On April 13th, we had the pleasure of welcoming Prof. Dr. Oleksandra (Sasha) Poquet, professor in learning analytics at the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology at the Technical University of Munich, to our EduTec group in Frankfurt. The visit provided a valuable opportunity for the EduTec group to learn from Sasha’s research experience and explore the future of educational technology.
The visit began with an introduction by Hendrik Drachsler, who provided an overview of our current research and ongoing projects. This was followed by a presentation by Oleksandra Poquet, who discussed her current, present and future research.
In the past, Sasha’s research focused on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and the impact of homophily on university course enrollment. She also discussed her work on Modelling Digital Networks with a focus on patterns and indicators of communication. Her research highlighted the importance of understanding social dynamics in online learning environments.
Sasha discussed her current research on Communication Patterns vs Course Design, cognitive networks, informal learning, interaction feedback and citation networks. She emphasized the importance of understanding how students interact with each other and with the course material in online and blended-learning environments.
Sasha discussed her future research plans in educational technology, including the potential of peer learning beyond information exchange, the co-evolution of analytics and practices as well as the importance of using complex systems approaches to understand the complexity of online learning environments.
The discussions were engaging, and the EduTec group appreciated Sasha’s insights into the potential and challenges of educational technology. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and collaborate on future research projects. The EduTec group looks forward to future collaborations with researchers from TUM and other institutions, as they continue to work towards improving educational technology and enhancing student learning outcomes.