Several dissemination events and activities were implemented and can be found in this link.
Some example publications are detailed below:
Possaghi, I., Zhang, F., Sharma, K., & Papavlasopoulou, S. (2024). Design Thinking Activities for K-12 Students: Multi-Modal Data Explanations on Coding Performance. In Proceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference (pp. 290-306). https://doi.org/10.1145/3628516.3655786
Abstract
Design thinking (DT) and computational activities foster children’s knowledge capital for 21st-century literacies. The analysis of these activities often overlooks affective and behavioural states despite their significance in providing insights into children’s learning processes. Typically, these states and their changes are self-reported, lacking real-time capturing. Moreover, inquiries via Multi-Modal Data (MMD) for more comprehensive views are underrepresented in the current literature. We, therefore, conducted a DT activity focusing on coding engaging 33 children (aged 10 to 12) and analysed measurements including learning gain (from knowledge tests) and behavioural and affective states (from physiological sensors, video and voice recordings). Our results show that engagement and confusion exhibit positive correlations between MMD measurements and learning gain, while stress, frustration and anger stand out as detrimental for it. By mapping transitions in states experienced by the children, we unravelled negative learning scenarios that should be limited, along with positive indicators of increased performance.
Zhang, F., Possaghi, I., Sharma, K., & Papavlasopoulou, S. (2024, June). High-performing Groups during Children’s Collaborative Coding Activities: What Can Multimodal Data Tell Us?. In Proceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference (pp. 533-559). https://doi.org/10.1145/3628516.3655805
Abstract
Nowadays, learning activities have become more interactive and collaborative than ever before. However, it remains unclear what makes the group perform differently in such a learning context. With the empowerment of multimodal data (MMD), we conducted a field study involving 12 groups of children who collaborated during two-day-long classroom activities. This paper reports on a quantitative analysis and temporal explanation concerning the relation between children's performance and their group-level MMD measurements during a collaborative coding session in a design thinking activity. We computed each group's performance based on the created artefacts and compared the groups with better performance than the others. The results demonstrate that high-performing groups show more joint engagement, joint visual attention, and joint emotional intensity of delight, while low-performing groups show significantly more joint emotional intensity of frustration. In addition, the evolution over the four temporal phases showed different patterns between high and low-performing groups. Finally, this paper discusses design and theoretical implications for educators, researchers and practitioners.
Milrad, M., Herodotou, C., Grizioti, M., Lincke, A., Girvan, C., Papavlasopoulou, S., ... & Zhang, F. (2023, July). Combining Design Thinking with Emerging Technologies in K-12 Education. In International Conference in Methodologies and intelligent Systems for Techhnology Enhanced Learning (pp. 15-27). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42134-1_2
Abstract
The use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and 3D printing are amongst the EU targeted actions for supporting the digital transformation of education. Yet, despite these technologies being accessible to education stakeholders, there is a lack of concrete pedagogy and teachers’ professional development for their meaningful integration into the current educational context. Extending Design Thinking with Emerging Digital Technologies – Exten (D.T.)2 - is a European funded project aiming to use emerging technologies to enhance the pedagogical value, sustainable digitization, and potential for wide deployment of Design Thinking (DT). DT is a promising pedagogical innovation, based on interdisciplinary co-creation, that can lead to sustainable educational innovation and development of students’ 21st century skills. In this paper, we describe the main components of the proposed educational transformation as developed during the first year of Exten (D.T.)2including the theoretical foundations of the approach, the co-creation processes for meaningful engagement of teachers with educational innovation. Moreover, we present the educational technology tools (design, extensions, architecture) that are used in the project and the evaluation approach for capturing impact on improving students’ skills and competencies.
Kynigos, C., Grizioti, M., & Latsi, M. (2023). Classification and mathematical thinking: Tinkering with classification games in a constructionist environment. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education, 9(3), 508-529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-023-00131-8
Abstract
Classification is a complex process that involves scientific concepts and higher-order mental processes, such as abstraction, generalisation and pattern recognition. Even though it is an important competence for understanding the world, dealing with data and information, and solving complex problems, the education system embeds just its simplest operations and only in very early schooling. This study examines six middle-school students’ activity as they play, modify and redesign two Tetris-like classification games on the mathematical concepts of number sets and angle in an on-line authoring system called Sor.B.E.T (Sorting Based on Educational Technology). The qualitative data analysis of students’ dialogues aimed to bring in the foreground the classification processes students applied and the way these processes were entangled with the development of meanings and ideas on the mathematical concepts embedded in the games. According to the results, the play and modding of the two classification games enabled the development of higher-order classification processes, such as objects’ properties comparison, properties discrimination and classes’ encapsulation. They also supported meaning-making processes and triggered discussions about abstract mathematical notions, such as the concept of angle in various typical mathematical or physical contexts and the concept of number sets, the boundaries of each one and the relationships among them through exploration and learner-generated exemplification.
Integrating Computational Thinking and Data Science: The Case of Modding Classification Games by Marianthi Grizioti & Chronis Kynigos
Abstract
Even though working with data is as important as coding for understanding and dealing with complex problems across multiple fields, it has received very little attention in the context of Computational Thinking. This paper discusses an approach for bridging the gap between Computational Thinking with Data Science by employing and studying classification as a higher-order thinking process that connects the two. To achieve that, we designed and developed an online constructionist gaming tool called SorBET which integrates coding and database design enabling students to interpret, organize, and analyze data through game play and game design. The paper presents and discusses the results of a pilot study that aimed to investigate the data practices secondary students develop through playing and modifying SorBET games, and to determine the impact of game modding on student critical engagement with CT. According to the results, students developed and used certain data practices such as data interpretation and data model design to become better players or to design an interesting classification game. Moreover, game modding process motivated students to question the original games’ content, leading them to develop a critical stance towards the game data model and representations.
Intelligent techniques in e-learning: a literature review by Miloš Ilić, Vladmir Mikić, Lazar Kopanja and Boban Vesin
Abstract
Online learning has become increasingly important, having in mind the latest events, imposed isolation measures and closed schools and campuses. Consequently, teachers and students need to embrace digital tools and platforms, bridge the newly established physical gap between them, and consume education in various new ways. Although literature indicates that the development of intelligent techniques must be incorporated in e-learning systems to make them more effective, the need exists for research on how these techniques impact the whole process of online learning, and how they affect learners’ performance. This paper aims to provide comprehensive research on innovations in e-learning, and present a literature review of used intelligent techniques and explore their potential benefits. This research presents a categorization of intelligent techniques, and explores their roles in e-learning environments. By summarizing the state of the art in the area, the authors outline past research, highlight its gaps, and indicate important implications for practice. The goal is to understand better available intelligent techniques, their implementation and application in e-learning context, and their impact on improving learning in online education. Finally, the review concludes that AI-supported solutions not only can support learner and teacher, by recommending resources and grading submissions, but they can offer fully personalized learning experience.
Online Polyglot Programming Education with LFT (Lingua Franca Transformer) by Socrates Karkalas,
Abstract
This paper presents a novel approach to improve reusability and augment the educational value of web components through a polyglot environment. The idea is to enable communication with web components in a language neutral context by provisioning, along with the instructions, the grammar specification of the language used for those instructions and thus make the system agnostic of the language being used. This ability promotes reusability in the sense that learning designers are able to utilise learning materials using the language they feel more comfortable with or the language that seems to be more suitable for the task. Another benefit is that learners can make better use of the same learning environments they are accustomed to using through different languages. This allows learners to experiment with different programming paradigms, use more expressive or specialised languages and combine them with the concepts available in the learning environment of preference. In the context of this project we developed an authoring environment that allows the specification of any language and the automatic generation of parsers that can be used to dynamically transpile code into JavaScript. Preliminary testing confirmed that the idea is feasible and gave us positive feedback for future development.
Technology-Enhanced STEM Learning in Childhood by Eleni Chatzidaki, Sofia Papavlasopoulou, Hannie Gijlers, Tessa H.S. Eysink & Pavlos Koulouris
Abstract
Technology-enhanced learning environments in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are popular in both formal and informal educational settings. STEM learning in childhood provides students with hands-on experiences in research and problem-solving, affecting their future studies and career paths. The objective of this workshop is to bring together researchers, educators, designers, and practitioners to exchange insights on utilizing technology in creating engaging STEM learning experiences for children. The collaborative approach of the workshop is expected to facilitate a rich exchange of ideas and insights among attendees, contributing to the improvement of technology driven STEM learning for children.
Combining Design Thinking with Emerging Technologies in K-12 Education by Marcelo Milrad, Christothea Herodotou, Marianthi Grizioti, Alisa Lincke, Carina Girvan, Sofia Papavlasopoulou, Sagun Shrestha & Feiran Zhang
The use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and 3D printing are amongst the EU targeted actions for supporting the digital transformation of education. Yet, despite these technologies being accessible to education stakeholders, there is a lack of concrete pedagogy and teachers’ professional development for their meaningful integration into the current educational context. Extending Design Thinking with Emerging Digital Technologies – Exten (D.T.)2 - is a European funded project aiming to use emerging technologies to enhance the pedagogical value, sustainable digitization, and potential for wide deployment of Design Thinking (DT). DT is a promising pedagogical innovation, based on interdisciplinary co-creation, that can lead to sustainable educational innovation and development of students’ 21st century skills. In this paper, we describe the main components of the proposed educational transformation as developed during the first year of Exten (D.T.)2 including the theoretical foundations of the approach, the co-creation processes for meaningful engagement of teachers with educational innovation. Moreover, we present the educational technology tools (design, extensions, architecture) that are used in the project and the evaluation approach for capturing impact on improving students’ skills and competencies.
Upcoming publications
Learning Analytics for Open Learning Environments: Connection to 21st Century Skills by Sokratis Karkalas, Alisa Lincke, and Marianthi Grizioti
Using the Repertory Grid Technique in a Co-design Process for Learning Analytics: Conceptualisation and Connection to 21st Century Skills by Sokratis Karkalas, Filothei Chalvatza, Manolis Mavrikis, and Maria-Stella Nikolaou
