Two PhD students from the Open University of Israel took part in the 19th Joint Technology Enhanced Learning Summer School (JTELSS), organized by the European Association of Technology Enhanced Learning (EATEL). The annual summer school focuses on empowering learning through technology and brings together emerging and leading researchers in the field.
This year, the week-long event was held in Crete, Greece, and welcomed around 110 participants, including PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and senior academics from across Europe.
Representing the Open University were Keren Galloway and Eran Livni, doctoral candidates in the PhD program Education: Technologies in Learning Systems. The intensive week included lectures by leading scholars, hands-on workshops, mentoring sessions, and networking activities designed to foster collaboration and exchange among participants.
“We discovered that some of the most meaningful learning happens outside the classroom – at a mountainside taverna, among ancient ruins with breathtaking views, or in a spontaneous conversation by the sea. We saw how knowledge is alive, dynamic, and human. It happens when people connect, when worlds intersect, and when we allow ourselves to learn not just to finish a chapter – but to truly understand,” shared Keren and Eran.
“We had the privilege of meeting researchers from all over Europe, forming valuable connections, and being exposed to cutting-edge research in the field of learning technologies. We are returning with a powerful toolkit for our doctoral research.”
Their participation was made possible through funding from the International Office at the Office of the Dean of Research, in collaboration with the Research Center for Innovation in Learning Technologies from the Department of Education and Psychology. This initiative aligns with the university’s broader policy to foster international competencies among its students—both in their professional training and in the development of soft skills with a global perspective.
Special thanks to Dr. Il Rabin and Prof. Dorit Olenik-Shemesh from the Research Center for Innovation in Learning Technologies for initiating and supporting the process, and to Ms. Alessia Levi, Coordinator of the International Office, for leading the initiative.