Digital Learning SIG Workshop

Invited Workshop Recommended citation: Nurminen, M., & Garrard, A. (2025). Digital Learning SIG Workshop. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Järvinen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53rd Annual Conference. European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), Tampere, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631575. This Conference Paper is brought to you for open access by the 53rd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) at Tampere University in Tampere, Finland. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License. DIGITAL LEARNING SIG WORKSHOP M. Nurminena,1, A. Garrard b a Tampere University, Tampere, Country, 0000-0001-7609-8348 b The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, 0000-0002-8872-0226 Conference Key Areas: Digital tools and AI in engineering education; Curriculum development and emerging curriculum models in engineering Keywords:Digital; AI; Skills; Effectiveness; Inclusivity; ABSTRACT Digital learning has become an integral part of engineering education. Disruptive events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the mass adoption of generative AI, have accelerated the need to understand and effectively utilise digital tools. Engineering educators now face the dual challenge of preparing students for these technologies and adapting curricula for a digitally-oriented future. This workshop aims to facilitate networking and the sharing of best practices among educators who either have expertise or seek to develop their proficiency in digital education. The session will include short demonstrations of practical digital learning applications by leading educators and an interactive "world café" session. This will enable participants to collaboratively identify opportunities and address concerns related to digital learning, specifically focusing on educator effectiveness, curriculum impact, and promoting equity and inclusion. 1 Corresponding Author M Nurminen [email protected] 1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Use of digital tools has been integral to the delivery of higher education for decades. One of the first recorded uses of virtual learning environments was by the UK distance learning institution, “The Open University” (Weinbren, D., 2018). Driven by the availability of cheap personal computers and increasingly capable internet connections, the adoption of virtual learning environments grew during the 1990s and became mainstream by the early 2000s. Digital learning promised that technology would enhance student learning, improve instruction quality, and increase educator effectiveness (National Education Association, 2013). In addition, digital learning tools have the potential to promote equity and inclusion. The UNESCO Qingdao Declaration provides policy recommendations for leveraging information and communication technologies (ICT) to address educational challenges and ensure equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. In late 2020, the European Commission (European Commission, 2020) set an ambitious action plan to foster a high-performing digital education ecosystem, enhance digital skills and competencies for the digital transformation, and support the establishment of a digital education hub. The COVID-19 pandemic created a step change in the use of digital learning tools, shifting from an enhancement of traditional teaching methods to a necessary requirement to maintain educational delivery. With renewed international interest in digital learning, publication in the field dramatically increased, including guidance documents (National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2021), reviews (Gibbs, B., & Wood, G. C. (Eds.), 2020), and policy documents (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2022). A future disruption to higher education, and all other sectors, has begun with the increased availability of AI.@ Implications for the teacher and student role mandate that educators are equipped with knowledge of this new technology (United States Department of Education. (2023). It is advocated that AI should augment educational experiences and complement, not replace, the essential roles of teachers.@ A future disruption to higher education, and all other sectors, has begun with the increased availability of AI. Implications for teacher and student roles mandate that educators be equipped with knowledge of this new technology (United States Department of Education, 2023). It is advocated that AI should augment educational experiences and complement, not replace, the essential roles of teachers. A converse opinion is that AI could replace the role of educators. While mass adoption of AI tools occurred in November 2022 with the release of ChatGPT, the technology has been developing for many years. Extrapolating the rate of progress in the field indicates that the power of current models will increase by exponential orders of magnitude in the coming years (Aschenbrenner, 2024). In the event of achieving AGI or superintelligence, access to a digital educator as capable as a human—albeit a simulacrum of one—will be inexpensive, customised to each learner, and always available. 1.1 Rationale Digital technology is advancing at an unprecedented and accelerating pace. For educators, this can be daunting. With the exception of a few thought leaders in the field, most educators will struggle to keep up with developments in digital technology. Working collaboratively will provide opportunities for communities to support one another. The impact of a worldwide digital transformation will be multifaceted. Higher education will need to address: Workforce capability: ensuring staff involved in the delivery of education have the technical skills to utilise digital learning tools effectively to remain competitive. Curriculum relevance: ensuring the digital skills students are learning are fit for purpose in a digital/AI world. Value proposition: ensuring the value provided by higher education remains relevant compared to education offered by alternative providers. 2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES 2.1 Target audience The workshop will be open to anyone involved with engineering education, including academics, technicians, or administrators who wish to discuss digital education. This could include, but is not limited to, an audience: With expertise in a particular field of digital learning looking to share their experience. Seeking inspiration on how to use digital learning more effectively. Unsure or daunted by digital education and looking for support from the SIG. 2.2 Expected learning outcomes By the end of the workshop, attendees will have: A greater awareness of the Digital Learning SIG. Shared examples of digital learning applications used by SEFI members. A network of educators to support the development of their use of digital education methods. By the end of the workshop, SIG organisers will have: An understanding of the breadth of digital learning across members. Identified the scope, areas, and methods to support SIG members. 3 WORKSHOP DESIGN 3.1 Time plan The time plan for the sessions is described in Table 1. The past, present, and future of digital education will be provided as background and introduction. This will be followed by two activities. The first is a series of very short (1–2 minutes, depending on the number of presenters) “show and tell” pitches from attendees to demonstrate their applications of digital learning. These will be focused and specifically framed around the success of the digital learning tool in addressing a problem encountered by the presenter. Presenters will be approached and confirmed in advance of the workshop. The second is a "world café" method of networking and interaction. The session will close with a roundtable gathering of attendees' ideas for SIG action planning, based on the world café table discussions. Table 1. Digital Learning SIG workshop time plan Run time Activity Notes 5 min Gather and introduction 10 min Digital Learning Show and Tell 5 mins Introduce and explain World Cafe 30 mins Digital Learning World Café 10 min Closing discussion and action planning 3.2 Interactivity The process for the world café will be explained to attendees during the session. Three tables will be set up, each discussing the following topics: Digital learning tools to increase effectiveness How digital learning will impact the curriculum Promoting and supporting equality and inclusion with digital learning At each table, attendees will be prompted to discuss: Opportunities created through digital learning tools Tactics attendees have experience with that work well and solve problems Concerns or barriers to using digital learning tools How the SIG can best support members Each attendee will spend 10 minutes at each table and then rotate. After 30 minutes, each attendee will have visited all tables. At each table, there will be pre-prepared sheets of paper with prompt questions and space to capture attendees' thoughts and comments. The number of repetitions of each table discussion can be increased based on the number of attendees. 4 WORKSHOP RESULTS The workshop will inform the action planning for the SIG. The presentation from the show-and-tell will be captured and disseminated to attendees. Outputs from the two activities and the world café will identify methods to support members of the SIG and areas of concern or focus for the next 12 months. REFERENCES Weinbren, D. (2018, December 31). 50 objects for 50 years. No 37. Conferencing software. History of the OU. The Open University. Retrieved March 24, 2025, from https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/History-of-the-OU/?p=3081 National Education Association. (2013). Policy statement on digital learning. National Education Association. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2015). Qingdao Declaration: International Conference on ICT and Post-2015 Education.@ National Education Association. (2019). Policy statement on digital learning. National Education Association. European Commission. (2020). Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027): Resetting education and training for the digital age. Publications Office of the European Union. Gibbs, B., & Wood, G. C. (Eds.). (2020). Emerging stronger: Lasting impact from crisis innovation. Engineering Professors' Council. https://epc.ac.uk/uploads/2020/08/Gibbs-Wood-eds-2020-Emerging-Stronger.pdf National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. (2021). Guide to developing enabling policies for digital and open teaching and learning. National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2022). Digital higher education: Emerging quality standards, practices and supports. OECD Publishing. United States Department of Education. (2023). Artificial intelligence and the future of teaching and learning: Insights and recommendations. U.S. Department of Education. Aschenbrenner, L. (2024). Situational Awareness: The Decade Ahead. Retrieved March 24, 2025, from https://situational-awareness.ai/