Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training in Technology-Enhanced Learning in Europe

Frontiers in Education, vol. 5

Abstract

Technology enhanced learning (TEL) research connects Learning Sciences, Educational Psychology, and Computer Science, in order to investigate interventions based on digital technologies in education and training settings. In this paper, we argue that doctoral training activity for TEL needs to be situated at the intersection of disciplines in order to facilitate innovation. For this, we first review the state of disciplinarity in TEL, reviewing existing meta-studies of the field. Then, we survey 35 doctoral education programmes in Europe in which doctoral students working on TEL topics are enrolled. Findings indicate that most doctoral schools are associated with a single discipline and offer methodological rather than content-specific modules. TEL-specific content is provided only in exceptional cases, creating a potentially isolating gap between master-level education and scientific conferences. On this background, we argue that cross-institutional doctoral training is important to progress TEL as a field. In this paper, we study and share the approach of an international doctoral summer school organised by the European society EA-TEL over the past 15 years. The summer school provides foundational methodological knowledge from multiple disciplines, content-specific topical knowledge in TEL, access to cutting edge scientific discourse, and discussion of horizontal issues to doctoral students. We further provide an analysis of shifting programme topics over time. Our analysis of both, institutional as well as cross-institutional doctoral training in TEL, constitutes this paper’s core contribution in that it highlights that further integration of perspectives and knowledge is to be done in TEL; together with codification and explication of knowledge in the intersection of disciplines.

Authors 17

1. Viktoria Pammer‐Schindler corresponding

   Graz University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Interactive Systems and Data Science, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

2. Fridolin Wild corresponding

   The Open University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

3. Mikhail Fominykh

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

4. Tobias Ley

   Tallinn University

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Educational Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia

5. Maria A. Perifanou

   University of Macedonia

   Affiliation as printed

   SMILE Lab, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece

6. María Victoria Soulé

   Cyprus University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Language Centre, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus

7. Davinia Hernández‐Leo

   Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · Universitat Pompeu Fabra

   Affiliation as printed

   ICT Department, ICREA Academia, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

8. Marco Kalz

   Heidelberg University of Education

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Technology-Enhanced Learning, Institute for Arts, Music and Media, Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg, Germany

9. Ralf Klamma Aachen Advanced Community Information Systems (ACIS)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Advanced Community Information Systems (ACIS), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

10. Luis Francisco Mendes Gabriel Pedro

    University of Aveiro

    Affiliation as printed

    DigiMedia, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

11. Carlos Santos

    University of Aveiro

    Affiliation as printed

    DigiMedia, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

12. Christian Glahn

    ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences

    Affiliation as printed

    Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland

13. Anastasios A. Economides

    University of Macedonia

    Affiliation as printed

    SMILE Lab, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece

14. Antigoni Parmaxi

    Cyprus University of Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    Language Centre, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus

15. Ekaterina Prasolova‐Førland

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

16. Denis Gillet

    École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

17. Katherine Maillet

    Institut Polytechnique de Paris · Télécom SudParis

    Affiliation as printed

    Telecom SudParis, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Paris, France