The Data Education in Schools team at the Centre for Research in Digital Education, based at Edinburgh Futures Institute, have joined the Scottish Government-funded Centre for Teaching Excellence as the newly established Digital Education and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Advancing Pedagogy Research Hub.
The Centre for Teaching Excellence
The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CfTE) supports research and innovation in teaching practice for all children and young people with the aim of making Scotland a world-leader in teaching practice.
Launched in 2023, the CfTE brings together a range of thematic hubs that will together develop both teacher and young people’s competencies to support 21st-century learning.
Alongside the Digital Education and AI Hub, two new hubs have been launched: the Innovation in pedagogy to enhance classroom practice hub, hosted by the University of Strathclyde, and the Pedagogy to support attainment in diverse classrooms hub, hosted by the University of Aberdeen.
The Digital Education and AI Hub
The Digital Education and AI hub will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh Moray House School of Education and Sport, and its team will be based at Edinburgh Futures Institute.
The hub will establish and support a thriving professional learning community for Scottish teachers interested in developing innovative and research-informed practice in digital, data, and AI literacy.
Led by the Centre for Research in Digital Education co-director Professor Judy Robertson, Chair in Digital Learning, and Centre colleague Dr Serdar Abaci, Lecturer in Data and Digital Literacies, the hub will provide:
- Accessible, research-informed professional learning for teachers on digital, data, and AI literacy topics.
- Opportunities for teachers and academics to share, discuss and reflect on their knowledge and pedagogical practices.
- High-quality, interactive educational materials for teachers to use in their classes, supporting them in providing engaging learning experiences for their students.
Dr Serdar Abaci said:
“We are delighted to establish this hub and be part of the CfTE to support all Scottish teachers by sharing practice and research about digital learning and AI in education in creative, ethical and responsible ways.”
The hub aims to reach all teachers across Scotland through an innovative pedagogical approach combining professional learning workshops and seminars with educational resources. Topics covered will include AI and Creativity in English, Supporting Schools with AI policy, Using AI Responsibly in Schools, and Supporting Inclusive Education with Digital Tools.
The hub will benefit from the knowledge, skills and experience of the Data Education in Schools team, an internationally recognised and award-winning team delivering high-quality professional learning in data literacy and emerging technologies. The research underpinning their work explores AI and young people’s learning, including a child rights perspective, and the evaluation of teacher professional learning for data literacy.
Further information
To find out more about the Digital Education and AI hub, you can email Serdar.Abaci@ed.ac.uk
