Rihab Balti is in her third year as a computer science PhD student at the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Vallenciennes, France, and the National School of Computer Science, Tunisia. She is visiting the subject of Educational work at Karlstad University, after finding us through the EUNICE university alliance.
Rihab Balti is researching distance studies and wants to gain a greater understanding of what behaviors and needs students have when it comes to studying online. In order to get a different perspective, she wants to get in touch with teachers and researchers within Educational work, and it turned out that Karlstad University was the only university with connections to EUNICE that has that subject. Rihab Balti contacted the university and received an invitation to visit quite immediately.
"I have been very well received and have been able to talk to both teachers, researchers and students. We have discussed what instructions students receive when studying online and how students experience different types of instructions, learning methods and arrangements in digital teaching."
Different glasses in a different context
To develop digital teaching in computer science, algorithms are used that tell how the user has used a video and chat system, such as Zoom, and what can be improved. Within the subject of educational work, you have the user's glasses on with a different context when you want to improve the experience.
"It is not possible to conduct teaching in the same way online as on campus. For example, you will find it difficult to maintain the focus of your students if you post a one-hour lecture straight up and down. The teaching and learning method must be designed for a digital environment, in such a way that the students perceive and learn what is expected of them in the current course, so that they can then write the exam with the right conditions. After all, we are all different and take in instructions and knowledge in different ways."
Rihab Baltis’s thesis "A secure recommended system, based on constant modeling of the learner" is expected to be completed in December.
"I want and hope that my thesis will be used within the subject of computer science to facilitate digital studies from the learner's perspective."
The Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France is a member of EUNICE, the European University for Customized Education, a university alliance that currently includes seven universities. The alliance has decided to invite three more universities and Karlstad University is one of them. An application has been submitted and a decision will be made later this spring.
