DCU launches new AI and Digital Futures in Education (AIDE) research centre
The Centre for AI and Digital Futures in Education (AIDE) brings together researchers from education, computer science, psychology, data science, languages, and related disciplines to examine both the opportunities and challenges presented by technological change.
As AI and digital technologies rapidly transform teaching, learning, assessment, educational leadership, and policy, there is an increasing need for research that is rigorous, inclusive and responsive to societal needs.
The centre will look beyond simply assessing the impact of new technologies to investigate how AI and innovation can be designed, implemented, evaluated and governed in a way that enhances learning, supports educators, and contributes to positive educational and social outcomes.
Speaking at the launch of the centre today, Centre Director Dr Peter Tiernan said
"The Centre will establish DCU as a leader in research on AI and Digital Futures in Education by providing critical, multi-disciplinary, and trans-disciplinary perspectives, advocating pragmatism over hype, championing human, student, and teacher - centred design and implementation. It will also provide rich data to advance evidence-informed discussion and debate on issues that are of critical importance to education and society more broadly.”
Commenting on the launch of the centre, DCU President Professor Dáire Keogh said:
"Artificial Intelligence technologies are radically reshaping the educational landscape and will continue to do so, in ways that we don’t yet appreciate.
For that reason, research conducted in this field, at the nexus of education and technology, is both essential and urgent. Taking a broadly interdisciplinary approach, AIDE will play an important role in identifying not just the challenges ahead but also the opportunities that AI presents for Teaching and Learning at all levels.”
Among the areas of focus for researchers at the Centre will be AI Literacy and Pedagogy; Digital Wellbeing and Inclusion; Immersive and Simulation-Based Learning; Policy, Ethics, and Governance, Digital Learning Design and Open Education; and, AI and Data Science for Education.