The 18th annual International Technology, Education and Development (INTED) Conference was held from 04 to 06 March 2024 in Valencia (Spain). The Conference provided a unique opportunity for scientific exchanges with a wide range of global experts and for presenting a number of papers showcasing research results of European co-funded projects in which the DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) participates.

The International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED) has been organizing INTED on an annual basis for eighteen (18) years in a row. INTED is now recognized as an important forum that brings together educators, policy makers and other stakeholders who use or are interested in using technology in educational practice, with an emphasis on digital technologies. Hence the presence of DAISSy researchers in the Conference significantly increased the impact of research conducted by the DAISSy Research Group. 

DAISSy-HOU was actively involved in the INTED 2024 Conference by contributing six (6) scientific papers, a result of the high-quality work and international collaborations of the Group. The papers showcased the results of European research projects regarding the use of innovative methodologies and tools in education during the digital era that have been developed by DAISSy under the scientific coordination of Prof. Achilles Kameas.

The papers presented are:

• Design and Evaluation of a MOOC on the Internet of Things to upskill Adult Educators, authored by the HOU team, Fotis Lazarinis, Theodor Panagiotakopoulos and Achilles Kameas, showcasing the results of project ADA, and presented by A. Kameas.
• A Model for assessing the effective Integration of Technology into Educational Practice from a Pedagogical perspective, authored by the HOU team, Panagiota Polymeropoulou, Kostas Potsis and Achilles Kameas, showcasing the results of project UpDATE and presented by A. Kameas.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the business management education, training and professions: A study about the state-of-the art in Greece, authored by the HOU team, Panagiota Polymeropoulou, Kostas Mantzos, Eleni Georgakakou and Achilles Kameas, showcasing the results of project Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the business management education, training and professions (EDIFY-EDU) and presented by E. Georgakakou.
• Tools for enhancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions: Supporting the gender & LGBT+ inclusion in tertiary education, authored by the HOU team, Kostas Mantzos, Eleni Georgakakou and Achilles Kameas, showcasing the results of project XENIA: HEI Inclusiveness Index and presented by E. Georgakakou.
• Bridging STEAM and Inclusive education in the SpicE project, authored by the HOU team, Natalia Spyropoulou, Georgia Sakellaropoulou and Achilles Kameas, showcasing the results of SPICE project and presented by N. Spyropoulou
• A methodology for developing training and mentoring programs: empowering instructional designers to create courses aligned with the Digcomp framework, authored by the HOU team, Natalia Spyropoulou, Achilles Kameas, Rozalia Kalanzi, Gerasimos Vonitsanos, showcasing the results of DigCompHub project and presented by N. Spyropoulou.

The DAISSy-HOU was represented at the INTED24 Conference by Prof. Achilles Kameas, Director of DAISSy, Ms. Natalia Spyropoulou, Senior Project Manager and Researcher, and Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Senior Project Manager and Head Researcher on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion of DAISSy, who attended a number of sessions and elaborated on peer learning and networking activities. Furthermore, Ms. Georgakakou had been invited and chaired the session on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

For more information on the projects and other activities of DAISSy-HOU:

• Website   : http://daissy.eap.gr/en
• Facebook : @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Linkedin   : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Twitter     : @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email        : info@daissy.eap.gr

The 16^thannual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) was held from 13 to 15 November 2023 in Seville (Spain) on the topic of “Transforming Education, Transforming Lives”. The Conference provided a unique opportunity to present a number of papers showcasing research results of European co-funded projects in which the DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) participates.

The International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED) has been organizing ICERI on an annual basis for sixteen (16) years in a row. It is a Conference that has become a prominent global educational event and thus, this year it attracted seven hundred and eighty (780) delegates from sixty (60) countries. Hence the presence of DAISSy researchers in the conference significantly increased the impact of research conducted by the Research Group.

DAISSy-HOU was actively involved in the ICERI 2023 Conference contributing five (5) scientific papers, a result of the high-standard work and international collaborations of the Group. The papers showcased the results of european research projects, which produce innovative methodologies and tools regarding education in the digital era, that are undergoing by DAISSy with prof. Achilles Kameas as Scientific Coordinator. The list of the papers-presentations:

• A Research Methodology that includes University-Industry Cooperation for the Identification of Stakeholders’ experiences on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in applied Business Management and undergraduate Business Education, authored by, Eleni Georgakakou (HOU), Audrey Stenson (DUN LAOGHAIRE Institute of Art, Design and Technology-Ireland), Ikävalko (Aalto University-Finland), Josephine Browne (DUN LAOGHAIRE Institute of Art, Design and Technology-Ireland) and Achilles Kameas (HOU).
• Designing an innovative online course in “Critical Visual Media Literacy and Fluency” for Higher Education students, authored by the HOU team: Panagiota Polymeropoulou, Eleni Georgakakou and Achilles Kameas.
• A Green Learning Community to promote virtual networking and enhance peer learning of early childhood educations and care professionals, authored by, Mateja Mlinar, Petra Zgonec and Petra Bozovičar (Educational Research Institute-Slovenia), Eleni Georgakakou and Achilles Kameas (HOU), and Aljosa Rudaš (International Step by Step Association-The Netherlands)
• Social Innovation in Greek Academia: where we stand and where we want to go, authored by the HOU team: Kostas Mantzos, Foteini Tatsi, Sissie Theodosiou and Achilles Kameas
• Contextualizing Hate-Speech Online: perspectives from the educational community in the Greek periphery, authored by the HOU team: Kostas Mantzos, Sissie Theodosiou, Kostas Potsis, Anastassis Papadopoulos and Achilles Kameas

The DAISSy-HOU was represented at the ICERI Conference 2023 by Prof. Achilles Kameas, Director of DAISSy, and Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Senior Project Manager and Researcher of DAISSy, who presented the respective papers and attended a number of sessions engaging in numerous peer learning and networking activities.

For more information on the projects and other activities of DAISSy-HOU:

• Website   : http://daissy.eap.gr/en
• Facebook : @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Linkedin   : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Twitter     : @daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email        : info@daissy.eap.gr

The DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) participated at the 16^th ALL DIGITAL Summit 2023, which was held in Zagreb, Croatia, on September 25^th, 26^th, and 27^th, 2023. The International event AD Summit is organized annually by the European organization ALL DIGITAL (AD), a pan-European Network based in Brussels representing member organizations from all over Europe. The AD network collaborates with 25,000 digital skills development centers with the aim of ensuring that every European citizen can benefit from the digital transformation. The DAISSy Research Group has been a member of the AD Network since 2016. 

The theme of the 16^th AD Summit 2023 was “Skills for the Digital Future”. The programme included keynote speeches, panels, workshops, and informative sessions with over 200 in person participants, and an even larger number of online participants through live online broadcasts. Policy makers, stakeholders in digital education, trainers, educators, representatives of civil society, and market representatives were actively involved in the sessions attended by the DAISSy Research Group. 

Specifically, DAISSy participated at the sessions:

• Educational workshop for the European project “CrAL: Creative Audiovisual Lab for the Promotion of Critical Thinking and Media Literacy”, during which Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Senior Project Manager of HOU’s team, presented the educational platform developed by DAISSy which operates on its own server for online courses and platforms.
• Lightning talks, on which Ms. Natalia Spyropoulou, Project Manager of HOU’s team and head researcher, presented the significant results of the European projects “Spice: Special Education STEAM Academy” and “The SEER: STEAM Education European Roadmap”. DAISSy is the Coordinator of the first project, while it is responsible for conducting a pan-European survey on STEAM education in the second one.
• World Café, on which Dr. Achilles Kameas, Professor at HOU, moderated the table on “Digital Social Innovation” with the aim of generating new ideas.

Additionally, throughout the event, DAISSy was present at the “Marketplace,” where it actively promoted its work.

For more information about the 16^th ALL DIGITAL Summit 2023, as well as the recorded speeches, you can visit: https://all-digital.org/all-digital-summit-2023/

The “European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU)” is “the leading institutional university network for online, open and distance higher education“and in this context seeks innovation in the field of European Higher Education. EADTU organizes an annual conference, which focuses on topics related to new trends and factors affecting global and European Higher Education. More than 25 countries participate in the works of the Conference each year, while last year for the first time it took place in Greece, in co-organization with the Hellenic Open University (HOU), which is a full member of EADTU. For 2023, the Conference was held in Istanbul from 04 to 06 October with the central theme “Accelerating towards a digital and inclusive campus: Empowering Learners: Microcredentials, Generative AI, and Equity”.

The DAISSy Research Group of HOU had an active presence as four scientific papers, the result of its high-level work and international collaborations were accepted and presented at the Conference. The three of them were presented by Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Senior Project Manager and Researcher of the Group. The papers were based on the results of European research projects in which DAISSy participates under the Scientific Coordination of the HOU Professor Achilles Kameas, and concerned current and timeless issues related to Higher Education, such as the strengthening of equality, inclusiveness, career development, etc. The list of presentations:

1. “Accelerating towards an inclusive Management Education: Empowering learners on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles”, a collaboration of Ms. Eleni Georgakakou and Prof. Achilles Kameas with Dr. Audrey Stenson and Prof. Josephine Browne from DUN LAOGHAIRE Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Ireland.
2. “Critical visual literacy in Higher Education: addressing bias and manipulation in the digital era”, a collaboration of Ms Eleni Georgakakou and Prof. Achilles Kameas with Dr. Simona Pezzano and Prof. Andrea Miconi from the Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione (IUML) in Italy.
3. “Implementing teacher training model in HE to support adolescents’ career planning: The NEFELE Erasmus+ project”, a collaboration of Mr. Ioannis Kalemis and Prof. Achilles Kameas with Alessandra Antonaci (EADTU), Anna Parola (University of Naples), Rosa Banos (University of Valencia), Jenny Marcionetti (SUPSI), Luigia Simona Sica (University of Naples).
4.  “Supporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions: Data informed policy recommendations on gender & LGBT+ educational inclusion”, a collaboration of Ms. Eleni Georgakakou, Mr. Konstantinos Mantzos and Prof. Achilles Kameas with Prof. Anna Lisa Amodeo from the University of Naples Federico II and Ms. Camilla Esposito, Sinapsis Center of the University of Naples Federico II.

For more information on DAISSy projects and actions:

• Website   : http://daissy.eap.gr/en
• Facebook : @DAISSyResearchGroup
• Linkedin   : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup
• Twitter     : https://twitter.com/daissy_research
• Instagram: @daissy_researchgroup
• Email        : info@daissy.eap.gr

Με μεγάλη ικανοποίηση σας ενημερώνουμε ότι αναρτήθηκε το μονοπάτι γνώσης “Ψηφιακός Πολίτης” στην Εθνική Ακαδημία Ψηφιακών Ικανοτήτων. Το μονοπάτι δημιουργήθηκε από την ομάδα DAISSy του ΕΑΠ, η οποία ανέλαβε τον εκπαιδευτικό σχεδιασμό, την ανάπτυξη πρωτογενούς εκπαιδευτικού υλικού και την αξιολόγηση, μετά από ανάθεση από το Υπουργείο Ψηφιακής Διακυβέρνησης. Είμαστε περήφανοι/ες για το αποτέλεσμα, το οποίο θέτει στην υπηρεσία των πολιτών τις γνώσεις και την εμπειρία μας αναφορικά με τα Ευρωπαϊκά πρότυπα ψηφιακών ικανοτήτων και τον σχεδιασμό διαδικτυακών μαθημάτων, βοηθώντας στην βελτίωση των ικανοτήτων των πολιτών και οδηγώντας σε μια κοινωνία περισσότερο συμπεριληπτική. Η υλοποίηση του μονοπατιού γνώσης “Ψηφιακός Πολίτης” ακολουθεί μετά τη δημιουργία του διαδικτυακού εργαλείου για την αυτοαξιολόγηση βασικών ψηφιακών δεξιοτήτων, το οποίο έχει ήδη ενσωματωθεί στην ιστοσελίδα της στην Εθνικής Ακαδημίας Ψηφιακών Ικανοτήτων (περισσότερες πληροφορίες θα βρείτε εδώ).

Το μονοπάτι γνώσης «Ψηφιακός Πολίτης» αποτελεί μία σειρά πέντε μαθημάτων της Εθνικής Ακαδημίας Ψηφιακών Ικανοτήτων. Οδηγεί στην ανάπτυξη βασικών ψηφιακών δεξιοτήτων, ώστε οι πολίτες να μπορούν μέσω του Διαδικτύου να πραγματοποιούν τις απαραίτητες για την καθημερινότητά τους εργασίες. Τα μαθήματα αναπτύσσονται με βάση το Ευρωπαϊκό Πλαίσιο Ψηφιακών Ικανοτήτων (DigiComp). Κάθε μάθημα, περιλαμβάνει μία τελική αξιολόγηση που οδηγεί σε λήψη βεβαίωσης παρακολούθησης.

Μπορείτε να χρησιμοποιήσετε το μάθημα ακολουθώντας το σύνδεσμο https://nadia.gov.gr/ . Στη σελίδα αυτή θα βρείτε και ένα ωραία σχεδιασμένο βίντεο που εξηγεί τους στόχους και τα αναμενόμενα αποτελέσματα του μονοπατιού γνώσης. Ήδη το μονοπάτι παρουσιάστηκε από το Υπουργείο Ψηφιακής Διακυβέρνησης στη Διεθνή Έκθεση Θεσσαλονίκης 2022 και είναι διαθέσιμο στους/στις επισκέπτες/τριες.