The Hague Network launches international webinars on AI & Didactics

How do we prepare teachers and students for a future in which AI is becoming an integral part of education and the workplace? With that question in mind, The Hague Network launched a new international MOOC on AI & Didactics this spring. 

Between 24 March and 26 May, participants took part in eight online sessions covering topics such as AI literacy, assessment, inclusion, research and developing their own AI agents. The course brought together educators from across Europe to exchange knowledge and practical experiences. 

A collaborative European initiative 

The initiative originated within The Hague Network, a partnership of European higher education institutions. According to Jerke Verschoor (Policy, Advice & Projects), a meeting in Cagliari revealed that all partners were facing the same challenge. “How do we bring AI into the classroom, and how can teachers and students use it in a constructive and ethical way?” This shared challenge resulted in a practical online course in which educators shared their experiences with fellow educators.  

Representing THUAS, Tamara Lewis (Teacher Educator at The Hague Center for Teaching and Learning and researcher within the Multilevel Governance research group) and Claudia Diers-Lienke (lecturer at the Faculty of Management & Organisation, co-founder of A.I.D.E. (AI Didactic Expertise Centre) and researcher in Learning Technology & Analytics) played a central role as moderators and facilitators throughout the programme. 

THUAS driving AI innovation in education 

“The programme was highly practice-oriented. Teachers showed how they apply AI in their day-to-day work,” says Tamara. Claudia adds: “I drew on my experience as a lecturer, researcher and co-founder of A.I.D.E. to bring AI and educational innovation together. It was incredibly rewarding to ensure that the content closely reflected what is happening in educational practice today.” 

This approach aligns closely with THUAS' ambitions in AI and educational innovation. The MOOC covered topics that directly connect with initiatives such as the AI Didactics Expertise Centre (A.I.D.E.) and the European alliance UNINOVIS. According to Jerke, this is no coincidence: “Students are entering a labour market where AI will be the norm. Teachers need to prepare for this, but many are still struggling with how to do so.” By bringing together knowledge, research and international collaboration, THUAS aims to equip both teachers and students for this rapidly evolving reality. 

From pilot to future growth 

The strong interest in the programme confirmed the urgency of the topic. A total of 385 active participants from thirteen countries regularly attended the sessions. According to Claudia, the programme received satisfaction, recommendation and A.I. adoption scores of well above 4.2 out of 5. Sessions featuring student perspectives and practical examples, such as using AI to create teaching materials including comics, were particularly well received. Participant feedback also pointed clearly towards the next step: more practice-oriented and discipline-specific applications.

Tamara, Claudia and Jerke all see plenty of opportunities for the future. As Jerke concludes: “There is a clear demand for more international knowledge exchange around AI, and as The Hague Network, we are now in the perfect position to continue playing a valuable role.”