FlexiBAU Infrastructure Removes Boundaries in Education

The FlexiBAU learning-teaching model, which enables students to receive education the way they want, is being launched. With the model, which also offers personalized education planning using data obtained from students' educational experiences through artificial intelligence, students will be able to shape their careers.

Online concepts that entered our lives with the pandemic are preparing to replace traditional education with stronger models and applications. The FlexiBAU infrastructure, which encompasses micro-flexible hybrid education and was launched by the Bahçeşehir University (BAU) Distance Education Unit (BUZEB), is preparing to enable students to experience education and to best shape their futures through their experiences. In this education model, which will allow students to learn independently of time and place, students will be able to have the experience they gain at any institution or job of their choice credited toward their courses with a certificate or document. In addition, the digital traces students leave throughout their studies will be analyzed through artificial intelligence, so that students can be guided and supported in the most accurate way.

FlexiBAU Brings Together 4 Categories

The aim of the FlexiBAU model, which began with a sustainability step, is to enable students, with the help of artificial intelligence, to take their next step in the way most beneficial to them, based on the experiences they gain throughout their education. This step, in which learning analytics technologies will be used, includes sections such as "counseling," "teacher and student data," "support through artificial intelligence," "prediction through artificial intelligence" and "student well-being." Through counseling, guidance is provided both for students' learning processes and for their lives after graduation, using the data obtained during their education. Teacher and student data covers the processing of data such as login and logout data in the learning management system, exam scores, reading/viewing status, activity within the system, grade point average and end-of-term grades of courses taken, and supporting students' learning processes. In the artificial intelligence process, the aim is to meet all of students' information and technical support needs in daily university life through an AI-based chatbot that uses natural language processing technologies. Within the scope of AI prediction, students' success is predicted from the data obtained using these technologies, and the necessary guidance is provided. Finally, student well-being places students' well-being at the center alongside their academic success at school. In this way, students are supported socially and psychologically as well as academically.

Students Will Be Able to Socialize Online

"Accessibility," one of the most important steps of FlexiBAU, offers students opportunities far beyond the curriculum they study. Thanks to opportunities independent of place and time, it removes all barriers to students' access to information. This system is implemented through HyFlex Classroom Designs, so that students can join classes and access information from wherever they want. "Appropriate Technology (Hybrid classrooms, virtual labs)" features fully equipped classrooms so that students feel as if they are in a physical classroom. Through the "Learning Community," students will be able to come together online and work together. With "Nomad Campus," the aim is to integrate students' daily lives into the learning experience so that they are part of campus life in both academic and non-academic activities. This step aims to provide students with a real living environment, a community experience and the opportunity to build local and international connections.

Theoretical Knowledge Reinforced by Practice

Another category of the FlexiBAU infrastructure is "Learner Choice." This step aims to enable students to continue their education with options, in line with their wishes and needs. The Micro-Flexible Hybrid Learning Experience, based on the HyFlex education model and micro-learning, aims to give students the flexibility to choose teaching methods while also developing their knowledge and skills. "Face-to-face, synchronous & asynchronous participation" gives students the flexibility to choose, according to their own needs, between attending classes face to face, synchronously or asynchronously. "Active learning" aims to help students reinforce the knowledge they gain in class during the learning process through assigned tasks and activities. At the "Contribution & participation" stage, students move beyond the role of passive listener during class and actively build their own learning process. Finally, "Skills & knowledge & competence" aims to turn the accurate and up-to-date knowledge students acquire into skills and help them gain competence.

Contributing to Hybrid Education Standards

Speaking about the FlexiBAU Model, BUZEB Director Assist. Prof. Dr. Ergün Akgün said: "With the FlexiBAU Model, we are trying to help our students adapt to higher education, which is undergoing rapid transformation worldwide, and to professional life after graduation. By analyzing their interests, needs and wishes, we have designed a 360-degree university model aimed at increasing their knowledge, skills and competencies. With this model, we want both to contribute to the 'hybrid education standards' we published in previous years and to lead this inevitable transformation. One of the greatest advantages of this model is that it gives our students flexibility in terms of time, place, learning method and university life."