Posted 22 April 2024

Aligned with our digital strategy at Kirklees College (KC), we promote digital curiosity. This includes embracing the fast-paced and constantly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our aim is to support both staff and students to use AI safely and ethically, and as a college wide team, foster responsible innovation and positive impacts on teaching and learning and college operations. Through exploring AI, we also aim to support the workload and wellbeing of our educators.  

This academic year we have developed an ‘AI working group’ with the aim to support each other by sharing thoughts on experiences of the pros and cons of the ever-increasing number of AI platforms and tools (e.g. Magic School, Canva, Fliki, Claude AI, Edpuzzle, Quiziz etc.), and sharing hints, tricks and tips.   

This year, we have embarked on a ‘Teachermatic’ Pilot study, recruiting 50 KC educators who have explored the platform tools. Initial findings have shown a significant reduction in the time spent planning, marking and creating resources when using the platform. On average a saving of five hours a week has been reported by educators, clearly supporting workload and wellbeing. 

Regular drop in sessions are provided for anyone happy to share their AI experiences or to come along and be inspired to start their AI journey.   

A positive impact on AI curiosity and engagement from the KC team has also been evidenced by a significant increase in AI workshop attendance at our recent Staff Development day in March compared to our July 2023 ‘Festival of Learning’.  

Not limiting the support and sharing of innovation within Kirklees College, our amazing Teaching Learning and Digital Lead, Kirsty Ingleson has also created an ‘Artificial Intelligence Collaboration’ working group. This group facilitates support, sharing and collaboration with colleagues from other FE Institutes (including HE provisions) across the country via TEAMs platform. Such collaboration has seen the recent successful development of our ‘AI Safe Use Guidance’ supporting both staff and students.   

Not restricting our ‘AI Collaboration’ networking to an online space, in February we hosted a face to face meeting in our new ‘Digital Innovation Hub’ at the Waterfront Campus, Huddersfield. We used the principles of Nancy Kline’s ‘Thinking Environment’ to unlock ideas and share thinking about how AI is used to innovate and improve TLA and consider the implications and management of AI misconduct in assessment. We met colleagues from the local Yorkshire region as well further afield such as Derbyshire, Lancashire and London. Of course, we also took the opportunity to showcase our new ‘Digital Hub’ including our Podcasting, Virtual Reality and Immersive rooms. 

In fact, our very own Kirsty Ingleson was invited to speak at the recent Digifest conference in March about fostering an AI Culture, following being nominated as a ‘JISC Community Champion’.  

Reflecting on the last few months, we can see how much we have learned and achieved as a college wide team, the connections we have made and the benefits to staff workload and wellbeing.  

 

Dr Marie Suggitt, HE Quality Manager/Teaching, Learning and Digital Lead, Kirklees College