‘It does something to people when the university seeks connection’
Researchers Faculty of Science in informal conversations with Utrecht residents
What’s it like to discuss your scientific research with random passersby in a shopping centre? On 27 May, Jeroen Ooge, an Assistant Professor in Information & Computing Sciences, was at the Rokade shopping centre in Utrecht’s Zuilen neighbourhood, speaking with all sorts of people about his research into the role of AI in education.
Ooge, this year’s Teacher Talent of the Year, studies how AI can support differentiation in education. This involves grouping students based on interests, background, ability, and so on, with teaching styles and materials tailored to each group.
“It was funny to step into my researcher role in the very place where I do my weekly shopping,” says Ooge, who spoke with people of all ages, “from students just starting their bachelor’s degrees to those with walking frames.” What struck him most: many people were curious, even if they couldn’t always join the conversation. “It clearly does something to people when the university seeks connection.”
Talks around Town
Ooge’s conversation was part of Talks around Town, a programme where researchers engage informally and accessibly with people from all walks of life. For the lustrum, the programme has been enriched with the theme of AI, meaning that even more AI researchers are joining the conversations. This gives many Utrecht residents the chance to discuss this timely topic.
Ooge has noticed that artificial intelligence is on a lot of people’s minds: “Everyone could relate to my research on differentiation and AI in education. Older people mainly wanted to know what AI actually is and were concerned about rapid technological progress and student motivation in general. Students raised critical points about energy consumption and the misuse of recent generative AI. Teachers emphasised their own role and wanted to better understand the technical side of language models to assess their pedagogical acceptability. I found it fascinating how everyone approached the topic from their own perspective.”
Jeroen isn’t the only beta researcher to have taken part in this programme. Others, including Annet Onnes, David Baneke, Misja Groen, Till Miltzow, Sylvia Kerkhove, and Marit Bentvelzen, have already done so. And on 27 June, Jos Zuijderwijk will be at the summer market in NOVA shopping centre in Kanaleneiland from 13:00 to 16:00.
Interested in discussing your research with random passersby? Sign up via Talks around Town: new dates and locations are being added all the time.
Jeroen, for one, would recommend it to anyone: “What I found most beautiful was that many people said at the end how much they appreciated talking to a researcher and hearing more nuance in the debate about AI in education. Many sensed that the discussion often boils down to ‘good’ or ‘bad’, with little room in between. Instead of specific, context-dependent discussions, it too often treats AI as one monolithic thing, whereas research shows that context is crucial, as different contexts can lead to different conclusions. I’m glad I could contribute, as a researcher, to that realisation, and I was struck by how even such brief conversations could strengthen that awareness.”