The Centre for Teaching and Learning of the University of West Attica successfully organized its 3rd online seminar titled “Digitally Supported Learning in the Higher Education Environment”. The event took place on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, from 17.00 to 20.00 via MS Teams platform.
The seminar commenced with an introduction by the esteemed organizers and coordinators of the CTLs from three renowned universities: Simos Retalis from the University of Piraeus, Ioannis Psaromiligkos from the University of West Attica, and Augustos Tsinakos from the International Hellenic University. Mr. A. Spyridakos, the Dean of the School of Administrative, Economics & Social Sciences of the University of West Attica, emphasized the pivotal role of the Centre as a reliable resource for teachers seeking guidance in educational planning. Subsequently, the Steering Committee of the CTL UniWA stressed the significance of integrating technology into educational practices and the value of collaborative efforts facilitated by the utilization of available tools.
The keynote speeches at the 3rd seminar focused on the utilization of three digital environments in academia: Metaverse, Moodle, and Open eClass. The first presentation was delivered by Mr. Augustos Tsinakos, a professor at the Computer Science Department of the International Hellenic University (IHU). He introduced Metaverse, a virtual reality system that offers numerous opportunities for interactivity and active participation in the educational realm. Mr. Tsinakos shared how this innovative technology has already been implemented within his department. The second presentation was given by Mr. Yannis Arapoglou, the General Manager at Wide Services. He discussed various case studies that showcased the diverse applications of the Moodle platform in Greek university institutions. Mr. Arapoglou shed light on the different ways in which Moodle has been effectively utilized to enhance the learning experience. Lastly, Mr. Thanos Plessas, a member of the Open eClass Development Team (GUnet partner), presented the capabilities of the Open eClass platform and its potential to facilitate digital transformation in Higher Education. He provided insights into how this platform can be leveraged to support and enhance the educational landscape. Therefore. these keynote speeches provided valuable insights into the use of digital environments in academia. Metaverse, Moodle, and Open eClass were showcased as powerful tools that can revolutionize the educational experience. The presentations highlighted the practical applications and benefits of these platforms, demonstrating their potential to transform the way we teach and learn.
In conclusion, the issues that were addressed during the workshop were thoroughly discussed. One of the viewpoints expressed pertained to the notion of change as an essential component of contemporary society, necessitating the teacher’s adept management of it in a pedagogical manner. Within this context, a novel framework is required, masterminded by the teacher-designer. It was contended that there is no singular ideal approach, but rather a need to consider what best suits each unique usage scenario. Furthermore, significant emphasis was placed on a) the regular and recurring training of university educators in emerging technological tools, and b) the imperative of sustaining the Centre for continuous support of the academic community in terms of educational design and the innovative integration of technological tools and environments, thereby ensuring the production of high-quality educational work. Lastly, the question was raised regarding the anticipated outcome of faculty training: compliance, reform, or transformation of the Greek university?
You can watch the 3rd seminar in Greek on Center for Teaching & Learning @ UniWA youtube channel:
- Greetings
- 1st Presentation on “Metaverse in the curricula of higher education institutions”, A. Tsinakos
- 2nd Presentation on “Supporting digital learning with the Moodle platform”, I. Arapoglou
- 3rd Presentation on “Higher Education Institutions – Open eClass and other digital services of GUNET”, Th. Plessas
- Open discussion of the Centre of Teaching & Learning UniWA