Programma della conferenza

Digital education should take into account the heterogeneity of teachers, students and subjects. In order to include all of these aspects, a proper didactic design should begin from the lecture room, through the supporting technologies, resources and strategies. Herein we will present the background inspiring the design of the lecture rooms at the University of Milano - Bicocca with technologies able to support the teaching/learning process whatever the mode of delivery (classroom-based, distance learning, e-learning), suitable for different subjects, teachers and students. The classroom is a responsive environment where the teachers may display on the widescreen among others slides, audio/video contributions; through the connection to the document camera paper materials, models, geological/archeological specimen or a combination of materials can be dhared with students, even extending the audience beyond the physical limits of the classroom. The technology is strictly interconnected with the moodle platform, making it possible for the teacher/student to continue the teaching/learning process through distance e-learning. The classroom-based activity can be recorded and uploaded (and edited) on the e-learning platforms, supporting the individual study. The moodle platform can be further enriched with slides, documents, quizzes, engagement activities, video-pills of selected topics, web resources, exam simulations and forum for a continuous teacher/student interaction. If the assessment method includes tests and project/work writing the moodle platform is exploited also for exam conduction. Applications of all the above mentioned technologies, resources and strategies will be exemplified for chemistry courses in B.Sc (200 students) and M.Sc. Degrees (100 students).

In the realm of digital learning, the integration of Language Model-based approaches (LLM) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) presents a promising avenue for developing intelligent teaching assistants. This research endeavors to experimentally explore the construction of a teaching assistant leveraging these technologies.

The primary focus lies in identifying the optimal architecture and technologies to create an efficient and secure teaching assistant framework trusted by the teachers and the students.

The challenges addressed in this study encompass the conversion from learning material to LLM-understandable information, effective information retrieval and correctness of answers, control over unauthorized information, operational costs, and integrations with Learning Management Systems (LMS).

The experiment also addresses the problem of misuse of generative technologies inside learning environments, which often leads to the ban of these technologies, by developing a tool in collaboration with teachers and under their control, which aims to be the bridge between educational institutions and generative AI.

Future developments may include special attention towards balancing the assistant's specialization in a particular subject against its broader access to related course materials and employing dialogue analysis techniques to gauge student comprehension levels and dynamically adapt information presentation. This adaptive approach holds promise for personalized learning experiences, enhancing student engagement, and improving overall educational outcomes.

Through this research, we aim to contribute to the advancement of intelligent teaching assistants, fostering secure, cost-effective, and engaging educational experiences for learners worldwide.

The public university system, as known today, is subject to internal and external pressures that were not present in the past.

Internally, within the budget constraints, it must provide the necessary technological alignments, training of teachers in innovative methods, internationalization of the university campus, upgrade of the educational facilities, creation and update of the digital infrastructure for teaching, and the selection and training of a qualified support staff.

Externally, it faces rapidly evolving digital technologies, the challenge of artificial intelligence, societal needs for up-skilling and re-skilling in the workforce, demographic decline, the new approaches on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) processes, learning models suitable for digital-native students, skills certification and micro-credential, GDPR compliance and EU guidelines on Digital Education.

Moreover, in multidisciplinary “mass universities", open to the largest number of students, the situation is even more complex and structures, often corresponding to large lecture halls suitable for the so-called "lecturer-led" knowledge transmission model, are needed. On the other hand, new educational approaches such as social constructivism, active learning, collaborative learning require new and different both physical and virtual spaces (Learning Spaces) to host these new forms of learning.

This contribution will outline the strategic plan developed by the University of Pavia to address this scenario, the expected results, those achieved, and the challenges encountered.

The issue of overtourism poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability and necessitates proactive measures from local authorities. In cities like Rome, there is a concentration of visitors in the city center, placing strain on heritage infrastructure and resources while neglecting suburban areas and museums. Redirecting tourist flows towards cultural routes, as demonstrated in cities like Dallas and Pittsburgh, could foster economic and social benefits for the entire community and can promote museums sustainability and inclusive education experiences.

In response to this, the WAT(H)ER project aims to redefine the economic and social value of cultural and museum heritage. As part of this initiative, an innovative digital approach is being implemented to divert tourist traffic from heavily visited heritage sites to lesser-explored areas. Through a digital platform, the WAT(H)ER WebApp, museums can define sustainable heritage experiences and tourists can be engaged in an alternative and immersive cultural and educational activity. The WebApp offers several features, including an interactive map of Rione Testaccio (a suburb area of Rome) tour with multilingual support and accessibility features, detailed information on cultural points of interest, virtual museum exploration though AR, a treasure hunt activity with rewards and digital learning experiences that elicit Critical thinking and Creativity within users. Functionality such as geolocation, user profiling, quizzes and an AR virtual assistant is integrated to enhance user engagement. This approach was piloted between June and July 2023: during the presentation, the WebApp's capabilities and the educational outcomes of the pilot phase will be discussed.