The Artificial Intelligence and Frontier Technologies for Open Educational Resources (OER) workshop was part of the ‘Learning and Skills sessions’ held during UNESCO’s Mobile Learning 2019 (5 March 2019, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris), which focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The workshop presented the latest developments on how AI and frontier technologies can be used to share, use and develop OER, within the framework of the Ljubljana OER Action Plan and the current Draft UNESCO OER Recommendation.
The session highlighted how the fact that technologies have a significant potential to accelerate progress and support the development of inclusive Knowledge Societies based on human rights and the achievement of gender equality and empowerment. From this perspective Open Educational Resources (OER) – learning materials available on an open license which can be shared, modified and developed – is critical for progress towards the achievement of all 17 Sustainable development goals, and in particular Quality education (Goal 4), Gender equality (Goal 5), Reduced inequalities within and across countries (Goal 10) and Partnerships for goals (Goal 17).
Ms Zeynep Varoglu, Programme Specialist for ICT in Education, Communication and Information Sector, provided background on the Ljubljana OER Action Plan and the UNESCO draft OER Recommendation process, underscoring the importance of knowledge sharing for global development, and the key role of OER in this process. Mr Mitja Jemrol, UNESCO OER Chair from Jozef Stefan Institute underscored that the benefits of AI in OER are immense, in particular for areas such as translation, personalization of resources and identification of resources for sharing, re-mixing. Ms Perrine de Coëtlogon, Chargée de mission Blockchain & Education, University of Lille outlined how blockchain has been used to support recognition and rewarding in other areas of education, and holds great potential for tracking the mix and remix of OER. Ms Shani Evenstein Chairperson, Wikipedia & Education User Group highlighted that Wikidata is the biggest OER that humanity has ever been created. Ms Evenstein outlined how AI is currently used by Wikidata to meet the three main challenges of it faces: updating of data, querying of specific questions, and the maintenance of a central database for libraries and museums worldwide.
The common theme echoed through all presentations is the potential for the revolutionary role AI and frontier technologies can play in mainstreaming OER and fostering inclusive Knowledge Societies.
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