#280 – What are Student Expectations for AI in Education?

Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn,  Google Podcasts, Amazon Music

What’s in this episode?

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a transformative force, offering both opportunities and challenges. As AI technologies continue to advance, it’s crucial to examine their impact on student expectations, learning experiences, and institutional strategies. One pressing question is: what do students truly want from AI in education? Are they reflecting on the value of their assessments and assignments when AI tools can potentially complete them? This begs the deeper question of what we mean by student success in higher education and the purpose of knowledge in an AI-driven economy.  Professor Rose Luckin is joined by three wonderful guests in the studio to discuss what tools we need to support students and how we explore the potential and the limitations of AI for education.

Guests:

• Michael Larsen, CEO & Managing Director, Studiosity 
• Sally Wheeler, Professor, Vice-Chancellor, Birkbeck, University of London 
• Ant Bagshaw, Executive Director, Australian Technology Network of Universities

Talking points and questions include:

• Student expectations and perspectives on using AI for assessments/assignments and the role of knowledge in an AI economy 
• The potential of AI to enhance learning through features like instant feedback, error correction, personalized support, learning analytics 
• How AI could facilitate peer support systems and student community, and the research on the value of this 
• The lack of robust digital/AI strategies at many institutions as a barrier to effective AI adoption 
• The evidence-base for AI in education – challenges with research being highly specific/contextual, debating the value of in-house research vs general studies 
• Whether evidence on efficacy truly drives institutions’ buying decisions for AI tools or if other factors/institutional challenges are stronger influences 
• How challenges facing the education sector can inhibit capacity for innovative deployments like AI 
• The growing need for proven, supportive AI tools for students despite institutional constraints 

Guests

• Michael Larsen, CEO & Managing Director, Studiosity

As Chief Executive Officer of Studiosity, Mike balances a global growth strategy with the demands of delivering a quality online, on-demand student support service. Regularly researching feedback from student users, education institutions and their evolving learning and teaching needs alike, he has led the Company since 2014. Prior to joining, Mike has spent over 15 years in management, including five years in the technology sector based in Boston, Massachusetts where he was a Senior Director with global employment marketplace, Monster.com. Mike holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and completed an MBA at the University of New South Wales, where he won the AC Nielsen Prize for Strategic Marketing. He was selected for the international exchange program to the prestigious Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and now resides in Sydney with his family. 

• Sally Wheeler, Professor, Vice-Chancellor, Birkbeck, University of London 

  

Professor Wheeler joined Birkbeck as Vice-Chancellor on 1 January 2024. She is responsible for Birkbeck’s overall leadership and is the university’s chief academic and administrative officer. As Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wheeler has responsibility to Birkbeck’s Governors for the university’s finances and for promoting and maintaining its efficiency, effectiveness, and development. Professor Wheeler has extensive experience in Higher Education encompassing leadership of both education and research at the highest levels in the UK and abroad. She was awarded an OBE for Services to Higher Education in Northern Ireland in 2017. 

Prior to taking up her role at Birkbeck, she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Corporate) at the Australian National University. She read Law at Oxford and received a Doctorate of Philosophy at Pembroke College and the Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. Appointed as a Professor of Law in 1994, she is an international expert on corporate governance and contract law. She has written extensively on corporate governance, including as the sole or co-author of six books, the most recent of which, ‘Scenes From Corporate Life’ is scheduled for publication in 2024. She was elected to Membership of the Royal Irish Academy in 2013, as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2014 and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law in 2018. 

• Ant Bagshaw, Executive Director, Australian Technology Network of Universities 

Dr Ant Bagshaw GAICD FRSA is an expert in higher education policy and strategy with international experience. As ATN’s Executive Director, he is the champion for six of the most innovative and enterprising universities in Australia. Ant is the author of Higher Imagination: A Future for Universities and co-editor of Influencing Higher Education Policy: A Professional Guide to Making an Impact. His career has spanned universities, media, edtech and consulting. Ant teaches a course on policy influence in higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a Member of Council at the ground-breaking education provider, the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, part of the global technology business. He brings his passion for the sector, extensive knowledge of universities, and creative thinking to drive innovation in education. 

Host

Rose Luckin – Professor of Learner Centred Design, UCL, Founder, EDUCATE Ventures Research 

 

Rosemary (Rose) Luckin is a Professor at University College London and Founder of EDUCATE Ventures Research (EVR) who has spent over 30 years developing and studying AI for Education. She is renowned for her research into the design and evaluation of educational technology and AI. She was named as one of the 20 most influential people in education in the Seldon List in 2017, the only non-US winner of the ISTE Impact Award, and one of Computer Weekly’s top 50 most influential women in technology for 2023. Rose regularly provides expert evidence to policymakers like the UK Parliament’s House of Lords and House of Commons select committees and the European Commission. Rose has published widely in academic journals, at international conferences, through books, and in news media (TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines). Her 2018 book, Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The Future of Education for the 21st Century, has been translated into Mandarin and influenced many of China’s leading AI companies. Her most recent book, AI for School Teachers (2022), is an essential and accessible guide to AI for anyone in education.

Thanks and support

Thank you to the fans and educational community around the Edtech Podcast for their ongoing support and encouragement of our work.  Let us know how we’re doing below!

Sponsorship

Thank you so much to this episode’s sponsor: Studiosity.  Trusted by more universities around the world, to deliver ethical feedback at the right time, for student success.  AI for learning with Studiosity+, because universities need to scale student support, ethically.

“We are unceasingly inspired by our vision of increasing life chances for students, which we view as both a privilege and an important responsibility.  Of course, we are fortunate to be participating in an organisation whose very model and mission is founded in social responsibility: ubiquitous access to personal study help for everyone.  The Studiosity team is dedicated, day in and out to delivering this education mission alongside our university, institutional, school, and government partners.” – Michael Larsen, CEO, Studiosity

We would love to hear from you

• Post your thoughts or follow-on links via Twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast Facebook page or Instagram

Rate and Review

• Drop us a rate or review or share this episode.  By doing so, you help other new listeners find our material. Thank you and happy listening!

Tell us where you are listening in from

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Record a quick free voicemail via speakpipe for inclusion in the next episode. Or you can post your thoughts or follow-on links via twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast LinkedIn page or Instagram.