AI and the Future of Education Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions

Join us for a thought-provoking roundtable discussion featuring six leading thinkers in education and technology. This event brings together experts who have each contributed think pieces to UNESCO's call on AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions.

​Our panelists share insights from their submissions, discuss the complex implications of AI for education, and explore alternative visions for how education might evolve in an AI-mediated world. The conversation will examine both immediate challenges and longer-term transformations, considering how educators, institutions, and policymakers can shape more desirable educational futures.

Think pieces: https://linktr.ee/ai_future_education

​Speakers
​Bryan Alexander is an internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher working in the field of how technology transforms education. He is the author of the books Universities on Fire and Academia Next, as well as his popular blog and newsletter, AI, acaemia, and the Future. Bryan founded the Future of Education Observatory and has been described as "The Ax-Wielding Futurist" for his incisive commentary on the challenges facing higher education.

​Helen Beetham is a researcher and consultant in digital education who has edited several standard texts including Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age. Her work spans digital literacies, surveillance pedagogies, curriculum practice, and feminist theories of technology. Helen has advised universities across the UK, Europe, Africa, and Australasia on digital education strategies and has worked with international bodies including the EU, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Commonwealth of Learning. Her Digital Capabilities framework is widely used in universities globally, and she is currently completing a book on developing students' critical digital literacies through subject teaching. Her articles on AI, education, and society can be found at imperfect offerings.

​Doug Belshaw is co-founder of We Are Open Co-op, working at the intersection of systems thinking, digital literacies, and Open Recognition. His doctoral thesis from Durham University was entitled "What is digital literacy? A Pragmatic investigation." Doug has extensive experience across education sectors and has worked with organisations including Mozilla, where he led work on Open Badges and the Web Literacy Map, and Moodle, where he conceived and delivered MoodleNet, the world's first federated social network for educators. He is currently pursuing an MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice at The Open University. Doug's writings can be accessed via his website.

​Laura Hilliger is a concept architect, open strategist, and co-founder of We Are Open Co-op. As an activist, educator, writer, and technologist, she advocates for openness, solidarity, and equity. Laura spent over five years helping Mozilla strategically develop their educational initiative and has been working with Greenpeace since 2015. She has designed and run workshops teaching others how to develop projects using a synthesis of design and agile methodologies, web skills, and digital tools. Laura holds a Master's degree in Media and Education from Universität Rostock and serves as an Open Organization Ambassador. Her website contains links to her blog and newsletter.

​Ian O'Byrne is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at the College of Charleston. His research investigates the literacy practices of individuals in online and hybrid spaces, focusing on the dispositions and practices people use when reading, writing, and communicating digitally. Ian has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters on topics ranging from online coursework and classroom technology integration to computational thinking and supporting marginalised students in literacy practices. He maintains an active presence through his website and weekly newsletter Digitally Literate.

​Karen Louise Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film at Brock University. Her research focuses on bringing community and public interest perspectives to bear on the design, use, and governance of digital technologies. Karen explores the themes of openness, privacy, and participation in digital society. Her published work includes submissions to federal policy-makers on privacy and AI draft bills, exploration of pandemic connectivity for K-12 learners, studies of advocacy in privacy software design, and the creation of open educational resources to enhance digital policy literacy. She teaches courses related to social media, surveillance, and new media policy issues and is published in journals such as Surveillance & Society. Karen's writing can be accessed via her website.