About the Education Excellence conference 2024

Generative Futures in Higher Education:  
Navigating the Impact of AI on Teaching, Learning, and Innovation

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) describes algorithms, including ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, that can be used to create new content, including text, computer code, images, audio. Whilst the technologies are themselves not new, recent advances in the field have led to a new era where the way in which content creation can be approached is fundamentally changing at a rapid rate. 

Generative AI tools are becoming accessible to a much wider audience and so will impact our teaching, learning, assessment, and support practices in increasing ways. These technologies offer the potential to support academic staff in the creation and assessment of course material, and new opportunities to engage students in problem solving, critical thinking, analysis and communication. But to use these technologies effectively, academic staff will need to understand how generative AI tools work within the context of their disciplines, and students will need to appreciate its role in the development of their graduate attributes and where its use is appropriate. 

Our keynote speaker, Professor Mike Sharples is the author of over 300 published papers in the areas of educational technology, learning sciences, science education, human-centred design of personal technologies, artificial intelligence and cognitive science. His most recent work has involved exploring the potential opportunities for using generative AI to support student learning and skills development. 

Five sub-themes will be explored during the conference: 

  • GAI-Resilient assessment. 

  • Generative AI for enhanced learning gain. 

  • Enhancing graduate attributes in an AI-enabled world. 

  • Developing staff capability in generative AI use. 

  • Sharing good practice in the use of generative AI within teaching, learning, assessment and support.