News

New Pub: Conceptual Map Assessment Through Structure Classification

New Pub: Conceptual Map Assessment Through Structure Classification

Assessment, Conference, Feedback, Publication, School
In educational settings concept maps are often chosen as a tool to help knowledge constructions be visualized. While mapping out concepts and their relationships, students are able to show how well (or not well) they understand certain subjects. A newly published study, which was presented at the AIED 2024 in Recife, Brazil, takes their usage a step further, examining the structural patterns in concept maps and developing an automated system to classify them. The researchers categorized 511 different concept maps into three key structures: spoke, network and chain. Each structure type can provide its own insight about the deepness of students’ understanding. For example, a "spoke" structure may indicate a surface-level understanding, while a "network" might reflect a more complex comprehension. The researchers trained multiclass classification models using statistical data…
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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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New Pub: Learning At and From a Virtual Conference

New Pub: Learning At and From a Virtual Conference

Higher Education, Journal, New Pub
In light of the COVID pandemic and the climate crisis, many academic conferences have switched from face-to-face to virtual or hybrid conferences. The advantages of completely virtual conferences are clear. The organizers don’t need to look for physical rooms to book or need to organize food or drinks for participants. For the participants, this form of conferences can also be advantageous because there are no travel expenses and no travel time. Those participating from other countries can even take part in the conference despite being in different time zones or continents. The advantages go hand in hand with the disadvantages of limited personal interaction: no scientific (or leisurely) discussions during a coffee break or a chance to get to know fellow researchers seated nearby before a session begins. With all…
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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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New Pub: Preserving Privacy in Multimodal Learning Analytics with Visual Animation of Kinematic Data

New Pub: Preserving Privacy in Multimodal Learning Analytics with Visual Animation of Kinematic Data

Empirical Study
A recent study has been published that addresses the growing concern of data privacy in multimodal learning analytics (MMLA). The research investigates the potential of using visual animations as an alternative to traditional video recordings for analyzing sensitive data, particularly in educational settings. MMLA involves collecting and analysing data from various sources, including video recordings, to gain insights into learning behaviours and outcomes. However, the use of video can raise significant privacy concerns, especially when it contains identifiable information about individuals. This has led to ethical dilemmas regarding using such data in research. The study, based on the master thesis of Aleksandr Epp, introduces the Kinematic Animation Tool (KAT) to address these privacy issues. This tool allows researchers to visualise kinematic data without relying on video footage, thereby mitigating privacy…
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From Office Talks to Lecture Halls: Congratulations and Farewell to Joshua Weidlich

From Office Talks to Lecture Halls: Congratulations and Farewell to Joshua Weidlich

Team
It doesn’t happen often that one can witness a colleague taking an inspiring leap into a new and exciting chapter of their careers. But today, we celebrate just that, as we send our warmest congratulations to our esteemed colleague Dr. Joshua Weidlich as he takes up a tenure track professorship at the University of Zurich and the Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich starting in October. To embark on this new journey, Joshua will be swapping the Frankfurt Skyline for the Swiss mountains. We are excited for him for this change of scenery, but will miss him dearly. Joshua has been part of the EduTec family for 3.5 years – which accounts to roughly 1,278 cups of coffee and probably even more team and project meetings. His incredibly helpful and consistently friendly nature…
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PhD Defense: A Deep Dive into Visual Learning Analytics

PhD Defense: A Deep Dive into Visual Learning Analytics

Award, Higher Education, Learning Analytics, PhD defense, School
On September 13th, Hendrik Drachsler took on the esteemed role of opponent in the PhD defense of Artemis Mohseni at Linnaeus University, Sweden. The defense, which marked a pivotal moment in Artemis’s academic journey, centered around her innovative doctoral thesis titled "Development of Visual Learning Analytics Tools to Explore Performance and Engagement of Students in Primary, Secondary, and Higher Education." The evaluation commission was formed by: Associate professor Olga Viberg, Royal Institute of Technolgy, Sweden Associate professor Linnéa Stenliden, Linköpings University, Sweden Professor Johan Lundin, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Associate professor Fisnik Dalipi, Linnaeus University, Sweden Associate professor Arianit Kurti, Linnaeus University, Sweden It was an exciting defense that showcased Artemis’s research, which focuses on the potential of Visual Learning Analytics (VLA) to enhance teaching and learning by providing actionable…
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HILA goes to school – Keynote at ISDT24, Linnaeus University, Sweden

HILA goes to school – Keynote at ISDT24, Linnaeus University, Sweden

Artificial Intelligence, Conference, Feedback, Keynote, Learning Analytics, School
What happens when Highly-Informative Learning Analytics (HILA) goes to school? That’s exactly what Hendrik Drachsler explored during his keynote at the 3rd International Symposium on Digital Transformation (ISDT24) in Linnaeus University Växjö, Sweden. His talk highlighted the impact of the AFLEK project, a transformative initiative under the HILA research program, which focuses on improving learning outcomes in secondary schools through actionable data and AI-driven tools. The keynote wasn't just about theoretical advances; it presented real-world applications that are actively shaping how secondary education functions today. Through three key publications, Drachsler demonstrated how the integration of Data-Enriched Learning Activities (DeLA), teacher dashboards, and empirical research has paved the way for improved teaching practices and measurable student success. Let’s dive into what happens when HILA meets the classroom. Key Highlights from Hendrik…
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