Friday, May 23, 2025

Improving computer science curriculum and teaching in the new information age

Higher Education Press

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Loop model of AI-empowered psychology education.
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Credit: Feng Yu1 , Yijun Zhao1 , Liying Xu1 , Kaiping Peng2

In the digital intelligence era, psychology education faces challenges and requires transformation to cultivate adaptable and interdisciplinary talents. This paper proposes two models to guide this change.

For knowledge-oriented psychology education, a “loop model” is introduced. Based on the self-regulation theory, it divides the learning process into five components: knowledge acquisition, comparator, standard, assessment, and pass. AI can play an important role in each part. For example, as a digital teaching assistant in knowledge acquisition, it breaks through time and space limitations; in setting standards, it enables personalised teaching plans.

Regarding research-oriented psychology education, a “chimeric research” framework is presented. It divides AI-psychology research into “AI for psychology” and “AI of psychology”. The former uses AI to enhance traditional psychological research methods, like accelerating literature reviews and improving hypothesis testing. The latter treats AI as a research subject, exploring how it impacts different sub-fields of psychology.

Overall, these models, guided by outcome-based education theory, aim to cultivate students into problem-solvers. Although the educational revolution is in its infancy, these ideas offer a new perspective on psychology education reform in the digital intelligence era.

The work titled “Teaching Psychology in Era of Digital Intelligence: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Knowledge-Oriented and Research-Oriented Education”, was published on Frontiers of Digital Education (published on March 20, 2025).

“Chimeric research” framework of AI psychology.

Credit

Feng Yu1 , Yijun Zhao1 , Liying Xu1 , Kaiping Peng2

Journal

Frontiers of Digital Education

DOI

10.1007/s44366-025-0043-1

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Teaching Psychology in Era of Digital Intelligence: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Knowledge-Oriented and Research-Oriented Education

Leading the digital transformation of higher education through the reform of digital intelligence education: exploration and practice at Wuhan University

Higher Education Press

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Schematic representation of the integrated curriculum system for training top innovation talent in DI. DI: digital intelligence.
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Credit: Pingwen Zhang

In the context of the global trend of digital transformation, this research analyses Wuhan University’s practices in digital intelligence (DI) education reform to promote the digital transformation of higher education. It identifies two main gaps in current DI education research: a lack of systemic integration and actionable models.

Wuhan University has developed a comprehensive digital transformation framework. It emphasises tiered training for DI talent, covering different academic levels and fields, and integrates DI elements into discipline development. The framework aims at developing general knowledge-equipped, application-oriented, and professional talents, ensuring a seamless transition from high school to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Moreover, the framework has deeply integrated the core elements of DI education, such as AI and Big Data into the development of disciplines, programs, and curriculum systems, laying a solid foundation for DI education reform. Furthermore, the framework has moved beyond the traditional model of pure education by utilising projects from its innovation and entrepreneurship center.

The university has established a teaching platform with four real computing elements, such as real data and real models, real computing power, and real scenarios to support teaching. To ensure effective evaluation, it has digitized the education evaluation system using AI-based tools. Moreover, the university has created a new DI campus ecosystem that focuses on advanced disciplines (such as natural science, geospatial science, health and medical care, industrial production, finance and business, urban‒rural government servive, law and public opinion, and culture and society), aggregates tools and software sets (such as OGE remote sensing platform), and infrastructure (such as experimental computing power zone, data resource pool, and model repository).

Despite these efforts, challenges remain, including faculty doubts about AI-based assessments, data-sharing obstacles, and ethical issues. The university is addressing these through faculty training, technological solutions, and ethical review. Looking ahead, improving AI literacy, enhancing resource sharing, and solving problems related to standardisation, security, and ethics are key to furthering the digital transformation of higher education.

The work titled “Leading the Digital Transformation of Higher Education Through the Reform of Digital Intelligence Education: Exploration and Practice at Wuhan University”, was published on Frontiers of Digital Education (published on March 20, 2025).

Overall framework of the digital intelligence education practice and innovation platform. OGE: open geospatial engine.

Credit

Pingwen Zhang

Journal

Frontiers of Digital Education

DOI

10.1007/s44366-025-0041-3

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Leading the Digital Transformation of Higher Education Through the Reform of Digital Intelligence Education: Exploration and Practice at Wuhan University

A trinity teaching mode grounded in the MOA framework: insights from Wuhan University’s internet marketing course

Higher Education Press

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Overall framework of the proposed trinity teaching mode. MOA: motivation, opportunity, and ability; CIE: creativity–innovation–entrepreneurship.
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Credit: Minxue Huang1 , Yangyi (Eric) Tang1 , Yuan Liu1 , Qiyuan Wang2

In the digital economy era, higher education needs to cultivate creativity–innovation–entrepreneurship (CIE) talents. The Internet marketing course at Wuhan University redesigned its teaching to address challenges in traditional teaching methods.

Based on the MOA framework, the traditional teaching model has issues. In terms of motivation, students lack intrinsic drive as teaching doesn’t consider their interests. Regarding opportunity, limited integration of emerging realities restricts practical application. And for ability, traditional teaching overlooks self-learning and innovation capabilities.

To solve these problems, an innovative trinity teaching method was developed. In the motivation dimension, diverse assignments and peer feedback-based evaluation stimulate students’ intrinsic motivation. The opportunity dimension creates learning chances through a “four-in-one” platform and collaborative activities. The ability dimension focuses on cultivating students’ comprehensive innovative abilities.

The “four-in-one” teaching resource system, including full-process support, immersive teaching, autonomous learning, and integrated experimental platforms, supports the new teaching method. The full-process support resources facilitate five distinct learning stages in Internet marketing course, including the cognitive learning stage, simulated practice stage, application enhancement stage, knowledge expansion stage, and outcome presentation stage.

The course content was reconstructed in five dimensions: theoretical depth, technical rigour, intensive practical application, expansive knowledge, and ideological resilience. The teaching evaluation was also reformed, with peer-based assessment, differentiated assignments, and embedded ideological education.

The new teaching model has achieved positive results, such as high student satisfaction, increased employability, and excellent performance in graduate school admissions and competitions. It provides a practical approach for marketing education reform and talent cultivation in the digital economy.

The work titled “A Trinity Teaching Mode Grounded in the MOA Framework: Insights from Wuhan University’s Internet Marketing Course”, was published on Frontiers of Digital Education (published on March 20, 2025).

Full-process support resource. MOOC: massive open online courses.

Credit

Minxue Huang1 , Yangyi (Eric) Tang1 , Yuan Liu1 , Qiyuan Wang2

Journal

Frontiers of Digital Education

DOI

10.1007/s44366-025-0049-8

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A Trinity Teaching Mode Grounded in the MOA Framework: Insights from Wuhan University’s Internet Marketing Course

An innovation talent cultivation mechanism for robotics in the digital-intelligent era: exploration and practice at Wuhan University

Higher Education Press

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Three-stage progressive practical curriculum system.
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Credit: Xiaohui Xiao , Yiying Zhu , Zhao Guo , Yanzhao Ma , Zhiqiang Zhang , Like Cao , Zhao Feng , Wei Wang

In the digital-intelligent era, with the booming development of the robotics industry in China, cultivating high-quality robotics talents has become a crucial task for universities. This research, based on the practices at Wuhan University, proposes an innovative talent cultivation mechanism.

The proposed mechanism emphasises system reconstruction and fourfold integration of education. A three-stage progressive practical curriculum system is constructed. In the foundation course stage, digital-intelligent courses are added. The major course stage focuses on core robotics knowledge with AI integration, and the innovation course stage encourages students to participate in projects and competitions.

A project-driven innovation practice platform has been built, integrating research-activated education, industry-driven education, competition-enhanced education, and interdisciplinary education. This mechanism effectively combines theoretical learning with practical activities, motivating students to engage in exploration and innovation.

The implementation of this mechanism has achieved remarkable results. Students have improved their innovative practice abilities, with more patents, papers, and high-level academic achievements. The postgraduate enrollment rate has increased, and graduates are highly favoured by well-known institutions and enterprises. The mechanism has also enhanced Wuhan University's influence in the field, attracting exchanges from other universities. Overall, this mechanism provides a practical and effective approach for cultivating robotics talents in the digital-intelligent era.

The work titled “An Innovation Talent Cultivation Mechanism for Robotics in the Digital-Intelligent Era: Exploration and Practice at Wuhan University”, was published on Frontiers of Digital Education (published on March 20, 2025).

Collaborative talent cultivation platform based on fourfold integration education.
Credit
Xiaohui Xiao , Yiying Zhu , Zhao Guo , Yanzhao Ma , Zhiqiang Zhang , Like Cao , Zhao Feng , Wei Wang

Journal

Frontiers of Digital Education

DOI

10.1007/s44366-025-0048-9

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

An Innovation Talent Cultivation Mechanism for Robotics in the Digital-Intelligent Era: Exploration and Practice at Wuhan University

Just 100 corporations behind a fifth of global extractive conflicts, study reveals

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

fig.1 — image:
ONLY 104 COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED IN 20%OF THE OCNFLICTIVE EXTRACTIVE PROJECTS
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Credit: ICTA-UAB

Just one hundred corporations are behind a fifth of the documented extractive conflicts worldwide, exposing how companies from the Global North seize resources and profits, while social and ecological harms are imposed on the Global South, according to a recent study by Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB).

The findings are based on the analysis of data from the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas), an interactive map that locates and documents more than 4,300 extractive conflicts around the world - such as disputed mines, pipelines, or hydropower dams resisted by environmental justice activists and local communities.

The most conflictive 100 corporations - including Shell, Glencore, Repsol, or Bayer-Monsanto - represent only 2% of the 5,500 companies documented in the EJAtlas and yet are involved in 20% of the conflicts analysed. The vast majority of these companies are transnational giants that operate in the energy, mining, and hydropower sectors, are headquartered in the Global North, and yet their activities have serious negative impacts on communities in the Global South.

The study reveals that nearly half of the companies involved in extractive conflicts in the Global South are from the Global North. Furthermore, 50% of the companies involved in conflicts in impoverished countries originate from developed economies such as the U.S., China, and Europe.

“Current global trade rules, such as free trade agreements, investor-state dispute settlement courts, and foreign investment tax incentives, promote the unfettered growth of big transnationals involved in a large number of extractive conflicts, and exacerbate the environmental and social impacts of their extractive operations, primarily in the Global South" explains Marcel Llavero-Pasquina, , ICTA-UAB researcher and lead author of the study, published this week in the scientific journal Global Environmental Change.

Transnational corporations are particularly involved in conflicts related to products of high value or large environmental footprints, such as corn, cotton, oil, gas, or precious and rare minerals. In contrast, conflicts over lower-value resources, such as coal or waste, more often involve domestic companies. The extraction and transport of such strategic goods allows Global North companies to more efficiently concentrate wealth while transferring harms such as land dispossession, deforestation or oil spills to communities and ecosystems in the Global South.

The study also shows that the involvement of transnational corporations in extractive conflicts is linked with more harm and worse outcomes for local populations. The authors document more violent events, forced displacements, land dispossession, loss of livelihoods and traditional knowledge, as well as greater impacts on women and Indigenous peoples when multinational companies are involved. In many cases, these conflicts result in repression, corruption, and even the assassination of community leaders and environmental activists.

The report’s findings challenge corporate social responsibility policies and voluntary sustainability commitments. Despite many of these companies being part of initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, they continue to operate in extractive sectors with severe negative impacts. "Teethless voluntary initiatives mainly based on self-reporting paint a deceitful picture of corporate transparency and responsibility. Yet, the voices of the environmental defenders confronting their operations reveal a story of widespread corporate impunity, and a systemic lack of accountability and justice", says Llavero-Pasquina, coordinator of the Environmental Justice Atlas.

The researchers call on academia and international organizations to judge corporate social and environmental behaviour based on the outcomes experienced by affected communities rather than on company voluntary policies. The study results urge policymakers to rewrite the rules of global trade on principles of equity, autonomy and reciprocity, and implement binding, mandatory and enforceable regulations on transnational corporations to avoid harm, and when necessary, provide the tools to secure accountability and liability for the impacts linked to their wrongdoing.

“This research sheds light on the dark corners of corporate abuse, clearly illuminating how extensive and deep the tentacles of corporate wrongdoing reach,” said Rachel Rose Jackson, Director of Climate Research & Policy at Corporate Accountability, a corporate watchdog. “It also clearly illustrates the failure of existing mechanisms to deliver justice, address harms, and stop future wrongdoing. The solutions to corporate impunity are not voluntary pledges, self-regulation, or half measures with little to no oversight. Addressing corporate abuse requires meaningful measures that are legally-binding and that truly safeguard people and the planet (not corporate greed). Until we hold corporations liable for the harms they cause, they will continue to wreak destruction in their unconscionable pursuit of profit.”

“This article clearly shows that global trade rules are a legacy of colonialism that give free reign to Global North transnationals to continue plundering the Global South at the expense of communities and ecosystems“, said Meena Raman, Head of Programmes at Third World Network. “Only a system change that counters the imperialistic and neo-liberal order and enables economic and ecological sovereignty of peoples, a fair distribution of world resources and forms of development which are ecologically sustainable and fulfill human needs, can deliver genuine justice for the poor and the planet."

The study comes out as the European Parliament debates the European Commission's Omnibus deregulation package that will water down corporate obligations to prevent human rights and environmental violations across their global supply chains under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

Speaking to the European Coalition for Corporate Justice, Nick Omonuk, a climate justice activist resisting TotalEnergies' EACOP pipeline in Uganda, said "Irresponsible corporations don’t just extract resources; they extract life. They displace people, destroy livelihoods, and pollute the water and soil we depend on. These companies know exactly what they’re doing, but they don’t care—because the system protects them, not us. We are the ones treated like criminals. The European Commission is making corporate impunity the norm; it’s a death sentence for our communities. If the Omnibus proposals pass, they will give polluters a free pass and directly attack victims and communities."

Notes to editors

The Global Atlas of Environmental Justice (ejatlas.org) is a participatory mapping initiative that has documented more than 4300 extractive conflicts around the world. It has more than 5,000 registered contributors from more than 600 higher education institutions and many civil society organisations around the world. It has around 500,000 yearly users, and 100 annual data requests from scientists, students, journalists, and policy-makers around the world. It was founded in 2012 by a global coalition of academic institutions and environmental justice organisations. The EJAtlas has been recognised in the prestigious Balzan and Holberg prizes awarded to Prof. Joan Martínez-Alier, its co-founder.

For each conflict, the EJAtlas systematically collects information on more than 100 fields covering commodities, type of activity, actors mobilised, forms of mobilisation, environmental, health and socio-environmental impacts, and outcomes. It also provides a narrative description of the case. The combination of standardized and narrative information allows the EJAtlas to be locally specific, and globally relevant, enabling case study investigations as well as global analysis to understand world patterns of environmental injustice.

Extractive conflicts are contentious projects or economic activity that are pursued by state, corporate, and, sometimes, also illicit actors (e.g., illegal loggers) facing resistance by civil society actors in which explicit social-environmental claims are made against the project. These conflicts usually arise from structural inequalities of income and power and are often part of, or lead to larger gender, class, caste and ethnic struggles. The EJAtlas classifies conflicts in 10 categories according to the nature of the project: fossil fuels and energy, mineral extraction, biomass and land, water management, nuclear, infrastructure and built environment, industrial and utilities, biodiversity conservation, waste management, tourism.

Nearly half of the conflicts in the global South involve companies from de Global North

Multinational companies use high density commodities to shift socioenvironmental costs

Conflicts with multinational companies have more impacts and worse outcomes

Credit

ICTA-UAB

Journal

Global Environmental Change

DOI

10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.103006

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Driving ecologically unequal exchange: A global analysis of multinational corporations’ role in environmental conflicts

“For the first time, we shared a meaningful exchange”: KAIST develops an AI app for parents and minimally verbal autistic children connect

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

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Photo 1. (From left) Professor Hwajung Hong and Doctoral candidate Dasom Choi of the Department of Industrial Design with SoHyun Park and Young-Ho Kim of Naver Cloud AI Lab
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Credit: KAIST DxD Lab

For many families of minimally verbal autistic (MVA) children, communication often feels like an uphill battle. But now, thanks to a new AI-powered app developed by researchers at KAIST in collaboration with NAVER AI Lab and Dodakim Child Development Center, parents are finally experiencing moments of genuine connection with their children.

On the 16th, the KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) research team, led by Professor Hwajung Hong of the Department of Industrial Design, announced the development of ‘AAcessTalk,’ an artificial intelligence (AI)-based communication tool that enables genuine communication between children with autism and their parents.

This research was recognized for its human-centered AI approach and received international attention, earning the Best Paper Award at the ACM CHI 2025*, an international conference held in Yokohama, Japan.
*ACM CHI (ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems) 2025: One of the world's most prestigious academic conference in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

This year, approximately 1,200 papers were selected out of about 5,000 submissions, with the Best Paper Award given to only the top 1%. The conference, which drew over 5,000 researchers, was the largest in its history, reflecting the growing interest in ‘Human-AI Interaction.’

Called AACessTalk, the app offers personalized vocabulary cards tailored to each child’s interests and context, while guiding parents through conversations with customized prompts. This creates a space where children’s voices can finally be heard—and where parents and children can connect on a deeper level.

Traditional augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools have relied heavily on fixed card systems that often fail to capture the subtle emotions and shifting interests of children with autism. AACessTalk breaks new ground by integrating AI technology that adapts in real time to the child’s mood and environment.

< Figure. Schematics of AACessTalk system. It provides personalized vocabulary cards for children with autism and context-based conversation guides for parents to focus on practical communication. Large ‘Turn Pass Button’ is placed at the child’s side to allow the child to lead the conversation. >

Among its standout features is a large ‘Turn Pass Button’ that gives children control over when to start or end conversations—allowing them to lead with agency. Another feature, the “What about Mom/Dad?” button, encourages children to ask about their parents’ thoughts, fostering mutual engagement in dialogue, something many children had never done before.

One parent shared, “For the first time, we shared a meaningful exchange.” Such stories were common among the 11 families who participated in a two-week pilot study, where children used the app to take more initiative in conversations and parents discovered new layers of their children’s language abilities.

Parents also reported moments of surprise and joy when their children used unexpected words or took the lead in conversations, breaking free from repetitive patterns. “I was amazed when my child used a word I hadn’t heard before. It helped me understand them in a whole new way,” recalled one caregiver.

Professor Hwajung Hong, who led the research at KAIST’s Department of Industrial Design, emphasized the importance of empowering children to express their own voices. “This study shows that AI can be more than a communication aid—it can be a bridge to genuine connection and understanding within families,” she said.

Looking ahead, the team plans to refine and expand human-centered AI technologies that honor neurodiversity, with a focus on bringing practical solutions to socially vulnerable groups and enriching user experiences.

This research is the result of KAIST Department of Industrial Design doctoral student Dasom Choi's internship at NAVER AI Lab.
* Thesis Title: AACessTalk: Fostering Communication between Minimally Verbal Autistic Children and Parents with Contextual Guidance and Card Recommendation
* DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3713792
* Main Author Information: Dasom Choi (KAIST, NAVER AI Lab, First Author), SoHyun Park (NAVER AI Lab) , Kyungah Lee (Dodakim Child Development Center), Hwajung Hong (KAIST), and Young-Ho Kim (NAVER AI Lab, Corresponding Author)

This research was supported by the NAVER AI Lab internship program and grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea: the Doctoral Student Research Encouragement Grant (NRF-2024S1A5B5A19043580) and the Mid-Career Researcher Support Program for the Development of a Generative AI-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication System for Autism Spectrum Disorder (RS-2024-00458557).

Figure. Schematics of AACessTalk system. It provides personalized vocabulary cards for children with autism and context-based conversation guides for parents to focus on practical communication. Large ‘Turn Pass Button’ is placed at the child’s side to allow the child to lead the conversation.

Credit

Authors: Dasom Choi, SoHyun Park, Kyungah Lee, Hwajung Hong, Young-Ho Kim

DOI

10.1145/3706598.3713792

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

AACessTalk: Fostering Communication between Minimally Verbal Autistic Children and Parents with Contextual Guidance and Card Recommendation

Forest management can influence health benefits

University of Surrey

Forests play a crucial role in promoting health and wellbeing, but not all forests provide the same benefits. A large-scale international study, co-led by the University of Surrey and the University of Ghent, demonstrates how specific forest characteristics – such as canopy density and tree species diversity – can affect various health outcomes.

The research, published in Nature Sustainability, was carried out by a range of international partners within the Dr. Forest research project, investigated 164 forests across five European countries, offering valuable insights for forest management and urban planning. The study examined seven ecological characteristics of forests and their influence on different human health effects.

Tree species diversity was found to have a limited but positive effect on human health and wellbeing. Increasing tree species diversity is therefore considered a safe and beneficial intervention for forest managers, which also provides multiple co-benefits beyond human health, such as supporting associated non-tree biodiversity.

Forest structures – particularly, the canopy structure – were found to have the strongest health impact, both with its own benefits and drawbacks. Dense canopy reduces heat stress by providing more shade and creating a more stable microclimate, while also improving air quality by increasing leaf surface area for fine particulate matter deposition – both crucial elements in urban areas where heatwaves and airborne pollutants are more frequent.

On the other hand, a dense canopy can also increase the risk of Lyme disease – as ticks thrive in humid climates – and lead to less light reaching the forest floor, which can hinder the growth of medicinal plants, affecting their potential health benefits.

From a mental health standpoint, just being in a forest was found to be beneficial, reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing positive emotions. Forests that people perceived to be more biodiverse and natural were also found to be the most beneficial for mental health.

Dr Melissa Marselle, Lecturer in Environmental Psychology at the University of Surrey, said:

“Our study shows that forests generally provide a mental health benefit, reducing anxiety and stress, regardless of their biodiversity or structure. As one in six people in England experience anxiety and depression each week, this research suggests that simply being in a forest can improve mental health. For the UK, this means preserving urban forests so people can easily access forests where they live, work and play for their mental wellbeing. Contact with forests could be prescribed by the NHS, as research shows that NHS nature prescriptions are effective at improving mental health.”

[ENDS]

Dr Melissa Marselle is available for interview, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.
An image of Dr Marselle is available upon request.

Journal

Nature Sustainability

DOI

10.1038/s41893-025-01547-3