TIRIgogy ConnectED Podcasts

Nurun Nahar
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Welcome to the TIRIgogy ConnectED Podcast series hosted by Nurun Nahar (Assistant Teaching Professor) University of Bolton! Each episode in this series, offers brief but critical exploration of diverse subjects that deeply matter to educators, facilitators, administrators, leaders, researchers, students, and anyone invested in the future of Higher Education learning. Our goal is to equip our listeners with actionable ideas and strategies that can be applied to enrich their practice. Join us as we uncover critical topics shaping the Higher Education landscape with prominent guest speakers.

  1. Communicating What You are Good For: Building a Practitioner Portfolio That Speaks for Itself - Featuring Bimpe Kuti-Matakenya, Public Health Senior Lecturer , University of Greater Manchester

    MAR 9

    Communicating What You are Good For: Building a Practitioner Portfolio That Speaks for Itself - Featuring Bimpe Kuti-Matakenya, Public Health Senior Lecturer , University of Greater Manchester

    How do you prove your worth when your impact can't be captured on a CV? In today's episode, we tackle this challenge with Bimpe, who introduces the practitioner portfolio—not a static document, but a living testament to your professional identity and impact. How do academics move beyond listing credentials to articulating their distinctive value? What allows your teaching, leadership, and innovation to speak powerfully for itself? And crucially, how does your professional voice evolve authentically throughout your career? Bimpe shares transformative strategies for building a portfolio that doesn't just describe what you do—it demonstrates who you are and the meaningful difference you make. Bimpe Kuti-Matekenya is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for Public Health Programmes at the University of Greater Manchester. A passionate educator and researcher, she leads on Service User and Carer Involvement and Research Culture initiatives across the School of Health,Science and Society. Her work bridges academia, public health practice, and social care leadership, helping professionals articulate and evidence their impact through reflective practice and authentic professional identity. Through her Blog, Care Pathway she empowers healthand social care practitioners and organisations to build person-centred approaches, values-driven practice that communicate excellence, in care quality.

    34 min
  2. Developing a Writing Culture Through Academic Leadership

    FEB 6

    Developing a Writing Culture Through Academic Leadership

    What makes a writing culture feel alive—or depleted? Dr. Alicja Syska, Editor in Chief of JLDHE, explores how academic leaders can notice and nurture the different relationships scholars hold with writing: confidence, anxiety, joy, fatigue. Small shifts matter: when someone stops sharing drafts, or suddenly finds their voice again. We discuss how to balance productivity pressures with meaningful practice, create sustainable structures—time, community, mentorship—without adding burden, and navigate the tensions GenAI brings to authorship and identity. Can AI genuinely support scholarly growth, or does it risk diluting the very thinking that makes academic writing matter? How do we craft guidelines that feel like care, not policing? At the heart of it all: How do we help everyone feel writing is "for them" too—especially those outside traditional academic moulds? Join us as Dr. Syska offers a thoughtful conversation about holding space for both empowerment and caution as writing cultures shift, and rediscovering what it means to write with humanity in academic spaces. Dr Alicja Syska is a Lecturer in Humanities and Education at the University of Plymouth, where she previously also held a decade-long post in Learning Development. She has a Ph.D. in American Studies from Saint Louis University, USA, is a Principal Fellow of Advance HE (PFHEA), and an ALDinHE Senior Fellow. Her interests include writing, community building, Third Space identity, and researcher development.  She serves as Editor-in-Chief at the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, Lead Editor at the Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal, and also co-hosts the Learning Development Project podcast.

    46 min
  3. Teaching Thinking: AI, Metacognition, and the Future of Learning - Featuring Dr Anjali Singh, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin.

    10/13/2025

    Teaching Thinking: AI, Metacognition, and the Future of Learning - Featuring Dr Anjali Singh, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin.

    AI is changing the way students learn—but is it also changing the way they think? In this episode, we take a closer look at whether we are letting machines take over too much of the thinking process and what that means for skills like critical thinking, reflection and self-questioning. We talk about how educators can design learning that keeps students actively engaged, how to spot the difference between surface-level AI use and deeper learning, and simple ways to weave metacognitive prompts into AI tasks so students stay thoughtful, curious, and in control of their own learning. Dr. Anjali Singh is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, conducting research at the intersection of Learning Sciences and Human-AI Interaction. Her research focuses on the design and study of interactive learning technologies that support reflection, critical thinking and metacognition in learners in the age of AI. She holds a PhD in Information from the University of Michigan. Her work has been published at venues such as L@S, LAK, AIED, SIGCSE, and AAAI, and has been recognized with multiple best paper awards. Links to resources mentioned in the episode:  the chapter on metacognitive prompts - the International Handbook of Metacognition and Learning Technologies.  Anjali's research paper presented at a workshop at AIED: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.24014

    18 min
  4. Mind Over Machine: Building Student Trust in Intelligent Tutoring Systems - Featuring Adrienn Toth, doctoral student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Learning Sciences offered by ETH Zurich and EPFL.

    09/14/2025

    Mind Over Machine: Building Student Trust in Intelligent Tutoring Systems - Featuring Adrienn Toth, doctoral student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Learning Sciences offered by ETH Zurich and EPFL.

    This episode explores the balance between technological innovation and human-centered learning through the use of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) in higher education. With guest speaker Adrienn Toth, we discuss the benefits of ITS—such as personalised feedback, adaptive scaffolding, and improved engagement—while highlighting the critical role of student trust. Trust, Adrienn argues, cannot be engineered by algorithms alone but must be built through intentional design that prioritises transparency, collaboration, and ethical responsibility. By engaging students in the co-creation of these systems—through design input, feedback loops, and opportunities for agency—ITS can empower learners and align more closely with pedagogical values. Adrienn also emphasises that while machines can support learning, it is trust that ensures their effectiveness. Adrienn Toth is a doctoral student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Learning Sciences offered by ETH Zurich and EPFL. She completed her studies at Corvinus University of Budapest and Erasmus University Rotterdam, with exchange semesters at HEC Montreal and Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Apart from her studies, she has always worked in the education field, first at a startup and later in a university environment, mainly focusing on content creation and curriculum development. In her research, Adrienn focuses on supporting the adoption of AI-based Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) in the core curriculum of higher education institutions. More precisely, she would like to understand how students perceive ITS from the data privacy perspective and what are the barriers of increasing their trust in such systems. Building on these identified concerns, the goal of her project is to enhance existing ITS with new features specifically targeting these student concerns and testing their effectiveness in controlled experiments, field studies and qualitative evaluations.

    19 min
  5. Active Soles, Active Minds: Transforming Learning Through Movement - Featuring Craig Hobbs, Senior Lecturer, Sport, Physical Activity and Health, University of Greater Manchester.

    09/01/2025

    Active Soles, Active Minds: Transforming Learning Through Movement - Featuring Craig Hobbs, Senior Lecturer, Sport, Physical Activity and Health, University of Greater Manchester.

    In this episode, we critically discuss with Craig, learnings from the ASLW pilot, co-created with diverse cohorts of the University of Greater Manchester health and society students, using Education Design Research (EDR) methodology (McKenney and Reeves, 2021) and five phases: (1) Analysis & Exploration, (2) Design & Construction, (3) Evaluation & Reflection, (4) Theory & Practice, and (5) Implementation & Spread.  Adopting a critical realist ontology (Bhaskar, 1975), Craig explores how the holistic experiential learning principles of belonging, sensing, feeling, thinking, being (Beard, 2022) - influence the function of ASLW case study, by critically appraising the core phases of educational design research. In February 2025, Craig delivered a lightening seminar of his Active Soles, Active Minds research to the Sport Critical Pedagogies and Global Education Network, which is available on You Tube at; Active soles, active minds: education design research approach to understanding and implementing experiential learning walks beyond campus realms. Craig Hobbs is currently Senior Lecturer – Sport, Physical Activity and Health at the University of Greater Manchester, with over 30 years ‘pracademic’ sport, education, business and public health ecosystem leadership and management experience. He is a PhD candidate, pursuing an appreciative research inquiry into; ‘Connecting & Mobilising the Gown & Town: Exploration of the Associational Life of Active Campus Communities.’ Craig is also a Senior Fellow of the HEA (SFHEA) and Chartered Management Fellow of The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

    28 min
  6. Co-Creating the Future: GenAI in Higher Education - Featuring Lukas Erle, Lecturer and Research Associate at Ruhr University of Applied Sciences (HRW), Germany.

    08/29/2025

    Co-Creating the Future: GenAI in Higher Education - Featuring Lukas Erle, Lecturer and Research Associate at Ruhr University of Applied Sciences (HRW), Germany.

    This podcast episode, featuring guest Lukas Erle, considers the transformative impact of Generative AI (GenAI) in higher education. The discussion explores both the student and educator perspectives on the significant challenges and opportunities presented by GenAI. The episode examines how students currently perceive and use GenAI in their studies, and the needs and insecurities they face. Furthermore, it addresses the critical topic of bridging the gap between student and teacher experiences to inform future regulations. Finally, the episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on co-creating effective and adaptable guidelines for GenAI, and the proactive steps institutions should take to ensure its responsible and beneficial integration.  Lukas Erle is a research associate and lecturer at Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences (HRW) in Germany, working in the research group of Prof. Dr.Eimler and Prof. Dr. Straßmann. His expertise is the intersection of psychology and computer science dealing with human-robot interaction and AI in higher education. Lukas also leads courses on psychology in human-computer interaction and researches how students and educators can co-create sustainable, ethical uses of AI in higher education.

    25 min
  7. Leadership in Digitally Enabled Education: Navigating Change and Innovation in Higher Education- Featuring Sukaina Walji, Director of Centre for CILT, University of Cape Town.

    08/25/2025

    Leadership in Digitally Enabled Education: Navigating Change and Innovation in Higher Education- Featuring Sukaina Walji, Director of Centre for CILT, University of Cape Town.

    In this episode, we explore leadership in digitally enabled education and the strategic decisions shaping the future of higher education with Sukaina Walji, Director of Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Sukaina reflects on navigating digital transformation, from reimagining undergraduate assessment through technology to embedding blended and online learning at scale. We discuss how leaders can communicate a clear vision, align diverse teams, and manage cultural change in universities. The conversation also examines the rise of AI in education—its opportunities, challenges, the issue of erosion of trust between staff and students, unreliability of AI detection tools, implications for institutional strategy and being intentional in designing learning. We also consider the leadership qualities essential for guiding universities through the next decade of innovation and digital adoption as emerging technologies continue to disrupt Higher Education. Sukaina is the Director of CILT. She oversees operational functions for the department including supporting the growth and development of CILT’s capacity to design and develop blended and online courses. She provides strategic advice for university senior leadership for digitally enabled education, participates in university level committees and initiatives, and is Chair of the Online Education sub-committee. She is also the member of Assessment Framework Working Group and co-lead of the UCDG project ‘Transforming Undergraduate Assessment’. In her previous role as Coordinator of CILT’s Curriculum and Course Design team she oversaw the work of the Digital Media unit and the Learning Design team. Her research interests include learning design, MOOCs, Unbundled Higher Education and assessment practices. She has a Masters in Online and Distance Education from the Open University UK, and a BA (Hons) in History from Oxford University.

    41 min
  8. Teaching, Tracing, and the AI-Native Learner: Reflections from Research and the Classroom - Featuring Dr Zhongtian Sun, Lecturer in AI, University of Kent.

    08/07/2025

    Teaching, Tracing, and the AI-Native Learner: Reflections from Research and the Classroom - Featuring Dr Zhongtian Sun, Lecturer in AI, University of Kent.

    In this episode, Dr Zhongtian Sun shares insights from both sides of the AI education landscape—as a researcher developing behaviour-aware personalised learning systems, and as a lecturer witnessing first hand how generative AI is reshaping how students learn. We dive into the development of SPAR-GNN, a hybrid framework that uses graph neural networks and large language models to deliver selective feedback only when students show signs of struggle—like frustration or hint-dependence. We unpack how “at-risk” learners are identified, the ethical dimensions of selective AI support, and what it means to teach in an age where tools like GPT and Co-pilot are becoming second nature to students. We also explore the shifting dynamics of deep learning and software development education—where project-based, independent learning collides with the realities of AI-assisted shortcuts. What new pedagogies are emerging to ensure genuine understanding, not just efficiency? And how do we assess learning when generating an answer is no longer proof of knowledge? Dr Zhongtian Sun is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Kent, with a research focus in graph representation learning, explainable AI and large language models (LLMs). His research aims to enhance the reasoning capabilities of deep learning models, with applications in healthcare, finance, education and recommendation. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Durham University and has held research roles at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, contributing to projects in clinical AI, knowledge graph reasoning and LLM-based decision support. He also worked on a funded research project with the UK Department for Transport through the Turing Internship Network. Dr Sun is Co-founder and CTO of an AI for Finance startup, developing a knowledge graph powered platform for market analysis and multi-agent portfolio reasoning. His academic collaborations span Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, Durham and the Alan Turing Institute. He serves as Area Chair and Senior Programme Committee Member for leading conferences including ECAI, AIED, ICLR and is Visiting Faculty at the University of Cambridge.

    25 min
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Welcome to the TIRIgogy ConnectED Podcast series hosted by Nurun Nahar (Assistant Teaching Professor) University of Bolton! Each episode in this series, offers brief but critical exploration of diverse subjects that deeply matter to educators, facilitators, administrators, leaders, researchers, students, and anyone invested in the future of Higher Education learning. Our goal is to equip our listeners with actionable ideas and strategies that can be applied to enrich their practice. Join us as we uncover critical topics shaping the Higher Education landscape with prominent guest speakers.

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