Dr. Sophia Wei delves into the transformative power of AI adoption, emphasising its impact on workflows, ethics, and the evolving demands of the industry. Discover how Nanyang Polytechnic integrates AI literacy across its curriculum, equipping students with real-world skills through industry collaborations and competency-based models. Dr. Wei also highlights the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration between AI and domain experts, foreseeing a future of enhanced productivity and data-driven intelligence. We explore the dynamic landscape of AI education and its far-reaching implications.

Speaker – Dr Sophia Wei, Manager, NYP-Microsoft Centre for Applied AI, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore

The post Mirroring workplace tasks empowering learners to make smooth transition to workforce: Dr Sophia Wei first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

30 January 2024

In what is a first for higher educational institutions, OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, has linked up with Arizona State University (ASU). The collaboration sees the university leveraging ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities to “enhance learning, creativity, and student outcomes”.

Chief Information Officer Lev Gonick shares “By providing access to advanced AI capabilities, these tools are levelling the playing field, allowing individuals and organisations – regardless of size or resources – to harness the power of AI for creative and innovative endeavours.”

Making this a collaborative effort rather than a top-to-bottom implementation, ASU is inviting faculty and staff to submit suggestions on how best ChatGPT Enterprise can be rolled out. Key project areas include enhancing student success, forging new avenues for innovative research and streamlining organisational processes.

This partnership adds to the amalgamation of efforts by ASU to be a leading institution in AI. Just last year, the university launched its AI Acceleration programme, aimed at creating the next generation of AI tools.

Could this be the first of many education partnerships for OpenAI? As education leaders come to grasp the proliferation and potential of AI tools, could we be inching closer to a more complete way of AI-enabled teaching and learning?

The post Arizona State University first higher educational institution to collaborate with OpenAI to bring advanced ChatGPT capabilities first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Is your organisation structured to innovate? From talent to strategy and even physical structure, discover how you can transform your teams to work towards greater innovation to take on the demands of today’s digitalised education space.

Speaker – Paul Wilson, Director, Public Sector (Asia), Google Cloud

The post The culture of innovation first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

What is AI? Is it a faraway ideal or are we experiencing in our daily lives already? Calum Chace takes us through the extraordinary achievements and the promise of AI, the likely impact on education and why this is the most important century for humanity.

Speaker – Calum Chace, Author, 3Cs

The post AI and the future of learning first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Whilst it’s good to look ahead, Nikko Almazar recommends we take a step back and look at what we currently have. Discover key evaluation criteria you should be looking at to access your current situation before embarking on a digitalisation journey in your institution. Understand what avenues of transformation you can develop further and how partnerships help you along the way.

Speaker – Nikko Almazar, Key Account Manager, Lenovo Philippines

The post Implementing EDU solutions: Finding the right fit first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Chulalongkorn University’s CU Innovation Hub nurtures talents and develop innovations that transform how Thais live, learn, and play. Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation, and Global Engagement, Associate Professor Natcha Thawesaengskulthai sat down with EDUtech_talks to chat about what it means to have a university education, the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and how education institutions can encourage entrepreneurship.

EDUtech_talks: How do you develop innovation and research capabilities and mindsets amongst your staff and students?

Dr Natcha: We have our CU Innovation Hub, which is an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at the University and that is one of the sandboxes of Chula. Changing mindsets means letting people explore future possibilities and resist to possible failures. We keep encouraging them to have an entrepreneur mindset by coming up with new ideas, trying new initiatives, and meeting new people. An entrepreneur in my opinion is a professional value-provider contributing greatly to society in terms of both social and economic impacts. This is also in line with our vision and strategies.

21st century skills paradigm is also critical, to be able to communicate your impactful ideas and to effectively collaborate with other people, you have to come up with creative ideas to solve difficult problems.

All this has been incubated in our project-based learning, where students participate in a social innovation project. Our project-based learning has now become blended learning classes where before we would give them the project in their traditional classrooms.

EDUtech_talks: Could you share with us how blended learning for entrepreneurship is delivered in and how digital tools has supported these programmes?

Dr Natcha: This is part of our sandbox, CU Innovation Hub. We have a degree programme called Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScii) which is the first of its kind for undergraduate students and we coach the project-based learning at the undergraduate level. We also have it for non-degree programs like upscale rescues. We found that there are big demands in digital technologies such as AI and robotics, which will play a vital role in the development of smart cities, health solutions, and sustainability.

Hence we have this program to bring together arts and science in developing integrated innovations and it has been very successful during the past two years.

Our students and alumni have also developed start-ups that produce education technologies and solutions. We have learning innovation centre, helping to develop new teaching pedagogy, for example, using augmented reality (AR). In our Faculty of Medicine, students can learn how to operate by viewing bodies and organs using AR. Now, learning can happen anytime anywhere, faster and cheaper. The students can also repeat their learning as many times as they want. The centre has so far offered more that 300 active learning methodologies using several different kinds of technologies.

At the same time, we also need the facilities for project-based learning. In the past, when we look at traditional classrooms it’s just a row of tables. However, for project-based learning we need smart and interactive classrooms. There are digital learning experiences where, students are effectively working in groups.

With the digital learning platforms, Chula is on anywhere anytime. We provide more than 100 classes free online for both students and the public. Currently, we have more than 1 million people enrolled in our courses. The students have a new style of learning which, they can learn from home and arrange flexible schedules.

EDUtech_talks: What would be your advice to other schools who are looking to build an entrepreneurship program like Chulalongkorn University?

​Dr Natcha: Everyone can do it, because I think an innovative ecosystem is just a platform that helps people to come together to think and do good deeds for their society. Actually, we also developed an innovative ecosystem at our demonstration school, which is at the primary and secondary school levels, and it works well. Innovation is not only at the university level; it can go down to the primary and secondary schools too. You just have to find the key educators who are supportive of this vision and leave with the goal of bringing people together and nurturing future leaders, developing new solutions for society.

I would say, the next generations are so capable. They are so talented but they just do not have the space to work on their ideas. They do not have the teacher or leader to empower them and to facilitate them to do amazing work.

So, I very much believe in our next generation of students and people. We just need to provide them the sandbox environment, and a teacher who understands them, and gives them opportunities to think critically, especially about social issues. They will be very proud when their product or service is on the shelf. We have got this type of platform for more than five years, so there have been a number of products we have in the marketplace. We are providing this product to the community and citizens for purchasing.

We have a pipeline of research works that we are focusing on, particularly in five clusters, health, education, BCG, sustainable societies, and deep technologies. During COVID-19, we have had a number of start-ups and innovations that helped the healthcare industry. This is something I think is aligned with the new generations’ objective of life. They feel proud of it, what they learn in class can really impact society.

It’s a win-win for everyone, and education is really about developing a good human well-being, not only the students themselves but at the end they feel they are part of this big world, becoming global citizens. This is something I think is aligned with the new generations’ objective of life. They feel proud of it, what they learn in class can really impact society.

Read the full interview with Assoc Prof Natcha in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

The post A university for the community: How Chulalongkorn is nurturing minds to tackle societal challenges first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

“More than 95% of our e-learning infrastructure is currently running off the Cloud”.

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Director of Learning Systems & Applications, Lee Chye Seng shares the challenges he faced when scaling systems for complete e-learning and what technologies he thinks are top-of-mind for future investment.

EDUtech_talks: What has the past year been like for you as the Director of Learning Systems and Applications and how has the University pivoted?

Lee Chye Seng: SUSS is one of the pioneer universities that provides e-learning to our students. But it was still a hectic year as my team had to ensure our e-learning infrastructure continues to be robust and stable with the upsurge in e-learning as a result of the Covid19 pandemic.

In early December 2019, I recall I was conducting a briefing for our schools and admin departments on our Business Continuing Management (BCM) plans for teaching and learning (i.e. how would the University respond in terms of the day-to-day teaching and learning in the event of an emergency), everyone listened at ease with the festive mood in the air. Lo and behold, just 2 months down the road, we received an urgent activation of a 2-week trial run of full-scale online learning by our Provost in Feb 2020. We scrambled to extend the use of Zoom from teaching small cohorts of students to getting every student-and-faculty (15,000 students and 1,200 faculty) aboard full online mode of teaching and learning.

As we were prepared with BCM plans in place, we did not rush to find available technology because we have been using online learning tools, albeit on a much smaller scale. What we had to literally execute quickly next, was to get every faculty ready to teach online. That was a tall order and it was amazing how we managed to deliver 5 training workshops over a short 2-week period.

EDUtech_talks: What do you think are some of the changing needs of the university and its stakeholders post pandemic?

Lee Chye Seng: The pandemic has fast forwarded the use of full-scale e-learning on a campus-wide basis. What was perceived as less ideal (e.g., synchronous learning and e-examination) has become an acceptable mode of delivery for teaching and learning, and progressively evolving into an integral part of the new education eco-system. Our faculty and staff have to be highly competent in facilitating teaching, learning and support for our students be it on-campus, off-campus or a hybrid with both modes inclusive. We are modifying our classrooms to be conducive for all modes of learning and accommodate students that are on-campus and online.

In terms of our fellow colleagues working in the new normal, our campus facilities have been under-utilised with staff working and students learning all remotely from home. We soon realised our office spaces have to be re-designed to accommodate the change as hotdesking could be a better concept instead of dedicated workspaces. The furniture and layout should also be designed with safe distancing in mind.

EDUtech_talks: Do you currently employ any cloud solutions in your organisation?

Lee Chye Seng: More than 95% of our e-learning infrastructure is currently running off the Cloud.

EDUtech_talks: What gave you the push to start implementing cloud-based solutions?

Lee Chye Seng: Time to market, lean staff strength, ease of IT service management and cost savings were the important factors. We could not afford to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the server hardware to be purchased and configured.

EDUtech_talks: What’s your Digital Campus vision and how are you working towards it?

Lee Chye Seng: We are trying to make our all-in-one learning mobile app smart. In the app, there is an indoor navigation and positioning system. Users who are wheelchair-bound will be prompted by a new feature that will guide them to use the elevator instead of the stairs. We are also keen to incorporate other smart features such as identifying students through facial recognition for security purposes.

Read the full interview with Chye Seng in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

The post Cloud technology’s critical role in powering Singapore University of Social Sciences e-learning first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

We sat down with Shui-Min Tan, Chief Information Technology Office at National University of Singapore to discuss how the institution has evolved over the past two years, how her team is tapping on AI and other emerging technologies to meet evolving demands not only in teaching but also in student life, understand how IT leaders, like herself, are having a say on how we teach, learn, live and work in a digital campus.

EDUtech_talks: What has the past year been like for you as the Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) and how has the institution pivoted?

Tan Shui-Min: I took on the role right smack in the middle of the pandemic, so it was like taking over the baton and sprinting ahead. We were rolling out pandemic solutions whilst keeping to the timelines of our planned projects. As such, it has been busy, busy, busy. But it has been immensely satisfying so far, as the team worked together to deliver results for NUS. I have been blessed with a very strong and supportive team, one that is resilient especially when the going gets tough. I was formerly Director (Applications) and my focus was very much on the applications side of IT. Since taking over, I have had to keep up with the developments of infrastructure and cybersecurity as well.

We transited to remote working quite seamlessly and it showed that in terms of infrastructure we were quite prepared. Everything is either cloud-based or centralised and we have the security provisions to protect it as well. When it came to end-user devices, they were correctly configured to work from home which helped confirm that things put in place before were adequate.

EDUtech_talks: What do you think are some of the changing needs of the university and its stakeholders post pandemic?

Tan Shui-Min: Hybrid is here to stay – hybrid teaching and learning, hybrid research work, hybrid administrative work, etc. People have realised that work can be done remotely, but also recognised the importance of human interaction. As such, the future of work and learning is going to be a mix of physical and digital spaces.

We also envision a lot more online, blended type of learning and we need to be prepared not just with infrastructure but also other solutions like exam proctoring solutions and innovative pedagogy. This involves building smart classrooms, smart boards and also a need to bring up the digital dexterity of our staff. Teachers will need help with converting their lesson materials to video recordings and slides for students to refer to online.​

Additionally, we have subscribed to edX, continued to upgrade our learning management system and created a “geNiUS channel” where we put a lot of our teaching videos virtually.

We have been dabbling with Artificial Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) for the past three to four years and have built innovative pedagogies using these technologies. Through technology, we are seeeing virtual counselling, where medical students learn to support patients through virtual scenarios using VR. Instead of looking at two-dimensional molecular diagrams in a textbook, there is now the capability of looking at complex molecular structures in three-dimensional. These technologies cushioned us during the pandemic.

In today’s situation, students do not have patients for practice purposes and there is a limit in the numbers in the physical laboratory. Faced with these physical restrictions, VR and AR can create a new kind of learning environment for the student and one that can take place any time of the day.

In addition, NUS IT is working towards positioning as the “borderless” university, where students can learn from any part of the world, and research collaboration transcends geographical locations. A “borderless” university will no longer be constrained by physical and geographical limitations; it will be driven by technology, where teaching and learning, research can take place in the digital realm.

We have set this as our “True North”, where we draw our directions in creating our solutions. We are realising this in our implementation of the digital workplace to facilitate hybrid working and learning as well as the use of MR technology to create a digital learning space that can mimic the physical environment.

EDUtech_talks: What role do you see artificial intelligence (AI) playing in the future of education?

Tan Shui-Min: The potential implementation and application of AI are broad and wide-ranged and can apply to a multitude of facets in an organisation. For a higher-learning organisation, an AI system can bring tremendous benefit to the university’s foundation, that of education, research, and administration.​

On the educational aspect, we can view it from both sides of a learning process, via the educator, and the student. Educators benefit from an AI assistant system that reduces labour-intensive work, such as grading homework or assessing papers. This alleviates their burdens and allows educators to spend more time to focus on tailoring and conducting impactful lessons for their students, as well as research.​

At the same time, an AI assistant gathers insights on how well a student performs and provides recommendations on maintaining or improving their performance. Such information provides an early warning and course-corrective recommendations for non-performers who are on a trajectory of dropping out.​

On the student side, the application of an AI system should be all about maximising the chance of a successful learning process. The most basic application is probably a chatbot or assistant to help students navigate the university’s physical, virtual, and academic spaces. A more advanced application could tailor the learning process according to the student’s profile and allow students to select a learning path that fits their preferences and schedule.​

EDUtech_talks: What is your Smart Campus vision and how are your working towards it?

Tan Shui-Min: Smart Campus initiatives can be grouped into 2 areas – One revolving around the campus life and experience, and the other anchored in safety and sustainability initiatives.

Firstly, on campus life and experience. A student experiences life on campus through integrated experiences where technology is weaved into their activities. For instance, on-campus dining could be a cashless experience, with the capability of pre-ordering via their mobile, getting campus food delivered and having food lockers. Other initiatives include smart student accommodation with robot concierge services, AI help desks or dining halls with facial recognition.​

With campus life all in their palm, students can get a personal assistant on their phone, to remind them of class times, relevant bus arrivals, suggested routes, set-off time and nearby dining options. We want to create a one-stop mobile platform for staff and students, one that is smart and personalised for the individual and one that knows them well.

Secondly, we want to work on safety and sustainability and how technologies can play a role. Enhanced security with facial recognition around campus and video analytics, equipping buildings with sensors, internet of things (IoT), and algorithms to optimise energy consumption to work towards sustainability are all possibilities we will be looking into.

Read the full interview with Shui-Min in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

The post ‘Borderless’ University, the “True North” for NUS’ CITO first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

What does the campus of the future look like? Is it a global one? Discover how higher education institutions are reimagining their position, strategy, and practices to prepare for the needs and demands in the coming years. From new learning models involving AR and AI to next-gen labs.

Moderator – Joy M. Dy, OIC Dean, College of Computer Sciences, Silliman University
Panellists – Catherine Catamora, Director of Education Technology, Far Eastern University; Roel Rodrigo, Director – Learning Environments and Innovations Office, Malayan Colleges Laguna; Nino Naldoza, Director, Institute of Knowledge Management, Philippine Normal University; Dave E Marcial, Associate Professor and Director, Silliman Online University Learning, Silliman University

The post Next-gen classrooms and new learning models first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Higher education institutions play a vital role in society. Not only do they produce holistic individuals that move on into industries but they are also hubs of innovation, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. Discover how Silliman University embraces and leverages digitalisation not only in lesson delivery but also in creating spaces to tackle societal issues.

Speaker – Betty C Mccann, President, Silliman University

The post Designing and implementing innovative digital solutions for your institution first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

An estimated 80-90% of the information humans get is accessed through vision. But it is difficult for people to mentally translate 2-D information to use in a 3-D world.

Immersive learning does not only deliver a 3-D world for students to learn. Its impact is far-reaching, including reducing distractions whilst learning and the time taken to complete tasks. Understand the true impact of AR/VR use in the classroom and how it can be magnified to scale in the entire school.

Speaker – Pierre Nowacki, AR/VR Business Development Manager, Lenovo

The post Immersive Technologies & Education: Challenges and Opportunities first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Reframe ideas about AI in schools, move away from associating it with robots but see it more as a process. Understand the rationale behind AI deployment in institutions and the importance of being AI-ready before implementation.

Moderator – Sharifa Hajjart, Founder, Arab eLearning Academy
Panellists – Dr. Tassos Anastasiades, Principal, Finnish School of Kosovo; Dr. Carmel Kent, Head of Educational Data Science, UCL Institute of Education

The post How will AI shape the schools of the future? first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

“It’s about people, it’s about organisation culture”

Digital transformation requires time and resources, and most importantly a coherent understanding across the institution on such change. Senior management from institutes of higher learning discuss what is driving innovation in their universities, how and where they are applying such innovations.

Moderator – Romy Lawson, Interim Vice Chancellor, Murdoch University
Panellists – Le Nguyen Tue Hang, Vice Provost, Duy Tan University; Mabel Tan, President and CEO, USCI College; Timothy Chan, Vice Provost, Singapore Institute of Management; Ryan O’Hare, CEO, Asia-Pacific, Keypath Education, Derrick Chang, CEO, PSB Academy

The post Instilling a culture of digital innovation and collaboration in higher education institutions first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Digital transformation is a mammoth task, but it is much needed by universities looking to move forward. How can you create a positive culture and attitude towards digitalisation? How can you provide the necessary resources and support for faculty, student, and staff?

Moderator – Rob Smith, Higher Education & eResearch lead for APAC
Panellists – Vivienne Tan, Director of Enterprise IT, Nanyang Technological University; Teresa Finlayson, Chief Digital Officer and Student Services Officer, Monash University; Tung Nguyen, Chief Information Officer, VinUniversity; Sreevalsan Moothedath, Director – ICT, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

The post It’s not about tech, it’s about people first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Hear how these two educators are establishing immersive technology as one of the key practices in their classrooms. From educating teachers to classes on social sciences, AR and VR present the chance to replicate any scenario for authentic practice.

Speakers – Susan Ledger, Head of School – Dean of Education, University of Newcastle; Jonathan Foo, Associate Faculty & Course Lead, Principal Investigator, XR, Media Lab, Singapore University of Social Sciences

The post The potential of immersive technology such as AR and VR in higher education first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

From enrolment, student success to personalising learning content, technology has afforded the education space a wealth of opportunities. Understand where those opportunities lie and how they can be a reality quite quickly in your institution. Listen in as Monash University shares how they employed AI in remote digital assessments.

Speakers – Cliff Ashford, Director, Academic & Data Technology (ADTS), Monash University; David Rosengrave, Industry Solutions – Education, Amazon Web Services

The post AI and machine learning for the future of education first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Culturally, there has been a shift in education. Schools, teachers, students, and parents are now more open to the idea of technology-enabled teaching and learning. AI in education could be a reality not too far away now. How can it augment our classrooms? Which aspects of our schools can AI play a role?

Speakers – Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean, Henley Business School Limited; Karen Walstra, Owner, KWC.EvolveSchool

The post How will AI shape the schools of the future? first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

In a large institution with multiple faculties, it is easy to lose sight of the individual student. However, with increased data collection and a bigger digital footprint, we can understand who our students are and what are their needs. Discover how universities in South Africa are building up their capacities and capabilities in learning analytics and the outcomes they have experienced thus far.

Speakers – Riaan Van Der Bergh, Education Technology Manager, FEDSAS, South Africa; Prof. Sandile Songca, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

The post Data driven insights: Informing learning analytics with digital footprints first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

6G connectivity may sound like a far ideal. However, with the speed at which digital transformation is happening, it will soon be a reality and the possibilities it opens to education are endless and fascinating. The scope and scale at which we can provide personalised learning expand exponentially. Mischa Dohler shares how this increased connectivity is going to disrupt classrooms towards a better experience from synchronised realities, depicting historical events to atomic level demonstrations.

Speakers – Sophie Bailey, Host, The Edtech Podcast; Mischa Dohler, Professor in Wirless Communication, King’s College London

The post How 6G will open the potential for immersive technology first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

As digitalisation ramps up not just in our economies but also in higher education institutions, it is not only critical to be researching on AI and employ it but also to think about its position in our curriculums. It is as important to learn as it is to use. Listen in to discover how AI is being designed to assess and guide students as well as the opportunities to equip students with skills and knowledge to manage an AI-driven world.

Moderator – Vania Dimitrova, Professor of Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence, School of Computing, University of Leeds

Panellists – Sanna Reponen, Product Owner, Elements of AI, University of Helsinki; Andrew Proctor, Pro Vice Chancellor – Digital, Staffordshire University; Aftab Hussain, ILT Manager, Bolton College

The post Inspire learning and imagination with AI first appeared on EDUtech_talks.