Virtual Interface for Smart Interactions Online Erasmus Project

Project Title

Virtual Interface for Smart Interactions Online

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

The digitization of higher education (HE) has become a vital necessity since the COVID-19 pandemic began and with it the HE sector has faced various challenges. As recent studies have shown, the majority of HETs were largely unprepared to make the shift to online teaching and had difficulties adapting to new teaching methodologies, modifying their course structure, arranging attractive digital learning environments, assessing student progress, keeping students motivated and engaging them online in a meaningful and pedagogical way. Higher education students (HESs) faced challenges as well. Due to teacher time constraints and lack of face-to-face engagement, students have received less personalized feedback and fewer assessments of their individual work thereby providing them with a low level of understanding of their learning progress. They also face multiple learning formats designed by teachers who haven’t been trained in online course design, making the materials ineffective in the digital space.

With these challenges however, the HE sector also has great opportunity for growth. When implemented correctly, the advancements digital technology can be applied to HE so that the real requirements of HETs and HESs are met and common mistakes are avoided, mainly that digitization is not a solution in itself and it must be applied to competence-oriented and teaching and learning-centric needs. VISION has been designed with this consideration at the forefront.

VISION will provide innovative online teaching and learning tools to HETs and HESs to meet individual learning requirements, accompany ongoing learning processes and make personalized learning the primary consideration in digital instruction in a pedagogically meaningful and competence-oriented way. This will be accomplished through three tools:

1. A unique AI-based Smart Authoring Tool (The Vision) will be developed through which HETs can create interactive, visually and didactically valuable courses that promote personalized learning and can be integrated into any learning management system.
2. A course-specific Chatbot Tutor (The Visionary) will be produced to serve as a communication interface between students and teachers. It will supplement courses with automated academic-support addressing HESs’ distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, individual backgrounds and requirements. It will also link to the Smart-Authoring Tool to provide dynamic and personalized updates for each student.
3. An E-Course (The Visionar) will be developed so that teachers can easily understand and utilize the above-mentioned tools to develop professionally and facilitate quality online learning that meets their pedagogical needs.

The digital skills strengthened through the VISION project will enhance the online teaching and learning experience for both HE students and teachers long-term, which is indispensable, especially in today’s uncertain times. HETs will learn to apply their digital competences in real life scenarios through a virtual environment, thereby significantly impacting the learning paths of their students, and they will gain a greater understanding of their students’ individual e-learning progress. HESs will benefit from personalized learning arrangements, accompanied learning processes, adaptive and student-oriented feedback and tutoring support as well as a dynamic digital learning environment.

VISION is being executed by partners from Austria, Germany and the Netherlands, but its impact will extend beyond national boundaries and influence institutions of higher education transnationally. Identifying, assessing and sharing best practices, transferring knowledge, forging connections across countries and uniting the education sector will improve VISION’s ability to share what works in a truly global way – particularly in the post COVID-19 digital space, which is affected by constant innovation, changes and challenges worldwide.

Project Website

https://vision.smart-study.net/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 280569 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITAET GRAZ & Country: AT

Project Partners

• TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN
• Smart-Study GmbH
• UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM