Welcome to this episode of Thriving Matters. Our guest is Ryan Noonan, Leader of Digital Technologies and Innovation at Chevalier College, a day school with approximately 1,000 secondary students in the Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia.
Listen in as we discuss a number of topics that impact how digital technologies and AI in education are ethically and inclusively drive classroom teaching and prepare students for future workplaces by emphasizing creativity, collaboration, and communication. Ryan highlighted the College's unique approach, centered on the "heart" of education, which includes academic skills, self-understanding, and capabilities, with a focus on wellbeing and personalized learning. He noted that while all students can benefit from these approaches with support, the pace of achievement varies.
Ryan discussed the whole of community approach to their innovative teaching and learning framework centered around empathy and purpose, starting with self and community to build ethical skills. He emphasized the importance of assessing capabilities, particularly in younger students, and balancing academic rigor with practical workplace skills. Ryan highlighted the challenge of implementing frameworks across 100 teachers and stressed the need for dedicated support to facilitate change.
You will hear actual teaching examples of using digital technologies and AI tools, specifically with Year 7 students. Ryan explained how students are encouraged to use tools like Google, Microsoft, and Canva to create personalized products, emphasizing the importance of effective prompting and understanding AI biases. Ryan also shared an example of redesigning assessments in Physical Education to incorporate AI-driven debates, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge quickly and under time pressure. He stressed that AI use in the classroom always begins with student thinking, often through activities like quick writes, to ensure that AI responses are tailored to the student's prior understanding. He also highlighted a remarkable student achievement, where a Year 11 student developed a translation glove for the deaf, which was recognized by NASA for its innovative design.
Ryan discussed Chev's strategy for integrating AI into education, focusing on three key areas: clarity, consistency, and capacity. He explained that they provide clear guidelines for AI use, ensure equal access to AI tools for all students, and build capacity among students, teachers, and parents. Ryan noted that while some students and parents are hesitant about AI, overall there hasn't been significant backlash.
Ryan shared the ethical considerations of using AI tools in education, including student privacy, environmental impact, and bias. He emphasized the importance of teaching students to critically evaluate AI responses and avoid cognitive offloading. Ryan also predicted that within 5 years, AI agents will become more prevalent in the workplace, potentially impacting entry-level jobs and the way students are prepared for the future workforce.
A very interesting and timely opportunity to amp up our response to using AI as tools for learning and teaching. If you have enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to share with your network of work colleagues, family and friends so you don't miss more exceptional educators and thinkers!
To Connect with Ryan:
LI: linkedin.com/in/ryannoonan5
URL: https://www.chevalier.nsw.edu.au/
Email: ryan0257@gmail.com
To Connect with Carrie:
LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet
URL: carriebenedet.com
Email: carolinebenedet2@gmail.com
