Mission

The Artificial Intelligence for Learning and Teaching Collective (AILTC) is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that welcomes a diverse array of professionals and academics from all disciplines at UniSQ.

With a focus on equitable participation, the community aims to represent a wide range of perspectives, including those of educators, researchers, developers, students, policymakers and other stakeholders.

By prioritising inclusivity, the AILTC ensures a richer dialogue and a more comprehensive approach to the challenges and opportunities presented by the integration of AI into higher education.

The Collective aims to create a multidisciplinary community that can comprehensively address the opportunities and challenges presented by the intersection of AI and education.

Introduction

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their increased integration into the educational sphere, there is a growing need for educators, researchers, developers and other stakeholders to collaborate, share insights, and develop best practices.

The Artificial Intelligence for Learning and Teaching Collective (AILTC, known as the ‘Collective’) seeks to provide a platform for this collaboration at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ).

Objectives

Central to the mission is the aim of facilitating knowledge sharing, where participants can exchange the latest findings, tools, and methods related to AI in education. Alongside this, the Collective will:

• Collaborate to formulate best practices for the effective and ethical implementation of AI within different learning and teaching settings across UniSQ
• Engage in ongoing networking opportunities, offering participants avenues to interact with peers, industry experts, and practitioners, thereby fostering collaboration and potentially catalysing new projects or research endeavours
• Prioritise professional development by organising an array of activities such as workshops, webinars, and courses, enabling participants to stay updated with the most recent innovations in the field of AI.

Through these interrelated objectives, the Collective aims to build a robust and dynamic ecosystem that advances both the theoretical and practical applications of artificial intelligence in the realm of education at UniSQ.

Target Audience

The target audience for the Collective is diverse, aiming to bring together stakeholders from various facets of the AI and education ecosystem within the University. This includes:

• Educators keen on integrating AI into their curricula
• Researchers investigating the applications and implications of AI in educational settings
• Professional staff seeking to use and explore AI tools
• Policymakers focused on shaping the future of AI in education.

Through this broad and inclusive stakeholder audience, the Collective aims to create a multidisciplinary community that can comprehensively address the opportunities and challenges presented by the intersection of AI and education.

Proposed Activities

The Collective endeavours to provide a comprehensive platform for academic enrichment and professional growth in the intersectional field of AI and education. Central to its mission this includes:

• Dissemination of knowledge through webinars, featuring experts who discuss the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in AI education and technology
• Hands-on workshops to familiarise participants with cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies
• A dedicated online forum as a dynamic platform for ongoing resource sharing, question-asking, and collaborative project development
• A regular publication digest that curates the latest research articles, case studies, and reports in the domain.

Collectively, these multifaceted activities serve to foster a vibrant community committed to advancing both the practical and theoretical paradigms of AI within educational settings.

Benefits

Participation in the AILT Collective offers a multifaceted array of benefits designed to advance academic and practical understanding of AI in educational contexts. The Collective provides:

• A hub for intellectual exchange and professional networking, featuring regularly scheduled webinars and events where leaders in the field share cutting-edge research and insights
• A conducive setting for research collaborations, thereby hastening the pace of innovation in AI applications at UniSQ
• A forum to showcase research or tools, and developing a curated collection of case studies and empirical data
• Opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering an ecosystem of shared resources and the development of context-specific solutions applicable to unique academic settings like UniSQ.

Conclusion

The proposed Artificial Intelligence Learning and Teaching Collective offers a timely and relevant platform for UniSQ Academics and Professional Staff at the intersection of AI and education. By facilitating collaboration, providing professional development opportunities, and fostering a sense of community, the Collective can significantly contribute to the successful and ethical integration of AI into the world of learning and teaching.

We look forward to the support of the broader community to bring this vision to fruition.