
Curtin University’s UNESCO Chair of Data Science in Higher Education Learning and Teaching aims to improve personalisation, access and effectiveness of education for all. Working closely with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research we set targets, locate and leverage resources and develop Curtin’s capacity to advance research while developing new opportunities for teaching and impact. We conduct investigations into digital media learning, game-based learning, and team problem-solving. Our research and development of the Curtin Challenge platform invents and proves the case for a higher education ‘pedagogy of the future’ that relies on innovative delivery of challenges and game-based learning content.
UNESCO Chair Objectives
The objectives of the Chair are to:
- Strengthen global co-operation among researchers, policymakers and practitioners. We plan and conduct regional and international meetings to promote sharing and offer keynotes and workshops for groups interested in transforming higher education through digital media learning.
- Create poles of excellence and innovation at the regional and subregional level. We invite researchers and system leaders to consider how data science can dramatically improve teaching, research and impact.
- Reinforce networks and partnerships that promote trans-disciplinary research. We participate in and help lead interdisciplinary thinking and systems research in fields linked to the learning sciences.
UNESCO Chair Projects
UNESCO Chair projects investigate interactive digital media learning and improve feedback to learners and the assessment of learning in the digital game and challenge-based learning. Projects are formed and honed during field trials, with the goal of demonstrating and going to scale with new solutions for better learning experiences, simpler methods of providing education to more people, lower costs of the human role in design and delivery, and better learning outcomes.
The activities of the UNESCO Chair are grouped into four areas: Investigations, Challenge Platform R&D, Trials and Scale. Investigations are conducted to better understand how Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Network Analyses, and Learning Analytics inform the design of new challenge-based digital pedagogy (content as well as platform processes) is tested in extensive field Trials and leads to Scale via delivery of higher education learning and teaching.