On December 16, 2023, from 9:00 to 10:20, Milan time, the third sub-forum of the 2023 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference, themed “Enhancing Teacher Digital Literacy: The Driving Force behind Digital Transformation” was successfully held. The forum was jointly organized by the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. Tsinghua University and Politecnico di Milano co-hosted the event. A series of keynote speeches was delivered at the conference on “Technology Empowered Digitalization of Teaching in Higher Education Institutions” and “Digital Capacity Building of Educators in Higher Education Institutions.”
The University of Exeter’s Director of Education Innovation, Heather Haseley, emphasized the importance of upskilling educators in developing appropriate curricula for a future heavily infused with AI technology. She highlighted the importance of cultivating educators who can drive global change and contribute to creating a fairer, greener and healthier future. The EduExe project developed by the University of Exeter allowed for an inclusive upskilling ecosystem for educators, students and professional staff to rethink education within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sam Smidt, Academic Director of King’s Academy at King’s College London (KCL), introduced KCL’s approach to supporting teaching staff. With the emerging KLab idea, for instance, students will be able to engage in experiential learning and foster autonomy, intentionality, and individualization through a set of initiatives. In her presentation, she introduced KCL’s AI literacy MOOC and its AI guidance to teachers and students.
Simon Walker, professor of Educational Development at University College London (UCL), delivered his speech on “Technology-Empowered Digitalisation of Teaching in Higher Education”. During the talk, he demonstrated a model of digital maturity of institutions, where digital assessment is attached to great importance. He highlighted that assessment is the driving force behind learning. Students are now utilizing GenAI tools for various purposes during their learning. Therefore, educators should pay close attention to the programme and module outcomes regarding AI.
Li Wenjun, Vice President of Hangzhou Dianzi University, introduced the university’s remote hardware experimental platform. This platform aids students in learning courses such as Digital Logic Circuit Experiment, Fundamental Experiments in Modern Digital Electronics Technology, EDA Technology Experiment, and Digital System Course Design. Hangzhou Dianzi University is dedicated to supporting the platform’s expansion to universities in underdeveloped regions and international institutions, aiming to achieve the sharing of high-quality educational resources.
Xu Hao, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office at Jilin University, introduced Jilin University’s digital education initiatives in the age of artificial intelligence. To break boundaries, Jilin University has established the “iLearn@JLU” platform that enables digitalized classrooms through Artificial Intelligence technologies that are accessible to all students. Furthermore, the university replaces traditional evaluation with intelligent intervention by analyzing students’ learning behavior on the “iSense” Platform, which provides personalized feedback to students. In the AI era, the university shifts its focus to more efficient and effective teaching, enhancing critical thinking skills and training “Large Models” of minds.
On topic two, Wang Xiaohong, Dean of Communication University of China’s Undergraduate School, discussed how teaching and technology are deeply integrated and balanced in education’s digital transformation. She stressed the importance of enhancing digital literacy among teachers and staff. Moreover, the shift of the focus from technology-based teaching to teaching-based technology is a core characteristic of educational digitalization.
According to Chen Yiyi, President of Sanda University, digital technology does not replace human interaction, but rather complements it. Education should be centered around student learning outcomes, with technology acting merely as a support tool. In order to meet teaching needs effectively, universities should make full use of technology.
Professor Jackeline Bucio, Deputy Director of the Online High School & MOOC at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, discussed how teachers can use generative artificial intelligence to adjust student interactions, pedagogies, and assessment tools. She also addressed how to foster critical analysis of contents generated by generative AI. During Bucio’s address, she stressed the importance of adhering to guiding principles when using generative AI, which include ethical and legal standards for content, as well as transparency and interpretability.
Carmen Leicht-Scholten, a professor of Gender and Diversity in Engineering Research Group at RWTH Aachen University, shared efforts by Aachen University and the ENHANCE Alliance in training future engineers. She pointed out the need to integrate perspectives from both society and technology. To achieve this goal, they developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) divided into three stages and seven modules, aimed at addressing different issues in each stage through various modules. They aim to align this course with university programs to provide students with a more comprehensive learning experience.
