AI in Education Podcast

Dan Bowen and Ray Fleming
  • 3.8 (13)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Dan Bowen and Ray Fleming are experienced education renegades who have worked in many various educational institutions and educational companies across the world. They talk about Artificial Intelligence in Education - what it is, how it works, and the different ways it is being used. It's not too serious, or too technical, and is intended to be a good conversation. Please note the views on the podcast are our own or those of our guests, and not of our respective employers (unless we say otherwise at the time!)

  1. 4d ago

    Is AI in Education Reaching an Inflection Point?

    Recorded live at the National Education Summit in Melbourne, this episode explores whether AI in education has reached an inflection point. Ray and Dan unpack a series of recent stories showing how quickly AI is becoming part of wider debates about education, employment, policy and trust. They look at industrial negotiations at the University of Sydney, where staff are seeking consultation over how AI is introduced, and compare that with AI-related provisions already included in Adelaide University's enterprise agreement. As part of the discussion they mentioned The University of Sydney's Cogniti AI, and a previous podcast episode with Dan Hart talking about the university's AI Hub. They also examine headlines claiming an AI chatbot is "teaching" psychology students at Macquarie University - and the university's response that the tool is supplementary and does not replace academic staff. The conversation then turns to New York City's restrictions on generative AI for younger students, alongside plans for AI critical-thinking education in high schools. Underlying it all is a bigger question: as AI becomes mainstream in education, can the conversation remain balanced - and should the podcast hear more from sceptics, critics and those challenging the direction of travel? Want to contribute to the discussion? Email us at host@aipodcast.education Want to share your love for the podcast? Well, we can't ask for more than a review in your podcast app, which will help other educators find the stories we share!

  2. Sep 3

    Inside Oxford's AI Competency Centre: Rethinking Assessment and Authorship

    What does authorship mean when AI can help us turn our ideas into polished academic writing? And how should universities rethink assessment as those tools become part of everyday life? In this episode, we're joined by Kelly Webb-Davies, Lead Education AI Consultant at the University of Oxford's AI Competency Centre, to explore how Oxford is approaching AI across the institution, from providing tools and training staff and students to building AI capability responsibly. Kelly takes us on her journey in teaching and learning, and challenges some fundamental assumptions about language, writing and authorship. Drawing on her background in linguistics and education, she argues that we need to distinguish between a student's intellectual contribution and the language used to express it. Along the way, we discuss AI detection, linguistic equity, cognitive engagement, oral assessment and why universities may need to rethink what they're actually trying to assess. Further Reading from Kelly: Kelly's VFWA Assessment Model https://kellywebbdavies.com/vfwa/  Kelly's DETAP framework https://kellywebbdavies.com/detap/   The AI Inherent Risk Scale (AIIRS) Framework, from Kelly, Dr Mark Bassett and Ella Wicks https://aiirs.ai/  Further reading from other sources: Kelly talked about the ICAP Framework from ASU https://icap.education.asu.edu/  When talking about writing in your voice, Kelly mentioned Kane Murdoch's blog, which is at https://www.guerillawarfare.net/  And Dan mentioned Sharon Oviatt's book, The Design of Future Educational Interfaces https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286180010_The_Design_of_Future_Educational_Interfaces

  3. Aug 27

    AI in Education: Who Gets to Decide?

    Who gets to decide how AI is used in education? Government decides what happens to assessment. Google decides whether Gemini appears by default. OpenAI and parents decide controls for teenagers. Universities and unions decide workplace AI arrangements. Regulators decide expectations around consent. And schools are trying to work out what they should decide. In this episode, Dan and Ray explore that question through a packed week of AI in education news. They look at Australia's response to AI and take-home assessment, the arrival of parental controls in ChatGPT for Teens, and why Ray is uncomfortable with Google enabling Gemini by default for students. The conversation moves from the classroom to the workplace, with Adelaide University putting AI transparency, human oversight and staff consultation into its enterprise agreement, while new ASQA guidance raises important questions about consent and the use of student data in AI systems. They also unpack new Australian eSafety research into children's use of AI assistants and companions, and tackle the increasingly heated debate about data centres, energy and water use. As Ray puts it, "We're building this plane as we fly it." The challenge is making sure education still gets a say in where it's going. Here's the links to go deeper into our topics: Watch: Moment robot beats Usain Bolt's 100m record in China How education departments across the country are cracking down on students using AI to cheat Education Minister Jason Clare says AI must support learning, not replace it Revealed: The NSW universities using AI in lectures and as 'study buddies'  AI labs begin to muscle in on $6tn education market Datacentres: The New NSW Regulations ChatGPT for Teens Google turns on Gemini AI for students using its classroom app An Australian first: Adelaide University's new enterprise agreement has explicit provisions on the use of AI in the workplace. Australia's Vocational Education regulator starts to catch up with responsible AI Talking to machines: Children's experiences with AI assistants and companions As discussed, good stuff on this from Tim kitchen https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-ai-becomes-someone-talk-tim-kitchen-3vznc

  4. Aug 20

    When Does AI Help Learning - and When Does It Replace It?

    What does the research actually tell us about when generative AI helps learning, and when it starts to replace it? Ray and Dan are joined by Dr Natasha Arthars and Dr Hongzhi (Veronica) Yang from the University of Sydney, and Dr Matthew Hill from the Barker Institute, to explore the new "Young People, Learning and Generative AI" report. Drawing together a huge body of research, the report moves the conversation beyond whether AI is simply "good" or "bad" for education. Instead, it identifies the conditions that determine whether AI supports genuine learning. The conversation explores the learner at the centre; the design of the AI tool; the learning task; who else is involved; and the wider cultural and institutional context. Ray learns the difference between cognition and metacognition, and we discuss strategic cognitive offloading, and a crucial new skill for students: deciding what to delegate to AI and what thinking they need to retain themselves. Ultimately, the question for educators becomes: is AI supporting the learning goal, or replacing the learning? The Young People, Learning and Generative AI report is online at: https://doi.org/10.25910/89n4-a383   For more project information, and webinar recordings, head to: https://bit.ly/GenAILiterature-Launch

  5. Aug 13

    Is AI Helping Students Perform, or Actually Learn?

    This week, Ray and Dan end up discussing a fundamental question: what is education actually for in the age of AI? They explore new EU AI Act transparency requirements and the emerging role of AI watermarking, including what this could mean for the often-unreliable world of AI detection. The conversation then turns to assessment. With Australian policymakers questioning take-home assessment and universities rethinking assessment for an AI-enabled world, Ray and Dan discuss why the goal isn't simply to make assessment "AI-proof", but to ensure students are still developing knowledge, judgement, creativity and critical thinking. They also examine major new research into young people's use of generative AI from the Barker Institute and University of Sydney. Across 271 peer-reviewed studies, the evidence suggests AI can improve students' immediate performance and engagement - but better performance doesn't necessarily mean better learning. Finally, they explore "hybrid reading": how students are using AI to orient themselves, clarify difficult concepts, translate academic language and check their own understanding. Mentioned in this episode: Matthew Wemyss' guide to EU AI Act transparency requirements Information on Claude's watermarking of AI text - and a geeky read about how it does it New education plugins in ChatGPT Edu Jason Lodge on AI and assessment NSW's news on 'take home' assessments South Australia's Royal Commission into AI Kelly Ilich on teaching standards in the age of AI Danny Liu & Adam Bridgeman's "What Should Education Look Like in the Age of AI?" Barker Institute's research paper "Young People, Learning and Generative AI" Research from Deakin University's CRADLE team on hybrid reading practices

  6. Aug 6

    The Hidden Gender Gap in AI Education, with Juliana Peloche

    The Hidden Gender Gap in AI Education, with Juliana Peloche   In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, we welcome Juliana Peloche to explore one of the most important (and often overlooked) conversations in educational AI: the gender gap. Juliana shares how a Year 5 student's curiosity about AI sparked her own research journey, leading to a PhD and, ultimately, the co-founding of Women in AI Australia. Together, we discuss why representation matters (see Will Artificial Intelligence Get in the Way of Achieving Gender Equality?), the barriers women continue to face in AI (see HBR's Women Are Avoiding AI. Will Their Careers Suffer? and Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI Over Time) and what educators, institutions and industry can do to create more inclusive opportunities. The conversation hears about new research into how female university students are using AI, revealing surprising findings around ethics, trust, academic integrity, and confidence with AI tools. We also explore AI bias, the importance of visible role models, and practical ways schools and universities can encourage more women to lead in the field. Links and resources: Women in AI Australia Learn more about the Women in AI Australia upcoming events Connect with Juliana Peloche on LinkedIn

  7. Jul 30

    Two Free AI Resources Every Teacher Should Download

    Two Free AI Resources Every Teacher Should Download Lee Barrett joins Ray to unpack the biggest AI in education news and research. This week, while Dan enjoys the Pacific Northwest, Ray is joined by returning guest Lee Barrett (from CEnet) for a wide-ranging discussion on the latest AI in education news and research. The episode explores why one of the world's leading law schools is restricting technology in first-year classes while embracing AI later in the course, what Anthropic's new Claude for Teachers initiative could mean for educators, and why headlines about AI "writing" university assignments deserve much closer scrutiny. The conversation also dives into five new research papers covering AI-assisted teaching, student feedback, assessment reform, learning analytics, and how students are really using AI in higher education. Along the way, Ray and Lee discuss why assessment - not AI detection - is becoming education's biggest challenge; why productive struggle still matters; and why good teaching remains at the heart of meaningful learning. This week's free resources Show Your Work: Assessment in the Age of AI – a practical collection of ideas for designing assessment in an AI-enabled world. The Science of Learning and Generative AI: A Practical Guide for Secondary Teachers – a research-informed guide from La Trobe University that connects learning science with practical classroom use of AI. News mentioned Chicago Law School's first-year technology changes Anthropic's Claude for Teachers More than 50% of Australian university assignments used AI - and Turnitin's Learning Integrity Insights Report AI in Education Research Reports Generative AI can harm teaching https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=7007339  Artificial intelligence and feedback in university education: effectiveness and student perceptions https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02602938.2026.2697962 Grading in an age of assessment reform: the elephant in the room https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02602938.2026.2694451#d1e187 Interactive learning dashboards: rethinking learning visualisations as engagement tools https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-026-14082-1 Illuminating complex student realities of artificial intelligence through an entangled pedagogy framework https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-026-01730-1  Just one of the papers from the excellent https://aiinhe.org/ project

  8. Jul 23

    Why AI in Education Starts With Better Conversations: Dr Jo Orlando

    How can schools and parents help young people navigate AI while supporting learning, wellbeing and critical thinking? In this episode, Dan and Ray are joined by digital wellbeing researcher Dr Jo Orlando to explore how AI is reshaping education and the lives of young people. They discuss AI literacy, digital wellbeing, equity, social media, and why understanding how students actually use technology is essential. Jo shares practical advice for educators and parents, arguing that the most important tool isn't another policy—it's better conversations. A thoughtful discussion on helping students use AI as a thinking partner, rather than letting AI do the thinking for them. Jo's website is https://www.joanneorlando.com.au/ for more details on her, her book, and her professional work. Jo's book, Generation Connected, is available on as both a printed and audiobook

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3.8
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Dan Bowen and Ray Fleming are experienced education renegades who have worked in many various educational institutions and educational companies across the world. They talk about Artificial Intelligence in Education - what it is, how it works, and the different ways it is being used. It's not too serious, or too technical, and is intended to be a good conversation. Please note the views on the podcast are our own or those of our guests, and not of our respective employers (unless we say otherwise at the time!)

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