Humans in AI – Creativity, Wellbeing & Technology in Education

Oct 9, 2025

Dr. Rebecca Marrone, a lecturer and researcher from the University of South Australia, dives into the intersection of AI, creativity, and wellbeing in education. She discusses how AI can alleviate teacher burnout by enhancing autonomy and building literacy. The conversation highlights the dual-use potential of AI for wellbeing, while addressing ethical concerns like data privacy. Marrone critiques studies on creativity, shares insights on automating assessments of soft skills, and emphasizes the importance of teaching responsible AI use in schools to navigate its complexities.

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ADVICE

Start With Teachers' Real Problems

Help teachers identify their biggest problem before introducing AI so they can see direct benefits.
Teach them to use AI as a critical tool for that problem to gain buy-in and reduce burnout.

INSIGHT

Autonomy Drives AI Adoption

Individual autonomy in choosing how to use AI increases adoption compared with top-down mandates.
Making tools accessible and relatable helps teachers embed AI into daily practice.

ADVICE

Teach AI Literacy Gradually

Treat AI literacy like language learning: start simple, scaffold, and build complexity over time.
Train users before relying on tools for wellbeing to prevent misuse and harm.

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Humans in AI – Creativity, Wellbeing & Technology in Education a researchers perspective Guest: Dr Rebecca Marrone, Lecturer & Researcher, University of South Australia In this episode, Dan and Ray welcome Dr Rebecca Marrone to discuss the intersection of AI, creativity, and wellbeing in education. Her research explores how technology, especially AI, is transforming the educational landscape for both teachers and students. Key Topics

AI’s Impact on Teacher & Student Wellbeing
Creativity & Critical Thinking in the Age of AI
Ethical Risks of AI in Education
Strategies for digital wellbeing and critical engagement.
The evolving role of soft skills alongside technological advancements.

Connect & Learn More For more about Dr Rebecca Marrone’s research, listeners can reach out directly or explore her work online. Find Rebecca on Linkedin and read her research publications via Google Scholar‬ We mentioned Rebecca and Vitomir's critique of the Brainrot study https://theconversation.com/mit-researchers-say-using-chatgpt-can-rot-your-brain-the-truth-is-a-little-more-complicated-259450 In the podcast Rebecca highlighted George Siemens' research and newsletters: Newsletter archive: https://buttondown.com/SAIL/archive/ Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EtknWk4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao Research mentioned during this episode Marrone, R., Taddeo, V., & Hill, G. (2022). Creativity and artificial intelligence—A student perspective. Journal of Intelligence, 10(3), 65. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/10/3/65?trk=public_post_reshare-text Marrone, R., Zamecnik, A., Joksimovic, S., Johnson, J., & De Laat, M. (2025). Understanding student perceptions of artificial intelligence as a teammate. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(3), 1847-1869. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10758-024-09780-z Marrone, R., Cropley, D. H., & Wang, Z. (2022). Automatic Assessment of Mathematical Creativity using Natural Language Processing. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 661–676. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2022.2131209 Cropley, D. H., Theurer, C., Mathijssen, A. C. S., & Marrone, R. L. (2024). Fit-For-Purpose Creativity Assessment: Automatic Scoring of the Test of Creative Thinking – Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Creativity Research Journal, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2024.2339667 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10400419.2024.2339667