The focus groups are run by the User Experience and Services team (WP7), which collects student feedback on ECIU University services. Three such meetings had taken place before. This time the topic was learner guidance: where AI and digital tools can help, when students need a person, and how to combine the two. The meeting was prepared by WP7 together with WP2, the team responsible for learner support in ECIU University.
A small group of students from Barcelona, Aveiro, Tampere, Hamburg, Kaunas and Lodz took part, together with staff from several ECIU universities. On the first day, participants described their own experiences as students and in the afternoon analysed different guidance scenarios. On the second day, they worked together on what a good learner guidance journey in ECIU could look like. WP7 will use the results in the next phase of the project.
The sessions were led by Tim Marshall, Elena Tsigki, Pam Huisintveld and Diogo Maia. Ryan Wakamiya from the University of Twente also stopped by.
Participant's impressions (Julian Leszkowicz, Business Studies, 3rd year, Lead ECIU Student Ambassador at TUL):
"The group was small, so everyone could say what works for them and what doesn't. We talked most about where AI actually helps students and where it's better to talk to another person. It was good to see our comments go straight into the team's further work."
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The ECIU Office team would like to thank Julian for contributing to our local ECIU news page by preparing the above article. Students interested in sharing their ECIU experiences on TUL's local ECIU website, or in participating in future ECIU events can contact us at eciuoffice@adm.p.lodz.pl.