Futures Platform | Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Curtin /about Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:07:15 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /about/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/Logo-150x150.png Futures Platform | Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Curtin /about 32 32 Global Futures High School Challenge-Based Learning Intensives /about/futures-platform/global-futures-high-school-challenge-based-learning-intensives/ Thu, 18 Dec 2025 01:03:41 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=34955 In early December, Global Futures hosted two immersive High School Challenge-Based Learning Intensives, bringing 70 students from three high schools onto Curtin’s Bentley campus for hands-on, future-focused learning experiences. One Global Futures Challenge focused on cultural understanding and globalisation, and the other on post-war reconstruction and peace-building. Each 3 day intensive challenged students to think critically, collaborate creatively, and engage with complex global issues. Students worked in teams, combining creativity, critical inquiry, and real-world problem-solving.

The Global cultures: K-Pop Challenge, coordinated by Dr Eldin Milak and supported by Curtin’s Korea Research and Engagement Centre, explored the global phenomenon of K-pop as a platform for both entertainment and social change. Students were tasked with creating an AI-generated K-pop group built around a specific social mission of their choosing, with groups choosing issues such as mental health awareness or climate action. The challenge integrated cultural learning and creative production, with students developing group identities, lyrics, visuals, and messaging aligned to their chosen cause. Participants also engaged in introductory Korean language and writing, and collaborated to learn a K-pop dance, highlighting the connections between culture, creativity, technology, and global influence.

The After War: Rebuilding together Challenge invited students to imagine how societies rebuild following conflict. ā€œWe tried to value-add to what students are learning as part of the high school curriculum, for example in Humanities and Social Sciences subjects such as economics, geography, history and so on. The curriculum tends to focus on significant wars themselves, such as WWI and WWII, so we asked students to consider what happens when the conflict ends and rebuilding starts. They loved this shift of focusā€, said Professor Farida Fozdar, Dean, Global Futures.

Guided by sociologists, geographers, and international relations experts, and mentored by Curtin students, the high school students considered immediate needs and resourcing post-war, modelled critical infrastructure using Lego, mapped a post-conflict city, including rethinking physical infrastructure, recreational space and transport systems, agonised over setting priorities for recovery (with a limited budget should healthcare be prioritised over education or roads for example) and wrote a constitution. The challenge culminated in the design of a Festival of Hope, symbolising social healing and future possibilities.

The two challenges emphasised active learning and student agency, encouraging young people to draw on their own perspectives while developing skills in teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making. Through challenge-based learning, students moved beyond classroom theory to test ideas, respond to constraints, and propose creative, evidence-based solutions.

By the end of the intensives, students had not only deepened their understanding of global issues, but gained confidence in their capacity to contribute creatively and thoughtfully to future solutions. The Global Futures High School Challenges reflect Curtin’s ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of changemakers through inclusive, innovative, and transformative educational experiences.

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Inspiring the Next Generation: 2025 Indigenous Futures High School Challenge /about/futures-platform/inspiring-the-next-generation-2025-indigenous-futures-high-school-challenge/ Mon, 01 Dec 2025 02:42:41 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=34353 Held during the week of 11 November 2025 at Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s Bentley Campus, the annual Indigenous Futures High School Challenge once again brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from across Western Australia for an enriching and creative learning experience.

Led by Associate Professor Mandy Downing, Dean of Indigenous Futures, the program invites High School students to explore their strengths, expand their aspirations and deepen their connection to learning through hands-on workshops and collaboration.

Throughout the week, students engaged with Curtin academics, community, industry mentors and creative practitioners across a series of practical, immersive sessions. These workshops introduced participants to diverse areas within the creative industries, showcasing future study pathways and the many career possibilities available to them. Participating students had the opportunity to explore Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Bentley Campus, getting a feel for university life and recognising that they are worthy and capable of studying in higher education.

A central feature of the Challenge is its emphasis on collaboration. Students worked alongside peers from different schools, building meaningful connections and drawing inspiration from one another in a supportive, culturally grounded environment. The program encourages confidence, curiosity and self-belief, encouraging participants to see themselves as future leaders, creators and innovators.

The Faculty of Humanities is proud to host this important annual initiative, which continues to strengthen relationships between schools, communities and Āé¶¹Ö±²„ while nurturing the next generation of Indigenous talent.

Watch the Highlights Here

Gallery

For more information on Indigenous Futures Challenges please contact Humanities-Futures@curtin.edu.au

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Curtin Dean of Global Futures elected to prestigious Fellowship /about/futures-platform/curtin-dean-of-global-futures-elected-to-prestigious-fellowship/ Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:48:30 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=34191 Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s Dean of Global Futures  has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to sociology and social inclusion research, being elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia ().

The Academy brings together more than 700 of Australia’s leading researchers across the social sciences, with an ASSA Fellowship acknowledging a sustained and internationally distinguished contribution and representing one of the nation’s highest honours in the field.

Professor Fozdar, whose work explores migration, identity, nationalism and belonging, said she was humbled by the recognition.

ā€œBeing a female academic who came to academia after a decade spent mothering, I have my fair share of imposter syndrome,ā€ Professor Fozdar said.

ā€œThe Fellowship is an acknowledgement of the years of juggling and of the support of family and colleagues along the way.

ā€œI’m honoured and humbled to be in such illustrious company.ā€

As a child of migrants, Professor Fozdar said her early experiences inspired her focus on social justice and inclusion.

ā€œI wanted to understand how power and inequality work — and how we can make small, meaningful changes with communities and policymakers to improve people’s lives,ā€ she said.

ā€œSociology gave me the tools to do that.ā€

Professor Fozdar’s research has shaped national conversations on migration, race relations and belonging.

Among her most notable work are studies on migrant settlement, social inclusion and Australian and global citizenship, plus widely cited research which found a link between people displaying Australian flags on their cars for Australia Day and exclusionary nationalism.

In her current role as Dean, Global Futures, in Curtin’s Faculty of Humanities, Professor Fozdar leads innovative teaching opportunities on global challenges and mentors emerging researchers, while undertaking projects such as studies of African Australians’ contributions to Australia’s political and economic spheres and the impacts of policy on Muslim Australians.

Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne congratulated Professor Fozdar on the prestigious honour.

ā€œProfessor Fozdar exemplifies Curtin’s commitment to research that challenges inequality and builds a more inclusive world,ā€ Professor Hayne said.


ā€œHer election to the Academy recognises her leadership in sociology and her impact on communities here in Australia and beyond.

ā€œWe are immensely proud of this achievement.ā€

Professor Fozdar will be formally recognised at the Academy’s 2025 New Fellows Presentations and ASSA Gala Dinner in Sydney next month.

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Global Sustainability Challenge 2025 | Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Dubai /about/futures-platform/global-sustainability-challenge-2025-curtin-university-dubai/ Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:08:15 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=34167 The 2025 Global Sustainability Challenge brought together Āé¶¹Ö±²„ students from across disciplines and campuses for an immersive, high-impact learning experience hosted at. Over the course of the week, students engaged in deep exploration of sustainability, cultural context, design thinking and multimedia storytelling as they worked towards innovative responses to this year’s global brief.

Immersive Learning Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi

From the very first day, students were encouraged to think critically and creatively about people, place and sustainability on a global scale. Their learning extended far beyond the studio, with field visits and cultural experiences that shaped their understanding of the region’s social, environmental and historical landscape.

Students explored key cultural and environmental sites including:

  • Dubai Design District (d3)
  • Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
  • Louvre Abu Dhabi
  • Burj Khalifa
  • Dubai Creek and historic precincts

These experiences enabled students to draw inspiration from diverse cultural narratives, architectural innovation, and the environmental challenges and opportunities unique to the region. These experiences enabled students to draw inspiration from diverse cultural narratives, architectural innovation, and the environmental challenges and opportunities unique to the region.

Through guided tours, site analysis, and multimedia documentation, students connected ideas, captured insights and expanded their perspective on sustainability in rapidly evolving global contexts.

Collaboration With Expert Partners

A core component of the Challenge involved spending time with industry and community partners who provided firsthand insight into ecological systems, sustainable development and social innovation across the UAE. Students participated in open discussions and guided environmental tours, building a stronger understanding of regional sustainability priorities and their implications for design and policy.

This direct engagement gave students both the knowledge and inspiration needed to develop informed, meaningful and future-focused responses to the Challenge brief.

Bringing It All Together: Final Studio Day & Pitch Night

After six days of cultural immersion, research, prototyping and reflection, students entered their final studio session, a day dedicated to refining, validating and elevating their design solutions.

Teams worked collaboratively to:

  • Critically review their concepts against stakeholder needs
  • Strengthen logic, structure and storytelling
  • Validate facts, data and research
  • Integrate cultural and environmental insights
  • Finalise their visual and multimedia outputs

Working lunches, peer-to-peer critique sessions and last-round revisions filled the day as teams prepared for their final showcase. That evening, students took the stage for Pitch Night, presenting their completed concepts to peers, facilitators, and invited industry guests. Each presentation demonstrated not only creative thinking but also a deep appreciation for sustainability, cultural context and design rigour. Their work reflected courage, curiosity and a strong commitment to shaping more sustainable futures.

Leadership and Support

Beginning on 6 November 2025, the Challenge was led by an experienced team from Curtin Bentley’s Faculty of Humanities including Professor Josh Byrne, Professor Francesco Mancini, Melissa Greenberg, Stephanie Lee, Bayley Simonds and Arlen Brower (Science and Engineering), as well as academics from Curtin Dubai, including Ajita Nayar, Professor Pon Selvan and Professor Anitha Menon.  

Their guidance ensured that students were supported at every stage, from initial ideation through to final delivery.

Looking Ahead

The Global Sustainability Challenge continues to demonstrate the power of global collaboration, experiential learning and interdisciplinary thinking. We are incredibly proud of our students for their energy, resilience and creativity throughout this year’s Challenge.

Watch the Highlights Here

Watch the Student Highlights Here

Gallery

For more information on our upcoming Sustainability Challenges please contact Humanities-Futures@curtin.edu.au

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MCASI Graduate Presents Newly Completed PhD at Global Indigenous Education Conference /about/futures-platform/mcasi-graduate-presents-newly-completed-phd-at-global-indigenous-education-conference/ Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:37:39 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=33989 Sophie Karangaroa, who recently passed her PhD as a MCASI student, presented her doctoral research at the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) yesterday, a major global forum attended by more than 3,800 delegates from around the world.

Sophie’s PhD was supervised by Associate Professor Michelle Johnston, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kim Scott, and Professor Huia Jahnker from Massey University (New Zealand). Her doctoral work reflects the depth and strength of Indigenous-led research emerging through MCASI, and her presentation at WIPCE highlighted the cultural integrity, academic rigour, and relevance of her study.

Supporting Sophie at the conference were:
• Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker (School of Education), who has mentored her throughout the project
• Associate Professor Michelle Johnston (MCASI)
• Brendon DeGois (Centre for Aboriginal Studies)
• Associate Professor Mandy Downing, Dean, Indigenous Futures

Sophie’s achievement demonstrates Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s commitment to elevating Indigenous scholarship, strengthening research capacity, and celebrating the leadership of emerging Indigenous researchers on a global stage.

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Changemakers of Sustainability Challenge Inspires Real-World Urban InnovationĀ  /about/futures-platform/changemakers-of-sustainability-challenge-inspires-real-world-urban-innovation/ Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:49:24 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=33458 The 2025 Changemakers for Sustainability Challenge, led by Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s Professor Josh Byrne, has wrapped up another inspiring year of collaboration, creativity, and community impact. 

Held from 13 – 30 October 2025 in Fremantle WA and Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Bentley Campus, the challenge brought together students from , Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Academics, Fremantle community champions, and the City of Fremantle to tackle a live community sustainability brief; William Street ā€˜Reimagined’. 

Participants worked collaboratively to explore innovative ways to enhance sustainability, livability, and community connection through urban greening within the heart of Fremantle. The challenge provided students with hands-on experience in community-led urban design, sustainability innovation, and collaborative problem-solving, bridging academic learning with real-world application. 

ā€œThrough masterclasses with Curtin academics and mentorship from industry leaders, our students have gained practical skills, fresh perspectives and a glimpse into future pathways in sustainability.ā€ ā€“ The Studio School Fremantle 

The 2025 challenge once again demonstrated the value of connecting education, industry, local government, and community to drive positive change and reaffirmed the vital role of young changemakers in shaping a sustainable future. 

Watch the Highlights Here

Contact Humanities-Futures@curtin.edu.au for more information on our challenges.

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Learning Futures Outreach Challenge 2025 – Games for Good /about/futures-platform/learning-futures-outreach-challenge-2025-games-for-good/ Wed, 29 Oct 2025 03:02:40 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=33154

The Game Makers @ Curtin is an exciting, hands-on, family-focused event designed to spark creativity, collaboration, and curiosity in the next generation of digital storytellers and designers.

Over two dynamic days, parent-child teams (one child aged 11–15 and one parent or guardian) will explore the art and science of game creation through a series of immersive workshops, creative challenges, and collaborative design sessions.

Presented by Dean Learning Futures, Jonathan Pillai, Participants engage with game creation tools like Scratch, Twine, and Construct, learn coding basics, and collaborate on prototyping and peer feedback, blending creative learning with insights into digital creativity and career pathways.

Program Overview

The event features two themed days Game Design and Building & Prototyping, introducing participants to both the creative and technical sides of game development:

  • Day 1: Game Design Foundations
    • Interactive talks from industry speakers and Curtin experts on game mechanics, narrative design, and the developmental benefits of play.
    • Guided brainstorming and storyboarding sessions to help participants craft compelling worlds and characters.
    • Exploration of how games can be used as powerful tools for storytelling, education, and positive change.
  • Day 2: Building & Prototyping
    • Hands-on creation using beginner-friendly tools like Scratch, Twine, and Construct.
    • Introduction to basic coding, digital design, and user experience principles.
    • Collaborative peer feedback and mini-showcase where teams share their playable prototypes.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

  • Gain an understanding of core game design principles, from concept to prototype.
  • Develop skills in creative problem-solving, storytelling, coding, and digital literacy.
  • Discover how gaming intersects with careers in digital media, design, software development, and creative industries.
  • Strengthen communication and teamwork through the unique parent-child collaboration model.

The Game Makers @Curtin reflects Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s commitment to fostering future-focused, interdisciplinary learning experiences. It empowers young learners to see themselves not just as players, but as creators and innovators shaping the digital worlds of tomorrow.

By blending play, creativity, and education, the event provides families with a meaningful opportunity to engage in digital creation together, while offering a glimpse into pathways within Curtin’s Humanities and Digital Futures programs.

To find out more about our Faculty of Humanities Outreach challenges contact:

humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au

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±·²µ²¹²¹°ł»å²¹Ģż²Ń±š»å¾±²¹ CEO visits Āé¶¹Ö±²„ to strengthen storytelling collaborationsĀ  /about/futures-platform/ngaarda-media-ceo-visits-curtin-university-to-strengthen-storytelling-collaborations/ Tue, 21 Oct 2025 01:23:45 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=32741 On 15 October 2025, the Faculty of Humanities at Āé¶¹Ö±²„ welcomed Tangiora Hinaki, CEO of Ngaarda Media, to the School of Media, Culture, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry (MCASI) for a tour of the University’s journalism, radio and television facilities, and a collaborative session with Curtin Journalism students.

, based inĀ LeramagaduĀ (Roebourne), is theĀ only licensed Aboriginal broadcasterĀ in the Pilbara region, giving voice to more thanĀ 30 Traditional Owner language groups. Founded by theĀ Yindjibarndi community,Ģż±·²µ²¹²¹°ł»å²¹Ģż²Ń±š»å¾±²¹ is a respected news broadcaster and content producer sharing language, culture, community stories and First Nations news through ,ĢżĀ and digital platforms.Ā 

During her visit, Ms Hinaki met with Curtin Journalism students to discuss storytelling partnerships betweenĀ ±·²µ²¹²¹°ł»å²¹Ģż²Ń±š»å¾±²¹,Ģżand Āé¶¹Ö±²„Ā JournalismĀ andĀ Screen ArtsĀ students, highlighting the importance of First Nations perspectives in media practice.Ā 

Originally from the eastern tribesĀ NgātiĀ KahungunuĀ andĀ Ngāti PorouĀ of Aotearoa (New Zealand), Tangiora has built her career in media through roles including eight years atĀ ABC PilbaraĀ in Karratha. Her passion for telling First Nations stories continues to driveĀ ±·²µ²¹²¹°ł»å²¹Ģż²Ń±š»å¾±²¹ā€™s work as a community-focused broadcaster.Ā 

The visit was initiated by Dean of Indigenous Futures, Assoc Professor and Ngarluma Yindjibarndi woman, Mandy Downing, whose commitment to ‘Indigenous futures’, the development cultural competency as a graduate attribute and amplifying positive Indigenous stories across media aligns closely with Curtin’s focus on community partnerships and cross-cultural understanding. 

Also facilitating the discussion were Dr Glynn Greensmith, Associate Professor Michelle Johnston, Ms Lucy Martin, Ms Sally Goldrick, and John Curtin Gallery’s Mr Ron Bradfield. 

The discussions marked an exciting step toward future collaborations between Curtin University students and Ngaarda Media, strengthening opportunities for students to engage with Indigenous-led media and storytelling. 


Follow Ngaarda Media on

Learn more about Āé¶¹Ö±²„’s Journalism and Screen Arts offerings

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My EduTECH epiphany: The word is ā€˜mandate’ /about/futures-platform/my-edutech-epiphany-the-word-is-mandate/ Thu, 16 Oct 2025 01:18:35 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=32631 By: Dr Kayt Davies

November 7, 2024

Note: As a journalism educator, my perspective is tilted towards my field, but the insights can be generalised to other fields.

The EduTECH 2024 Conference, August 13 to 14, was weird in the way that big conferences are. A flurry of corporate hustle, while amazing people rush through condensed versions of years of research in back-to-back sessions. Through the glaze of overwhelm that inevitably sets in, I got the message. Something needs to change. We need to change. We need to go beyond tolerating AI use or regarding it just as a form of cheating to be deterred and detected. We need to lean in and mandate the use of it.

Image credit: EduTech

The message came from people who have spent time with the issue at the highest levels: We need to be producing graduates who are comfortable with AI, fluent in understanding its strengths and weaknesses, and who can safely and ethically deploy it as a tool.

The people making these calls included Professor Rose Luckin, one of the founders of the UK-based Institute for Ethical AI in Education and an author of some of its .

And Professor Philip Dawson from Deakin University, who was involved in writing a document published by the Tertiary Standards Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) in late 2023 called Assessment Reform for the Age of Artificial Intelligence.

Apparently ā€˜experience with AI’ is the new tech-kid skill employers say they are going to be looking for in graduate employees.

So, ā€œmandate it,ā€ the experts say.

The revolution’s here

But this raises a flurry of questions in me: What would we use it for, specifically? How much time do I have to test or practice putting it to that use (whatever I come up with) before I can teach and assess that use of it?

And what about the very real problem that while I am teaching at a university I am not ā€œout thereā€ in industry, doing it for real, so how can I speak with authenticity about the way it is being used?

Last week, the Poynter Institute advertised a short course via four webinars for $649 called  to help journalists, and maybe educators, ā€œget the lay of the landā€ via ā€œweekly hands-on, expert-guided tours of AI tools they can immediately begin implementing in their workā€..

Courses like this may be part of the solution but, more broadly, its existence speaks to there being a widespread need to get up to speed because the revolution’s here.

Perhaps one of the ways to understand the task ahead is to break it down into parts, or types of AI, or use cases. This might make it easier to start spooning it into our courses.

Maybe breaking it up into:

  • How are journalists using it in industry?
  • How should we be using it as educators in our work?
  • And how are we teaching students about AI, as a transformer of work practices, industries, and culture more broadly?

On the first point, as well as teaching how it is being used, we need to talk about what it is not acceptable to use it for and why. The obvious issue is that there are trust problems. It sometimes gets things wrong, so how can we teach students to verify its outputs? How can we assess their verification work?

There are also core skills that journalists need to have, in order to be able to assess whether an AI assistant is doing a good job or not. Our students need to learn what good journalism is so they can recognise it when they see it and call out bad journalism, by AIs and other people.

Our challenge is to make sure we can assess their ability to recognise good journalism, even when AI assistants have been used to do some of the tasks that went into creating the content.

Our new AI colleagues

Then there is the teaching side of the issue, because the potential productivity advances mean we will be expected to be using it. To put it bluntly, our workloads are likely to increase because of the expectation that AI will make us able to do some things faster.

So, we need to ponder how we can use it to develop our teaching materials, develop materials for use in assessments and to help us to mark the assessments.

I have mixed feelings about doing this because deep down it feels a bit like cheating, but this is the kind of feeling we are being challenged to get over. Using an AI to do parts of a task is not cheating, if you still have control over the whole task.

My other problem at this juncture was imagining what tasks I could outsource to an AI assistant. My days are about teaching and assessing certain specific things and helping students with specific questions. I couldn’t see how generic AI assistant answers could be helpful with that.

I raised this question with a Google staffer at EduTECH and he wrote my question into Google’s AI Gemini which promptly wrote a list of the ways it could help a journalism educator. These are the things we need to delve into, unpack and test drive.

Rethinking assessment

All well and good, but do I need extra ideas at this point? I have courses that I’m teaching, activities scheduled for each week, assessments that have been refined over years. I’m not starting from scratch.

Deakin’s Professor Phillip Dawson was thought-provoking on this front. He said we need to look at what our students need to be able to do in a world where AI assistance is ubiquitous, and that our assessments need to prepare them for this world.

A wall-sized poster outside the Google room threw down the challenge of thinking into this, quoting a teacher/blogger known as the Fearful Biologist asking: ā€œIf AI can do it, why would I ask the student to do it instead?ā€

Dawson argued that because AI can now do much of what we have previously assessed, we need to reconsider both what and how we assess.

It is a topic he has given a good deal of thought to, as one of the authors of a 2023  on assessment reform.

The authors of the eight-page document call AI ā€œan urgent catalyst for changeā€ but say there is considerable expertise, based on evidence, theory and practice, about how to design assessments for a digital world, which includes artificial intelligence.

They acknowledge that generative AI use may make it hard to assess students’ personal learning attainment, but argue that as AI use is becoming more common and more difficult to assess, there is a need to reconsider the nature of our assessments in relation to generative AI.

They also said there is little value in ignoring AI or implementing bans, calling these approaches oversimplifications. They also warned against setting restrictions that could not be enforced, as that damages the validity of the assessment. Therefore, while some assessment tasks need to be secured against AI use, in others AI use is to be expected and accepted.

Their counterargument to over-restriction was that ā€œforming trustworthy judgements about student learning in a time of AI requires multiple, inclusive and contextualised approaches to assessment.ā€

Specifically, they called for assessments that ā€œencourage students to critically analyse AI’s role in, and value for, work and study, aligned with disciplinary or professional valuesā€.

They also argued that assessment should aim to engage students in learning via partnerships between teachers and students, in which students participate in feedback.

This notion quelled any fears I had about AI threatening my job. It seems that the way to tackle AI is to have teachers and assessors who actually know their students, what they are working on, how they are working and what they are learning. This seems like a move against the ā€˜massive’ class model that was being spruiked a few years ago, and towards a more intimate and boutique educational experience. Together students, teachers and AI assistants will do interesting things, and I am looking forward to finding out what that is like.

Professor Shelley Kinash from Universal Higher Education, a new start-up private tertiary college, explained that as a new institution with new courses, they had been able to build in consideration of AI from the ground up. Therefore, all of their assessments were taking AI assistance into consideration. She said UHE had two types of assessments in their courses. The first type asked students to use Gen AI to start answering the question (write base code/or a draft answer, then debug or ramp it up, and submit it along with a reflection of what they did and why. The second type asked students to draft an answer, polish it with AI and submit it with a reflection on the whole process.

This sweeping approach is more prescriptive than Dawson’s reference to many and varied types of assessments, and counter to his conclusion that not all assessments of disciplinary outcomes should be substituted with assessments of AI use or critique of its outcomes, but Kinash said it suited the courses UHE is offering.

The kids will get there first

The room next to the one where these discussions about AI and the tertiary sector were underway had a cool big screen stage set up, pumped up music and a bunch of cheerful Google staff handing out lollies and conference novelty gifts. It was good to pop into for a change of pace.

Several of the presenters on the Google stage were teachers from Google Reference Schools: Schools that have early access to new Google teaching tools, so that they can pop into conferences like this and talk about the cool ways they are using Gemini AI, Google Vids and other tools from the Google Workspace with their grade fives, grade threes, grade ones.

The tools were cool. Grade fives were using templates to make videos that integrated footage, still images, text, voiceovers and background music. Grade ones were painstakingly spelling out words letter by letter to an AI assistant called Thea who congratulated them with tireless enthusiasm and corrected them when they stumbled. Thea also offered to send the teacher a summary of words the class stumbled over, and some activities that would help the class master the missing skills.

Image credit: EduTech

It’s worth noting that Google is not alone in the high-tech/coding/AI classroom space. Grok Academy and Khan Academy are also there, along with a host of other providers who filled the exhibition hall pitching their teaching aids to the thousands of teachers in attendance.

The week I was watching these wonders, the Australian and WA Governments jointly announced that they are co-funding an AI in education pilot program to reduce teacher workloads in WA.

Their  says: ā€œThe $4.7 million initiative will use AI at eight WA schools to reduce lesson planning time so teachers can spend more time in the classroom and less time doing admin.ā€

The initiative is informed by the Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools, and the language is all about ā€œworkload reductionā€, which sounds suspiciously like payroll reduction to me, but the upshot is that it won’t be long before the students in our tertiary classes are people who’ve been working with AI for most of their lives.

What is HI?

The third point is one that UK Professor Rose Lucken drove home.

She said that while we are busy exploring and learning about what AI can do, we will concurrently be refining our understanding of human intelligence (HI) and how it differs from AI.

She said there is so much that people can do that we don’t yet really appreciate: ā€œEmbodiment matters: We are complex living, feeling beings. Feeling matters and it is something AI can’t do.ā€

With decades of experience in this field behind her, she forecast immense change in all fields of human endeavour and stressed the importance of caution and vigilance as we proceed through these turbulent times. This is why talking about it in humanities classes is important.

She worries about AI being advertised as ā€œeffortlessā€. She said the drive by corporations to commercialise and monetise AI would see people being encouraged to simply off-load tasks and that if we do this too fast and too willingly, it may result in widespread skill loss. She cited examples of this already having happened with some skills, and wondered if the effect of more widespread skill loss would be AI dependency.

She also worries that we will overestimate what AI can do and says that working together is the way forward. She said that while she is broadly optimistic, failing to pay enough attention as monetised AI swoops through our culture could have dire consequences.

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Global Futures Highschool Challenge 2025 – After War /about/futures-platform/global-futures-highschool-challenge-2025-after-war/ Tue, 23 Sep 2025 01:23:09 +0000 /about/?post_type=futures-platform&p=31753 Āé¶¹Ö±²„ is excited to announce the Global Futures High School Challenge: After War, a thought-provoking 3-day event designed for Year 7–10 students. This immersive experience invites students to explore the global consequences of conflict and the possibilities for peacebuilding, resilience, and renewal in postwar societies. 

The challenge will take place on the Curtin Bentley Campus from Monday, 8th December to Wednesday, 10th December 2025. Across the three days, students will engage in a series of interactive and creative activities, including: 

Exploration of Postwar Futures: Students will investigate the aftermath of conflict through historical, cultural, and humanitarian lenses. Using real-world case studies, they will explore themes such as displacement, reconstruction, reconciliation, and the role of global institutions in peacebuilding. 

Creative Inquiry and Collaboration: Guided by Āé¶¹Ö±²„ academics and mentors, students will work in teams to research specific aspects of postwar recovery. They will synthesise their findings and co-create visual and narrative responses that imagine hopeful futures beyond war. 

Immersive Campus Experience: Students will experience university life firsthand, collaborating with peers and academics in a dynamic learning environment. This exposure aims to spark curiosity about global studies, international relations, and humanitarian work. 

By the end of the challenge, participants will have developed new skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and creative problem-solving. They will gain a deeper understanding of global conflict and recovery, and be empowered to consider their role in shaping a more peaceful and just world. This event offers a unique platform for young changemakers to begin their journey as globally engaged citizens. 

PROGRAM DETAILS 

Who:                  Year 7 – 10 high school students 

¶Ł²¹³Ł±š:ĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢżĢż Monday December 8th – Wednesday December 10th 2025

Time:                  9.30am – 2.30pm 

Location:            Āé¶¹Ö±²„ Bentley Campus 

Cost:                   FREE 

Contact:             humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au 

If you would like to know more about upcoming Global Futures High School challenge-based learning opportunities, please contact us at: humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au 

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