EDEN 2020 Theme

EDEN 2020 Annual Conference June 22-24, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania

Human and artificial intelligence for the society of the future

Inspiring digital education for the next STE(A)M student generation

In the end, all innovation is social innovation
and technologies become real when they change social practices
(Ilkka Tuomi, EDEN Bruges conference keynote 2019).

“Education is back where it belongs – at the top of the European policy agenda”stated theEuropean Commission. We intend that Europe will be considered a strong and allied partner to future generations, and that the EU education system must make our societies future proof.

Education is often envisioned in terms of innovation, excellence and competitiveness. But learning is also about reaching personal perfection, using a holistic approach that supports personal and professional development, learner needs and self-realization across different learning environments.

That education can be a social elevator and a vehicle to ensuring a sustainable society is acknowledged. Education delivers the social contract. Skills become obsolete when social, cultural and material contexts change. Creativity contributes to diversity and innovation, thus Europe’s cultural and creative sector is recognized as a substantial resource and driver for innovation and growth.

Digital education has proven to change learning and working practices in the society of today. The reality of lifelong learning towards sustainable life remains as urgent as ever. Intelligence, human and artificial, is in focus, and understanding students and their learning and application of new technologies in education inspires further development.

To prepare our students for this complex, challenging and exciting future we can use digital tools and methods to enhance and enable problem-based approaches to  the creative process, student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking, experiential learning, and collaboration, providing students with opportunities and skills to  make connections between concepts and build productive networks.

Skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) represent an important part of basic literacy in today’s knowledge economy. With the inclusion of a critical component – the human being, STE(A)M Education integrates the arts – humanities, languages, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design and digital media. A balanced relation between Artificial and Human intelligence can create trusted, flexible, personalized and inclusive digital learning eco-systems.

Education offers incredible potential for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, with several significant opportunities — and challenges — that the introduction of artificial intelligence could bring, especially to higher education. Increasingly, higher education institutions, as well as adult and professional learning are being transformed by intelligent systems that are helping humans learn better and achieve their learning objectives. The breadth of areas in which AI is already inserted in education includes intelligent tutors or chatbots, personalized learning, smart teaching, learning analytics, reducing student drop-off, education administration, data privacy and ethics.  A balanced relation between Artificial and Human intelligence can create trusted, flexible, personalized and inclusive digital learning eco-systems.

The EDEN 2020 Conference will focus on contemporary educational concepts, leading practice, approaches and tools which help to enhance the innovative power of cutting edge digital solutions, and integrating the synergetic effects of arts, the human and social dimension.