Vlatko Lukarov

Senior researcher

Biography

I studied applied computer science at the American University in Bulgaria, and at the RWTH Aachen University, specializing in software engineering with concentration on building usable systems with streamlined user experience. After finishing my master's degree I pursued a doctorate in applied computer science at RWTH Aachen University. In my dissertation, I dealt with the problem of scaling up learning analytics as an integral e-learning service at higher education institutions in Germany by applying my core skills in building innovative technical infrastructures such as e-learning systems, learning platforms, and data analytics solutions. The successful deployment of my learning analytics implementation on such large-scale was the first in Germany at a university from the German Excellence Cluster.

From 2013 until 2018, I worked at the Center for Innovative Learning as a development team lead responsible for developing and running the L²P learning platform as a service for the university. I worked with an international team by applying agile software development and took care of the development, the entire Software Development Life Cycle, as well as, all of the accompanying legal and administrative requirements for running the learning platform as an integral e-learning service at RWTH Aachen University.

Since 2014, I am a researcher at the Learning Technologies Research Group and there I am building innovative tools and technologies that shape the digitalization of teaching and learning. I work in areas that examine digital learning experience enhanced with data analytics, new hardware devices and technology, data analysis algorithms, data and digital literacy literacy, information visualization, and novel web technologies.

Since 2019, I have a senior leadership role at the research group and built a learning technologies innovation lab. The lab is equipped with virtual reality headsets, eye-tracking hardware tools, large multi-touch tabletop displays for collaborative learning games, wide angle cameras and motion sensors, an extended set of tablets and mobile phones, and a versatile technical infrastructure that hosts a palette of web technologies and in-house developed web-based learning tools. Together with my fellow researchers we invent the future of learning with technology in the digital era, shape the new digitalized classrooms, and the future of teaching computer science education in schools.

Interests

Data Science and Analytics
Human-Computer Interaction
Information Visualization
AR/VR Technology integration
Industry 4.0 and IoT
Machine Learning
Tinkering with Technology

Education

PhD in Computer Science (Dr. rer. nat), 2019

RWTH Aachen University

MSc in Software Systems Engineering, 2013

RWTH Aachen University

BA in Computer Science, 2009

American University in Bulgaria (AUBG)

Projects

DigiLabs4U

This is a research project that aims to provide engineering students and researchers practical, digitized and networked laboratory environments which can be local, virtual, and remotely accessible via web solutions and AR/VR technology. These networked labs should support learning and provide conditions to learn about topics from the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, solve practical problems and run experiments. Augmented Reality can help to close the gap between the “virtual” and “real” experience. Methods of engineering education and serious gaming are combined using learning analytics, mixed/ augmented reality to form a unique holistic approach in a hybrid learning and research environment. The project also promotes exchange of experiences in research and teaching beyond the boundaries of individual institutions.

Learning Technologies Innovation Lab

The technology innovation lab is a place where researchers and students can build industry-relevant digital competencies, experiment with new and innovative technology approaches, build core skills for the industry, and above all tinker with technology. The vision is to invent the future of learning with technology in the digital era, design and shape the new digitalized classrooms and the future of computer science didactics and education.

The lab equipment includes the following tech:

Scalable data warehouse - Learning Locker
VR workstation for experimentation and development
Four mobile VR workstations (including VR headsets)
Static Tobii system for eye tracking experiments
Mobile Pupil Core eye tracking workstations
Video production workstation with professional video and audio recording hardware
Multi-touch tabletops for collaborative multi-touch learning games

The lab is a project partly funded by the state of North-Rhine Westfalia as part of the state's funding initiative: "Digitale Lehr-Lerninfrastrukturen".

Scaling up Learning Analytics in Blended Learning

This project focused on the practical problem of scaling up learning analytics services in blended learning scenarios in a higher education institution in Germany.

This work provides the solution as a set of key principles which focus on five aspects: collecting correct requirements for the different stakeholder groups, preparing the legal and technical foundations of the higher education institution, continuously develop and improve the learning analytics services, and continuously evaluate the learning analytics services.

Project contributions:

Verified end-to-end process for scaling up learning analytics
Comprehensive set of requirements for the stakeholder groups
Categorized and comprehensive set of learning analytics indicators
Sustainable learning analytics infrastructure with optimized analytics engine for scalability and performance
High fidelity analytics prototypes

L²P Learning Platform at RWTH Aachen University

The concept of the new learning platform built on top of six basic ideas: Personalization, Mobile First approach, Reflection, Collaboration, Extensibility, and Usability.

L²P was the central web-based learning and teaching platform of RWTH Aachen University. Its virtual course rooms offer lecturers a range of tools to provide course related information, distribute digital materials such as scripts, slides, or lecture videos, communicate with students, foster collaboration, design assessment activities, make available options for self-learning and offer feedback that helps students to reflect their learning.

The concept of the second iteration of the learning platform focuses on the students' learning experience and enables them to learn independently, self-organized, collaborative and mobile learning with improved usability and user experience. In addition, the app-based, modular platform was expanded by integrating third-party systems, so that course specific blended learning scenarios are supported as well.

Publications

"Scaling Up Learning Analytics in Blended Learning Scenarios" - V Lukarov; RWTH Aachen University, 2019

"Learning Analytics Perspektiven: interdisziplinäre Herausforderungen bei Umsetzung der Forschung in Dienstleistungen" - M Ehlenz, I Cwielong, V Lukarov, U Schroeder; Proceedings of DELFI Workshops 2019

"Learning Analytics Case Study in Blended Learning Scenarios" - V Lukarov, U Schroeder; EC-TEL Practitioner Proceedings 2018: 13th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning

"User Groups and Different Levels of Control in Recommender Systems" - Christine Mendez, Vlatko Lukarov, Christoph Greven, André Calero Valdez, Felix Dietze, Ulrik Schroeder, Martina Ziefle; International Conference on Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management, 2017

"AiX-Analytics: Analytics Tool at RWTH Aachen University" - V Lukarov, U Schroeder; Bildungsräume 2017

"Analytics Prototype for Data Driven Decision Making for Blended Learning Strategies in HEI" - V Lukarov, U Schroeder; Bildungsräume 2017

"Learning Analytics Evaluation - Beyond Usability" - V Lukarov, MA Chatti, U Schroeder; DeLFI Workshops, 2015

"Learning analytics: Challenges and future research directions" - Mohamed Amine Chatti, Vlatko Lukarov, Hendrik Thüs, Arham Muslim, Ahmed Mohamed Fahmy Yousef, Usman Wahid, Christoph Greven, Arnab Chakrabarti, Ulrik Schroeder; eleed, Iss. 10, 2014

"Data Models in Learning Analytics" - V Lukarov, MA Chatti, H Thüs, FS Kia, A Muslim, C Greven, U Schroeder; DeLFI Workshops 2014

"Supporting action research with learning analytics" - AL Dyckhoff, V Lukarov, A Muslim, MA Chatti, U Schroeder; Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, 2013

"Welchen Einfluss hat ein Learning Analytics Tool auf das Verhalten der Lehrenden?" - AL Dyckhoff, V Lukarov, MA Chatti, U Schroeder, 2013; Proceedings der Pre-Conference Workshops der 11. e-Learning Fachtagung Informatik - DeLFI 2013

Contact

Email (work): lukarov@informatik.rwth-aachen.de

Email (personal): vlatko.lukarov@gmail.com

Phone: +49 241 80 21952

Address: Room 6302, Ahornstr. 55, 52074 Aachen

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