The Future of Education

This paper presents a teaching experience developed within ELICIA, a multi-partner European project funded through the EIT Higher Education Initiative, which brings together universities, research centers, and cultural institutions to explore ethical, inclusive, and human-centered approaches to digital technologies in the arts. ELICIA aims to support new educational models at the intersection of artistic practice, technology, and critical reflection, with a strong emphasis on experimentation and collaboration across disciplines.

The paper focuses on two practice-based master-level modules delivered at CINETic (National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale”, Bucharest), in person and online. These modules were designed as experimental learning environments in which students from arts, design, and technology backgrounds were invited to leverage bespoke AI-based art & design tools grounded in personal motivations, social contexts, and ethical concerns. Rather than treating digital tools as neutral or purely technical artifacts, the teaching approach encouraged students to examine how AI-powered tools embody values, assumptions, and power relations.

Pedagogically, the courses combined project-based learning, hands-on workshops, short theoretical inputs, and continuous peer critique. Students worked iteratively, documenting both technical decisions and conceptual reasoning. Assessment emphasized process, reflection, and critical articulation alongside functional outcomes, supporting diverse learning trajectories and forms of engagement.

The paper reflects on key outcomes and challenges observed during the teaching process, including interdisciplinary collaboration, student engagement, and the integration of ethical reflection into creative and technical practice. Particular attention is paid to how ethics can be addressed through situated, practice-led inquiry rather than abstract or prescriptive frameworks.

By situating this teaching experience within the broader objectives of ELICIA and current debates on innovation in education and digital teaching and learning, the paper offers transferable insights for educators seeking to design inclusive, experimental, and ethically grounded learning environments in higher education.

Keywords: innovation in education; digital teaching and learning; arts education; ethics in technology; project-based learning; generative AI