Am-AI-zing Educator Interviews from Sydney's AI in Education Conference

This episode is one to listen to and treasure - and certainly bookmark to share with colleagues now and in the future. No matter where you are on your journey with using generative AI in education, there's something in this episode for you to apply in the classroom or leading others in the use of AI.

There are many people to thank for making this episode possible, including the extraordinary guests:

Matt Esterman - Director of Innovation & Partnerships at Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta. An educational leader who's making things happen with AI in education in Australia, Matt created and ran the conference where these interviews happened. He emphasises the importance of passionate educators coming together to improve education for students. He shares his main takeaways from the conference and the need to rethink educational practices for the success of students. Follow Matt on Twitter and LinkedIn

Roshan Da Silva - Dean of Digital Learning and Innovation at The King's School - shares his experience of using AI in both administration and teaching. He discusses the evolution of AI in education and how it has advanced from simple question-response interactions to more sophisticated prompts and research assistance. Roshan emphasises the importance of teaching students how to use AI effectively and proper sourcing of information. Follow Roshan on Twitter 

Siobhan James - Teacher Librarian at Epping Boys High School - introduces her journey of exploring AI in education. She shares her personal experimentation with AI tools and services, striving to find innovative ways to engage students and enhance learning. Siobhan shares her excitement about the potential of AI beyond traditional written subjects and its application in other areas. Follow Siobhan on LinkedIn

Mark Liddell - Head of Learning and Innovation from St Luke's Grammar School - highlights the importance of supporting teachers on their AI journey. He explains the need to differentiate learning opportunities for teachers and address their fears and misconceptions. Mark shares his insights on personalised education, assessment, and the role AI can play in enhancing both. Follow Mark on Twitter and LinkedIn

Anthony England - Director of Innovative Learning Technologies at Pymble Ladies College - discusses his extensive experimentation with AI in education. He emphasises the need to challenge traditional assessments and embrace AI's ability to provide valuable feedback and support students' growth and mastery. Anthony also explains the importance of inspiring curiosity and passion in students, rather than focusing solely on grades. And we're not sure which is our favourite quote from the interviews, but Anthony's "Haters gonna hate, cheater's gonna cheat" is up there with his "Pushing students into beige" Follow Anthony on Twitter and LinkedIn

 

Special thanks to Jo Dunbar and the team at Western Sydney University's Education Knowledge Network who hosted the conference, and provided Dan and I with a special space to create our temporary podcast studio for the day