KI-StudiUm

The project proposal “Establishment of an AI-Based, Adaptive, and Individualized Learning Environment for Students and University Administration” focuses on creating a cross-institutional, interdisciplinary, modular system concept for integrating AI methods as a supporting technology into the day-to-day operations of teaching and administration at WHZ. To this end, the now well-established standardization, accessibility, and availability of AI software are being specifically leveraged and utilized. The focus is on making processes more flexible at various organizational levels within the WHZ and ensuring easy adaptability to new use cases. At the same time, the project aims to expand the breadth and depth of digital, international, and interdisciplinary academic programs, as well as to develop AI training programs for university staff.

Based on this objective and a subsequent analysis, starting points emerge in the various structural areas of program organization, degree program, and module (hereinafter referred to as “levels”). At all three levels, identified problems are addressed with a solution. The goal is not to create isolated solutions at the individual levels, but rather a unified WHZ AI application framework. This framework includes cross-level solutions as well as those that are embedded within the AI application framework and apply specifically to each level. The overarching element consists of AI-based knowledge paths, which are implemented across all three levels as part of the project in the form of specific variations (academic orientation paths, specialization paths, and learning paths). The terms “academic orientation paths,” “specialization paths,” and “learning paths” are based on the concept of the “learning path” established in higher education pedagogy and have been adapted for the application framework described here.

The concept describes the program organization level at WHZ, the degree program level using the example of the master’s program “Data Management Translation in Business and Engineering” currently under development, and, at the third level, the “Information Systems” module as an example. The use cases for this project are mapped within these levels. At the program organization level, the AI-based knowledge paths are defined as academic orientation paths. Basic administrative processes represent the nodes within the path. In addition to a “Golden Path,” parallel paths may emerge. At the program organization level, the “degree program” node serves as the interface to the degree program level. The degree program is fully modularized and is integrated into the concept via specialization paths. There is also a “Golden Path,” which can give rise to parallel paths. In this example, the “specialization module” node serves as the interface to the module level. At the module level, the nodes are defined as modular learning blocks within the framework of a learning path. The learning path can initially be structured in the form of the “Golden Path.” Depending on learning success, parallel branches with varying levels of difficulty are generated. The higher education system environment ensures that data exchange meets the necessary requirements.