Digital processes, AI in education, participation in experiments: what the ZNU team’s first study visit to Estonia as part of the BEAUCOUP project was like
Last week, the University of Tartu (Estonia) hosted the first study visit for participants in the Erasmus+ BEAUCOUP project from Ukrainian universities and partners from Slovenia and Spain. ZNU was represented by Rector Galina Shilo, Associate Professor of the Department of Computer Science Denys Morozov, and Associate Professor of the Department of Journalism Tetiana Rohova.
On the first day, participants spoke with representatives of the Estonian university’s international office, learning about the specifics of international partnerships. They learnt about the key programmes and applications used by lecturers at the University of Tartu, how work processes are digitised, and how they are supported. Of particular interest was the presentation of the “Praktikal” project – an EdTech solution used throu
ghout Estonia for engaging and educational physics teaching.
During the Project Management Day, key work packages were discussed and presented, and implementation issues were raised. The visit to Tartu Jogentaga Kool – a model school and a modern educational space – proved useful and practical, where we attended lessons in mathematics, music and other school subjects.
During a session on developing online courses and ensuring their quality, the speaker, Anna Beitane, a project manager at the University of Tartu, offered advice on creating content for online platforms and presented methods for assessing the quality of both c
ontent and teaching. The University of Tartu Library, which holds over 4 mln. books, successfully combines digitalisation initiatives with events for the academic community and local residents. Estonian researcher into modern education competencies, Külli Kallas, led an important session which addressed the readiness of teachers to improve their digital skills, the potential and capabilities of artificial intelligence in the educational process, and provided recommendations on self-assessment for educators. The day concluded at the AHHAA Science Centre, where visitors could observe and actively participate in various science experiments. The study visit also included meetings in Tallinn. Participants visited St John’s School (Püha Johannese Kool), where academic teaching standards a
re geared towards pupils’ personal development; they held open discussions with the founder and teachers, and familiarised themselves with the subject-specific classrooms and the layout of the school complex. During the session on ‘EdTech Estonia’, Liis Siiroja, CEO and Board Member of the organisation, spoke about its activities and the specifics of promoting innovative solutions at both national and international levels.
The final day of the BEAUCOUP study visit to Estonia was packed with activities and had a strong practical focus. At the ‘E-Estonia’ briefing centre, the group learnt about the history of digitalisation in this Baltic country, as well as the swift and transparent solutions that assist its residents and help to build trust in the state. During a visit to the EDUSPACE laboratory at Tallinn University, we saw EdTech innovations in action and practised interacting with various robots used in the Estonian education system: from nursery school to university. A particularly interesting moment was the conversation with students from Tallinn University, future teachers, on how they develop their own skills, what the job market demands of them, and which aspects of their studies are both interesting and important.
The BEAUCOUP study visit to Estonia was eventful and informative. It demonstrated the importance of combining theoretical and practical approaches in education, and once again highlighted the importance of communication. As part of the project, ZNU will update certain educational and professional programmes, launch the Centres of Excellence of Digital Learning and Educational Technologies with a laboratory for developing course content on the Moodle, and a laboratory of robotics for future pre-school and school teachers.
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