A user group is a great way to get the latest product gossip from the supplier and more importantly other institutions. They are great ways to network, get inspiration from peers and generally gauge where we are in the current implementation compared to others (plus free pastries).
The Canvas UK & Ireland user group was hosted by Manchester University. The day covered the Canvas roadmap, rubric adoption at medical schools, institutions migrating to canvas from another suppliers, break out sessions on analytics and administration of a VLE and more however there seemed to be one theme that was ever present in sessions, AI.
The first presenter represented FE and discussed how they had developed AI tools based on the Azure Framework (Microsoft) to create assessment feedback for students, assessment feedback summaries for staff and AI assistants to support students. The session highlighted how coding light tools can be developed using existing frameworks, APIs and a lot of engagement with users. The session generated a lot of questions including environmental impact, opt-in/out, academic integrity, quality and assurance of feedback etc. These questions aren’t new but I feel like we have moved from a space where we questioned AI and how it would be included in education to a new space where institutions themselves are developing tools.
With Open AI and the rapid evolution of LLMs suppliers are rushing to squeeze AI into their applications but at what risk? And why? I feel like we are partly to blame as we like new stuff but also want to improve the staff and student experience. It feels like AI might be the new thing that will solve all our problems (did someone saying Learning Analytics…). Like any new tech and especially with LLMs we also need to factor that these cohorts may have a certain level of expectation that AI is integrated into their professional, academic or learning journey. My fear is where should it be integrated and why?
New stuff is always fun for me but as someone who works with technology, I also need to consider the why? What is this bringing to the user’s experience? Do we have a gap? Does it improve the users experience? Any repercussions we need to consider? Speaking to design colleagues and stakeholders should drive the change and with AI I don’t know how much of a conversation is happening with users. Don’t get me wrong we need to start somewhere, and basic support bots being used to support users (like ELM or EDHelp) help us grow knowledge and at the same time they practically allow end-users to interact and maybe think about additional functionality they would like to see included in these tools or where they can envision these tools supporting them.
Instructure will be releasing more AI functionality and already have tools like Insights which utilises aspects of AI so:
‘buckle your seat Dorothy, cause Kanvas is going bye-bye!’ – Cypher, The Matrix.
