On May 25th, the New Bulgarian University in Sofia played host to an event that has the potential to reshape the landscape of digital education: the UX@School – Online Tracking Tool. Organized by Budakov Films as part of the Erasmus+ co-funded project UX@School (Project No: 2023-1-IT02-KA220-SCH-000156059), this event marked a significant step towards empowering educators with the tools and knowledge to create more engaging and effective digital learning environments.
Setting the Stage
The event was a pivotal moment in the UX@School project, which aims to strengthen the role of teachers and trainers in designing student-centred digital environments. By exploiting the potential of UX Design, the project seeks to improve engagement and effectiveness in distance learning for schools. This particular event contributed to Work Package (WP) 3, with a specific focus on enhancing the digital skills and competences of teachers and trainers in monitoring and evaluating learners’ user experiences.
Objectives of Work Package 3
The main objective of WP3 is to provide educators with an online tool to better understand learners’ perceptions. This tool aims to improve the accessibility, inclusiveness, effectiveness, and engagement of online environments and digital educational materials. The initiative is specifically tailored for secondary school teachers and trainers looking to evaluate and implement their learning artifacts.
An additional objective is to promote the UX@School Online Tracking System to a broad audience, including teachers, trainers, UX experts, school managers, and other stakeholders. This is achieved through the organization of national dissemination events, where attendees are also introduced to the UX@School Handbook (the main result of WP2) and the UX@School MOOC (the main result of WP4).
A significant portion of the event was dedicated to discussing the UX@School Online Tracking System. Participants delved into the system’s flow, user experience, and convenience for both teachers and students. Through interactive sessions and group discussions, attendees shared best practices and brainstormed concrete solutions to enhance the system’s usability and effectiveness.
Brainstorming and Development
Once the groundwork was laid, participants engaged in collaborative brainstorming sessions to develop the most effective user experience for a tool designed to monitor the quality of training resources. These sessions were vibrant, with educators sharing insights and ideas based on their classroom experiences.
Prototyping and Feedback
Several prototypes of the online tracking tool were developed during the event. These prototypes were then presented to the group for feedback. The collaborative nature of this process ensured that the tool was refined to meet the specific needs of teachers and trainers.
Promoting the UX@School Online Tracking System
One of the significant outcomes of the event was the promotion of the UX@School Online Tracking System. By showcasing the tool’s potential to a wide audience, the event helped raise awareness and generated interest among various stakeholders in the education sector.
Dissemination and Training
The event also served as a platform to disseminate the UX@School Handbook and launch the UX@School MOOC. These resources are instrumental in providing ongoing support and training to educators, helping them integrate UX principles into their digital teaching practices.
Building a Community of Practice
By bringing together educators, trainers, and UX experts, the event fostered the development of a community of practice. This network is crucial for sharing best practices, providing mutual support, and driving continuous improvement in digital education.
The main goals of the UX@School project encompass a holistic approach to enhancing digital education through the integration of user experience (UX) principles. Here’s a breakdown of the key objectives:
- Analyzing and Evaluating Student Perceptions: One of the primary goals is to enable educators to gain insights into students’ perceptions, experiences, needs, and behaviors related to digital educational artifacts. By understanding how students interact with digital materials, educators can tailor their teaching methods to better suit the needs and preferences of their learners.
- Enhancing Digital Competences: The project aims to develop teachers’ digital skills necessary for assessing online materials, activities, and environments. In today’s increasingly digital world, it’s crucial for educators to be proficient in utilizing digital tools and platforms effectively to engage students and enhance learning outcomes.
- Improving Educational Resilience: By applying UX design concepts to digital learning environments, the project seeks to enhance the resilience and adaptability of school education. This involves creating digital materials and activities that are not only engaging but also flexible enough to accommodate diverse learning styles and preferences.
- Increasing School Readiness: The project aims to increase the capacity of schools to manage effective digital education. This involves promoting self-reflection and self-assessment within educational organizations, empowering them to adapt and evolve in response to changing educational landscapes and technological advancements.
*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.