From 6 to 8 December 2022, the three-day scientific conference "Empowering learners" takes place at a global level. UPFM Lecturer, Dr. Simona Kustec, is part of the scientific conference, with her contribution on Tuesday, 6 December 2022, when the participants of the panel discussed the developments regarding Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education in Europe and the regulatory framework put forward by the European Union.
Empower Learners for the Age of AI is a global conference addressing research and practice in the deployment of AI in schools, universities, and businesses. This year's theme is Theory, models, and practical impact of AI. The theme reflects developments in related fields: learning analytics, learning science, data mining in education, and artificial intelligence in education.
On Tuesday, 6 December 2022, a special panel entitled AI in Education from a European Perspective took place at the World Online Conference, with Dr. Simona Kustec presenting her contribution to the ethical use of artificial intelligence in education for the benefit of people and knowledge. She pointed out the importance of recognizing that education involves many groups, diverse in their responsibilities and roles, but that when using AI in education, they need to understand that AI has a mission only if it is accessible to all and serves the professional needs of knowledge production and those involved. In this context, she presented the work of our university's HICUP Lab (HICUP Lab - Humans Interacting with Computers at the University of Primorska (upr.si)) as an international example of good practice.
Other participants also focused on the ethical use of AI in education. Prof. Georgi Dimitrov, Head of the Digital Education Office of the European Commission, presented the latest European Commission's Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for educators - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu). Prof. Wim Van Petegem from KU Leuven presented project data and knowledge on the use of AI in education, with a particular focus on transparency and accountability. Prof. Bart Rienties from the Open University UK presented concrete examples of additional inequalities caused by the use of AI in education, especially in terms of racial segregation. Prof. Blaženka Divjak from the Faculty of Organisation and Informatics at the University of Zagreb, as a follow-up to all that was highlighted and the lively online discussion that developed, pointed out that there should be no 'black box' when it comes to the use of AI in education, whether it be curricula or knowledge and opportunities for equal use by professors and students. There was also a specific request from those present to respect the needs of those involved in the educational process, rather than bureaucratic and business interests.