26-T2 – ICT and Education: From Theory to Practice
Course coordinators:
- Dr. Omid Noroozi, Wageningen University and Research
- Dr. Pantelis M. Papadopoulos, University of Twente
- Dr. Mohammadreza Farrokhnia, University of Twente
- Chris Witteveen Msc., University of Groningen
Course description
The course offers a broad overview of how learning theories and instructional design inform the system requirements of contemporary educational technologies across four sessions. Beginning with instructional design in the first session, it explores multimedia principles, models, and guidelines for developing meaningful technological tools for online learning. The second session focuses on how integrating technology into the learning experience can support the development of 21st-century skills, and it also includes a UNESCO workshop that provides practical guidance on the use of Generative AI in education and research and comes with a certificate. In the third session, the emphasis shifts to innovative and emerging technologies, particularly the applications of learning analytics and (Gen)AI in educational contexts. Finally, the fourth session centers on authentic learning environments, introducing a range of tools that can bring authentic context into learning scenarios, such as serious games, simulations, and virtual reality, while also offering students opportunities for hands-on activities. Throughout the course, practical and ethical issues related to the use of technology in teaching and educational research are discussed, and the combination of lectures, hands-on activities, and guest lectures by experts in the field is expected to provide additional opportunities for students to connect the course learning goals with their ongoing research activities.
Course learning goals
By the end of the course, the students should be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge about current topics and developments in educational technology
- Analyze the instructional design of technology-based learning environments
- Identify the potential ethical issues of a technology-based learning environment
- Engage in discussions about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of research on technology-based learning
- Demonstrate knowledge about the role of technology in developing 21st-century skills
- Discuss different techniques for learning analytics
- Discuss the role of artificial intelligence in promoting self-regulated learning
- Analyze how the affordances of the discussed technologies could be used to answer research questions in their own research project
- Leading a discussion on a specific topic of their choice (related to your own research)
Requirements
The students should have an academic master’s degree, but no further requirements need to be fulfilled.
Type of course
Face-to-face and online
Meetings
Meetings start at 10 AM and end at 5 PM with a one-hour lunch break in between. Given that the course counts for 3 ECTS, 84 hours should be invested to pass the course successfully. In this regard, the following time distribution is foreseen:
- 28 hours of face-to-face and online meetings
- 56 hours for home assignments
Sessions
Session 1 (Friday, 2 October 2026): In person at Wageningen University & Research
Main theme: The importance of instructional design for developing technology-based learning environments
Topics:
- Instructional design principles for developing technology-based learning environments
- Ethical issues related to technology-based learning environments
Suggested literature[1]:
- Van Merriënboer, J. J., Clark, R. E., & De Croock, M. B. (2002). Blueprints for complex learning: The 4C/ID-model. Educational technology research and development, 50(2), 39-61. (required)
- Spector, J. M. (2016). Ethics in educational technology: Towards a framework for ethical decision making in and for the discipline. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(5), 1003-1011. (required)
- Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional design theory, and how is it changing. Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory, 2, 5-29. (optional)
- Girvan, C., & Savage, T. (2012). Ethical considerations for educational research in a virtual world. Interactive Learning Environments, 20(3), 239-251. (optional)
Session 2 (Friday, 16 October 2026): Online
Main Theme: The role of technology in developing 21st-century skills
Topics:
- Developing 21st-century skills in technology-based learning environments
- Workshop on UNESCO’s “Guidance for generative AI in education and research”
Suggested literature:
- Lewin, C., & McNicol, S. (2015). Supporting the development of 21st-century skills through ICT. KEYCIT 2014-Key Competencies in Informatics and ICT, (7), 181-198. (required)
- Holmes, W., & Miao, F. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO Publishing. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693 (required)
- Voogt, J., Knezek, G., Cox, M., Knezek, D., & ten Brummelhuis, A. (2013). Under which conditions does ICT have a positive effect on teaching and learning? A call to action. Journal of computer-assisted learning, 29(1), 4-14. (optional)
- Thierfelder, B., Papadopoulos, P. M., Weinberger, A., Demetriadis, S., & Tegos, S. (2024). Adverse effects of intelligent support of CSCL—the ethics of conversational agents. In Ethics in Online AI-based Systems (pp. 3-23). Academic Press. (optional)
Session 3 (Friday, 30 October 2026): Online
Main Theme: Application of learning analytics and AI for Teaching and Learning
Topics:
- Application of learning analytics for outcome assessment and promoting self-regulated learning
- Application of (Gen)AI for teaching and learning and the concept of “hybrid intelligence”
- Ethical issues related to using learning analytics and AI in educational research
Suggested literature:
- Matcha, W., Ahmad Uzir, N., Gasevic, D., & Pardo, A. (2019). A systematic review of empirical studies on learning analytics dashboards: A self-regulated learning perspective. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 13(2), 226-245. (required)
- Tzimas, D., & Demetriadis, S. (2021). Ethical issues in learning analytics: a review of the field. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1-33. (optional)
- Banihashem, S. K., Noroozi, O., Khosravi, H., Schunn, C. D., & Drachsler, H. (2026). Pedagogical framework for hybrid intelligent feedback. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 63(2), 554-570. (required)
- Tegos, S., Demetriadis, S., Papadopoulos, P. M., Weinberger, A. (2016). Conversational agents for academically productive talk: a comparison of directed and undirected agent interventions. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 11(4), 417–440. (optional)
Session 4 (Friday, 13 November 2026): In person at University of Twente/University of Groningen
Main Theme: Authentic technology-based learning environments
Topics:
- Learning affordances of technology-based learning environments
- Experiencing different technology-based learning environments (e.g., serious games, simulations, and virtual reality)
Suggested literature:
- Bower, M. (2008). Affordance analysis – matching learning tasks with learning technologies, Educational Media International, 45(1), 3-15. (required)
- Bower, M. (2016). Deriving a typology of web 2.0 learning technologies. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47(4), 763–777. (optional)
[1] The suggested literature is subject to change depending on the final lecture topic and the lecturer assigned to each session.