Explore tips and tools for using artificial intelligence in the classroom

Overview

What role will Artificial Intelligence (AI) play in Australian classrooms? As technology continues to evolve, our educational landscape is also evolving, and AI has emerged as a powerful tool that has the potential to reshape the way we teach and learn. The integration of AI into Australian classrooms has the potential to revolutionize education. Has it? As we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, it is crucial to prioritize ethical considerations, equitable access, and practical teacher training. By embracing AI responsibly, we can create a future where education is more personalised, efficient, and effective in preparing students for the ever-evolving world.

Some potential types of AI in Education:

1. Personalized Learning: Adaptive learning platforms that tailor educational content and experiences to individual student needs.

2. Intelligent Tutoring Systems: AI-driven tools that provide real-time feedback and guidance to students as they work through learning materials.

3. Data Analysis and Insights: AI tools that analyze student performance data to identify learning patterns and inform instructional strategies.

4. Natural Language Processing (NLP): AI applications that enable language understanding, automated grading, and language learning support.

Target Audience

Those in leadership and specialist roles, curriculum coordinators and classroom teachers.

Benefits

AI enables teachers to address the diverse learning needs of students through customized content and pacing. Intelligent tutoring systems offer immediate feedback, enhancing student engagement and comprehension. AI-driven data analysis helps educators identify strengths and weaknesses, informing instructional adjustments. AI can streamline administrative tasks, allowing educators to focus more on teaching and student interaction. Equipping educators with the skills to effectively integrate AI tools into their teaching practices. Exploring how AI can support continuous learning beyond the classroom, adapting to changing skill demands. Considering AI's potential to revolutionize education by fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.

Tickets

Choose from one or two day ticket options. Tickets include arrival tea/coffee, morning tea, buffet lunch and a Certificate of Attendance (mapped to APST).

Speaker: Brett Salakas, HP Education Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand

An AI Odyssey – Navigating the Future of Education"

Embark on a captivating journey with Brett Salakas, 2024 Most Influential Educator in Australia, as he explores the transformative landscape of Artificial Intelligence in education through the lens of Homer's epic, The Odyssey.  Brett intertwines the timeless narrative of Odysseus with the modern voyage educators undertake in integrating AI into leadership and strategic practice. Discover the metaphorical "storms" that can blow your initiatives off course, identify the "monsters" and pitfalls to avoid, and learn about the "compass points" that will guide you towards successful and meaningful AI integration. Brett will also showcase a selection of practical AI tools and applications designed to empower school leaders and aspiring leaders, enhancing decision-making, administrative efficiency, and educational outcomes. Join this insightful session to equip yourself with the knowledge and strategies needed to confidently steer your school community through the evolving seas of AI technology.

Speaker: Georgia Wignall, Senior Education Officer – Pedagogy & Curriculum, Metro South Region, Queensland Department of Education

Student motivation to engage in generative AI in their learning

With the increased accessibility of generative AI over the last two years, debates have emerged among educators regarding its impact on academic integrity, ethics, and concerns about students over-relying on technology for tasks intended to foster critical thinking and personal growth. In this session, we’ll focus on why high school students are increasingly turning to AI to enhance their learning. We will explore the key factors driving student engagement with AI, as well as the ethical and academic challenges it presents. Join us to discover how AI is reshaping the classroom and what it means for the future of education.

Speaker: Dr Nikolaos Bogiannidis, Director of Digital Learning, St John’s College, Preston

Transformational Synergy between Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence in Education

In the rapidly evolving educational landscape, the integration of AI presents unprecedented opportunities to enhance student engagement and provide self-paced individualised learning experiences for students in K-12. This session will explore how AI can be harnessed to create 24/7 hybrid learning environments, offering students access to interactive and multimedia resources tailored to their unique needs.

We will explore practical strategies and learning theories that work in the AI era, demonstrating how AI tools can seamlessly support teachers in crafting engaging, differentiated instruction while maintaining teacher well-being. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, you will learn how to leverage AI to enrich your teaching practice, enhance student outcomes, and create a more dynamic, responsive learning environment.

Speaker: Nina Manning, Dean of Pedagogy (Primary) & Candace Neville, Head Of Digital Integration And Innovation, John Paul College

Harnessing Chatbots: An Innovative Resource for Igniting Planning and Dynamic Learning Engagements.

We will explore how chatbots can be harnessed as innovative resources to enhance planning and foster dynamic learning engagements. Attendees will learn about the practical applications of AI technology in educational settings, focusing on its ability to support teachers in developing creative and engaging units of learning. The session will highlight strategies for using chatbots to support inquiry-based learning and promote student engagement. Participants will leave with actionable insights and resources to implement chatbots effectively in their educational contexts.

Speaker: Jane Martens, Head of Digital Pedagogy and Innovation, Mount Alvernia College

Enhancing Learning with Personalised AI Chatbots: Checking for Understanding and Generating Feedback

Features applications of personalised AI chatbots for both educators and students, in four parts:

1. An overview of prompt writing parameters for generative AI with specific application to the creation of personalised AI chatbots for educational purposes.

2. Discussion of available AI chatbot generators including SchoolAI, Poe and Microsoft Azure.

3. Creation of a personalised AI chatbot using an example prompt pertaining to subject specific content. Audience members will be invited to interact with this chatbot through a URL link and/ or generated QR code, acting as the student in this simulation.

4. Creation of a personalised AI chatbot for generating feedback on student work (i.e. assessment items). I will discuss the implications of this application for reduced educator workload relating to drafting.

Speaker: Amanda Frampton, Education Success Manager, Microsoft Australia

Microsoft - Everything AI for your Classroom.

With the aim of helping you reduce your workload and improve efficiency, this session will focus on how Microsoft's Copilots can assist you plan and develop contextualised learning activities and content. 

We will also explore some of the AI powered tools within Microsoft Teams that allow you to create assignments, rubrics and feedback with the assistance of AI and our AI powered Learning Accelerators provide actionable insights to empower your students to improve.

Speaker: Dr Hemachandran Kannan, Director of the AI Research Centre, Associate Dean of the School of Business, and Area Chair of the Analytics Department, Woxsen University

Implementing AI-Powered Adaptive Learning Systems for Personalized Education in K-12

Raul will present practical case studies on the successful implementation of AI-powered adaptive learning systems in K-12 classrooms. The session will focus on how these systems adjust lesson difficulty, provide real-time feedback, and personalize content delivery based on individual student performance, leading to measurable improvements in engagement and academic achievement.

Speaker: Jayne Schinckel, Secondary Teacher, St Hilda’s School

Teaching in the Age of Bots

As Australia gears up for the implementation of the national framework, there is a need for educators to enhance their skills. Jayne will share practical insights on seamlessly integrating AI into the classroom and explore engaging activities that ethically involve students with ChatGPT, fostering trustworthy judgement and symbiotic learning. Emphasising a hybrid approach, Jayne will outline a systematic method aligned with subject syllabi for authentic assessment and highlight how she has used AI to create a Podcast for her students to engage with outside the classroom. The workshop encourages collaboration, provides essential takeaways, and explores technology's impact on critical thinking and AI literacy.

Speaker: Vince Wall, AI for Teaching and Learning Project Leader, All Hallows’ School

Unlocking Learning Potential Via AI-Infused Pedagogy

We will explore how artificial intelligence may revolutionise teaching and learning through creation of AI-infused subject-specific pedagogies. Drawing on his extensive experience in secondary education and leadership and his PhD research, Vince will showcase some cutting-edge approaches that enhance student learning outcomes. He will share real-world examples and insights from his research and publications on the impact of AI in education and will provide actionable strategies for integrating ethical AI-use into the curriculum. Takeaways from the session include practical methods for teachers to prepare students for success in a rapidly developing digital landscape.

Speaker: Ryan Elwell, Director, Digital Pedagogies and Online Safety Education, ACT Education Directorate

A Fork in the Road: Avoiding Adversarial Approaches to Artificial Intelligence

The case for teachers and students sharing their AI Journey by avoiding traditional adversarial approaches to technology. The presentation highlights the value of cautious optimism and hope through presenting student and teacher voice as well as trending topics such as AI Detection and cheating, wellbeing concerns, and AI-Resistant assessment approaches. Participants will leave with an understanding of the pathway they can follow to support sharing the AI journey across their schools.

Speaker: Dr Ken Silburn, STEM Ambassador, Science and Technology Australia

AI: Effect on education and our future workforce. Message from the chalk face

Dr Ken Silburn is a science educator, communicator, certified Google Trainer, and Microsoft expert who is passionate about teaching 21st-century Skills and increasing students' educational opportunities globally. Ken will help us explore the AI landscape and its implications for teaching, learning, and students' employment prospects.