2024: ASCILITE 2024 Conference Companion Materials

ASCILITE Conference - Posters

• A Framework for Using GenAI to Support Student Engagement in Interdisciplinary Learning from Self-determination Theory

  Thomas K.F. Chiu

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interdisciplinary field, including mathematics, sciences, psychology, linguistics, sociology, and engineering (Bisconti et al., 2023; Chen, 2020; Zhuang et al., 2020). The development of its technologies requires experts from various disciplines. In education, generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT and Dall-E facilitate interdisciplinary learning by breaking down barriers between disciplines and enabling students to see connections across different disciplines, resulting in a more holistic understanding of complex concepts. The tools enable students from different disciplines to collaborate on projects by combining their diverse knowledge and skills (Chiu, 2023, 2024; Chiu et al., 2023). For example, in STEAM education, students who are weak at coding can develop simple applications by asking GitHub Copilot, which generates specific code suggestions including variables, classes, and methods based on their situations. Those who are poor in art designs, can ask t Dall-E to generate visuals, fostering an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, students can use the tools to complement the knowledge gaps they have because they have instant access to information and resources related to other disciplines (Kusters et al., 2020; Peters et al., 2023). Students become more adaptable, open, flexible, and innovative in their thinking. These enhance critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving skills in students. This interdisciplinary learning using AI also fosters a sense of curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas, which are essential skills for success in the AI era, better preparing students to address real-world problems and excel in a variety of disciplines. Most related current studies focus on how GenAI affects assessment and essay-based assignments (Chiu, 2024; Xia et al., 2024). However, student engagement in using GenAI tools in completing interdisciplinary learning remains unclear. Student engagement is a multi-dimensional concept generally considered to include behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic components (Chiu, 2021; Fredricks, 2011), which can be explained by self-determination theory (SDT) through needs satisfaction (autonomy: feel having choices; competence: feel capable; relatedness: feel relevant) (Chiu, 2021; Ryan and Deci, 2020). This mixed-methods study investigated how GenAI tools engage students in interdisciplinary learning from SDT perspectives. The two main research questions are: RQ1: How is needs satisfaction related to student engagement in interdisciplinary learning? RQ2: How do GenAI tools satisfy students three SDT needs?. The participants were 310 university students from various academic major backgrounds (sciences: 72; engineering: 78; social sciences: 79; art: 76; others: five). All of them attended a 3-hour workshop on how to use GenAI in completing a project under the topic of sustainability. The participants tried different GenAI tools, and discussed how they completed the project. A questionnaire with validated itemswas used to examine how GenAI tools satisfy their needs for competency in a sustainability project (RQ1) (Chiu, 2024). Three iterative cycles of group interviews were conducted with randomly selected 30 participants to understand the roles and affordances of GenAI in interdisciplinary learning (RQ2). The quantitative findings suggested that during interdisciplinary learning, GenAI can satisfy student needs by fostering classification and generalization skills (grouping knowledge), encouraging unpacking model and solution skills (revising thinking), and providing alternative intelligence (inspiring with new ideas). The qualitative findings from this study were used to propose a framework for using GenAI to support interdisciplinary learning. The framework also visualizes the roles and affordances of GenAI in the learning.

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• Old meets New: Engaging with Indigenous Perspectives via Virtual Reality

  Henry Purcell, Meg Colasante, Jonathan Quah, Alvin Khoe, Delaney Gray

  Virtual reality (VR) has been used for various experiential purposes in tertiary education. This technology is valued for its capacity to simulate experiences close to real-life, for example, providing virtual hands-on experiences (e.g. Agbonifo et al, 2020; Pande & Jepson, 2025) or interactive vision of focal locations (e.g. Dobricki et al, 2021). Despite three decades since VR was recognised at a rudimentary point of development (Moore, 1995), it is not yet broadly used in higher education despite potential to do more to facilitate situated learning (Schott & Marshall, 2021). As an immersive technology, VR offers an avenue for engaging learning through situated Indigenous storytelling. VR has recently proven valuable for transporting school students to Australian Indigenous places otherwise not easily visited and experienced (Education Group, 2024), while a university VR initiative enables delving deep into history to experience the Australian Indigenous landscapes of pre-colonial times (Morse, 2024). VR Indigenous experiences can be valued for their fidelity, especially when created by mob such as Brett Leavy’s virtual songlines (Hardy, 2020). Nevertheless, there are noted global cultural issues, such as risks in adopting a Eurocentric approach and falling short of the fidelity required for Indigenous storytelling (Tubby, 2022). In Australian contexts, ongoing concerns include what can be shared online compared to what is sacred (Yarn Marketplace, 2024), and the need for engaging Aboriginal community to ascertain cultural protocols for designing interactive technology (Loban, 2022). This poster introduces a work-in-progress innovation project at RMIT University, on designing an immersive VR storytelling experience for university practitioners to engage with local Indigenous perspectives. The project aims to contribute to cultural capability growth, and to develop responsible practice in action, and thus navigate the terrain for creating innovative and culturally respectful learning spaces through technology. For contributing to cultural capability growth, the projects’ VR resource enables university staff to experience culture and ways of learning in innovative and engaging ways, to broaden their understanding of local Indigenous perspectives (the Kulin Nation and surrounds) and equip them with the cultural intelligence to underpin effective and empathetic interactions that value Aboriginal perspectives. For responsible practice in action, the project sought a culturally respectful way to learn through community consultations, to inform this and future project processes. The development of the resource was made possible through the efforts of a diverse team from different cultural backgrounds working towards creating a culturally safe environment, including with Indigenous staff members who actively contributed individual personas for the pilot. Development beyond the pilot extends this approach “With mob”, via “respectful partnership” (AIATSIS, 2022) with local Aboriginal community. Consultations respectfully seek guidance, permissions, and potential further Indigenous personas to enrich the resource, and advice on how the VR experience is shared and “the types of tasks” it is used for, given these are complex and “because each facet of culture can simultaneously influence a range of processes” (Littlejohn & Margaryan, 2006, p.270). The project will continue to champion Indigenous culture and refer to community guidance on reusability in other contexts (such as student-facing).

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• A new solution to an age-old problem: Introducing FastFeedback Questions

  Magdy Elnashar

  Feedback is an essential component of good teaching that can help students to understand how they can improve their performance (Sadler, 2009). However, feedback often reaches students too late in their learning process to make such guidance actionable, failing to promote dialogue between students and teachers. Historically, and according to a long study in Australian universities spanning over two decades, feedback has been an area of low student satisfaction (Baik et al.,2015). According to a major national poll in the UK, student discontent with feedback is a major concern for most UK higher education institutions (Deeley et al. 2019). Similarly, in the UK, Murphy and Cornell (2019) and Evans (2013) found a misalliance between what students expect and what is provided in feedback. In this study, I explore the effect of an innovative synchronous approach to delivering students’ timely, actionable feedback called ‘FastFeedback Questions’ (FFQs) (Elnashar, 2018). FFQs are a formative feedback tool that places focus questions within each PowerPoint slide, which are projected but not in slide show mode, so students can see the questions beside the content. Students receive a version of the slides without answers before the lecture. During the lecture, the instructor engages students interactively with the questions, verifying answers in real-time on the slides. Through a structured, guided process, students engage in critical reflection on the knowledge and skills they have acquired. They are encouraged to assess the quality of their current understanding of the material introduced in lectures and are shown how their progress aligns with expectations. By identifying gaps between their present state and where they need to be, students are supported in developing their evaluative judgment, equipping them for future learning opportunities. (Tai et al. 2018). Integrated Systems Anatomy and Physiology (ISAP) is a complex subject delivered across a large, multi-campus, number of students (n) = 650, where students must comprehend and remember concepts and techniques within a mass of detailed content (Hattie, 2012). FFQS were used in ISAP after modification to suit this cognitive recall unit where a slide of information was followed by a slide of focus questions. This study used a cross-sectional survey design (Creswell, 2019) to understand whether the FFQ method is effective in an online lecture. Measures include pre and post student satisfaction data (from the university-wide standard survey; questions relating to feedback), pre and post exam scores, a student questionnaire (n = 79) with supplementary three focus groups. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the participating University’s HREC. Findings indicate that the students were more engaged and motivated to answer the FFQs. Furthermore, FFQs increased the student final exam mark by 10% on average. From the questionnaires, students reported that the FFQs assisted their understanding, and motivation to reflect on learning. From the focus group, students reported that FFQs increased their self-confidence when their responses to the FFQs were correct, and they recommended FFQs be used in other units. Future studies on FFQs in additional units are planned over several years to understand if they are relevant to other STEM content, and to explore if FFQs produce similar outcomes.

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• Challenging dominant perspectives of digital literacy in Western higher education: Results from a critical integrative review of literature

  Judith Daire

  The 21st-century work environment, for which universities prepare graduates, demands multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary competencies infused with digital literacy skills essential for sustainable employability (Baruch & Sullivan, 2022; Gürbüz, Bakker, Demerouti et al., 2023). Our increasingly digitalised society reinforces the need for learners to acquire digital competencies as part of their education (Gutiérrez-Ángel, Sánchez-García, Mercader-Rubio et al., 2022). Digital literacy, defined as the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate, and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies, is still an evolving concept (UNESCO, 2018). With the mandate to produce graduates capable of performing to expected standards in ever-changing work environments, higher education institutions continuously define the digital competencies of their graduates and how to develop them. This involves ongoing discussions about what students should learn to be digitally competent (curriculum), how they should be taught and supported (pedagogy), and the associated progression in learning (assessment) (Ilomäki, Lakkala, Kallunki et al., 2023). However, Western perspectives on learning and teaching in higher education often dominate these discussions. Given that most students in Australian universities come from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, there is a need to address this gap in the literature by considering alternative perspectives on curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments for digital literacy in higher education. This study presents findings from a critical integrative review of the literature (Whittemore & Knafl, 2005). The aim is to identify alternative perspectives in defining the digital competencies critical in preparing students for diverse socio-cultural work environments. To achieve this, a well-known meta-framework of digital literacy (Tran, Jung, Unangst et al., 2023; Martínez, Sádaba and Serrano-Puche, 2021) will be used to map digital competencies identified in global literature, exploring and challenging the concept of a digitally competent university graduate in today’s diverse world. The integrative review will also identify teaching and learning approaches (pedagogies) for developing students’ digital competencies from socio-cultural perspectives, as discussed in the literature (Mahn and John-Steiner, 2012). Peer-reviewed articles, reports, and e-book chapters will be searched in global literature, with inclusion criteria focusing on keywords such as digital literacies, digital competencies, socio-cultural learning theory, teaching pedagogies, curriculum design, and learner support. Databases will include ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. Relevant data will be extracted using an Excel sheet, and thematic and interpretive analyses will be employed to synthesise the data critically. The findings will provide insights into how socio-cultural differences influence the valued aspects of digital literacy and how they are taught or assessed in higher education. This research will also offer critical insights into how teachers can inclusively support diverse students, considering unique ways to recognise prior educational experiences, learning preferences, and needs. The final output will be a conceptual framework for teaching and learning digital literacy in Western high education from socio-cultural perspectives. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a much-needed international perspective on what it means to be a digitally competent graduate in Australia and globally.

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• Guiding Educational Designers in partnership with Gen AI: An autoethnographic approach

  Trudie Fenwick, Camille Dickson-Deane

  The journey to becoming an Educational Designer (ED) can be daunting – creating many feelings, the most popular of those being imposter syndrome (Pingo et al., 2024). These feelings, although mostly not validated, create subjective hindrances to participating in and contributing to the field (Sage & Sankey, 2021). This poster explores a partnership with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) as a way to provide a scaffold for anyone new to the field. To do this, one of the author’s own journey to becoming an ED is used as an example to create a blueprint of how to navigate new terrain. By partnering with GenAI (i.e., ChatGPT), the authors use an emic lens to survey a journey through three distinct eras (Beals et al., 2020). These eras evolved from the intersection of professional, personal and environmental influences and captures a newcomers’ introduction to the field situated in the professional space of higher education. The narrated data captured via subjective reflections of lived experiences, are transcribed and then partnered with ChatGPT to be thematically analysed. The authors then engage an etic lens to objectively use media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, videos, etc.) to illustrate the journey using the themes to gain more meaning towards personal agency for the profession (Méndez, 2013). This autoethnography creates great insight into how a newcomer can uniquely and individually create a self-serving map to increase a sense of belonging by partnering with a non-human intelligence tool. Using ChatGPT reduces the feelings of being judged – the feelings associated with imposter syndrome - yet creating a path that may not be seen without such an intervention. By leveraging human-influenced algorithms almost like a mentor, GenAI can identify patterns and themes in the narratives that might be overlooked by human analysis – a symbiosis of autoethnography and GenAI (McNally et al., 2022). Adopting autoethnography as a method to navigate professional, social and cultural terrains, via an emic and etic lens of lived experiences, personal vignettes and introspection provide the qualitative inputs to be examined and interpreted (Beals et al., 2020; Méndez, 2013). The second step in this research involves the use of GenAI as a tool for analysing and interpreting this self-reflective data (Boulus-Rødje et al., 2024). This research strategy holds relevance for educational designers and the wider community of third-space professionals, particularly those who may be new to the field or navigating a career transition. It will demonstrate the potential of GenAI as a tool for interpreting and applying autoethnographic data in a practical, actionable way. The insights generated could inform the development of GenAI-driven tools and resources that support educational designers to develop their professional identity. By highlighting the value of transferable skills and experiences through a resulting blueprint, the mapping of the imposter-syndrome-like feelings among third space professionals could be mitigated. This will allow for transformations of self-perceptions to aid in the recognition of one’s unique contributions to confidently engage with the profession and the field.

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• The Learning Wave : Engaging digital learners in online education

  Andrew Komoder

  Today’s learners are immersed in engaging virtual activities such as video games, social media, and streaming services. These platforms set high expectations for user engagement, providing experiences that are user-centred and intrinsically motivating. Online learning must now compete with these digital environments for learners' attention, necessitating a transformation in its approach to increase retention and satisfaction. The Learning Wave is a novel Learning Experience Design framework that addresses this challenge by two key psychological theories: Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Flow Theory. SDT, developed by Deci and Ryan (2000), posits that intrinsic motivation is driven by three psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Flow Theory, introduced by Csikszentmihalyi (1990), is a highly functional state helping learners boost their academic performance through immersion in the activity and provides incentives for personal growth (Rodriguez-Ardura & Meseguer-Artola 2016). By applying these theories, The Learning Wave generates learning experiences that positively impact learning behaviour through enhanced engagement and motivation. The framework applies strategies from digital and serious games, combining them with storytelling techniques and instructional design models to create a modern pedagogical approach to the design of online courses. At its core, The Learning Wave utilises a three-phase pattern: learn, reflect, and challenge. This structure enables learners to progressively build understanding, review and reflect on their learning, and apply their knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios. The framework employs Semantic Waves (Maton, 2013) as a construction methodology, ensuring a thoughtful progression of the learner from basic understanding to advanced application of concepts, and facilitating the creation of Flow states by gradually increasing complexity to match learner skill development. Complementing the learner experience is the use of storytelling. By incorporating narrative elements, the learning experience is enriched with contextual depth, diverse perspectives, and emotional engagement, factors known to enhance retention and application of knowledge (Landrum et al., 2019). This approach also supports the relatedness aspect of SDT, fostering a sense of connection to the learning material. As a visual tool, The Learning Wave allows instructional designers to map out the entire learning experience, illustrating how learners progress through different phases. It incorporates a series of learning moments, points of reflection, and challenge events, charting the learner's journey from novice to competent problem-solver. The framework's flexibility accommodates both high-level designs and intricate, complex experiences. The Learning Wave has been incorporated as the foundational pedagogy in the development of twelve postgraduate microcredentials at Western Sydney University, with qualitative and quantitative feedback showing learners are motivated and more confident with the knowledge and skills they are developing. Further analytics, articles, case studies, and publications are forthcoming. This poster presentation demonstrates how The Learning Wave framework transforms online learning. It showcases the 3-stage pattern, alignment with storytelling techniques, and process of gaining strategic knowledge through information deconstruction and reconstruction. It highlights how this approach, grounded in educational theories and modern engagement techniques, can enhance learner motivation, improve knowledge retention, and lead to more effective online educational experiences in our digital world.

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• Metahuman: Bridging the Skills Gap Through Immersive Technology

  Emily Collins, Lynnae Venaruzzo, Andrew Komoder

  In contemporary education, there is a growing recognition of the importance of preparing learners with essential soft skills and the ability to engage in safe-to-fail tasks. Introducing the concept of failing safely and practising complex conversational skills in a controlled, virtual environment is crucial for students to effectively apply these skills in real-world situations (Korhonen et al., 2023). Our project, titled Metahuman, introduces an AI-powered simulation-based learning experience where learners interact with 3D virtual humans in real time. These virtual humans serve as guides and facilitators, simulating diverse interpersonal scenarios encountered in professional settings. This approach is rooted in simulation-based learning, where learners can explore and engage in various scenarios without the risk of real-world consequences (Chen & Lu, 2022). The Metahuman is designed with dynamic personalities that emotionally respond to learner input and feature realistic voices; these adaptive, simulated environments have been shown to foster critical thinking and professional conversation skills (Ruokamo et al., 2023). One application of Metahuman is within the healthcare sector, where nurses (learners) can practise screening a patient (Metahuman) for Tuberculosis in a virtual clinic. Nurses learn to navigate complex patient scenarios, building their skills and confidence in a controlled setting. This experience highlights how simulation-based learning can enhance competence and preparedness for real-world challenges, as discussed by Wu and Yu (2023). Central to the Metahuman experience is an AI-driven mentor that delivers contextual feedback in real time, aligned with specific learning objectives and competency frameworks. These frameworks and objectives provide safeguards for how the Metahuman interacts with learners, ensuring that the scenarios presented are both relevant and educationally sound. Robust prompts designed by educators and learning designers govern the interactions between learners, the Metahuman, and the AI mentor. This structured interaction enables learners to receive personalised guidance, enhancing skill acquisition and reflective practice. Automated transcripts of these interactions capture learning outcomes, providing evidence of learner progress and foster continuous improvement (Niu et al., 2023). These transcripts serve as valuable resources for self-reflection and feedback for both learners and educators, and allow learners to deepen their understanding of the skills practised in the scenarios (Wu & Yu, 2023). To further support the educational process, Metahuman includes prompt and virtual human templates that allow for rapid development of diverse scenarios. This flexibility enables educators to tailor learning experiences to specific needs, making it easier to integrate Metahuman into various educational contexts. The platform’s accessibility through web browsers, without requiring additional installations, supports cost-effective scalability and broad adoption across different settings. This ease of access ensures that Metahuman can be integrated into diverse learning environments without significant technical barriers (Chen & Lu, 2022). This poster presentation will showcase Metahumans key features and functions, emphasising its potential to revolutionise soft skills education through safe-to-fail learning environments. The presentation will also provide insights from current implementations across the health, business, and marketing sectors, highlighting user feedback and outcomes. By aligning with well-established concepts such as simulation-based learning, Metahuman positions itself as a pivotal tool in the future of education, contributing to the ongoing discourse on educational transformation and digital innovation.

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• Supporting Peer Feedback at Scale: A Process Map

  Sean Pinder, Miriam Edwards, Assaf Dekel

  Schneider et al. (2017) conducted a systematic review of 38 meta-analyses investigating 105 variables linked to student performance. They reported peer assessment is the most influential factor in explaining students’ achievement. The benefits are even more significant when combined with self-assessment as students' meta-cognitive capacity is exercised as they calibrate their level of understanding and confidence to that of their peers (Power & Tanner, 2023). Assessing a peer digitally has been shown to be more effective than in-person settings (Li et al., 2020). Winstone & Boud (2022) recommend improving students’ learning by focusing on providing and receiving high-quality feedback rather than on grades. Despite the potential of technology to help students assess each other, there is sparse research in commerce studies, let alone on large-scale subjects, where technology use is essential to leverage students’ learning and encourage interaction, which otherwise would be limited. Such a study can shed light on students' learning and engagement benefits. Technology can also aid in creating a structured learning environment, with students being required to complete multiple tasks throughout the semester and engage with the platform repetitively, reinforcing improved curriculum retention (Schwerter et al., 2022). Our project involved implementing five tasks (a practice task and four assessed tasks) in a large-cohort first-year finance subject at a leading Australian university. The tasks contributed 15% to each student’s final mark and utilised the Feedback Fruits platform (integrated with Canvas LMS). For each task, students scanned their handwritten answers to two questions, uploaded them into the platform as a PDF file, completed self-assessment and reviewed a randomly assigned anonymous peer using a rubric designed to mimic the rubric used to mark final exam questions. We configured the system so that students had at least one week to upload their answers and another week to complete the self-assessment and peer review. Statistical analysis of the Feedback Fruits analytics files, which include completion rates and performance, involved regression analysis and propensity score matching and indicates a significant positive relationship between platform engagement (measured by time spent on the platform, provided comments length and task performance) and final exam performance, even after controlling for a student’s finance aptitude. The study also involved an end-of-semester survey and focus groups to capture students’ perceptions. Students indicated the positive learning benefits they gained from reviewing their peers, being reviewed, and reflecting on their performance. Furthermore, we found a high correlation between the number of comments and the average number of words per comment students left themselves and those left for their peers. The innovation of our research is in the scale, continuous use of the platform throughout the semester with multiple access points per task and better exam preparedness by simulating exam conditions utilising rubrics and handwriting requirements. This poster describes the project’s implementation process map, including task setup, timelines, and the support provided, which is the technical part of the bigger project. We review fundamental mechanisms to improve participation and the quality of the reviews. In addition, the poster presents the challenges faced and offers practical steps to overcome them.

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• Instilling pedagogy through the Shepherding process

  Mungo Jones, Susan Karpasitis

  Research on sessional teachers in legal education is underrepresented in the literature (Blackham, 2020). In law schools, sessional teachers are employed to develop and deliver bespoke intensive-based subjects at postgraduate level and are often classifiable as ‘outside industry experts’ (OIEs); this cohort has been described as atypical of sessional academics across the sector in many ways (Cowley, 2010). This poster presentation seeks to add to this area of knowledge, by presenting something of an auto-ethnographic snapshot of a ‘shepherding process’, implemented at MLS, from Educational Designers’ point of view. ‘Shepherding’ is a collaborative initiative for new subjects proposed to be taught at the MLS, enhancing curriculum design outcomes and pedagogical capabilities of new subject coordinators (most of whom lack formal training in teaching), as well as facilitating connection to the wider teaching and learning community and support services. When a new subject is proposed, would-be lecturers are usually not yet employed by the school. Having pitched an idea for a subject with the school, they work with an Educational Designer to refine a new subject proposal to be reviewed by a curriculum committee. As such, the shepherding process and the final deliverable of the new subject proposal form also forms part of the candidature process for prospective subject coordinators. Grounded in co-design principles, shepherding facilitates the integration of instructional design theories, particularly constructive alignment and backwards design, into the subject development workflow from the outset. The educational designer’s role is central to shepherding and begins with the collaborative formulation of subject intended learning outcomes (SILOs), development of an assessment regime and comprehensive subject mapping, with the aim to establish constructive alignment. Additionally, the shepherding process includes guidance on designing course content within the LMS, providing a structured and accessible online environment for students. In helping guide a new subject through to acceptance and by being a singular point of contact with new lecturers, the educational designer forms an ongoing relationship which can also help with ensuing curriculum development. Hitch et al. (2017) and Hattam et al. (2024) have both argued that sustainable and targeted professional development of sessional staff is a critical factor for increasing engagement and feelings of connection with their institution and to their roles, and that where this is lacking the consistency and quality of student educational experience can be undermined. Cowley (2010) argues for the creation of school-level programs of support for law schools, specifically aimed at OIEs, in lieu of one-size-fits-all programs at the institutional level. Because of the nature of the OIE cohort and subject delivery timelines, there is a limited window of opportunity to work towards ‘acculturating casual staff to the new student-focused learning agendas’ (Kift, 2003 cited in Cowley, 2010), towards improving student learning outcomes. By providing targeted support for OIE teaching staff, the shepherding process has represented a significant advance in MLS’s instructional design and curriculum development process, enhancing the alignment, consistency and quality of subject design. By aligning teaching practices with established instructional design theories, the process enhances the educational experience for both instructors and students.

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• More than a repository: Harnessing chatbots to support the identification of research project topics

  Huaqiong Zhou

  The value of a university degree is increasingly under scrutiny, with concerns that technologies such as ChatGPT will diminish the need for distributed scholarly content. The challenges created by technology can also become opportunities, under the right circumstances (Dempere et al., 2023). In this project, we leveraged the emerging Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to create a chatbot, to enable, rather than diminish, students’ learning. Students enrolled in a capstone research unit of Master of Advanced Practice (by coursework) are required to conduct a research project. Common challenges encountered by students include identification of project topic, digital literacy skills, research methodological knowledge, and research writing skills (Ginns et al., 2009; Li et al., 2019; Qasem & Zayid; 2019; Stagg & Kimmins, 2014). It is imperative to guide students to decide on an area of research that not only matches personal interest but also has clinical relevancy and significance. Delaying the identification of a feasible topic can cause students to experience anxiety and distress related to fear they are unable to complete their project on time (Qasem & Zayid; 2019; Li et al., 2019). This project explored two aims: (1) to harness GenAI (Chatbot) for scalable student learning, and (2) to enrich students’ university experiences by providing a scaffolded research-focussed learning opportunity. The project was guided by the active digital learning pedagogy consisting of student-centredness, formative feedback, constructive alignment and flexible infrastructure (Røe et al., 2022). Using a mixed-method approach, the project had four stages. Stage 1 collated and synthesised former students’ project topics (Year 2014 to 2023). Stage 2 created, tested, and tuned a GenAI topic-bank/chatbot based on the collated 252 project topics from Stage 1. To achieve this, we collaborated with an AI Experience Strategist to create the project topic-bank/chatbot using Azure open AI (GPT-4 with AI Search) via the reactive Amazone web server Amazon. The chatbot was then tested and tuned to ensure consistency search outcomes. Stage 3 implemented the chatbot on the 1st day of semester by posting the link with user guide as learning resource for students, who enrolled into the capstone research project unit. Stage 4 evaluated the chatbot’s usability and effectiveness using a 9-item self-developed survey based on the active digital learning pedagogy (Røe et al., 2022) and a 11-item Bot Usability Scale (BUS) (Borsci et al., 2023). The BUS scale consists of 5 domains focusing on students’ perception of accessibility to chatbot functions, quality of chatbot functions, quality of conversation and information provided, privacy and security, and time responses. Two open-ended questions were used to narratively explore students’ overall experiences and suggestions to improve the chatbot. Our findings showcased students’ early engagement with the unit by interacting with the project topic-bank/Chatbot. This ameliorated the challenges described above, whereby students practised search skills by entering key concept as “prompts” of their area of interest for the prospective project topic. These prompts included specialty, population and/or main concept/variables. Search results of the chatbot facilitated students in identifying project topic and improved overall unit satisfaction and learning experience.

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• Ask Me : Three Use Cases of Multimodal AI in Education

  Boyd Britton, Carmen Vallis

  In this poster, we share ongoing research into the use of realistic AI-generated avatars for education in a large Australian business school. These highly realistic avatars have been used as educational presenters to provoke critical discussions on ethical AI by immersing students in text-to-video technology (Vallis et al., 2024). From this initial study, an emergent typology for avatars in educational media has been developed, to help educators design for teaching and learning based on learning purposes and modes of delivery Britton & Vallis, 2023; Vallis & Britton, 2024). Such practical, theoretical guidance in designing, developing, and deploying AI in education is much needed (Dawson et al., 2023). Drawing upon learnings to date, we further explore synthetic media designs for effective and ethical use in education. The poster presents three use cases of synthetic media with QR codes to demonstrate their application and to facilitate discussion at the conference. An additional fourth QR code will be added to gather participant feedback on which use case they found most compelling and educational, as well as their reasons for their preferences. The first use case explores short video presentations, where synthetic media offers students a choice of accents, voices, and faces to present educational content (Dao et al., 2021). This approach aims to free teacher time for more learner guidance and communication, potentially enhancing learning outcomes. Video-based learning can enhance student engagement and understanding by providing flexible, interactive, and visually stimulating experiences (Sabli? et al., 2021). The second use case is ‘Ask me’, a trial of a realistic avatar that answers frequently asked questions. Multimodal AI, like GPT-4o, with integrated voice, video, and audio capabilities, can simulate real-world scenarios for educational scenarios with engaging and realistic experiences (Mollick & Mollick, 2023). Future use cases may include specific learning activities such as role-play and rehearsal. Multimodal feedback on student progress is presented in the third use case. A lifelike digital representation of a teacher has been designed to closely mimic a real human teacher’s appearance and expressions. Simple video feedback, generated based on student interactions with university systems and combined with a teacher’s text, is sent via email to enhance engagement. This trial is designed to augment feedback, rather than replace interaction between students and teachers (Bozkurt & Sharma, 2023). By presenting these use cases, we aim to provide practical insights and stimulate discussions on the ethical and effective use of synthetic media in education. Our preliminary findings indicate benefits to using AI-generated avatars, if the ethical implications and the quality of human-AI interactions are carefully considered in the learning design (Vallis et al., 2024).

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• Utilizing Virtual Reality Tours in Language Learning

  Roberto Jr Figueroa, Insung Jung, Florinda Palma Gil, Hiroshi Taniguchi, Jessa Perez

  Virtual reality (VR) has been recognized as a revolutionary technology in education, providing a multitude of benefits that enhance learning experiences and outcomes. By immersing students in interactive and engaging environments, VR can make abstract concepts tangible, foster deeper understanding, and accommodate diverse learning styles. With VR, students can be fully engaged in dynamic and stimulating environments, which can transform abstract concepts into concrete experiences. This immersive approach can promote a deeper grasp of the subject matter. An example demonstrated how VR may engage students and foster interactive learning by enabling them to investigate intricate systems and surroundings that would be unfeasible or inconvenient (Freina & Ott, 2015). In addition, VR was shown to provide affordances that are believed to enhance learning, such as the first-person experience and the sense of being present in a particular location, also known as presence or spatial presence (Mikropoulos & Natsis, 2011). Although these advantages have been documented, the implementation of this technology has proven challenging or unfeasible for many teachers and learners due to financial constraints. VR photos and videos, which are commonly referred to as 360-degree media, have become readily available resources that can be utilized to create low-cost immersive experiences for people who are learning. Researchers have claimed that previous research has demonstrated the usefulness of these tools in boosting spatial presence and interest among participants in virtual reality tours that were conducted as part of one-off investigations (Petousi et al., 2023). However, these findings need to be supported by research over extended periods of time in a variety of educational settings to gain an understanding of the intricacies and limitations of this technology-based instructional approach. This poster describes two initiatives in which VR tours have been integrated into language learning settings. The first initiative employed a design-based research methodology to assess the efficacy of VR tours among online learners in France and Japan while the second initiative is an ongoing project that focuses on teaching the Filipino Language in a Japanese classroom using blended learning. This poster showcases the results of research conducted as part of the initiatives. The findings demonstrate the positive impact of virtual reality tours on student motivation and highlights the role of various factors, including instructional material, learners' personal traits, and the physical environment in which they engage in online learning, in addition to spatial presence and technological novelty. Moreover, this poster presents information regarding the process of improving the tours and lessons, as well as the platforms and technologies that were utilized to address concerns regarding usability and sustainability.

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• MAVR in the Metaverse: A community of practice for XR educators

  Mehrasa Alizadeh, Roberto B. Figueroa Jr

  Extended reality (XR) technologies, which include virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), are gaining significant attention from educators for their potential to transform teaching and learning in higher education. According to recent research, XR offers immersive and interactive experiences that enhance student engagement and provide unique opportunities for experiential learning (Merchant et al., 2014; Radianti et al., 2020). In response to this growing interest, various professional organizations have developed virtual communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) to support educators in integrating XR into their curricula. One notable example is the Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities in Learning Special Interest Group (MAVR SIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT). Founded in 2017, the MAVR SIG was created to support language educators interested in adopting XR technologies for language learning (Hawkinson, Mehran, & Alizadeh, 2017). The SIG provides a platform for educators to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on research focused on XR in education. This community of practice is instrumental in advancing the integration of immersive technologies in language education, aligning with the broader global trends in educational technology (Ferdig et al., 2020). The MAVR SIG facilitates knowledge sharing and professional development through a variety of events, including research presentations, workshops, symposia, and webinars. Recent workshops have highlighted the pedagogical applications of XR, such as immersive language learning environments, AR-enhanced vocabulary instruction, and the use of VR for cultural immersion. These events not only promote the use of XR in education but also encourage educators to critically assess the affordances and challenges of these technologies in teaching. The positive impact of this community of practice has been evidenced by a growing number of members outside of Japan including the Philippines and Turkiye . Based on interviews from international members, the lack of local groups that support research and collaboration related to immersive technologies for teaching and learning encouraged them to join the Japan-based group. A particularly noteworthy initiative by the SIG is its regular series of events hosted on the Metaverse platform, Frame (https://framevr.io/). Frame offers an immersive and customizable virtual environment where members can meet, interact, and collaborate in real time. The platform’s features, such as virtual rooms, collaboration tools, and generative AI functions, enable educators to experiment with new teaching approaches and test platform capabilities. By leveraging these tools, educators can enhance their teaching practices, receive feedback, and refine their approaches to using XR in language learning. Looking ahead, the MAVR SIG is poised to expand its impact by increasing the number of events, deepening collaborations with educational institutions and professional organizations in Japan and globally and exploring novel applications of XR in both language and interdisciplinary education. As the community continues to support educators and drive innovation, the MAVR SIG is well-positioned to lead the integration of XR technologies into teaching and learning practices worldwide.

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