WATTLE forum 2023 (Wollongong Academy for Tertiary Teaching and Learning Excellence

 Dropped in and out of presentations convened by the University of Wollongong's WATTLE. The forum centred around 'InspirED Horizons': Embracing educational innovation and Gen AI. I attended the Gen AI streams, which occurred in the early evening NZ time (afternoon in Australia). 

Missed most of the beginning as I was facilitating a workshop. began with the sessions just after 4.30pm NZ time on 'assessment and academic integrity. There were 3 short 5 minute presentations followed by a Q & A session. 

Firstly with Dr. Vinod Gopaldasani et al. on 'empowering academics' assessment feedforward using an agile chatbot'. Created, trained chatbot which was adaptable and scalable across all subjects. Goal to reduce 'redundancies' i,e, repeated questions from student email. Used dialogflow (similar to Google Bard), piloted with one assessment (undergraduate first year course with quiz, reflection and essay). Able to link the chatbot to course Moodle site. Showed examples of 'training' and presently collecting data, identify language nuances, continued training and asked for collaboration with other courses.

Followed by Dr. Jane Al Kouba et al. with 'unrestricted data exploration and plagiarism-resistant assessments during a 'lab data generator'. Create opportunity for students to learn through failure. The sessions mitigate plaigiarism as the lab data generator simulations replicates lab activity with various permutations and unique datasets for each student. Feedback from students of process being easy to use, and enhanced learning. 

Then 'UOW age of integrity -gamifying academic integrity' with Dr. Zeenath Reza Khan (recorded presentation). Summarised concerns around plagiarism. Some lag and problems with sound in this presentation :( Introduced game-based training as a solution. The GAIV project created a game-based system to educate students about plagiarism. 

A Q & A and networking /afternoon tea session followed.

Then watched the keynote at 5.30pm NZ time by Professor Michael Sankey via zoom on 'embracing student innovation in the age of Generative AI'. Both Covid and Gen AI have challenged academic integrity. Gen AI has revolutionised the way we write and work. Argues that adopting a disposition that embrased innovation is the only option. Gen AI is now here, it might morph but will not go away. Important to re-evaluate how we go about teaching and assessing. Students need to be helped to process information in different ways - how do we scaffold students to use Gen AI?? This approach provides opportunities to contribute to the growth of knowledge. 

Challenged the audience to imagine how our students can be more productive, from the beginning of their degree. Not only find knowledge but to extend it. Shared the model of contemporary technology-enhanced learning (TEL) ecology and went through how it interacted. Proposed AI has another tool on top of the current TEL tools accept that it can be integrated (e.g. LMS) to support learning more effectively. Summarised the progress of digital ecology, into the cloud, through better interfaces between the various systems (e.g. LTI$xAPI connecting student and learning management systems - walled to open garden etc.). Learning also shifting towards more participatory creation (sort of). 

Proposed we do not need a new LMS but that learning has evolved beyond what LMS can provide. Shared the key technologies and practices in the 2023 Educause Horizon report - particularly AI-enabled applications for predictive and personal learning, Gen AI, blurring boundaries between learning modalities, hyflex, microcredentials etc. Discussed the uses of Anthology - which is integrated into Blackboard LMS. Current challenge shows low attendance, a hangover from Covid and need of students to work to finance their studies. micro-credential have a place but do not provide full solution. 

Also shared the progress with the metaverse and AI will only increase its expansion and reach. Teams chat is used across industry, not discussion forums like LMSs. Study time for students has to be flexible and some pay others to complete their course work (see chegg)

Moved on to Gen AI (see weforum)- pluses and minuses. Argued for the need to teach students how to use Gen AI. AI literacy a key to ensure students understand Gen AI limitations and the need to fact check its outputs. Proposed the need to support students to become creators and be productive. Ai can provide instant feedback on students' writing, simplify complex information and scaffold information on specific tasks. Useful for neuro-divergent and second language learners. Not just to consume but to also be creators of new learning resources. Shared results of Charles Darwin U survey with academic staff. Use of AI still emergent. Then shared the 10 CDU priorities for assessment. Reduce emphasis on final high stakes exams. reduce propensity for wide-spread quizzes for important assessments. Look for opportunities for course wide assessments. Weight assessments aligned to level of learning. Increase emphasis on formative feedback 'for learning'. Design active, collaborative, authentic assessments. Increase use of work integrated learning. Assessments for inclusion and use of multimodal assessments. Reduce essays and long form text.

Drew on work of Anders Sorman-Nilsson to move the brain from the menial and mundane, to the creative and innovative. Therefore, continue to design 'authentic assessments' which are relevant to students'' future careers - see this blog for details.Therefore, set personalised, complex and topical assessment tasks. Shared many examples, 

The key note was followed on by a series of 5 minute presentations on Gen AI from both academic staff and students.

Industry Practices, Processes and Techniques adopted in Education - book overview

 This book edited by K. MacCallum and D. Parsons and published in 2022 by Springer Link, brings some thoughtful concepts into the educational sphere.

The book has 18 chapters, categorised into 5 secsions. 

The first section, with three chapters, covers broad themes from industry in education

An introduction by the editors, opens the book with discussion around 'from the workplace to the classroom: how ideas from industry can inspire new kinds of learning'. The overall approach of the book, is to look at industry practices, especially from the IT and design areas, and how these may inform various aspects of school and tertiary education.

Then the second chapter 'can teaching the future of work make the future of work less uncertain?' is written by T. Butlser, M. Rorich, H. Sparks and M. Wadasinghe. Here, one of the rationales for the book is presented as education and workforce participation are interlinked. The rapid shifts through technological advances, places the onus on education to be better aligned to how the world of work is enacted.

Chapter 3 discusses 'from industry to academia: case studies of innovative practices in a digital context' with L. Antonczak, M. Neukam and S. Bolinger. Draws on case studies in France which highlight 'learning by doing', project-based learning and the development and support of heutagogy through mixed modes of learning. The advantages and challenges of each are derived from the cases to inform better development of digital teaching and learning.

The second section focuses on bridging industry approaches into the academy.

First up with G. J. Smolski and F. S. A. Brendolan on 'hybrid project management in post-secondary research and education'. The study looks into the introduction of a Gaming community of practice (CoP) into university teaching and learning. The CoP undertook the adoption and utilisation of Game development e.g. Agile etc, lean thinking, etc. and the chapter evaluates ths CoPs effectiveness.

Then a chapter on 'a systems engineering approach to blended learning design' by A. Mckay, D. B. Trowsdale, S. A. Carrie, G. Duff and C. E. Goodburn. Another example of applying industry models, in this case systems engineering to curriculum and learning design.

The last chapter in this section is by Y. Hoggarth on ' ambidextrous approaches to postgraduate programme development in higher education'. The development of post-graduate programmes is aided by the use of organisational ambidexterity which applies the work of March's concepts of exploitation and exploration. 

Section 3 centres around education and industry working together. The three chapters, describe ways in which industry standard operating processes, are incorporated into higher education curricula. 

L.Griffin, B. O'Farrell, C. Dunphy, P. Windle and E. de Lestar contribute on 'the agile semester, how we used agile as an engagement mechanism'.

The T. Cochrane and D. Sinfield present 'STUDIO602: A model for designing real world collaborations between higher education and industry'

Followed on by L. Major, A; Twiner and R. Wegerif with a chpater on 'simulated internships in schools: engaging learning with the world of work to promote collaborative creativity,'

The last chapter in this section is by S. McCotter on 'bringing the human resource management experience to the letcure hall through dramatic arts'.

Two chapters in the section on Agile learning in the school classroom are presented in this section. 

W. Wijnands and K. Fritsch with 'experience the 'flows' with eduScrum: about the why, how, and what of the empowerment of students and teachers.

Then N.Cosgrove, T. Cosgrove, S. Graham and P. Magnuson on 'agile in the Alps: stories of agile classroom for teaching and learning to administration.

The next section covers bridging experiences from the creative industries into teaching and learning

Begins with M.S. Howarth and A. Baslei on 'production of the 70:20:10 webinar.

Then M.Thorley contributes on 'developing music production expertise through virtual collaboration.

S. Mann, R. Mitchell, P. Eden-Mann, D. Hursthouse, M. Keretai, R. O'Brien and P. Osbourne present on 'educational design fictions: imagining learning futures'. Six educational design fictions are presented and the chapter then undertakes a discursive process to reflect on the processes and how these may inform and promote further discussion on the future of education.

The last three chapters revolve around industry-focused software engineering in the classroom

V.H. Grisales-Palacio, U/ Garcia-Zaragoza and H. Forero-Correa write on 'connecting industry and the academy through cyber-physical systems for disruptive education in machine automation.

The next chapter is by P. Kamthan on 'a framework for analysing and comparing software projects in academia and industry'.

The last chapter covers 'FDD, Crystal, DSDM- an educational perspective by V. Hurbungs and S. D. Nagowah.

In all, the book seeks to investigate how industry practices, may be used, not only in a vocational approach to replicate industry practices in the related disciplines, but how industry practices may be applied across diverse aspects of education to improve administrative tasks and processes, develop and meet strategical objectives, and contribute to teaching and learning from school to higher education. 

AI and education

Ai is still the flavour of the month. There is a plethora of sites on the topic. For example, this one, summarising 6 ways to leverage Gen AI in education which although written in April, is already dated in the tools/platforms presented. Another, written in July, lists 43 examples of AI in education and provides several good resources with examples.

 A working paper, published in August, by Hamilton, William and Hattie (2023), discusses the future of AI in education. The paper posits several future scenarios based on a premise that AI will be ascendant and be able to replace humans in many cognitive activities. They postulate 4 scenarios whereby we ban AI now, work side by side with AI, upgrade our brains using brain-computer interfaces, or provide universal basic income to a populace, largely 'retired'. Each has implications for education with the authors suggesting that accept for the first option, all the other three lead to a reduction in humankind's motivation to be educated! 

An insights report from the US of A provides a less intimidating prediction, taking the perspective of AI as business as usual and making recommendations around trust, equity, fairness and the adoption of guidelines and guardrails. 

My Scholar Alerts for 'artificial intelligence in education' generates around a dozen articles every 2-3 days. So this topic is still very much up front for many. The project we have started in the second semester (June) to study the planning, development and implementation of AI supported learning activities across 6 programmes is starting to reveal the baseline literacies required to be able to work with AI tools. AI literacy is an important foundation before learners are able to embark on using AI in a fruitful manner to inform their learning. As AI tools require good academic literacies as well, we are working with programmes from level 4 (Certificates) to level 7 (degree). It has been interesting observing learners get to grips with the technology, with some quite hesitant and others keen to get stuck in. We start collating data from observations and initial surveys next month, followed by summative focus groups in November. The project has been good learning for everyone involved, including the ethics behind how AI is introduced to learners and the important ethical issues with regards to using AI that have to discussed with learners. 

Workskills data and insights - Aotearoa NZ

 The Tertiary Educaiton Commissiont (TEC) announces the launch of a common platform for sharing Ohu Mahi (Work Development Councils (WDCs) date.

Te Mata Raraunga has been created by the Workforce development councils (WDCs) to collect, integrate and organise vocational education and workforce data on a central platform. Data from each of the WDCs is collated. Trends and analysis across the industries each WDC represents on workforce demographics and regional distribution and information on learners is represented. WDC plans, information on their council and a workforce information platform for some WDCs plus access to various resources are featured. The site is thus a 'one-stop' shop for information on each WDC, their strategic direction over the short term and news.