The digitization of higher education (HE) has become a vital necessity since the COVID-19 pandemic began and with it, the HE sector has faced various challenges. As recent studies have shown, the majority of teachers were largely unprepared to make the shift to online teaching and had difficulties adapting to new teaching methodologies, modifying their course structure, arranging attractive digital learning environments, assessing student progress, keeping students motivated and engaging them online in a meaningful and pedagogical way.
Higher education students faced challenges as well. Due to teacher time constraints and lack of face-to-face engagement, students received less personalized feedback and fewer assessments of their individual work thereby providing them with a low level of understanding of their learning process. They also face multiple learning formats designed by teachers who have not been trained in online course design, making the materials ineffective in the digital space.
With these challenges, however, there is also great opportunity for growth. When implemented correctly, the advancements of digital technology can be applied to higher education so that the real requirements of teachers and students are met and common mistakes are avoided. Digitization is not a solution in itself, and it must be applied to competence-oriented and teaching and learning-centric needs. VISION (Virtual Interface for Smart Interaction Online) has been designed with this consideration at the forefront.
VISION will provide innovative online teaching and learning tools to higher education students and teachers to meet individual learning requirements, accompany ongoing learning processes and make personalized learning the primary consideration in digital instruction in a pedagogically meaningful and competence-oriented way.