Computers are promising tools for providing educational experiences that meet individual learning needs. However, delivering this promise in practice is challenging, particularly when automated feedback is essential and the learning extends beyond using traditional methods such as writing and solving mathematics problems. We hypothesize that interactive knowledge representations can be deployed to address this challenge. Knowledge representations differ markedly from concept maps. Where the latter uses nodes (concepts) and arcs (links between concepts), a knowledge representation is based on an ontology that facilitates automated reasoning. By adjusting this reasoning towards interacting with learners for the benefit of learning, a new class of educational instruments emerges. In this contribution, we present three projects that use an interactive knowledge representation as their foundation. DynaLearn supports learners in acquiring system thinking skills. Minds-On helps learners to deepen their understanding of phenomena while performing experiments. Interactive Concept Cartoons engage learners in a science-based discussion about controversial topics. Each of these approaches has been developed iteratively in collaboration with teachers and tested in real classrooms, resulting in a suite of lessons available online. Evaluation studies involving pre-/post-tests and action-log data show that learners are easily capable of working with these educational instruments and that the instruments thus enable a semi-automated approach to constructive learning.
This paper presents three lesson activities for upper secondary education that focus on learning subject specific knowledge and general system thinking skills by creating a qualitative representation. The learning goals and the pedagogical approach are described.
This paper presents three lesson activities for upper secondary and higher education that focus on learning by constructing an interactive qualitative representation. By constructing the representation learners learn domain knowledge as well as general system thinking skills. The learning goals and the pedagogical approach are described.
"My PD-trajectory aims to contribute to knowledge development in the domains of artacademic institutions, the queer/drag/HIV community, and advocacy as context for queer safety. Emphasis will be placed on how to write, document, design, and archive elements in order to shape language to actively comprehend each other’s affinities, aspirations, and propel visibility for emancipatory realities by creating empathy among differences. Incorporating the theorization of new terms such as “gift dragonomy” and “dragging as grafting” based on drag mothering knowledge will play an active role in preserving subcultural language while avoiding ‘representational fixity.”
The question we have chosen – and been invited – to answer is “What is Europe: Past, Present, and Future.” This sits within the resilient societies theme of the NWA call. The reason for our choice of the ‘resilience’ theme is based on the many disciplines working on the project, which stretch beyond the historic (living history theme) into the societal.It has a deeper conceptual basis, however. It springs from an assumption that a shared sense of belonging and inclusion is one foundation for and aspect of resilience – just as a rope braided together from many strands is stronger than one where the strands are fraying apart. Positive and inclusive expressions of belonging and affiliation are present in education, sports, and music – highly visible sites of representation that have profound reach and impact in society. Racialisation, othering, and selective or stereotypical representations, however, work against resilience. They are circulated widely and generate exclusion and hurt. In these linked work packages, then, we take up the question’s invitation to expand and disrupt, what the NWA’s call itself defines as a normative prior understanding of Europe. In the words of the question, this definition emphasizes Europe’s nature as white, Christian-secular, bounded by the geographic limits of Western Europe, shaped by Greco-Roman heritage and tradition, democratic, and home of the enlightenment. Our consortium seeks to analyze this representation, research and present more expansive and accurate ones in consultative reflective and co-creative processes. Through the process, the new knowledge, and our highly participatory research and dissemination models we will change societal understandings of the bounds of Dutch, and European identities. This will forge a greater sense of belonging across all of the communities, including academia, involved in our project.This project is vital for building resilience through tackling sources of fragmentation and alienation in past and present. It is much needed as we look forward to an increasingly diverse and mixed demographic future.
The project proposal focuses on Virtual Humans (VHs) emerging as a Key Enabling Technology (KET) for societal prosperity. VHs (or embodied, digital, intelligent agents) are highly realistic and highly interactive digital representations of humans in entertainment of serious applications. Most known examples – beyond video games and virtual media productions – are virtual influencers, virtual instructors, virtual news readers, and virtual doctors/patients in health care or therapy. It is increasingly difficult for academic and applied researchers, let alone for users and policymakers, to keep up with the technological developments, societal uses, and risks of VHs. Due to its expertise in game technology, immersive media, and applied AI, BUas is one of the leading partners of the regional Virtual Human Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) agenda. MindLabs coordinates this agenda with BUas, Fontys Uas, and Tilburg University as principal partners. The multidisciplinary RDI agenda integrates design and engineering research, use case applications and evaluation as well as ethics and critical societal reflection. This regional Virtual Humans agenda, however, is not (yet) linked to the EU RDI agenda. Collaboration on Virtual Humans RDI is not yet well established in EU institutions and networks. The aim of this project is to 1) strengthen (our) European-knowledge position on VHs by joining and building networks to find out what the research and innovation agenda on VHs looks like; 2) Conduct one or more experimental studies on empathic interaction between real- and virtual humans to develop a multidisciplinary R&D agenda (pilot title: 'Virtual Humans – Real Emotions'); 3) Develop the ideas, content and partnerships for strong EU-funded RDI proposals In the VESPER project, we partner up with researchers and knowledge institutes the Humbolt University and the University of Bremen in Germany and Howest in Belgium.
