Professor Inauguration: Morten Misfeldt

What is Digital Education and why a transdisciplinary center?

Morten Misfeldt has been appointed professor at the Department of Computer Science (DIKU) and Department of Science Education (IND), University of Copenhagen 1 September 2019. The appointment is marked by an inaugural lecture on 10 January 2020 at 14.00. 

Morten Misfeldt will be head of the new Center for Digital Education founded in a collaboration between DIKU and IND and the  professorship is therefor shared between the two departments. The inaugural lecture will be part of the launch of the Center for Digital Education (see full programme and sign up here).

Abstract

‘Digital education’ is a broad term describing (1) a transformative movement of digitalization affecting the entire educational sector, (2) a growing ed-tech sector developing solutions that support and transform teaching and learning, and (3) a focus on the development of digital competencies across the mainstream educational system. For example, coding and digital design are moving from being specific qualifications acquired by experts toward being an integrated part of general education.

The increased focus on digital competencies is seen both as an increased focus computer science like topics and as a transformation inside almost every topic ranging from mathematics to anthropology. These changes are deeply interconnected, but each is also a diverse and complex field in its own right. In the inaugural lecture I will describe my work with Digital Education in relation to the topic mathematics, ranging from the development of new educational technologies over pedagogical problems related to the use of cognitive tools in the classroom, to transformations of core disciplinary methods and values.

Furthemore Morten Misfeldt will describe the ambitions and work-plan for the center for digital education that we are in the process of establishing. The center is a collaboration between DIKU and IND (department of science education), and is intended to cover areas such as Learning Analytics, Computer Science Education, the use of cognitive tools in learning the disciplines, Implementation of digital solutions in the educational sector and technological aspects of university pedagogy.

Bio

Morten Misfeldt comes from a position at Aalborg University as deputy head of department and professor in IT and Mathematics Education. His research has primarily focused on the digitalization of teaching and learning in mathematics education, including the pedagogical use of advanced mathematical learning tools, the interaction between mathematics and technology and the challenges of implimenting digitalization initiatives.

Morten Misfeldt is also a guest professor at OsloMet and has previously been a guest researcher at the University of Wisconsin Madison and MIT.