How the Edubots Project can help you build resilient learning communities
QAA Scotland has set university teaching and learning teams across the country a challenge with the newest sector-wide enhancement theme: Building Resilient Learning Communities. QAA has said that this enhancement theme will “focus on meeting the changing needs and values of an increasingly diverse student community, and a rapidly changing external environment.”
Edubots is a European project exploring the role of the chatbots in higher education, and we wanted to explore how the opportunities available through participating in this project could potentially help you build resilient learning communities, and to create an opportunity to evidence that you are seeking to meet the outcomes of the enhancement theme. Edubots is funded by the Erasmus+ programme, so all costs are covered for European universities considering participation.
1. The opportunity to create online learning communities
The free software offered to universities through participating in the Edubots project allows HE teaching staff to create online learning communities easily and efficiently Having this option available to students has never been needed more. Learning communities can be themed around class, module, society, whatever!
2. The opportunity to offer students a digital social tool
Students are no longer regularly on campus. And it doesn’t look like this will change anytime soon. But the social aspect of the university experience, and it’s influence on a successful student journey, has been shown important time and time again. How do new students in particular make the relationships and connections necessary to build collective resilience to continue studying when there is no longer the option to meet with their peers face to face? The free software offered to universities through participating in the Edubots project includes a chatbot solution to match students in 1-1 peer conversation for informal ice-breaking sessions.
3. The ability to conduct real-time conversational feedback
Taking an active part of your own learning journey is an opportunity to build resilience. Course feedback is often left until the end of a module, cultivated through a dry questionnaire with little chance of gaining cohesive, actionable feedback. One of the free software options within the Edubots project allows HE teaching staff to garner conversation feedback through the use of a chatbot. The software will also aid in analysing the results to help provide a clear route to improvement during the module rather than after when it’s too late.
Edubots is an Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance project that is researching best practice use of chatbots in Higher Education. It is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. The project consortium consists of 3 universities, 1 research institution, and 2 industry partners. One of the goals is to build a European wide knowledge-sharing community of Educators in Higher Education and provide both professional training opportunities and free software solutions to participants.
If you'd like to discuss the project and what is on offer for you and your staff please book a 30 minute slot at your convenience to have an informal chat with Lars (Consortium Leader) and Gary Donaldson (UK Community Manager). You can see our availability and book here: https://dif.re/edubots-intro on a day and time that suits you.
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