Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns

Suzanne van Rossen; Ester Bartels; Karine Cardona; Chris Detweiler; Katja Pott; Shakila Shayan; Aletta Smits; Jürgen Ziegler; Esther van der Stappen

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns

Suzanne van Rossen
, Ester Bartels
, Karine Cardona
, Chris Detweiler
, Katja Pott
, Shakila Shayan
, Aletta Smits
, Jürgen Ziegler
, Esther van der Stappen

Avans Hogeschool Breda
University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
Appealy
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
University of Duisburg-Essen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Contribution to conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

In flexible education, recommender systems that support course selection, are considered a viable means to help students in making informed course selections, especially where curricula offer greater flexibility. However, these recommender systems present both potential benefits and looming risks, such as overdependence on technology, biased recommendations, and privacy issues. User control mechanisms in recommender interfaces (or algorithmic affordances) might offer options to address those risks, but they have not been systematically studied yet. This paper presents the outcomes of a design session conducted during the INTERACT23 workshop on Algorithmic Affordances in Recommender Interfaces. This design session yielded insights in how the design of an interface, and specifically the algorithmic affordances in these interfaces, may address the ethical risks and dilemmas of using a recommender in such an impactful context by potentially vulnerable users. Through design and reflection, we discovered a host of design ideas for the interface of a flexible education interface, that can serve as conversation starters for practitioners implementing flexible education. More research is needed to explore these design directions and to gain insights on how they can help to approximate more ethically operating recommender systems.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Design for Equality and Justice
Subtitle of host publication	INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II
Editors	A Bramwell-Dicks, A. Evans, M. Winckler, H. Petrie, J. Abdelnour-Nocera
Place of Publication	York
Publisher	Springer International Publishing
Pages	205-213
Number of pages	9
Volume	14536
Edition	1
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-61697-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19
Publication status	Published - 9 Jul 2024
Externally published	Yes

Publication series

Series	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
ISSN	0302-9743

Keywords

algorithmic affordances
ethics
flexible education
interface design
recommender systems
responsible AI

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

1 Inaugural speech
1 Contribution to conference proceeding
1 Review article

Aanbevelingen van een computer: hoe betrouwbaar zijn ze?
Dinnissen, K., Hauptmann, H., Herder, E., Masthoff, J. & Smits, A., Aug 2025, In: Tijdschrift voor Human Factors. 50, 2, p. 5-9 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Conversations between people and technology. Lectorale rede dr. Aletta Smits, 17 december 2025, Lectoraat Digitale Transformatie
Smits, A., 17 Dec 2025, Groningen: Hanze, Centre of Expertise Ondernemen. 21 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Inaugural speech › Academic

Open Access
Hardly any sliders in real-world apps: a library of algorithmic affordances to bridge the research-practice gap in Human-AI Interaction
Smits, A., Cardona, K., Berk, M., Marantika, T., Meeuwse, T., van Rossen, S., Sent, D., van Turnhout, K. & Hoekman, B. J., Nov 2025, (Accepted/In press) Arppid 2025. Springer Verlag, 18 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Contribution to conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

Open Access

3 Invited talk
2 Oral presentation

human-AI interaction: how to give people autonomy and control
Smits, A. (Speaker)
1 Apr 2026
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Algorithmic Affordances
Smits, A. (Speaker)
27 Jan 2026
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
The designers’ perspective on Decision Support Systems
Smits, A. (Speaker)
23 Mar 2026 → 27 Mar 2026
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation

Cite this

van Rossen, S., Bartels, E., Cardona, K., Detweiler, C., Pott, K., Shayan, S., Smits, A., Ziegler, J., & van der Stappen, E. (2024). Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns. In A. Bramwell-Dicks, A. Evans, M. Winckler, H. Petrie, & J. Abdelnour-Nocera (Eds.), Design for Equality and Justice: INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II (1 ed., Vol. 14536, pp. 205-213). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

van Rossen, Suzanne ; Bartels, Ester ; Cardona, Karine et al. / Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education : How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns. Design for Equality and Justice: INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II. editor / A Bramwell-Dicks ; A. Evans ; M. Winckler ; H. Petrie ; J. Abdelnour-Nocera. Vol. 14536 1. ed. York : Springer International Publishing, 2024. pp. 205-213 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

@inproceedings{520d0977fd92433d8ba26b0c5394b846,

title = "Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns",

abstract = "In flexible education, recommender systems that support course selection, are considered a viable means to help students in making informed course selections, especially where curricula offer greater flexibility. However, these recommender systems present both potential benefits and looming risks, such as overdependence on technology, biased recommendations, and privacy issues. User control mechanisms in recommender interfaces (or algorithmic affordances) might offer options to address those risks, but they have not been systematically studied yet. This paper presents the outcomes of a design session conducted during the INTERACT23 workshop on Algorithmic Affordances in Recommender Interfaces. This design session yielded insights in how the design of an interface, and specifically the algorithmic affordances in these interfaces, may address the ethical risks and dilemmas of using a recommender in such an impactful context by potentially vulnerable users. Through design and reflection, we discovered a host of design ideas for the interface of a flexible education interface, that can serve as conversation starters for practitioners implementing flexible education. More research is needed to explore these design directions and to gain insights on how they can help to approximate more ethically operating recommender systems.",

keywords = "algoritmische mogelijkheden, ethiek, flexibel onderwijs, interface-ontwerp, aanbevelingssystemen, verantwoorde KI, algorithmic affordances, ethics, flexible education, interface design, recommender systems, responsible AI",

author = "\{van Rossen\}, Suzanne and Ester Bartels and Karine Cardona and Chris Detweiler and Katja Pott and Shakila Shayan and Aletta Smits and J{\"u}rgen Ziegler and \{van der Stappen\}, Esther",

year = "2024",

month = jul,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3\_19",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-031-61697-6",

volume = "14536",

series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)",

publisher = "Springer International Publishing",

pages = "205--213",

editor = "A Bramwell-Dicks and A. Evans and M. Winckler and H. Petrie and J. Abdelnour-Nocera",

booktitle = "Design for Equality and Justice",

address = "Switzerland",

edition = "1",

}

van Rossen, S, Bartels, E, Cardona, K, Detweiler, C, Pott, K, Shayan, S, Smits, A, Ziegler, J & van der Stappen, E 2024, Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns. in A Bramwell-Dicks, A Evans, M Winckler, H Petrie & J Abdelnour-Nocera (eds), Design for Equality and Justice: INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II. 1 edn, vol. 14536, Springer International Publishing, York, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), pp. 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns. / van Rossen, Suzanne; Bartels, Ester; Cardona, Karine et al.
Design for Equality and Justice: INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II. ed. / A Bramwell-Dicks; A. Evans; M. Winckler; H. Petrie; J. Abdelnour-Nocera. Vol. 14536 1. ed. York: Springer International Publishing, 2024. p. 205-213 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Contribution to conference proceeding › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education

T2 - How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns

AU - van Rossen, Suzanne

AU - Bartels, Ester

AU - Cardona, Karine

AU - Detweiler, Chris

AU - Pott, Katja

AU - Shayan, Shakila

AU - Smits, Aletta

AU - Ziegler, Jürgen

AU - van der Stappen, Esther

PY - 2024/7/9

Y1 - 2024/7/9

N2 - In flexible education, recommender systems that support course selection, are considered a viable means to help students in making informed course selections, especially where curricula offer greater flexibility. However, these recommender systems present both potential benefits and looming risks, such as overdependence on technology, biased recommendations, and privacy issues. User control mechanisms in recommender interfaces (or algorithmic affordances) might offer options to address those risks, but they have not been systematically studied yet. This paper presents the outcomes of a design session conducted during the INTERACT23 workshop on Algorithmic Affordances in Recommender Interfaces. This design session yielded insights in how the design of an interface, and specifically the algorithmic affordances in these interfaces, may address the ethical risks and dilemmas of using a recommender in such an impactful context by potentially vulnerable users. Through design and reflection, we discovered a host of design ideas for the interface of a flexible education interface, that can serve as conversation starters for practitioners implementing flexible education. More research is needed to explore these design directions and to gain insights on how they can help to approximate more ethically operating recommender systems.

AB - In flexible education, recommender systems that support course selection, are considered a viable means to help students in making informed course selections, especially where curricula offer greater flexibility. However, these recommender systems present both potential benefits and looming risks, such as overdependence on technology, biased recommendations, and privacy issues. User control mechanisms in recommender interfaces (or algorithmic affordances) might offer options to address those risks, but they have not been systematically studied yet. This paper presents the outcomes of a design session conducted during the INTERACT23 workshop on Algorithmic Affordances in Recommender Interfaces. This design session yielded insights in how the design of an interface, and specifically the algorithmic affordances in these interfaces, may address the ethical risks and dilemmas of using a recommender in such an impactful context by potentially vulnerable users. Through design and reflection, we discovered a host of design ideas for the interface of a flexible education interface, that can serve as conversation starters for practitioners implementing flexible education. More research is needed to explore these design directions and to gain insights on how they can help to approximate more ethically operating recommender systems.

KW - algoritmische mogelijkheden

KW - ethiek

KW - flexibel onderwijs

KW - interface-ontwerp

KW - aanbevelingssystemen

KW - verantwoorde KI

KW - algorithmic affordances

KW - ethics

KW - flexible education

KW - interface design

KW - recommender systems

KW - responsible AI

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

M3 - Contribution to conference proceeding

SN - 978-3-031-61697-6

VL - 14536

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)

SP - 205

EP - 213

BT - Design for Equality and Justice

A2 - Bramwell-Dicks, A

A2 - Evans, A.

A2 - Winckler, M.

A2 - Petrie, H.

A2 - Abdelnour-Nocera, J.

PB - Springer International Publishing

CY - York

ER -

van Rossen S, Bartels E, Cardona K, Detweiler C, Pott K, Shayan S et al. Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns. In Bramwell-Dicks A, Evans A, Winckler M, Petrie H, Abdelnour-Nocera J, editors, Design for Equality and Justice: INTERACT 2023 IFIP TC 13 Workshops, York, UK, August 28 – September 1, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II. 1 ed. Vol. 14536. York: Springer International Publishing. 2024. p. 205-213. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-61698-3_19

Design Ideas for Recommender Systems in Flexible Education: How Algorithmic Affordances May Address Ethical Concerns

Abstract

Publication series

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Aanbevelingen van een computer: hoe betrouwbaar zijn ze?

Conversations between people and technology. Lectorale rede dr. Aletta Smits, 17 december 2025, Lectoraat Digitale Transformatie

Hardly any sliders in real-world apps: a library of algorithmic affordances to bridge the research-practice gap in Human-AI Interaction

Activities

human-AI interaction: how to give people autonomy and control

Algorithmic Affordances

The designers’ perspective on Decision Support Systems

Cite this