LEARNTEC 2023: Students of the Technika-AGs present their results
Metaverse, gamification and artificial intelligence – digital technologies have long been an integral part of the education sector. Learntec 2023 will give them a platform from May 23 to 25. The students of the technology working groups will once again be there, presenting their work results to the trade fair audience together with the Technika initiative and karlsruhe.digital.
E-learning and technology-supported learning methods have increasingly come to the fore in recent years. LEARNTEC in Karlsruhe, whose content is managed by Prof. Peter A. Henning, head of the education working group of the karlsruhe.digital initiative, is Europe’s largest trade fair and congress for digital learning. For almost three decades, it has been the leading platform for the latest trends and developments in this field.
The numbers are impressive. Last year, 370 exhibitors from 19 countries came to LEARNTEC to present their latest products and services in the field of digital learning to 11,000 education experts. The Karlsruhe technology initiative technika and karlsruhe.digital will once again be taking part. The focus will be on the students of the Technika AGs, which are offered by technika at the schools. This promotes technology education at Karlsruhe schools in a unique way. Among other things, there will be impressive projects from the fischertechnik working groups to marvel at, which will be presented live by the young inventors.
Education in the metaverse
The strong presence of digital learning concepts for the school sector has been remarkable for many years. Last year, 140 exhibitors dedicated themselves to this focus. And this year too, LEARNTEC will ensure that all relevant trends and innovations in the field of digital learning are covered. But how exactly can technologies such as the metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI) or virtual reality (VR) be used in education?
There has been a lot of discussion about the metaverse in recent years, but the breakthrough has yet to come. And yet: sooner or later, the virtual world will become a reality, which is why we should be looking at the resulting possibilities sooner rather than later.
Because in this digital parallel universe, which is independent of physical boundaries, learners and teachers from all over the world can come together to share knowledge and experiences. The metaverse enables immersive learning where users interact, experiment and collaborate in 3D environments. This offers tremendous opportunities for experiential learning and soft skills development as learners complete virtual projects and tasks in real time.
But hybrid learning and home schooling could also be implemented in a completely new way. For example, the technical equipment of schools would no longer play a role at all – and the excursion to the American Museum of Natural History in New York could be realized without any travel costs.
Learning Ecosystems: The focus is on the individual
Another focus of this year’s LEARNTEC is Learning Ecosystems. These are integrative concepts in which learning content, technologies, people and environments are linked together. A learning ecosystem is flexible and adaptable and enables learners to design their own learning path.
This model supports the idea of New Learning. This is a movement that focuses on self-determination, collaboration and learning in context. It is designed to enable learners to constantly update and expand their skills and knowledge. This enables them to keep pace with the rapidly changing world.
As with New Work, New Learning also focuses on the individual and their needs.
Artificial intelligence in the learning process
These days, you often read that universities prohibit their students from using tools such as ChatGPT. Nevertheless, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in digital education.
AI-driven learning platforms can create personalized learning paths by analyzing the learner’s learning behavior, skills and preferences. They can help to identify knowledge gaps and provide customized exercises for improvement. In addition, AI-supported chatbots and virtual tutors can support learners around the clock, explain complex concepts or answer frequently asked questions.
In this context, it is important to understand that AI-based solutions are not intended to replace teachers, but rather to support them in their work. After all, if they no longer have to deal with routine tasks, they have more time to devote to their pupils.
Digital education: Perspectives for the future
There is no doubt that digitalization brings with it numerous challenges. Challenges that we need to face sooner rather than later. After all, the future of education also lies in the digital world. And the integration of new technologies into the education process has long since begun.
However, opening up these new dimensions of digital education requires a rethink on the part of both education providers and learners. The role of the teacher will have to evolve, moving away from simply imparting knowledge to becoming a facilitator of learning. They should help learners to navigate their way through the complex learning ecosystem. At the same time, learners must learn to take more responsibility for their own learning process and make effective use of the opportunities offered by digital technologies. LEARNTEC will show what this can look like in concrete terms from May 23.