Semantic Web – alexmikro.net

EdTech blog by Alexander Mikroyannidis

26 July 201024 May 2020Semantic Web

A Semantic Web service for the lazy blogger

If you’re one of the bloggers that love to blog but never seem to find the time to do it properly (it […]

24 March 201024 May 2020Semantic Web

UK Institute of Web Science announced

Gordon Brown announced yesterday the establishment of a UK Institute of Web Science, aiming to promote “cutting edge” web technologies. Mr Brown […]

11 November 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

Whatever you want to ask about the Semantic Web…

…you can ask at the Semantic Overflow. A Semantic Web expert will (hopefully) pick this up and give you a straight answer. […]

25 October 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

Raw Data Now in the UK update

The implementation of Sir Tim’s “Raw Data Now” vision is well under way in the UK. UK government data are being released […]

24 October 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

What is an ontology anyway?

Chances are anyone who has come across the terms ‘Semantic Web’ or ‘Web 3.0’, has also come across the term ‘ontology’. But […]

25 June 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

Semantics at the New York Times

Who says the Semantic Web exists only in the minds of academics? Last week, at the closing keynote of the Semantic Technology […]

26 May 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

Web 3.0, Linked Data and the Semantic Web

Greg Boutin, founder of Growthroute Ventures, recently posted a series of articles about the latest trends on the web: Web 3.0, Linked […]

20 March 200931 January 2020Semantic Web

Raw Data Now!

Tim Berners-Lee, father of the World Wide Web and the Semantic Web, talked in TED 2009 about the origin and evolution of […]

12 March 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

The Semantic Web in our mailboxes

Can the Semantic Web improve the way we send and receive email? Yes, according to researchers from the University of Stanford. They […]

10 February 200924 May 2020Semantic Web

Semantics in Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is about replacing desktop-based computing resources with internet-based ones. The driving concept is called Software as a Service (SaaS), according […]

Professional biography

Dr. Alexander Mikroyannidis is a Senior Research Fellow (Associate Professor) in the Knowledge Media Institute of The Open University, UK. He holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from Manchester Business School, an M.Phil. in Computation from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), and a B.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Patras, Greece.

Research interests

The research expertise of Dr. Mikroyannidis is in the field of Technology-Enhanced Learning. He has been investigating the use of novel educational technologies for enhancing personalised learning, self-regulated learning, lifelong learning, as well as open education. He is currently working on the transformative applications of Generative AI and decentralisation blockchain technology in the context of distance and higher education. He is the author of over 120 peer-reviewed publications that have received over 1,500 citations.

Teaching interests

Dr. Mikroyannidis has extensive experience in developing rich interactive learning materials for Open Educational Resources (OERs), Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Badged Open Courses (BOCs), and eBooks. Some highlights from this work are the following:

Impact and engagement

The work of Dr. Mikroyannidis has led to strategic partnerships with key technological companies, most notably with Cisco and its global educational network, the Cisco Networking Academy, which has over 1 million students worldwide. Within this partnership, Dr. Mikroyannidis is in charge of the design, development and deployment of PT Anywhere, a novel educational tool for teaching computer networking skills by performing network simulations on any device. PT Anywhere has played a vital role in remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been featured in the UK government’s Digital Skills Toolkit, which is offering essential digital skills to job seekers.

Dr. Mikroyannidis has recently led a successful pilot for facilitating lifelong learning using blockchain technologies, in the context of the European project QualiChain. In particular, he has been in charge of deploying and evaluating decentralised education and employment qualifications with learners and educators within various lifelong learning contexts. The results of this pilot have provided valuable insights into the different aspects of lifelong learning that require support, as well as into the guidance and training needs of the education community related to the use of decentralisation technologies. More recently, Dr. Mikroyannidis has been investigating the impact of Web 3.0 and Blockchain on open education, aiming to reduce barriers for the open upskilling and reskilling of job seekers. For more info, see this journal editorial co-authored with several other renowned experts in the field of open education.

External collaborations

Dr. Mikroyannidis has been driving significant educational technology initiatives at an international level, by establishing a network of collaborators inside and outside the Open University and acquiring external funding, in order to implement and evaluate novel educational solutions in real-life settings and with real users. He has been awarded and worked on a wide range of European and nationally funded research projects, including QualiChain, DEL4ALL, OpenLang Network, Open Networking Lab, Institute of Coding, SlideWiki, EDSA, HUB4NGI, FORGE, weSPOT, EUCLID, ROLE, OpenScout, CASPAR, and PARMENIDES.

In collaboration with the European partners of the Erasmus+ project OpenLang Network, Dr. Mikroyannidis has led the design, implementation and evaluation of the OpenLang Network platform. This platform provides an open and collaborative online learning environment that brings together language teachers and learners across Europe. This journal article presents the sustainable design of the platform and the tools that the platform is offering for practicing innovative learning methods, such as tandem language learning. The goal of this work is to foster the European multicultural and multilingual vision by building a sustainable online community around open educational resources and practices.