The group mind of hybrid teams with humans and intelligent agents in knowledge-intense work

Studies regularly demonstrate how well intelligent agents (IAs) can support humans or are demonstrably superior to them in some areas. Given that some tasks likely remain unsuitable for even the most intelligent machines in the mid-future, work in hybrid teams of humans and IAs—where the capabilities of both are effectively combined—will most likely shape the way we work in the coming decades. In an abductive study, we investigate an early example of hybrid teams, consisting of a conversational intelligent agent (IA) and humans, that aims to improve health behavior or change personality traits. We theorize Transactive Intelligent Memory System (TIMS) as a new vision of collaboration between humans and IAs in hybrid teams, based on our empirical insights and our literature review on transactive memory systems theory. Our empirical evidence shows that IAs can develop a form of individual and external memory, and hybrid teams of humans and IAs can realize joint systems of transactive memory—a competence that current literature only ascribes to humans. We further find that whether individuals view IAs merely as external memory aids or as part of their teams’ transactive memory is moderated by the tasks’ complexity and knowledge intensity, as well as the IA’s ability to complete the task. This theorizing helps to better understand the role of IAs in future team-based working processes. Developers of IAs can use TIMS as a tool for requirements formulation to prepare their software agents for collaboration in hybrid teams

Forschungskompetenzen fördern : Chancen und Risiken eines Research-based-Blended- Learning-Ansatzes im Grundschullehramtsstudium

Um Forschungskompetenzen von Grundschullehramtsstudierenden anzubahnen, die für späteres evidenzbasiertes Handeln benötigt werden, eignen sich Research-based und Blended Learning. In diesem Beitrag wird ein Seminarkonzept vorgestellt, das beide Ansätze kombiniert. Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung zeigen, dass Studierende mit dem Format grundsätzlich zufrieden sind und dem Format sowie den digitalen Elementen vornehmlich Chancen zuschreiben. Mit Blick auf didaktische Weiterentwicklungen werden Potenziale und Optimierungsbedarfe des Research-based-Blended-Learning-Konzepts diskutiert.Research-based and blended learning are suitable for initiating research competencies of prospective primary school teachers that are needed for later evidence-based working. In this article, a seminar concept is presented that combines both approaches. Results of the accompanying scientific research show that students are generally satisfied with the format and primarily ascribe opportunities to the format and the digital elements. With a view to didactic developments, potentials and optimization needs of the research-based blended learning concept are discussed

Transitioning from Phenomenology of Religion to Applied Religions : Contributions from Ezra Chitando

This chapter is a reflection of Ezra Chitando’s contributions to the study of religion, gender and masculinities in Africa, particularly from a Zimbabwean perspective. It is a chapter that makes a trajectory survey of some of Chitando’s works that have transformed the phenomenology of religion as promulgated by Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) into applied religion, where religion has been found to be the centre of human existence, which is at the centre of people’s lived realities. To achieve this, I used some of Chitando’s works where he applied religion to address human existential challenges such as masculinities in the context HIV & AIDS, gender and other pandemics such as COVID-19. I also used casual conversations with him on matters of religion and development, health, climate change and through working with him on a number of book projects just to mention a few. Using grounded theology as the lens for this chapter, I argue that Chitando has demonstrated beyond doubt that religion is not an abstract/utopian phenomenon but a concrete entity that works through, with and for people. The chapter concludes that Chitando has successfully engaged religion to find meaning and relevance in African realities, more particularly Zimbabwean realities

Formal adult education and socioeconomic inequality : Second chances or Matthew Effects?

In countries around the world, population aging, technological change, and labor market transformations are leading to an increasing incidence of mismatch between the skills and credentials held by workers and those required by their jobs. This is leading large numbers of people to return to schooling to enhance their prospects in the workplace. Access to adult education is highly stratified, and the returns to educational re-entry vary across social categories. This state-of-the-art paper focuses on two aspects. First, it examines the degree to which adult education (specifically, degree-bearing education) most benefits the less advantaged and thus mitigates socioeconomic inequality (second chance effects). Second, it addresses the degree to which the benefits of adult education go primarily to those who are already advantaged (Matthew Effects). Our review adopts the perspective of the socioeconomic life course and is explicitly cross-nationally comparative