During the pandemic, the impact of e-learning became particularly important. In the field of remote teaching (RT), there is a notable lack of high-quality, research-based learning material. Slovenia has created advanced interactive i-Textbooks and a collection of video lectures in the style of Khan Academy. Unfortunately, both are limited to the national level due to the language barrier. The materials allow asynchronous use and are therefore useful for diverse learners, as economic and cognitive impairments can be reduced by teaching outside the real-time. We have chosen STEM subjects for EXPERT because it is internationally applicable and because we want to follow the principle of gender equality. In EXPERT, we have set ourselves the following goals: ▪ upgrade and improve learning materials, ▪ translate these materials using advanced machine learning models to English (pivot language), ▪ include materials into the Learning management systems (LMS), ▪ to explore new models for use in classrooms in an international environment. EXPERT comprises expert organizations from 5 countries (Slovenia, Finland, Germany, Spain, and Turkey). About 500 primary and secondary school students will be involved in the digital pilot of OER. The participation of about 150 teachers and researchers is expected, with developed OERs and MOOCs, we will additionally reach a much broader population. We are also aware of the low acceptance of the technology by teachers, so we will prepare explicit Instructional Principles for distance teaching and learning in cyber-flipped classroom pedagogy and additional instructions for adapting the learning paths in the LMS to the needs of the students. We will use different project methodologies, as four intellectual outputs are technical, and four are pedagogical. The pedagogical outputs design the pedagogy for technical improvements, integrate the OERs into the classroom settings, and evaluate their implementation. Specific methodologies will also be used, such as qualitative and quantitative social science methodologies for pedagogical research. In EXPERT, several innovations will be designed: ▪ a machine learning model to be trained to efficiently and correctly translate i-textbooks first into English (as a pivot language) and later into other partner languages; ▪ Community-driven use and improvements of i-textbooks (similar to Wikipedia). ▪ Possibility to include some topics from interactive textbooks in LMS and to construct personalized learning paths; ▪ First taxonomy of video explanations; ▪ First research-based emergency distance learning guides with video explanations; ▪ Cyber-flipped LMS didactics for use in situations similar to COVID lockdown. EXPERT will provide ALL teachers and ALL learners with several results. The taxonomy of video explanations will be designed to help teachers choose the appropriate video explanation for their students. Explicit guidance will be given on how to help better learners develop in-depth knowledge of distance learning STEM with OER. We will develop new innovative ways how to individualize the work with prepared materials within the LMS. The results are highly transferable to other subjects in the school system (especially hierarchical subjects such as languages) and also outside the school system (e.g., the neural model of machine transcription and translation). We expect an impact on more profound understanding and knowledge through STEM, the effective use of ICT in teaching by teachers, and decision-makers' encouragement to achieve a higher level of digital literacy of all stakeholders in the school system. As the level of STEM competencies is in a positive relationship with the gross domestic product (GDP), we expect a potential long benefit in society's technological and economic development. We see another benefit in raising the digital competencies of both teachers and researchers as well as students.
Through the implementation of the EXPERT project, we had set forth with a number of clear and ambitious objectives in our bid to address the identified educational needs: REFINEMENT OF LEARNING CONTENT: Recognizing the existing quality of interactive i-Textbooks and video lectures from Slovenia, our primary goal was to further upgrade and elevate these materials to align with international standards. OVERCOMING LANGUAGE BARRIERS: A chief aspiration was to transcend the limitations imposed by language barriers. By harnessing the potential of advanced machine learning models, our intent was to translate these premier Slovenian resources into English, serving as a pivot language. This pivotal step would then open doors for subsequent translations into other languages spoken across our partner countries, thus broadening the materials' accessibility. INTEGRATION INTO LMS: To ensure widespread and seamless access, another primary objective was the integration of these translated materials into Learning Management Systems (LMS). This would facilitate educators and learners to utilize these resources effectively within a familiar platform. INNOVATION IN CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION: Venturing into uncharted territories, we aimed to explore and institute new models tailored for classroom instructions within an international environment. This would lay the foundation for a global standard in e-learning. PEDAGOGICAL ADVANCEMENT: Addressing the hesitancy among educators towards technological adoption, we aspired to formulate explicit instructional guidelines for distance teaching. Alongside, it was paramount to ensure that the learning modules within the LMS can be customized in line with the diverse needs of students. TECHNOLOGICAL & PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATIONS: Beyond the immediate goals, we envisaged groundbreaking innovations such as the development of machine learning models for translation, a novel taxonomy for video explanations, research-backed guidelines for remote teaching, and a cyber-flipped pedagogical framework for the LMS tailored for emergent situations. UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY & QUALITY STEM EDUCATION: At the heart of EXPERT was an unwavering commitment to democratizing quality STEM education. With the tools and methodologies developed, our endgame was to offer universally accessible, top-tier STEM learning experiences. By achieving these objectives, not only did we aim to elevate the educational experiences for students and educators alike but also set a new benchmark for e-learning, fostering an environment of inclusivity, innovation, and excellence.
We applied for the ERASMUS+ project to address several pressing needs emerging in the educational sphere, particularly accentuated by the pandemic. At the outset, we observed a pronounced gap in the availability of quality, research-backed materials tailored for remote teaching. Slovenia, having developed state-of-the-art interactive i-Textbooks and Khan Academy-styled video lectures, provided a robust foundation. Yet, the language barriers limited the expansive reach of these resources. We perceived an intrinsic value in these materials, especially their asynchronous utilization which caters to learners with varied economic and cognitive challenges, allowing them flexibility beyond traditional real-time learning. Furthermore, while STEM was chosen as the initial focus for its global applicability and to fortify our commitment to gender equality, we were acutely aware of a broader challenge. Teachers' apprehension towards technology remained a hurdle. Therefore, addressing this reluctance and equipping educators with comprehensive instructional principles for remote teaching became pivotal. Simultaneously, ensuring adaptability of learning paths within the LMS to align with students' diverse needs was deemed essential. In the face of these needs, the EXPERT initiative was conceived. Our collaboration brought on board expert organizations from five nations, aiming to transcend language barriers, enrich the digital learning repository, and ultimately elevate the digital literacy across stakeholders in the educational ecosystem.