The transformation of the higher education institutions submitting this project has been initiated in the past decade by the process of digitization and has been sped up this year by the switch to online teaching and learning dictated by national lock-downs. On the one hand, Covid-19 has disturbed educational processes and has emphasized the need for opportunities for distance and independent learning, teaching and assessment. This need is even more explicit in higher education where students are not necessarily living in the proximity of their educational institutions, are not always having the (advanced) infrastructure and tools needed to study independently from their home, and are in certain cases juggling with multiple responsibilities such as employment or family. On the other hand, the increasingly challenging labor market, with the rapid creation and disappearance of jobs and the shift of control to employers due to growing unemployment, makes students more uncertain of their future and creates a demand for evolving, efficient and innovative educational methods. Trends, in particular in Information Technology subjects which traditionally develop practical and applied knowledge, indicate a need for an increased focus on performance and outcomes, and speed the demand for improved student centricity. The proposed project will consolidate the participating organizations' efforts to modernize their distance learning curricula and teaching methodology in the areas of cloud computing and machine learning by adopting a student-led approach to teaching. These are areas of rapid technological development which affect the global labor market and require continuous incremental innovation in university curricula. A student-led approach to teaching will ensure that lectures and curricula are dynamically and regularly revised and updated, and that a more cognitive and analytical methodology is applied to learning. Additionally, the IT labor market is highly internationalized with trends being driven by international corporations which are frequently running their own training academies. This necessitates the adoption of a transnational approach to formal education as well. Specifically, the following activities will take place: a short-term joint training (summer school) for higher education faculty, development of a methodology for distance learning and teaching, development of 2 distance learning curricula in the areas of cloud computing and machine learning in the cloud, a pedagogical strategy for increasing female students' involvement with IT courses, development of 15 webinars on how to produce distance learning materials, 2 case studies, 2 sets of policy recommendations, and a series of multiplier events. Taken together, the project activities offer a comprehensive and inclusive approach to distance learning. All project outputs, in particular the methodology, distance learning curricula, webinars, policy recommendations, and case studies, have been designed to address the differences between classroom and online learning, and to enable independent and modular learning and assessment. The methods used for their implementation vary but the common ones across all activities are peer collaboration and reviews, learning by doing, qualitative research and analysis, case studies, and gamification. The project will include 25 professors and postgraduate teaching assistants from 5 higher education institutions across Europe (5 educators x 5 institutions). A second target group are 100 bachelor-level students (minimum 20 of whom are girls) who will complete one of the two developed intensive distance learning courses in the cloud (10 students x 2 courses x 5 institutions). 5 young people from the NEET group who are from low income families will be also enabled to complete the intensive courses. The expected benefits of the project can be divided in short and long-term. In the short term, the project will increase educational staff's resilience & knowledge and will better prepare them for creating distance learning materials and assessments and carrying out courses in the cloud. Students will receive concrete practical knowledge which is valued on the labor market and increase their chances to find employment or contract work. They will be enabled to complete course work from their homes at their own pace. Female students will receive support in the form of teachers who are better aware of the pedagogical tools available to work with them, and learning materials which are adjusted to their styles of learning. In the longer run, the project will lead to the introduction of a new model of learning at the higher education institutions members of the consortium. The 2 initial intensive courses could lead to the development of additional ones, and such a model of flexible and inclusive learning open to everyone could contribute to a more sustainable local development by the activation of undermined human resource
Our main goal was to develop modern and inclusive teaching methods that will improve the digital readiness of higher education institutions and keep pace with rapid technological progress. We believed that adopting a learner-centered teaching approach would create a more engaging and effective learning environment. Our additional goal was also to address the gender gap in IT by implementing specific pedagogical strategies that would promote female student participation and success in IT courses. We have also planned to develop comprehensive distance learning materials such as webinars, case studies, and policy recommendations to improve online education practices generally. By promoting a transnational approach to education, we hoped to align our efforts with the needs of the global IT labor market, thereby improving employability, encouraging innovation and supporting gender equality in the IT sector.
The pandemic has shown the importance of online teaching. Robust digital education frameworks ensure quality education during disruptions, help distant students and build practical skills for the changing labor market. To address these needs, the CODEIN project aimed to modernize distance learning curricula and teaching methodologies in cloud computing and machine learning, adopting student-led teaching approaches to make education more dynamic and relevant to current industry trends. The project also aimed to enhance the digital education readiness of participating organizations and foster collaboration, peer learning, and the sharing of best practices among higher education institutions in Europe. Through a comprehensive set of activities, such as joint training programs, distance learning curricula, webinars on creating distance learning materials, and policy recommendations, the project contributes to the broader goal of improving digital education frameworks within the European Higher Education Area.