The E-Teach Conference & Multiplier event on Digital Pedagogy was hosted at the modern U-Residence of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel on the 2nd of February 2024. The day-long event, featuring a confluence of international experts, educators, and researchers, delved into the transformative power of digital pedagogy in distance education and beyond.
The conference started with welcoming remarks by Prof. Chang Zhu from VUB, setting the tone for a day filled with insightful presentations and lively panel discussions. Marta Luchetti from VUB provided an overview of the E-Teach Project, sharing key results and impacts on digital education initiatives. Highlighting the importance of digital pedagogy in distance education, Prof. Hasan Arslan from COMU discussed its critical role in today’s educational landscape. This was followed by Laura Salo from the University of Helsinki, who shared her insights on the integration of programming into curriculum and teaching of compulsory education in Finland, highlighting the research and practical work done by the Innokas Network. Dr. Yunhua Liu's presentation shed light on the digital education of teachers in Germany, showcasing innovative strategies and methodologies being implemented.
The panel discussion on Teacher Competences in Digital Pedagogy, moderated by Dr. Aysun Caliskan from VUB, featured a dynamic exchange of ideas on the role of digital technologies to enhance student engagement, provide more flexibility and personalisation, foster critical thinking and collaboration. However, panelists also discussed challenges and concerns about digital technologies in education, highlighting the need to balance between traditional and digital modes of learning.
Afternoon sessions explored various dimensions of digital pedagogy, including the creation of digital bridges in education by Greta Volodzkaitė from  Baltic Education Technology Institute (BETI), and the enhancement of teachers' digital content development skills by Milcu Teodora-Maria from Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (LBUS). The use of AI in higher education was a focal theme, with Prof. Melita Kovacevic and Prof. Anna Maria Migdał addressing its application and the ethical dilemmas associated with it.
The panel on the Use of AI Tools in Education, moderated by Anthony Antoine, engaged experts like Prof. Jan Cornelis (VUB), Marijke Van Vlasselaer (VUB), Prof. Anna Maria Migdał (SAN), Prof. Melita Kovacevic (UZ), Prof. Haiyan WANG (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. Kongwen GUAN (RUC/BHU) in a discussion about the practicalities, potentials and challenges of AI in educational settings.
The conference concluded with a summary of panel sessions by Dr. Aysun Caliskan and closing remarks by Prof. Chang Zhu, who encapsulated the day’s discussions and emphasized the importance of continued innovation in digital pedagogy.
The Final E-Teach Conference not only provided a platform for sharing knowledge and best practices but also underscored the collective commitment to enhancing digital pedagogy. As digital technologies continue to evolve, this event highlighted the importance of adaptable, informed, and ethical approaches to education in the digital age.
