Top picks for February 2024

Kia ora, teaching whānau! In this TeachWell Digital 2024 kick-off edition, discover insights to enrich your student-focused approach and navigate the evolving AI landscape. Let’s explore!

Grow connection in your teaching

• Strike gold with learning science: Dig into the latest neuroscience research in education with EdSurge’s popular podcast episode “Lessons from This ‘Golden Age’ of Learning Science” and use this knowledge in your teaching.
• Deepen your reflective practice: Explore this guide by colleagues from two Australian universities to strengthen your understanding of reflective learning and to help yourself and your students benefit from its practice.
• Give your students a voice: Lance Cummings has created a podcast featuring conversations with students on their experiences with AI in the classroom, which can be empowering and insightful for all involved. Let’s aim this year to connect more with our students!
• Communication before content: Alison Thirlwall’s blog post offers valuable insights on why communication with your students is so important for fostering cognitive presence in the classroom.
• Fostering inclusive spaces: As we strive for equitable and empathetic learning environments, equip yourself to address equity issues and navigate bias. Utilise resources like the University of Auckland’s unconscious bias training or MIT’s Teaching and Learning Lab. Be the change!

Cultivate authentic assessment for learning

• Rethink assessment with ChatGPT: Alex Sims from the University of Auckland encourages us to shift our views on university assessment and AI in one of THE’s most-read articles.
• An alternative grading experience: Josh Brake shares his experiences and reflections on implementing alternative grading in his engineering course.
• Combatting Gen-AI with reflective writing: Mariano Carrera provides practical tips on using reflective writing to mitigate Gen-AI’s influence on learning.

A new landscape of learning & teaching

• “Elements of AI”: This free online course from Helsinki University and MinnaLearn is a charming and accessible introduction to AI for everyone new to the field.
• AI on the rise:  Read Stefan Bauschard and Sabba Quidwai’s concise overview of AI advancements in “AI 2023: A Year in Review” and explore their comprehensive 350-page report for educators, “Humanity Amplified: The Fusion of Deep Learning and Human Insight to Shape the Future of Innovation”
• “Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI”: For deeper insights, (re)visit Ethan Mollick’s blog or pre-order his upcoming book, exploring the future of human-AI collaboration.