Multimodal and immersive systems for skills development and education
Aim and Scopes
During the last decade, we have seen an enormous penetration of multimodal and immersive systems such as virtual, augmented reality and motion-based systems. Such systems, along with rapidly evolving technological affordances (e.g., multimodal interaction, tactile feedback) powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sensors, are attempting to redefine how we interact and learn with technology. This attempt has long-term implications for human-computer interaction and technology-enhanced learning, enabling new forms of personalised, contextual, and deliberate practice of skills in authentic settings. This can facilitate more holistic learning that considers the interplay of different domains, such as the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. Capabilities arising from the interplay of sensor data and advanced computational approaches can provide insights into the complex learning phenomena unfolding during real-world practice, allowing seamless learning interventions to be deployed in authentic learning settings. In this context, multimodal and immersive systems can support learning approaches such as embodied learning, considering often ignored aspects such as context, psychomotor, affective, and physiological aspects. However, the potential of multimodality is an ongoing research endeavour, as some remaining challenges must be addressed.
Critical challenges of multimodal and immersive systems in education comprise:
- How do we combine multimodal data to deliver meaningful information on human performance?
- What are good practices to represent real-time data actionable by AI systems?
- How do we use multimodal data to compare the difference in performance between a learner and an expert and across multiple learners to detect and classify indicators of performance or training mistakes?
- How can theory-informed meaningful guidance and feedback be designed in Multimodal and immersive environments with multiple modalities to provide desirable learning experiences?
Potential Scopes of Interest
Potential Scopes of Interest include but are not limited to
- Natural human-computer interaction
- Immersive learning scenarios
- Complex skills learning
- Authentic practice through multimodal technologies
- Sensor-based learning
- Wearable-enhanced learning
- Assessment methodologies for “in the wild” studies
- Multimodal interfaces for learning
- Motion capture
- Affective computing
- Context-aware learning technologies
- Artificial intelligence for automated feedback
- Expert-based personalised training & learning
Organizers
Special Track Leader Organizer
Daniele Di Mitri
DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
Rostocker Straße 6
60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Daniele Di Mitri is a research group leader at the DIPF and a lecturer at the Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany. His research focuses on collecting and analysing multimodal data during physical interactions for automatic feedback and human behaviour analysis.
List of co-organisers
- Jan Schneider, j.schneider@dipf.de , DIPF, Germany
- Bibeg Limbu, bibeg.limbu@uni-due.de University of Duisburg Essen, Germany
- Deniz Iren, deniz.iren@ou.nl Open Universiteit, The Netherlands
- Roland Klemke, roland.klemke@ou.nl Open Universiteit, The Netherlands and TH Köln, Germany
Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Technology for Special Education
Aim and Scopes
Artificial Intelligence, Augmented reality, and Virtual reality are transforming also the way we learn making learning processes more interactive, accessible, collaborative, and funny, too.
Nowadays, there is an ever-growing selection of AI tools, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality applications useful also to promote capabilities and training for SEN (Special Educational Needs).
Based on Nussbaum’s approach to capabilities we can aGirm that the first reason to promote inclusion is to create social equity; it’s not just about rights, it’s about justice and promoting economic participation to all people growing up in society (economically and culturally). New Technologies such as AI, VR, AR, and ER work to innovate and allow an innovative way to do anything we want.
In recent years, attention to technological innovation has been directed by a desire to make technology increasingly able to simulate the abilities that distinguish us as humans: cognition and the ability to direct action through thought. We are increasingly committed to making technology “smart”.
There is more focus on “thing”; than on “people”. The technique was born as a tool for humans, the result of human intelligence.
It’s necessary to refocus the tension of technological innovation to support people, especially people with disabilities, and promote social equity. A civil society, to be defined as civil, should take care of the most fragile humanity so that accessibility translates into real promotion and enhancement of human capital.
Adaptive e-learning environments that respond to diverse learning needs are now essential in education because they help ensure students complete courses within a set timeframe.
However, implementing well-established guidelines, techniques, and methods that support accessible, flexible e-learning to promote digital inclusion remains challenging. This diGiculty stems from limited awareness of suitable approaches and a perception that accessibility is mainly a technical competency rather than a scholarly pursuit.
The papers for this Special Panel could be a reflection or project and proposal about:
– How is it possible to design, promote, and use AI for Education?
– How is it possible to design, promote, and use AI for SEN students?
– How is Extended Reality transforming Special Education?
– How can extended reality be used to promote inclusive education and a new, more inclusive way to learn?
– How is it possible to use VR and AR to promote training for people with disabilities to improve their competencies useful not only in the classroom but also at work and in society in general?
Organizers
Leader Organizer:
• Maria Concetta Carruba, Researcher in Special Education, Inclusion and Technology, Department of Human Science, Università Telematica Pegaso,
mariaconcetta.carruba@unipegaso.it
• Mario Covarrubias Rodriguez, Associate Professor in Design Methods for Industrial Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Mario.covarrubias@polimi.it
Students with Special Needs at University: E-learning as a contribute to inclusion
Aim and Scopes
Universities should ensure equal opportunities and educational inclusion for all students, especially for disadvantaged groups such as students with Specific Learning Disorders or disability (Melián & Meneses, 2020; Pace et al., 2018). Compared to other students, students with Special Needs, had difficulty with assignments and more physical, technological, systemic, financial, or attitudinal problems (Abreu et al., 2017; McGregor et al., 2016). The role of the institutions is fundamental in facilitating inclusive students’ opportunities, as well as in minimizing the effects of factors that might inhibit it (Pudaruth et al., 2017; Dong & Lucas, 2016). For that reason, it is necessary to implement measures to support students, in order to guarantee academic success and inclusion (Bellacicco, 2018; Addabbo & Sarti, 2016).
The use of virtual environments can improve students’ access and engagement in academic activities (Reyes, Meneses & Melián, 2022; Melián & Meneses, 2020). When students with Special Needs enroll at the e-Campus University, are required to complete a data form specifying the type of disability and the aids and tools required.
The data presented in this work were collected in May 2023 from the e-Campus University Commission for Students with Special Needs, through the administration of a satisfaction questionnaire to the students who used the service; data were treated anonymously according to privacy Italian law. An overall of 197 students responded to the questionnaire, 72,10% were females; most of them were psychology students. 51,3% of respondents were students with Specific Learning Disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography and dyscalculia) and 32,5% were students with disability; the others were students with special educational needs or a comorbidity between learning disorders and disability.
Most students declared satisfaction with the services provided, also from a relational perspective. Furthermore, students reported that the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is functional with respect to their educational needs. Finally, most of them said that they had not encountered any particular obstacles in their academic journey thanks to the compensatory and dispensatory tools activated.
The data collection will be repeated one year later, in May 2024, and updated data will be presented during the conference, compared with the previous data.
Potential Scopes of Interest
The aim of this work is to describe how eCampus University provides students with disabilities with a flexible e-learning environment that favors inclusion and supports self-determination and empowerment. The research describes some features of the eCampus organizational model that allow for individualized teaching assistance through an extensive network of tutors around Italy; the eCampus VLE offers a broad range of tools that flexibly adapt to special learner needs. Subsequently, an aggregated outline is provided of the students with disability at eCampus, based on the analysis of data collected in 2023 academic years; the analysis takes into account various aspects, such as gender, Faculty, type of disability, aids and supports, degree of satisfaction. Special attention is paid to the adoption of personalized supporting measures, with reference to various categories of tutorship, the adaptation of examination formats, compensatory tools, and dispensatory measures. Some conclusions can be drawn from these data, and from a variety of suggestions from students, which will be useful to improve the quality of services offered to students with disabilities.
Organizers
Venusia Covelli, venusia.covelli@uniecampus.it eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Associate Professor of Social Psychology; Delegate of the Rector for the inclusion of students with disability, eCampus University.
The list of other co-organizers, with their contacts and affiliations
Alessandra Marelli, alessandra.marelli@uniecampus.it eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Laura Panizza, laura.panizza@uniecampus.it eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Miriam Trezzi, miriam.trezzi@uniecampus.it eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Elisa Zugno, elisa.zugno@uniecampus.it eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Critical pedagogy, art, and affect as method
Aim and Scopes
Art has the power to bridge the gaps between different areas of knowledge that were once separate from traditional pedagogical concerns. It is a practice that is inclusive, intersectional, and transformative.
In recent years, the integration of artistic practices into numerous educational programs, including those related to higher distance education, has become increasingly common. As highlighted by proponents of the Frankfurt School and subsequently theorized by Dewey, the relationship between art and educational practices holds enormous emancipatory potential, making individuals aware of
their historical condition and eliciting needs and projects for social change.
More recently, critical pedagogy has further explored the political potential inherent in the use of artistic texts in educational practices, emphasizing the pedagogical functions of visual literacy in a world where the production and exchange of images and visual products are integral to new forms of communication. In particular, it seems that artistic texts primarily serve the function of creating common emotional worlds, where individuals can critically observe their identity affiliations and
redefine them in a more universal sense.
Building upon these premises, the aim of the track is to analyze and delve into the relationship between art and higher education, with particular regard to distance learning. The session aims, in particular, to explore the theoretical dimension of the relationship between art and higher education, also gathering studies from different disciplinary backgrounds, as well as to investigate concrete case studies. The goal is to probe the pedagogical potential of integrating artistic materials into teaching
and to understand the peculiarities of this relationship in online learning contexts.
Potential Scopes of Interest
The present session is aimed at gathering and scrutinizing e-learning practices that place a spotlight on the pedagogic functions of art and visual culture in academic courses. The primary objective of this initiative is to explore the intricate relationship that exists among visual practices, emotions, and critical learning, and to reconstruct the teaching methods and participatory mechanisms that can
clarify it. The aim is to understand the role of emotions in learning processes that utilize art and consequently to develop effective ways to integrate elements of visual culture into the educational experience.
The session seeks to encourage a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to the study of emotions and art in academic settings. It is hoped that this will lead to a better understanding of the role that emotions play in the learning process, and ultimately, to the development of innovative and effective teaching strategies that can foster a greater engagement and participation among students.
To this end, we invite scholars, educators, and practitioners from various disciplinary backgrounds to contribute to this session by sharing their insights, experiences, and best practices. The workshop aims to provide participants with the opportunity to exchange viewpoints and ideas, and to engage in critical discussions on the topic of visual art/culture and emotions in academic contexts.
It is mainly aimed at teachers and researchers interested on the:
• visual literacy in building an online learning community
• aspects of interaction (emotional intelligence, empathy, affect)
• emotional responses elicited by visual materials in e-learning environments
References
Bruni L. (2021), Costruite perché scoperte insieme. Sul carattere sociale delle emozioni, in «Società Mutamento Politica», vol. 12 n. 24, pp. 117-128.
Chen, J., Bogachenko, T. (2022), Online Community Building in Distance Education: The Case of Social Presence in the Blackboard Discussion Board versus Multimodal VoiceThread Interaction,«Educational Technology & Society» 25 (2), 62-75.
Cleveland- Innes M., Campbell P. (2012), Emotional Presence, Learning, and the Online Learning Environment, «International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning», 13 (4), pp. 269-292.
Darder, A., Hernandez, K., Lam, K. D., & Baltodano, M. (Eds.). (2023). The critical pedagogy reader. Taylor & Francis.
Giroux, H. A. (2011). On critical pedagogy. New York: Continuum.
Lipman, M. (2003), Thinking in education (1st ed.), Cambridge University Press.
Marchand, G. C., & Gutierrez, A. P. (2011), The role of emotion in the learning process: Comparisons between online and face-to-face learning settings, «The Internet and Higher Education», 15(3), 150-160.
Rancière, J. (2007). Art of the possible: An interview with Jacques Rancière. Artforum. By Fulvia Carnevale and John Kelsey.
Tota A., De Feo A. (2022), Arts as Agency. The Potential of the Arts in Educational Settings in «Scuola democratica, Learning for Democracy», 2/2022, pp. 225-237.
Trend, D. (1992). Cultural pedagogy: Art/education/politics. New York: Bergin & Garvey.
Taylor E.W. (2019), Fostering transformative learning: teaching for change, in Educational Reflective Practices”, n. 1, pp. 19-38.
Williams, L. S. (2017), The managed heart: Adult learners and emotional presence online, «The Journal of Continuing Higher Education», 65 (2), pp. 124–131.
Williams, R. (1967). Preface to the second edition. Communications. Revised Edition. New York: Barnes and Noble.
Organizers
Prof. Fiorella Vinci, eCampus University – fiorella.vinci@uniecampus.it
Prof. Ambrogia Cereda, eCampus University – ambrogia.cereda@uniecampus.it
Prof. Fiorella Vinci
Fiorella Vinci is Associate Professor of Political Sociology at eCampus University, where she teaches in the course of Political and Social Sciences and in the course of Education Sciences.
Analyst of the sociology of action applied to social and political development processes, she has dedicated particular interest to the transformation of higher education and to the innovations of teaching practices induced by digital technologies. She is author of several publications.
Prof. Ambrogia Cereda
Ambrogia Cereda is adjunct professor in Sociology of culture at eCampus University. She has extensive research experience on the issues related to the sociology of cultural production and visual sociology. Her current research interests are in the sociology of emotions, with a special concern for the issues related to embodiment, identity, and gender.
The list of other co-organizers, with their contacts and affiliations
Fabrizio Barpi, Politecnico di Torino.
Ambrogia Cereda, eCampus University.
Antonella De Blasio, eCampus University.
Fiorella Vinci, eCampus University.
Intelligent tutoring systems and conversational pedagogical agents in higher education
Aim and Scopes
The special track aims to open a discussion on the application of intelligent tutoring systems and the
application of the adaptive and conversational agents in the field of education as follows:
– Personalized tutoring: supporting students during the lessons, mainly in distance learning
– Automated Essay grading: providing supports to professors and students in the thesis drafting
– University administrative support: supporting the higher educational institutions in administrative tasks.
– Adaptive Learning: personalizing the educational contents based on the learning curve of the students.
– Interactive learning: providing an effective support in a stimulating and motivating environment. (Baidoo-Anu & Ansha, 2023)
Potential Scopes of Interest
The increase of technical infrastructures and the empowerment of techniques in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is renewing different sectors. One significant upgrade lay on the popularity of the generative AI, that increased the application in workspaces (Baidoo-Anu & Ansha, 2023), in productivity () and in general in the application of Artificial Intelligence in educational settings that grow seeking an exponential curve (Bahroun et al., 2023)
This proposes focuses on the educational layer that assists to a massive impact of the application of the AI. Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve rapidly, in the next few years, it will drive innovation and improvements in higher education, but it will also create a myriad of new challenges. (Dwivedi et al., 2023; Kasneci et al., 2023; Michel-Villarreal et al., 2023).
The past decade has seen Aritficial intelligence in Education (AIEd) amplified with AI tools and it was discussed in the academic journal from almost 40 years (O’Shea & Shelf, 1986). The special track is not focusing on artificial intelligence as whole but has a specific attention about the conversational agents that brings a significant impulse in education. Nowadays, the popularity of the platform like ChatGPT, brings the possibility to obtain personalized answers to questions, and the
application of this platform in education in increasing day-to-day (Khosrawi-Rad, et al., 2022).
Due to a good usability of these systems (Bennion et al., 2020; González-Castro et al., 2021) produces a diffuse implementation in the educational practices. Conversational pedagogical agents can be used as auxiliary tools in training processes such as knowledge management, needs analysis, training
organization and feedback on results. Indeed, these tools support personalized training that can improve the quality of learning (Chen, 2022).
An increasing number research are working on the definition of high-quality interactive learning environments (Harel & Papert, 1990; Rospigliosi, 2023), with an prompt personalization of the learning contents on the needs of the students (Tahiru, 2021). Conversational agents are met by applying computational techniques that aims to perform the personalization of educational paths and the optimization of tasks such as homework assignments, administrative tasks, student admission
processes (Johnson, 2019) and information re-processing (Florea et al., 2019).
Predictive analysis techniques in education is gaining ground at all educational levels for classification, prediction, and clustering in predictive analysis is increasing rapidly these days, particularly the performance of student performance prediction and dropout decrease.
Organizers
Raffaele Di Fuccio
Università Telematica Pegaso
Raffaele.difuccio@unipegaso.it
Raffaele Di Fuccio (raffaele.difuccio@unipegaso.it) is an associate professor in Special Pedagogy (M-PED/03) at Pegaso University. His research interests focus on enhancing learning through the application of innovative technologies from the application of AI in education, to the study of new tools for the support of learners with disabilities in the field of technology enhanced learning. He is also interested in the application of serious games in training and education.
Raffaele Di Fuccio has been co-chair of international scientific conferences, reviewer of indexed journal and principal investigator of EU and national funded project (i.e. E-MEDIC and CHAMELEON funded in the Erasmus+ call).
The list of other co-organizers, with their contacts and affiliations
Stefano Triberti (Università Telematica Pegaso) stefano.triberti@unipegaso.it
Angelo Rega (University of Naples Federico II) angelo.rega@unina.it
Lia Daniela Sasanelli (Università Telematica Pegaso) liadaniela.sasanelli@unipegaso.it
A list of potential contributors
– Raffaele Di Fuccio: Università Telematica Pegaso
– Angelo Rega: University of Naples Federico II
– Michela Ponticorvo: University of Naples Federico II
– Davide Marocco: University of Naples Federico II
– Umberto Barbieri: Università Telematica Pegaso
– Emanuele Marsico: Università Telematica Pegaso
– Stefano Triberti: Università Telematica Pegaso
– Alessandro Frolli: Università degli Studi Internazionali di Roma
– Raffaele Nappo: Neapolisanit srl
– Andrea Di Ferdinando: Smarted srl
– Gianluca Baldassarre: Università degli studi di Bari Aldo Moro
– Joanna Kic-Drgas: Adam Mickiewicz University
Bibliography
- Bahroun, Z., Anane, C., Ahmed, V., & Zacca, A. (2023). Transforming education: A comprehensive review of generative artificial intelligence in educational settings through bibliometric and content analysis. Sustainability, 15(17), 12983.- Baidoo-Anu, D., & Ansah, L. O. (2023). Education in the era of generative artificial intelligence (AI): Understanding the potential benefits of ChatGPT in promoting teaching and learning. Journal of AI, 7(1), 52-62.
- Bennion, M. R., Hardy, G. E., Moore, R. K., Kellett, S., & Millings, A. (2020). Usability, acceptability, and effectiveness of web-based conversational agents to facilitate problem solving in older adults: controlled study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(5), e16794.
- Chen, F. (2022). Human-AI Cooperation in Education: Human in Loop and Teaching as leadership. Journal of Educational Technology and Innovation, 2(01).
- Dwivedi, Y. K., Kshetri, N., Hughes, L., Slade, E. L., Jeyaraj, A., Kar, A. K., … & Wright, R. (2023). “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 71, 102642.
- Florea, A.M., & Radu, S. (2019). Artificial Intelligence and Education. 22nd International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science (CSCS), 381–382. doi:10.1109/CSCS.2019.00069
- González-Castro, N., Muñoz-Merino, P. J., Alario-Hoyos, C., & Kloos, C. D. (2021). Adaptive learning module for a conversational agent to support MOOC learners.
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 37(2), 24-44. - Harel, I., & Papert, S. (1990). Software design as a learning environment. Interactive learning environments, 1(1), 1-32.Kasneci, E., Seßler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., … & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and individual differences,
103, 102274. - Johnson, A. (2019). 5 ways AI is changing the Education Industry.
https://elearningindustry.com/ai-is-changing[1]the-education-industry-5-ways - Khosrawi-Rad, B., Rinn, H., Schlimbach, R., Gebbing, P., Yang, X., Lattemann, C., … & Robra-Bissantz, S. (2022). Conversational agents in education–a systematic literature review.
- Michel-Villarreal, R., Vilalta-Perdomo, E., Salinas-Navarro, D. E., Thierry-Aguilera, R., & Gerardou, F. S. (2023). Challenges and opportunities of generative AI for higher education as explained by ChatGPT. Education Sciences, 13(9), 856.
- O’Shea, T., & Self, J. (1986). Learning and teaching with computers: The artificial intelligence revolution. Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference. https://doi.org/10.5555/576781
- Rospigliosi, P.A. (2023). Artificial intelligence in teaching and learning: what questions should we ask of ChatGPT?. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(1), 1-3.
- Tahiru, F. (2021). AI in Education: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Cases on Information Technology (JCIT), 23(1), 1-20.
Rethink Education: The Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence
Aim and Scopes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to transform various sectors, including education. As such, we are pleased to announce a special track that explores the opportunities and challenges associated with AI in education. We invite researchers, educators, and practitioners to submit papers that address this topic.
This special track’s main objective is to facilitate a constructive dialogue among researchers, educators, and practitioners on the use of AI in education. We aim to identify the key challenges and opportunities associated with AI-powered learning environments, showcase innovative research and practical applications of AI in education, and develop recommendations for the responsible and effective implementation of AI in educational settings.
This special track will significantly advance knowledge and practice in AI and education.
Potential Scopes of Interest
Applications of AI in Education
- Personalized learning systems
- Intelligent tutoring systems
- Chatbots and virtual assistants
- Automated assessment and feedback
- Content creation using generative AI
- AI-powered educational games and simulations
Opportunities of AI in Education
- Improved learning outcomes
- Increased engagement and motivation
- Teacher support and professional development
- Accessibility and inclusivity
- Educational equity and personalized learning pathways
Challenges of AI in Education
- Ethical considerations and potential bias in AI algorithms
- Data privacy and security concerns
- Teacher training and support
- Cost and infrastructure requirements
- The changing role of teachers in the AI-powered classroom
The Future of AI in Education
- Emerging trends and advancements in AI technology
- Responsible development and implementation of AI in education
- The impact of AI on the future of work and the skills students need
- Long-term research directions and priorities
Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in Education
- The role of XAI in promoting trust and transparency in AI-powered educational tools
- Techniques for making AI models in education interpretable and understandable for students and teachers
- The impact of XAI on student learning and engagement
- Ethical considerations of XAI in educational settings
Organizers
- Gabriella Casalino – University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari (Italy)
- Carla Limongelli – Roma Tre University, Rome (Italy)
- Giosué Lo Bosco – University of Palermo (Italy)
- Daniele Schicchi – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto per le
- Tecnologie Didattiche – (Italy)
- Davide Taibi – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto per le
- Tecnologie Didattiche (Italy)
Laboratory teaching and experiential learning in digital environments
Aim and Scopes
Research on the development of university teachers’ teaching skills is turning in the direction of implementing and enhancing teaching strategies that foster active (Freeman et al., 2014) and effective learning (Bonaiuti, Dipace, 2021).
Hopefully, the same should aspire to the professionalization of students.
Recently, the issue has been further complexified by the pervasive diffusion of distance learning, which, on the one hand, represents a huge process of democratization of educational opportunities (Dubet, 2014) and of counteracting the marginalization of some territorial areas. In fact it allows and facilitates access to higher education even for students who live far from university sites and who, due to family impediments, work incompatibility, economic difficulties or inadequate transportation and connection network, are unable to reach the universities.
On the other hand, digital environments require an unprecedented design of educational settings and a rethinking of teaching strategies adapted to compressed physical spaces and reduced attention spans, hence the “Pedagogy-Space-Technology” (PST) model postulated by David Radcliffe (2009).
In this framework, a study and working group, born within a circuit of communities of practice (Wenger, 2006) promoted by the Pegaso Telematic University, puts forward the methodological proposal to encourage laboratory teaching (Cappuccio, Compagno, 2023). This manifests a cross-disciplinary “practicability” that aspires to connote knowledge and skills acquired by participatory observation and practice.
So, even in digital environments, sometimes at risk of de-humanizing, anonymizing, and monologuing rather than dialoguing the teaching-learning process, laboratory teaching allows for the recovery and preservation of the student’s active and productive involvement in learner-centered learning (Dole, Bloom, Kowalske, 2016; Zhou, Chen, Chen, 2019).
Specifically at the Pegaso Digital Athenaeum, as part of the Bachelor of Science in Education and Training (L-19) – Educator of Children’s Educational Services, a workshop is proposed on hands-on activities and with materials inspired by the scientific pedagogy of Maria Montessori (1993; 1999a; 1999b; 1999c; 2000a; 2000b; 2007; 2015), forerunner of pedagogical activism and experiential learning (Dewey, 1973; Kolb, 1984).
Far from cognitive ambitions substituting for educational action, the intent is to propose an observable and reproducible practice, in order to find feedback to the theoretical foundations of introduction to the method and provide some working tools-especially, as regards practical life activities-of immediate “spendability” in the professional contexts of each student.
Organizers
Grazia Romanazzi; Università Telematica Pegaso; grazia.romanazzi@unipegaso.it; +393391738177
Associate Professor of General and Social Pedagogy (S.S.D. M-PED/01).
The pedagogy of family educational relations and interconnections with schooling, early childhood education, the scientific pedagogy of Maria Montessori and gender studies are her main areas of interest, with multiple articles published in national and international scientific journals, two monographs, one edited paper and papers in national and international conferences.
He received the S.I.Ped. Italian Society of Pedagogy – XI edition 2023, awarded to the monograph Rinascere alla famiglia. Per una pedagogia generativa di competenze relazionali, Franco Angeli, Milan, 2022.
He obtained the Diploma of Specialization in the Montessori Method for early childhood educators.
Co-organizers
Chiara Bellotti; Università Telematica Pegaso; chiara.bellotti@unipegaso.it; +393351243418
RTT Researcher in General and Social Pedagogy (SSD M-PED/01).
She teaches Social and Intercultural Pedagogy. He obtained a PhD in Personal and Educational Sciences in Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Her field of study and research focuses on adult education in different life contexts. She is the author of numerous national and international scientific publications and has contributed to the drafting of collective volumes.
Generosa Manzo; Università Telematica Pegaso; genny.manzo@unipegaso.it; +393470897900
Type B researcher (S.S.D. M-PED/03).
Formerly a tenured teacher at a number of schools in Naples; vice-president of the National Association of Italian Schools (A.N.S.I); author of numerous publications; she has collaborated with the University of Padua and the University of Ferrara and has studied and explored issues related to disability and inclusion in the school setting.
Lately she has been engaged in exploring the potential provided by technologies in general and artificial intelligence in particular, in order to implement teaching methodologies that are increasingly useful to those affected by special educational needs.
Orietta Vacchelli; Università Telematica Pegaso; orietta.vacchelli@unipegaso.it; +393890842990
Associate Professor of General and Social Pedagogy (S.S.D. M-PED/01).
His main research interests are: the notion of sustainable development in the educational policies of the European Union and in the international debate, the enhancement of natural, environmental and cultural heritage in lifelong learning perspective according to narrative approaches.
Gianluca Barone;
Università Telematica Pegaso; gianluca.barone@unipegaso.it; +393473108725
Ph.D. candidate, tackles the topic “Equity, diversity and inclusion” of the XXXIX cycle. An architect who graduated with honors from the University of Naples Federico II, and a tenured support teacher at a secondary school in Naples, he has addressed topics related to inclusion, publishing two contributions in volumes devoted to the subject.
Bibliographical references
onaiuti G., Dipace A. (2021). Insegnare e apprendere in aula e in rete. Per una didattica blended efficace. Roma: Carocci.
Cappuccio G., Compagno G. (2023). Faculty Development e didattica laboratoriale a distanza. Un percorso di innovazione didattica con i futuri insegnanti. In Faculty Development la via italiana (pp. 298-313). Genova University Press.
Dole S., Bloom L., Kowalske K. (2016). Transforming pedagogy: Changing perspectives from teacher-centered to learner-centered. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 10 (1), 1.
Dubet F. (2014). Quali forme di democratizzazione dell’istruzione superiore?, Scuola democratica, 2, 257-274.
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Distance learning in teacher education practices starting from the example of the I’M IN TALES project
Aim and Scopes
The special track aims to open a discussion on the application of the teacher education in higher university institutions, starting from the experience of I’M IN TALES project. The special track brings the I’M IN TALES project as an example, but this does not limit the collection of the contributions. Any other paper in the field is welcome, sharing experiences and experimentations on teacher education and the application innovative practices in online learning:
- MOOC in teacher education;
- Mobile learning in teacher education;
- Game-based learning in teacher education;
- Distance teaching for special educational needs;
- Distance teaching for special education;
- Pre-service and in-service teacher experiences;
- Application of serious games in distance learning;
- Application of AI in teacher education.
Potential Scopes of Interest
Distance learning has emerged as a transformative force in the field of teacher education, offering numerous opportunities and challenges that shape the future of pedagogy. Distance learning transcends traditional boundaries, providing aspiring teachers with access to high-quality instruction regardless of geographical constraints. This democratization of education opens doors for individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue their passion for teaching.
Distance learning platforms facilitate interactive virtual classrooms where students can engage in meaningful discussions, collaborate on projects, and interact with instructors in real-time. These dynamic learning environments mirror the collaborative nature of modern classrooms, preparing educators to effectively navigate the complexities of student-centered instruction.
Distance learning in teacher education prioritizes practical application through virtual teaching simulations, practicums, and field experiences. These hands-on opportunities allow students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, honing their pedagogical skills and preparing them for the rigors of classroom instruction.
Despite the physical distance inherent in distance learning, robust mentorship and support systems ensure that students receive personalized guidance and feedback from experienced educators. This mentorship fosters a sense of community and collaboration, nurturing the next generation of effective and empathetic teachers.
As technology continues to evolve, distance learning programs must adapt to incorporate emerging tools and platforms to remain relevant and effective. Cultivating digital literacy skills among educators is paramount, empowering them to leverage technology to enhance teaching and learning outcomes in the digital age.
Teachers acknowledge the advantages of distance and mobile learning but have expressed reservations regarding various ethical considerations, including cyberbullying, privacy concerns, archiving and record-keeping, sharing classroom experiences and artifacts, obtaining parental and student informed consent, and ensuring e-safety (Aubusson et al., 2009; Cushing, 2011). Teacher educators have the opportunity to address these concerns by promoting the ethical use of mobile devices as learning tools, aiming to enrich rather than disrupt the flow of classroom activities. By modeling appropriate practices, teacher educators can effectively guide both pre-service and in-service teachers in navigating the ethical complexities associated with mobile learning (Cushing, 2011; Baran, 2014).
Organizers
Riccardo Magni
GLIC
The list of other co-organizers, with their contacts and affiliations
Francesco Zanfardino (GLIC) f.zanfardino@centriausili.it
Learning Technologies and Faculty Development in the digital framework
In the higher education environment, the digital framework and the learning technologies are assuming an increasingly decisive role, impacting academics’ professional identity and teaching skills.
Reflecting on the impact of digital learning technologies on curriculum design, teaching/learning/assessment methods is now essential for who is involved in faculty development.
Aim and Scopes
In the higher education environment, the digital framework and the learning technologies are assuming an increasingly decisive role, impacting academics’ professional identity and teaching skills.
Reflecting on the impact of digital learning technologies on curriculum design, teaching/learning/assessment methods is now essential for who is involved in faculty development.
Potential Scopes of Interest
The proposed special track will address two main areas of interest:
- online or blended Academic/Faculty Development approaches (How academic/faculty development programs can be led online on blended? Researches, best practices, experiences of online or blended initiatives for Faculty Development)
- how can Faculty Development build up teachers ‘skill to design, implement and assess learning in a higher education digital environment? (Researches, best practices and position papers on all the topics related to the promotion of the academic staff profiles and skills development in the digital environment: learning design, curriculum design, teaching methodologies, assessment, digital publishing, open science, online learning, e-mentoring, e-tutoring, digital skills and related topics
Organizers
Special Track Leader Organizer:
- Paolo Raviolo, Ecampus University
Co-Organizers:
- Antonella Lotti, University of Foggia
To be in relation with. Performativity and Agentivity in Online Higher Education
Aim and Scopes
By framing performativity within the perspective of cognitive neuroscience, it takes advantage of the paradigm that interprets teaching as theater and theater as teaching (Rivoltella, 2021).
Both theater and teaching are based on the embodied performative action and are structured on the relational co-evolutionary and co-emerging process between actor/spectator – teacher/student – director/actor, actor/actor, in a dialogical and inclusive dimension.
In this transdisciplinary vision, the didactic performative event, like the theatricality one, becomes a conscious opportunity for co-creation, as both artistic and didactic processes are embodied actions, generating a process of signification involving the active participation of actor and spectator, director and actor, teacher and student.
Indeed, the sharing of an action, even if only observed, activates a process of simulation “within one’s own motor system” (Gallese & Guerra, 2015).
Robinson and Taylor (2007) found that the acknowledgement of students as partners in learning has adapted teaching practice to better support students’ learning and achievement.
In this perspective, the relational dimension becomes both the means and the end of the learning process for representing a shared imagination structured on a joined goal (Carlomagno, 2023).
The teacher’s performance, which involves the interaction of body and action, enables the educational performative event to be co-constructed through the presence of students sharing the same space.
From this standpoint, performativity becomes an explicit competence of the teacher, not only supporting their teaching action but also fostering the consolidation of an effective relationship between teacher and student, through methodologies enabling Higher Education Learning both in Presence and Online.
Organizers
Special Track Leader Organizer:
Nadia Carlomagno, Professoressa Associata Ped/04, Suor Orsola Benincasa University
Organizers’ biography:
Nadia Carlomagno nadia.carlomagno@gmail.com
PhD in “Qualità della formazione, sviluppo della conoscenza e saperi delle differenze” at the University of Florence, she is Associate Professor of Experimental Pedagogy at Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples, where she is scientific director of the International Research Group Education: “Bio-Educational Embodied Research on Performing Activity” (B-ErPa). At the same university she directs the Level I Master Course in “Teatro, pedagogia e didattica. Metodi, tecniche e pratiche delle arti sceniche”, and the Level II Master in “Arti performative. Teatro, pedagogia e didattica. Metodi, tecniche e pratiche delle arti performative”. She is a member of the Scientific Research Committee of the Centre for Theatre Culture and Initiative (CIT) “Mario Apollonio” at the University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, and she is a member of the Research Group belonging to the Italian Society of Pedagogy (SIPED) “Ricerca e apprendimento trasformativo”. She has more than 120 publications, awards and numerous participations in national and international conferences and has been a Visiting Professor at foreign universities. She edits the “Theatre, pedagogy and didactics” section of the Orso Blu publishing series for Scholè, with Pier Cesare Rivoltella.
References
Biesta G, Priestley M & Robinson S. (2015). The role of beliefs in teacher agency. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, Vol. 21, No. 6, 624–640, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1044325
Carlomagno N. (2023). I Linguaggi non lineari nella scena e nella didattica (a cura di) Brescia: Scholè
Gallese V., Guerra M. (2015). Lo schermo empatico. Cinema e neuroscienze. Milano: Raffaello Cortina
Robinson, C., & Taylor, C. (2007). Theorizing student voice: values and perspectives. Improving Schools, 10(1), 5-17. doi:10.1177/1365480207073702
Rivoltella P.C., (2021). Drammaturgia Didattica. Corpo, pedagogia e Teatro. Brescia: Scholè.
