How should AI be used in schools? The SmartStart Teacher Academy project aims to establish an international teacher education program that trains teachers and student teachers to critically integrate AI-based tools into teaching. To address language barriers, an AI-based translation tool will be developed to facilitate professional exchange and support multilingual classrooms.
The project is led by Professor Klaudia Schultheis at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in southern Germany. Karlstad University will lead one of the eight work packages in the project together with NLA University College in Oslo. At Karlstad University, Kent Fredholm, Director of Studies for the doctoral program in educational work, is the Work Package Leader. A total of twelve universities and several primary schools in seven European countries are participating.
How is the project structured?
“The project consists of two phases over 36 months, starting in March 2025, says Kent Fredholm. The first phase is an online course that provides teachers and student teachers with basic knowledge of the technological, pedagogical, and didactic aspects of AI and digital media in primary schools. The online course will be made available via eTwinning, which supports primary school teachers and teacher educators across Europe in addressing the challenges of AI. The second phase is practical and takes place in partner schools with the help of the ERASMUS+ mobility program. Scientific studies will evaluate the professional development of the participants, and the project will result in scientific and popular science publications that hopefully can also support teachers and teacher educators.”
Participants in the SmartStart Teacher Academy from Karlstad University are Valerie Margrain, Professor of Educational Work, Kent Fredholm, Director of Studies for the doctoral program in Educational work, and Anna Lindholm, PhD in Swedish as a Second Language.
The SmartStart Teacher Academy project is funded with 1.5 million euros by Erasmus+.
