How people use ChatGPT - report from Open AI, Duke University and Harvard University

A report on how people use ChatGPT provides for interesting reading. The authors are from OpenAI (the company that owns ChatGPT), Duke University and Harvard University. The report was published in mid-September 2025 and draws on data of usage between May 2024 to June 2025.

Section 5.2 has a table that details the topics people use ChatGPT for - writing, practical guidance, technical help, multimedia, seeking information, self-expression and others.

Section 5.4 summarises work activities undertaken using ChatGPT. These were mapped to the American O*NET. Almost 1/2 were to get information, interpret the information from others, and documenting/recording information. 

Of interest is that users who are in highly paid professional and technical occupations (and also more educated) are more likely to use ChatGPT for work. Therefore, there is a pre-requisite level of literacy required to get the most out of ChatGPT. 

AI teaching assistants

 As we embark on the next phase of our AI project, building Gen AI agents to support our learners, a look at what is out there is important. This site by Educators Technology (published June 2025) has a lists of top AI teaching assistants. 

The site provides a definition of AI teaching assistant as a tool to help with lesson planning, grading, content creation, student feedback, and classroom management. Routine work including real-time support to learners, instruction through automation, personalisation of content and conversational interactions with learners can also be supported.

24 teaching assistants, some of which are able to do many of the items listed above, and some more specialised ones are listed. Their functions are summarised. Many require payment. Some tech companies are leveraging technology with the inclusion of AI into established models, others are new and many perhaps more suited to the school sector (and the U S of A) rather than higher or vocational education. Most have no links, so a search is required to find them. 

The discussion on AI teaching assistants needs to always consider their efficacy and whether they will replace human teachers. A June interview by Business Insider with Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy; A radio NZ overview from late last year; and an August post from Education Week (US of A context), all indicate that teacher relationships and presence are crucial to good teaching. What AI TAs can do, is provide 24/7 support on FAQs, along with providing a place for students to undertake practice or continued learning. 

Therefore, using AI TA's needs to be carefully thought through. They should not replace teachers, but support teaching and learning. Identifying the components of the AI TAs role is a crucial step in making sure that learning objectives are met. Interconnecting the AI TAs role to that of the teacher, and making this visible to learners, is also important. Therefore, one aspect of AI literacy is to be able to understand how, when and why AI is used and what is the role of humans when AI takes on various roles.                                                                        

AI and the future of education - UNESCO report

This UNESCO report on AI and the future of education consists of a collection of short articles from a range of academics. The report has 8 sections, following a introductory chapter on ' reclaiming education's public purpose through dialogue'. This chapter sets the scene and focus of the report, bringing in the humanistic emphasis required to meet the challenges and disruptions caused by the rapid arrival and uptake of AI. Chapter summaries are also presented. The full text is available on the website with hard copies available on request from UNESCO.

Following on, the sections are:

- AI futures in education - Philosophical provocations - has 3 chapters. As the section title implies, these discuss the implications of AI on education.

The first chapter by B. Akomolafe stressed the need to go beyond using AI as a tool but as something that will shift both the ontological and the epistemological foundations of education. 

- Debating the powers and perils of AI - with 3 chapters.

Both chapters - the first by A. Horn and the second by E.M. Bender, focus on the importance of teachers work and the need to ensure that there is investment in teacher education / professional development and to support their work with adequate and clear policies to guide their practice. 

- AI pedagogies, assessment and emerging educational futures - 5 relevant chapters.

All the chapter in this section, are useful for reading for all educators. A. Birhane begins with laying out the limits and and inherent dangers underlying the integration of AI into education. 

C.Aerts and followed on by P. Prinsloo write on AI's promise for adaptive and personalised education. There are many advantages but also inherent challenges which all educators need to be wary of.

Then M. Perkins and J. Roe  and the following chapter by B. Cope, M. Kalantzis and A. K. Saini address the issues of Gen AI and assessments. 

- Revaluing and recentring human teachers - with 2 chapters. 

In this section, the discussions from the previous sections are reinforced. There is great importance in ensuring teachers attain AI literacies to guide their work in an informed approach. 

- Ethics and governance imperatives for AI futures in education - 2 chapters.

As always with AI ethics must be front and centre to inform evaluation, implementation and practice.

- Confronting coded inequalities in education has 5 chapters discussing this issue.

The chapters in this section, argue for the need to be wary and to ensure that AI does not need to furthering the divide between the haves and haves not. The role of education in ameliorating the current private/capitalists AI push is presented. AI can assist with increasing inclusivity but it needs to be used in a planned and informed manner.

- Reimagining AI in educational policy: Evidence and geopolitical realities with 2 chapters.

Two think pieces, one from G. Siemens and the other from I. Toumi, both respected researchers and leaders in the educational technology field. Both warn of the moves by nations to harness AI for political and economic power and the importance of educators, education policy makers etc. in ensuring that AI is equitably availed and used for the common good of humanity. Some sobering thoughts in these two chapters :( 

The report closes with a brief conclusion. 

The report provides a 'state of the play' and collates the perspectives and thoughts of many of the thinkers in education, especially those who research in the educational technology space. Some of the chapters are speculative but the discussions are required for educators to dwell deeply into the consequences of engaging or not engaging with AI. In all, a worthwhile read.

As a accompaniment, here is a blog post by Carlo Iacono, on 'Inside the University 2030? a 'design fiction' piece describing how AI, as a partner for learners, makes many far-reaching changes to how teaching and learning occurs in the universities of very near future.

How things play out, remains to be seen but the pace of change is rapid, and keeping up with potential and possibilities for AI to support learning (rather than to replace it) remains a pragmatic way forward. 

Using AI to streamline constructive alignment and design portfolio-ready tasks

 Notes from a webinar organised by Eportfolio Australia on the topic of using AI to streamline constructive alignment and design portfolio-ready tasks.

The workshop is facilitated by Marty Sison who is a learning designer at Charles Darwin University.

The workshop outcomes are to use Gen AI to draft learning objectives from learning outcomes and content - then learning activities and following on with portfolio-ready tasks.

Steps to engage learners are to create learning objectives, then ensure there are learning checkpoints and follow through with learning portfolios. 

Used a padlet activity to define learning design terms. Then shared how padlet can be used to check if students are meeting the learning objectives by putting their ratings into each week's learning objectives. 

When AI is used, unit learning outcomes and content topics + prompt = learning objectives. Prompts were stored in a spread sheet, which was also formatted to collate the various responses and tables created by CoPilot. Advocated for using spreadsheets as it puts everything in one place. 

Demonstrated how unit outcomes and content can be generated using Copilot running on ChatGPT5.0 including evaluating the AI responses backwards. Then learning objectives for each week can be generated. 

Discussed learning checkpoints for active learning. Important to have assessment, feedback, external, internal feedback and help learners understand these. Should have authentic relating questions and/or concept reflection questions. 

Demonstrated how the connected learning checkpoints and activities can be created using CoPilot. Questions and answers were provided.

The spreadsheet created can then be used in turn to create experiences that can be represented through a portfolio. The learning portfolio helps to make learning visible. It can capture both the knowledge attained and the paths taken, turning multiple ways of representing growth into persuasive evidence.

Learning portfolios can be used as a collection of evidence, triangulated to learning objectives and be am authentic narrative of learning /growth and a persuasive showcase.

Therefore, the learning outcomes + content topics + learning objectives + learning checkpoints + prompt = portfolio tasks to evidence learning.

Demonstrated how the previous items along with relevant prompt helps to generate a range of portfolio assessments. 

For advise on prompt engineering, generally by grounded in your work. Always ask AI to evaluate and rationalise its decisions so that you can track things back. Control the output so that what is generated meets your needs and you do not have to reformate the AI response (e.g. table, column/row contents etc.) . Keep a record of the prompts so that you can recycle them. 

Interesting presentation. Will need to have a good play with our own content to see how the workflow can be adapted to our needs. 

futures barometer - Aotearoa NZ

The Aotearoa Futures Barometer was introduced by Dr. Eruera Prendergast-Tarena, Kaiwhakatere of Tokona Te Raki at the Ako Aotearoa Southern Forum in August. It uses a methodology from the Copenhagen Institute of Futures Studies  and surveyed 1000 New Zealanders along with 270 youth and 270 Māori responders. 

The themes include NZers' perspectives on the future, including their outlook, and expectations. The study also reported on participants' identity as New Zealanders, and their future aspirations. It provides a snapshot of on how a small group of Kiwis, perceive what the future holds for them and their optimism (or pessimism) on what the future holds. Economic, societal attitudes are polled along with how social media influences ways in which various sectors of society react to current and future trends and political shifts.

A good resource and it will be important to extend this across to a wider number of participants to be a better gauge of how NZers' thinking. 

Australian Government report - Our Gen AI transition: implications for work and skills

 Job Skills Australia have published a report on the implications of Gen AI on work and skills. 

The report collates data on the adoption of Gen AI across industries. Importantly, it recommends several important ways forward for the country, including the need to ensure that tertiary educators are provided with professional development to integrate Gen AI into their curriculum as they are the vanguard for the preparation of the workforce to work ethically and critically with Gen AI. 

There is no comprehensive Aotearoa equivalent although the government has set up some of its intentions in a ministerial document from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise.

Of note that New Zealand performs poorly on AI-preparedness indices relative to small economy comparators and is the only OECD country without an AI Strategy, negatively impacting global perceptions of New Zealand as a location for digital innovation and AI investment;

An opinion piece from RNZ indicates that perhaps New Zealand's advantage lies not in chasing abstract, easily automated work, but in deepening its strengths in sectors AI cannot yet touch - food production, care and infrastructure.

All in, AI and the implications on work and in turn skills development and vocational education curriculum, requires careful consideration. However, there is a need for some urgency, given how quickly the technology is developing, to ensure all citizens are prepared for and able to work critically with AI, in whatever form its evolves to. Without doing so, we are ill-equipped to push back, when AI is imposed on occupations, whereby the management may only think about the bottom line. 

Ako Aotearoa Southern forum

 Presenting and participating in the Ako Aotearoa Southern Forum today, held at the University of Canterbury Student Union building.

The mihi whakatau brings delegates into the meeting space.

A welcome is then presented by Tai Samaeli, ACE Aotearoa who MCs the event.

Then an official welcome is from Cheryl de Rey Tumu Whakarae Vice Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. Connected the theme of the forum - cultivating thought leadership and excellence in teaching - with the founding premises of the University of Canterbury. To provision education for the region and nation. Education has the influence and power to transform, individuals, whanua, communities and societies. Challenged the need for the many changes being imposed on the current education system. However, change is a fundamental part of education. Especially if changes improve access, and contribute to the greater good of society. Reflected on current developments and reminded us that change and difficulties have always been part of human history. Now, education is much more accessible at all levels. It might feel that the world is in turmoil but this uncertainiy has always existed. Universities are part of the fabric of change. Shared the three Rs of education. Resilience, responsiveness and relevance as being fundamental to higher education. Business as usual no longer sufficient as change accelerates, Change can be a source of optimism and hope. Graduates, to be usefully contributing need to understand the context, to have critical thinking and to be able to communicate complex concepts. 

The first keynote is from Dr. Eruera Prendergast-Tarena, Kaiwhakatere, Tokona Te Raki on 'Beyond 2040'. Following on from Professor Del Rey's presentation, Erurera recommended the need to think like a tūpuna - in a time of great uncertainty to remember the future and re-engaging with hope and possibility. Shared the story of his Ngai Tahu ancestor who survived the Kaiapo massacre, and instituted land claims even in times of great deprivation and disadvantage. It was seven generations later, before the claim came into fruition. Introduced Tokona Te Raki as a social innovation lab to address the complex social problems we are being challenged. At present, many focus on the present, but it is important to look into the future. Introduced the Aotearoa futures barometer - 60% see no other country but concerned about the future and where the country is heading. In developed countries, many (30% thereabouts) feel that their children will have a better life (opposite in the global South). Top concerns in NZ include lost of trust in government and religious institions but education and NGOs still high (60% upwards). Polarisation is seem to be driven by rise of social media. Amongst youth (73%) and Māori see Te Tiriti as important. Shared a 2022 report from Treasury that delivered the warning that the next generation may not be better off than the current generation, Three forces converging in 2040 - climate reality, demographic shifts (older population, strain of superannuation, 40% of labour market entrants will ne Māori, Pasifika or Asian), and technology (elimination of entire categories of work, transform education, employment, human purpose etc. ). Recommended 2019 book on NZ and the future of work. Summarised the implications for education. The old playbook will not work - systems are inherently human and we need to work out a way forward. We need collaboration, partnership, investment and imagination. 

2040 selected as it is the bicentenary of Te Tiriti. It may provide an opportunity to open a window for transformation - for example, communities came together post-quake in Christchurch - and the city has been shifted from being more English than England, to being a city in Aotearoa. The future will that wait, will we be ready?  Shared imaging Aotearoa 2040 - to make a better country for our mokopuna- from control/fragmented to stewardship. Everyone needs to pitch in - young people and Pacifica workers reaching their potential, skilled migrants welcomed and supported, the diapora given reasons to return, knowledge transfer across cultures and generations, and everyone contributing to shared prosperity. Education remains trusted and is a vehicle to contribute towards the transformation. Therefore, to shift to shared futures from rear to hope, division to unity, isolation to cohesion, short term thinking to long term, reactive to proactive, superficial to transformative, and hyper individulism to collective responsibility. Challenged the audience as education leaders to model partnerships in our instituions, prepare tauira for collaborative futures, create spaces for difficult conversations, and champion long-term thinking. Staring with Te Tiriti as our guide, building our shared story, bridging differences and embedding inter- generational stewardship. We have the opportunity to weave the future together. 

After morning tea, I provide an update and details of the 'using Gen AI to support foundation/bridging ākonga' (full report now published), funded by Ako Aotearoa. I summarised the rationale for the project, the project team, the caveats (AI is not benign and must be used carefully so that it does not replace learning but supports learning), findings, recommendations and future projects. 

A discussion session on 'sector collaboration in tertiary education' followed. We discussed collaboration across our organisations and what teaching excellence is.

Then Tākuta Phil Borrell, (University of Canterbury) who was awarded the 2004 Te Whatu Kairangi Kaupapap Māori Award, speaks on Ngākau pono - the importance of authencity in teaching practice. From all the previous speakers, critical thinking was a common theme. Through narratives, went through his main themes informing the importance of being an authentic educator. Good teachers inspire and model possibilities. Importance of bringing practice and theory, usually by bringing experiences into teaching. Allowing your ākonga to know more about you help them empathise and find connections. Used Claire Good's keys to teaching excellence to provide characteristics. Extended and presented examples of being an authentic teacher. We should have fun in teaching using humour and honesty. Share stories and use it as a pedagogical tool. Teachers need to want their ākonga to succeed. 

After lunch, Graeme Smith presents his mahi/work on 'designing intelligence: building tools for the education we need next'. Drew on the presentations in the morning. Partnerships, change, long term thinking, fun, narrative warfare, value/s, possibilities, making better long term decisions, weaving, transformation, systems, humaness ---. Shared experiences building customised AI agents. Encouraged those who are AI-reluctant to use tools that are designed to achieve specific purposes. What needs to be done to build the AI infrastructure - we need to be involved in designing, otherwise it will be done to us. Emerging patterns include braided funding partnerships, values-led, and memory organisations. We need to stop managing delivery and start designing intelligence. Our role is not to preserve the system but to evolve it. Need to build - by adopting and adapting existing tools, think in braided partnerships and imbue values. 

A panel discussion follows with Tai Samaeli chairing and panel members including Josie Ogden Schroeder - CEO of the Kind Foundation, Dr. Cheryl Doig - Kai Ttiro Wāheke / futurist, Dr.Mahmah Timoteo - Māona Vā, and Sandra Fernandes Videira Gordon - Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. 

Introductions follow the panel discussing a few questions.

First question is around how we prepare learners for the future, for jobs and technology that do not now exist. Agility in thinking, doing. Prediction is linear but anticipation envisages many scenarios, some may be implausible, but there is a need to think through these. Creativity, curiosity, communication and critical thinking (4 Cs centre to access digital resources for those who do not have the opportunities). Help learners to build community. Questions then opened up. Where is the future for kids who now face disadvantage. We educators are the ones who need to take up the baton. It only takes one carer to bring a change. Relationships between teachers and students are important. Connection to community also effective. 

A celebration of Ako Aotearoa is led by Jennifer Leahy summarised the many endeavours and initiatives undertaken since 2007, when Ako Aotearoa was set up. The Southern Region has been productive across all spheres :) support the many sectors and objectives of tertiary education 

Followed by the close of the forum.