Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for teaching and learning were the main topics of discussion at the fourth annual Fully Online Distance Education Symposium (FODES) hosted by the University of Pretoria (UP). The symposium, hosted virtually from 17 to 18 October 2024, brought together delegates from 18 countries across Africa, North America, Europe, Oceania and the Middle East.

“AI is all brain and no heart,” Dr Helen Crompton, Executive Director of the Research Institute for Digital Innovation in Learning at Old Dominion University in the US, told participants during the symposium keynote address as she discussed the implications of generative AI for education and learning. Dr Crompton, a renowned expert in educational technology recognised among the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford University, explained that AI should always be guided by humans to avoid issues like bias, which can affect how the technology works. “AI doesn't understand what's happening: we are telling it. So, we have to be careful,” she noted.

The future of AI in education

Discussing the future of AI in education, Dr Crompton encouraged educators not to fear AI, but to instead teach students how to use it responsibly. “Educators are very nervous about students using these technologies,” she said. “That cannot be the case. We need them to embrace these technologies and use them the right way.”

Professor Loretta Feris, Vice-Principal: Academic at UP, welcomed participants to the symposium. She highlighted AI’s immense benefits while emphasising ethical considerations around its usage, and added that the symposium and discussions about AI are crucial for UP as the institution concludes its current strategic plan and begins shaping its future direction.

"I think AI is enabling us to become more creative and innovative in the ways of thinking about how we can increase and expand our offerings in teaching and learning and extend our reach not just within our own country but beyond the borders of the country."

Quality assurance for online education

FODES is hosted annually by Comprehensive Online Education Services (COES), the directorate responsible for the UPOnline offering. Under the theme ‘Surfing the Wave: Navigating Online Education in the Age of AI’, the 2024 symposium featured various discussions and workshops, as well as demonstrations of new tools for those interested in immersive and emerging technologies.

It included a presentation from the Council on Higher Education on the ‘Role of AI in Ensuring Quality: Meeting accreditation requirements for online learning programmes’. Representatives of COES, the University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch University and the Tshwane University of Technology shared insights on quality assurance for online education.

Dr Eugenie Wolff, Project Manager: Online Education at COES, led the discussion on quality assurance for online education. She told attendees that quality in online learning should focus on setting students up for success. “Quality ensures that the learning experience prepares students for real-world applications. It also adheres to national education standards.”

The symposium, which will celebrate half a decade of fully online learning at UP in 2025, concluded on a high note with Dr Mari van Wyk, Senior Learning Designer at COES and coordinator of FODES, thanking everyone and encouraging them to navigate the waves of online education with innovation, resilience, and AI for a meaningful future.