EduTech 2023 took place in Melbourne on August 24-25. As always it was a huge conference with a large exhibition hall and numerous strands for both practical and theoretical sessions. Although there was a healthy Higher Education strand, the main focus was on K-12 learning and teaching. Presentation and panel sessions were mostly limited to 20 min.

My presentation “Flexible pathways – Providing equivalent opportunities for all learners” can be found online here. About 50 people attended and it seemed to be well received given that flexibility in learning was a key theme. As one follow up James Cook University have reached out for me to do a session with their learning design team to help inform plans to implement flexible learning.

 

I was also on a Panel and we discussed “Flexible Pathways: Hi-flex, the future of hybrid and digital strategies”. Joining me were representatives from education departments in WA and NSW and Prof Sandra Milligan from the University of Melbourne. What struck me was how insular our education systems are – very state focused and inward looking. An ongoing theme also included in this discussion was how to support student choice (on campus, online) and how to improve online learning to be equivalent to what is typically offered on campus. These discussions are very contextual – to state that at UniMelb the best learning is on campus has no real correlation to our UniSQ experience, being a regional online institution. However I believe a shift in mindset around online learning is required to enable further student choice and autonomy.

 

I was delighted to attend a session by Prof Sarah Prestridge who shared ideas on flexible modalities for learning. She emphasised we have to provide learning opportunities that are different: learning differently; with different people; in different spaces. She also shared that we need to disrupt the belief that good learning is in the classroom, not online. She advised we need to build good relationships with and between learners – and every learning mode has its challenges and associated strategies to do this. Her clear message (that aligns very much with my thinking / our thinking and actions at UniSQ) is we need to see online as the main ‘space’ or mode for learning, and not as an addon to on campus – and this refers to synchronous but especially asynchronous learning. Her final point was powerful – are we preparing students to function as online workers from home (for example) by making them come to a classroom (this applies to all levels of education).

 

 

There were of course many discussions around AI in education and I attended quite a few – but the message became repetitive from mostly non-inspiring speakers. There is nothing new to report in this space that I heard. UniSQ needs to carry on as planned – exploring the positives for AI in learning and teaching and being mindful of the negatives for academic integrity etc. Overall the mood at the conference in this space was one of anticipation mixed with apprehension. Times are changing….so must we by embracing new ways of working.