube, successfully defended her PhD thesis on November 29th at the Open University in Heerlen, Netherlands. We warmly congratulate Dr. Kube for her great academic achievements and advancements in the field of CSCL and gender research! In her dissertation titled “Gender & CSCL – Exploring the Relation of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) and Gender Bias in Research and Practice”, Dana emphasizes that gender equity is not just a goal, but a necessity for sustainable development and illustrates the role of gender in research and practice. It remains a challenge to understand which aspects of gender are most important in research, and how to interpret findings in the context of pervasive gender stereotypes and biases. This issue is especially pressing in the field of STEM, where gender…
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PhD Defense: A Bridge between Learning Analytics and Learning Design

PhD Defense: A Bridge between Learning Analytics and Learning Design

Book, Event, Higher Education, Learning Analytics, Learning Design, Multimodal Learning Analytics, PhD defense, Publication, School
We warmly congratulate our esteemed associate partner, DR. Marcel Schmitz, on successfully defending his PhD thesis on November 29, 2024. Marcel is a senior lecturer and researcher in Data Intelligence and the Applied Data Science & Artificial Intelligence program at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. In his dissertation, titled “Towards Learning Analytics-Supported Learning Design”, he focused on how education can be better personalized by incorporating learning analytics already in the design and course planning. His dissertation was supervised by Prof. Dr. Hendrik Drachsler (DIPF | Leibniz Institute & Goethe University Frankfurt), with co-supervisors Prof. Dr. Maren Scheffel (Ruhr University Bochum) and Dr. Roger Bemelmans (Zuyd University of Applied Sciences). Marcel's dissertation provides actionable strategies not only for higher education but also for other educational sectors. His work envisions a future…
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PhD Defense on Software Infrastructure for Contextualized Learning Analytics in Online Education

PhD Defense on Software Infrastructure for Contextualized Learning Analytics in Online Education

Learning Analytics, PhD defense
We warmly congratulate our esteemed alumni George-Petru Ciordas-Hertel on the successful defense of his PhD thesis this past Tuesday, 05.11.2024!  Way to go, Dr. George! We are proud of you for achieving this milestone! At universities we have seen a big shift to online education in the past ten years, as universities have continuously integrated technology into educational environments. This development has brought students and educators new possibilities, but also challenges. A promising method is Learning Analytics (LA), which uses data to gain insights into learning behaviors and enhance educational outcomes. In his dissertation, George highlights a critical limitation in traditional learning analytics: they often overlook significant aspects of learners’ digital and physical environments. His research proposes that integrating contextual information from these environments could make LA even more effective.…
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Guest Talk at Monash University

Guest Talk at Monash University

Feedback, Invited talk
During his recent research visit to Australia, Daniele Di Mitri had the privilege of presenting at Monash University, specifically at the Centre for Learning Analytics Monash (COLAM). His talk, titled “The Quest for Automated Feedback,” explored the evolving role of AI in education, particularly in providing meaningful feedback to students. As generative AI tools like ChatGPT become increasingly popular among students seeking feedback on their essays, a critical question arises: How effective is this feedback? Daniele's research delves into the complexities of generating automated feedback, emphasising that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Feedback is inherently context-dependent, influenced by various factors, including the learner’s needs, the task at hand, and the feedback modality. The literature on feedback is vast and nuanced. Daniele referenced several foundational models, including Hattie & Timperley (2007) and…
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HyTea Project Meeting with BMBF: A Day of Insight and Collaboration

HyTea Project Meeting with BMBF: A Day of Insight and Collaboration

Project meeting
On October 22nd, 2024, the HyTea project team gathered on the 12th floor of DIPF for a pivotal meeting with representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The agenda was packed with insightful presentations, discussions, and collaborative planning, all aimed at advancing the project's goals. The formal proceedings started with a warm welcome by project leader Daniele Di Mitri and the presentation of engaging trailers of the prototypes developed for the HyTea project. The two prototypes are systems (AI tutors) that can be used to train presentation skills. After that, Jan Schneider took the stage to show the starting point of the HyTea project: the Presentation Trainer. His presentation offered valuable insights into the project's training components, emphasising innovative approaches and research gaps. The doctoral candidates Nina…
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Girls and Women in STEM Forum of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT)

Girls and Women in STEM Forum of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT)

Artificial Intelligence, Award, Conference, Digitalisation, Event, Transfer Activity
Our Co-Worker Dana Kube was selected to be a jury member of this year's Girls and Women in STEM Award of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Budapest. Read her report: I'm still buzzing with the energy from the Women and Girls in STEM Forum 2024! It was an inspiring day filled with conversations on AI, inclusion, and the future of STEM with girls and women from all over Europe. The keynote speakers, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen and Ilaria Tagliavini, emphasised the urgent need for more women to lead the next generation of scientists in Europe, highlighting the European Commission’s commitment to this mission through strategic plans for STEM education. Ilaria celebrated Girls Go Circular’s expansion to 32 countries, recognising the need for a mindset shift towards greater…
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Exploring Complexity in Human Learning at the Johanna Quandt Young Academy School

Exploring Complexity in Human Learning at the Johanna Quandt Young Academy School

Feedback, Invited talk
On Monday, 7th October 2024, Dr. Daniele Di Mitri had the pleasure of presenting at the Johanna Quandt Young Academy School, held at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg. This event was a fantastic opportunity to delve into the intricate topic of "Complexity in Human Learning" alongside Dr. Elena Galeano Weber. Dr. Di Mitri's segment of the presentation focused on "Supporting Learning with AI through Feedback." He explored the multifaceted nature of complexity in human learning and discussed the critical aspects to consider when designing meaningful AI-automated feedback. The goal was to highlight how AI can be leveraged to enhance learning experiences by providing timely and relevant feedback, thus supporting learners in navigating complex educational landscapes. Understanding complexity in human learning is crucial for developing effective educational tools and strategies.…
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GREAT Project at the Science Festival Frankfurt

GREAT Project at the Science Festival Frankfurt

Event, Promotion activity
GREAT project manager, Dr. Jane Yau, was at the Science Festival Frankfurt on 28.9.2024. This Science Festival was the first one that took place in Frankfurt and was located at Rossmarkt at the city centre. The festival had a multi-faceted program with 16 stands with experiments, workshops and exciting entertainment, plus discussions, talks and rap on the main stage. As part of the GREAT (Games Realising Effective and Affective Transformation, www.greatproject.gg) project, Jane had the pleasure of being there to showcase the new Play2Act: Gaming for Climate and Nature Survey, made in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program. Jane talked to several citizens who expressed their interests and concerns for the climate emergency and wishing to participate and do more. A number of participants also filled in the survey, which…
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EduTec consults the Federal Ministry of Education on upcoming research funding lines

EduTec consults the Federal Ministry of Education on upcoming research funding lines

School, Workshop
[caption id="attachment_6986" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The building of the Ministry of Education in Berlin where the meeting took place.[/caption]   On the 27th of September, DIPF researcher and EduTec member Dr Daniele Di Mitri was invited to attend a high-level expert consultation. This consultation, set up by the German Federal Ministry of Education (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung - BMBF) in collaboration with the project entity German Space Agency (DLR), aimed to gather experts' opinions on the upcoming research funding line for studying the impact of Artificial Intelligence in schools. Dr Di Mitri's participation in this collaborative event, alongside other experts, reflects the inclusive nature of the discussion on AI in education. The upcoming call for project funding aims to support research projects that research more profound into the pedagogical, didactical,…
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Exploring the Future of Learning: Edutec at the Frankfurt Science Festival 2024

Exploring the Future of Learning: Edutec at the Frankfurt Science Festival 2024

Event, Transfer Activity
The Edutec team successfully participated in the Frankfurt Science Festival 2024 at the Rossmarkt square, organized by the Frankfurt Alliance, and was present at the DIPF booth. Under the motto "Try Out Learning Technologies," visitors had the chance to explore a variety of innovative technologies. Our Highlights: Strategic Running Training: Experience the "Pacing" running strategy through Virtual Reality and take part in a virtual race through the streets of Frankfurt. Supporting Climate Protection through Games: Two engaging games – a quiz game and a dilemma game – offer insights into climate protection. These games are part of a Horizon Europe project in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program. Pilates Feedback: Discover a new Pilates experience with our app, offering real-time feedback and exciting video game elements to make your…
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