With apologies for the delay, which has been due to technical difficulties, we are delighted to announce the release of the recordings of the Digital Education Futures Seminar Series “Autonomy, Algorithms, and Agency”.
Digital Education Futures “Autonomy, Algorithms, and Agency” seminar series
Dr Jillianne Code
Events held on: 25th September 2024; 9th October 2024
The series, composed of two seminars, can now be streamed through Media Hopper Create at the links below:
- Seminar 1: The Balance of Power - Learner Autonomy vs. Algorithmic Interference
- Seminar 2: Charting Unseen Horizons - Speculative Approaches to Learner Agency in Digital Futures
Previous seminars can be accessed here.
Abstract: Seminar 1
"Seminar 1: The Balance of Power - Learner Autonomy vs. Algorithmic Interference" explores the profound impact of algorithms on modern educational platforms. Through presentations, case studies, and interactive discussions, we explore how algorithms might subtly influence students’ learning journeys, potentially overshadowing their autonomy and impacting their agency. The seminar's guiding questions will be:
1. How do algorithms influence or curtail students’ learner agency and autonomy, particularly those in educational platforms?
2. To what extent do students perceive their learning trajectories as being shaped by the invisible hand of algorithms versus their own choices?
3. How can educators and technologists co-create learning environments that acknowledge and utilize the “shared agency” between humans and algorithms, ensuring a balanced, beneficial relationship for students?
Abstract: Seminar 2
The future of digital education, while progressively shaped by today's innovations, remains, in many aspects, an unmapped territory. Drawing upon the essence of speculative methods, "Seminar 2: Charting Unseen Horizons - Speculative Approaches to Learner Agency in Digital Futures" invites participants to immerse themselves in the imaginative possibilities of the years to come, considering their own learner agency in this digital future. Using speculative narratives, future scenarios, and experiential activities, attendees will project themselves into future educational paradigms. They will critically engage with the myriad ways technology could further evolve and, more importantly, how learners might navigate, redefine, and reclaim these digital spaces. The seminar's guiding questions will be:
1. How might the evolving landscape of digital education look when considering the unpredictability and open-endedness of societal and technological advancements?
2. In what ways can we imagine learners shaping and being shaped by digital platforms, ensuring their agency remains intact amidst ever-shifting innovations?
3. How can educators employ speculative methods to proactively design for an uncertain future, keeping the principles of human agency at the core of learner experiences?
4. What role does the essence of the learning experience play when projecting future digital educational trends and a learner’s agency within them?