Attending the EduTech conference in Melbourne on the 12th and 13th of August 2024 was an invaluable experience. The conference covered a wide range of topics, from AI integration in classrooms to fostering innovation in schools. I was fortunate enough to be selected to present at the Google Teaching Theatre and it was awesome to connect again with the Google Champions network.
As I discovered last year, it was again an intense two days with some awesome workshops and connecting with some amazing educators. What follows is an attempt to sort my messy random notes into some sort of coherent form. Of course I used AI (Google Gemini and Claude) to help me draft this and organise my information.
Keynote by Sal Khan
Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, shared his vision for AI in education:
- AI can serve as an “on-demand version of a tutor,” helping students work at their learning edge.
- The combination of amazing teachers and amazing technology can amplify human intent in education.
- Khan Academy has developed “Khanmigo,” an AI-powered tool to support student learning. This is currently only available to students in the USA but has just been released for teachers in over 40 countries and will soon be available for students in more countries.
This was certainly one of the highlights for me a I had just read his book, Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education. In this book he argues for embracing AI technology rather than fearing it, explaining how these tools can transform learning and teaching. Khan outlines how AI can personalize learning, adapt assessments, and support classroom success.
The book goes beyond technology, discussing practical implications for educators and administrators, how AI can be used in the workplace, and ethical and social considerations. Khan envisions AI as a tool to create a more accessible global education system. He provides a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this new landscape, emphasising the need to harness AI’s power for good while acknowledging its limitations.
Understanding and Implementing AI in the Classroom
Several sessions focused on demystifying AI and its applications in education:
- James Curran from Grok Academy outlined how our kids are using the Kingswood model of Gen AI – the worst iteration it will be. Gen AI is auto complete in steroids and James went through a number of great examples using tools like NGram viewer, “I saw the man on a hill with a telescope“, to help explain how these models work (check out his slides at this link).
- Ryan Elwell emphasized the importance of moving from AI prompting to AI fluency, treating AI as an assistant while recognizing the nuances of this relationship. Does using an advanced tool mean the same thing as cheating? Eg advance golf clubs, swimsuits banned in the Olympics for being too fast
- Bess Naughtin demonstrated how tools like Teachable Machine can create authentic learning experiences with real-world applications. She showcased practical AI tools for the classroom including Suno Ai to create a song based on a class brainstorm, Quick Draw, AI for Oceans, and integrating Teachable Machine with Scratch coding.
Rethinking Academic Integrity in the Age of AI
One of the most pressing concerns in education today is how to maintain academic integrity while acknowledging the prevalence of AI tools. In a blog post by Adam Sparks he suggests that instead of relying on ineffective AI detection software, educators should:
- Set clear classroom policies that allow for some AI use
- Incorporate more writing instruction across the curriculum
- Teach students to use AI effectively in their writing
- Focus on personal reflection and defense in writing assignments
- Emphasize the “why” behind assignments
The key message: Stop chasing easy solutions to complex problems and instead adapt our teaching methods to the new reality.
Fostering Innovation in Schools
Luke Callier from St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls presented on why schools need intrapreneurs. He outlined seven steps to innovation:
- Cultivate a culture of innovation
- Identify gaps and problems
- Ideation and research
- Write and pitch ideas
- Engage stakeholders
- Celebrate and tell the story
- Evaluate and iterate
An inspiring session on the “Tinker Train” model by Eleni Kyritsis showcased how sustainability, visible thinking, and inquiry-based learning can be integrated across subjects. This approach includes:
- Using inquiry walls (floor-to-ceiling pin boards)
- Incorporating technology like Minecraft and AR in units on sustainable housing
- Implementing badge systems for reporting
The exhibition hall
Another highlight is wandering around the massive exhibition hall and talking with various companies about their products and services (and getting some swag!). Here’s some of my favourites:
- Precious plastic: have a pretty awesome shredder and extructor so you can make your own injection moulded products. Check out the Brothers make Youtube channel for inspiration.
- MakersEmpire: have an awesome Nationwide space themed design thinking competition (soon to be coming to NZ!)
- Toddle: a pretty awesome LMS with so much functionality
- Education Technology specialists: Picked up a couple of great books as well as the awesome Makeado for cardboard projects.
Conclusion:
The EduTECH Congress & Expo highlighted that AI is not just a tool, but a transformative force in education. As educators, we must embrace this change, teaching our students to use AI effectively while maintaining the core values of learning and academic integrity. By fostering innovation, promoting sustainability, and leveraging AI’s potential, we can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for our students.
