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UOW is moving from cautious exploration to a more considered, strategic and whole of institutional approach to the way that we use generative AI (gen AI) in education. Senior Professor Sue Bennett, Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Student Life) outlines UOW’s stance on adopting a considered, inclusive, and responsible approach to the use of gen AI in learning, teaching, and assessment.

 

Our commitment to innovation is going to inform our design of authentic assessment, our approach to programmatic assessment, and our commitment to experimentation with Generative AI.
Senior Professor Sue Bennett | Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Life
 

Senior Professor Sue Bennett: Hi, I'm Sue Bennett. I'm the Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Student Life here at the University of Wollongong. We're really excited to be embracing generative AI in our learning and teaching.

We've been engaging with AI through the lens of cautious curiosity, balancing the need for integrity through an interest in being able to support students and staff with learning and teaching. We're now at the point where we can bring together all of our efforts so far and take a more strategic and institution wide approach to how we will use generative AI in education.

Our long term aim is to transform the ways that we learn, teach, work, assess, and to prepare our students for a world in which AI will be integrated into their future professional lives. We're taking an evidence based, and collaborative approach to the risks and opportunities of generative AI. Through governance and ongoing consultation, we will maintain transparency and accountability.

Our approach to using generative AI is framed around 4 pillars.

The first pillar is integrity, so that is about designing secure assessments so we can really be sure that the performance of a student is the performance of that student. We have assessments that are helping students to learn, so assessment for learning, as well as having assessments that are assessing what students have learned. So that's assessment of learning. For example, it's looking across a degree program and working out where there are points for meaningful assessment across that program. So that's what's called programmatic assessment.

Another one of our pillars is about empowerment. So that's ensuring that our students and staff are confident users of generative AI, that they understand what it is useful for and how it can be used, and they feel confident to use it for those purposes.

And one of the enablers of empowerment is increasing our AI literacy. So ensuring that that is embedded not just in training programs, but in our own practise day to day and our conversations about generative AI.

Another one of our pillars is inclusion. So we know that digital inclusion is important across all of the range of technology enabled activities, and AI is no exception. Having access to the tools that you need and then beyond that, having the knowledge and the confidence to be able to use those tools are all elements of our inclusion approach.

And our fourth pillar is innovation. So we're committed not only to embedding AI in our current practise, but to be constantly looking for new innovations.

We know this is a very fast moving field and we also know that fantastic ideas for integrating AI are going to come from our own use by students and by staff.

So all together this reflects UOW's commitment to maintaining academic integrity and the quality of learning and teaching in an AI enabled world. We're also supporting staff and students to engage and innovate ethically and responsibly with AI. And that commitment to innovation is going to inform our design of authentic assessment, our approach to programmatic assessment, and our commitment to responsible experimentation with generative AI.

Graphic representation of 4 pillars;  integrity, empowerment, inclusion and innovation

Strategic pillars

UOW’s approach to Generative AI is guided by four strategic pillars that reflect our institutional commitment to innovation as well as maintaining academic integrity and the quality of learning and teaching in an AI-enabled world.

These commitments align with UOW's Values in Action (ViA) Framework.

Integrity icon
Integrity
Lead with Integrity

Upholding academic integrity is fundamental to UOW’s approach. We are reimagining assessments, curriculum, and teaching practices to ensure authenticity, fairness, and transparency in an AI-enabled world.

Guided by TEQSA’s (2023) assessment reform propositions, UOW is:

  • Designing secure assessment points at meaningful stages of the student journey
  • Focusing on multiple, inclusive, and contextualised assessments
  • Prioritising the process of learning, rather than merely product-driven evaluation

 

Empowerment icon
Empowerment
Pursue Excellence

We empower students, educators, and researchers with the skills and confidence to use AI ethically and effectively. By ensuring equitable access and embedding AI literacy across programs, UOW ensures graduates thrive in an AI-enabled world.

 

Inclusion icon
Inclusion
Thrive Together

We prioritise addressing barriers to ensure equitable access to AI tools and opportunities for learning. Through a phased, risk-based approach to assessment reform, we will ensure that changes to learning and teaching practices accommodate the needs of all students.

 

Innovation icon
Innovation
Be Accountable

We embrace innovation by fostering a culture of responsible and ethical exploration and integration of AI in education. This includes:

  • Designing authentic assessments that encourage students to engage meaningfully with AI
  • Implementing programmatic approaches that integrate AI literacy development across curricula
  • Encouraging responsible experimentation in AI-enhanced teaching and learning environments

 

UOW Learning & Teaching resources

Learn more about Generative AI

  • Understanding generative AI
    Access curated resources to enhance your understanding of generative AI and its applications.
  • AI for Learning and Future Careers
    Gain future-ready skills and develop core literacies needed to harness AI across work, learning and everyday contexts with this UOW short course for all led by Associate Professor Christopher Moore and team. This course was developed as part of the Humanities for a Changing World NSW Government Grant.
  • Introduction to AI Image Generation
    Learn design thinking to create images that communicate with purpose in this UOW short course. Developed by Associate Professor Christopher Moore and team as part of the Humanities for a Changing World NSW Government Grant and Learning Teaching Innovation Grant.
  • An introduction to how generative AI works and prompt engineering
    Dr Armin Alimardani's presentations demonstrate a foundational overview of how generative AI works and practical strategies for prompting.
  • Access L&T Support

Generative AI in the higher education sector

Showcase

Explore a collection of case studies and examples of practice from UOW thought leaders, researchers, teachers and student communities on the use of generative AI in education. For example:

Showcase - Ann Rogerson - Profile Picture

Generative AI and Academic Integrity

Academic Lead - Assessment Reimagined | BAL

Professor Ann Rogerson

Ella Young

Student Spotlight: Navigating the use of GenAI in a Case Study assessment

Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours) and UOW Vice-Chancellor Leadership Scholar

Ella Young

 



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