This year the theme for our All-Staff Professional Learning Day, held last Monday, was ‘The Future of Education.’  

Our focus was on the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) for educators and students. The goal was to facilitate discussion on both the opportunities and challenges of this generative technology.  

It was our pleasure to host Mr Leon Furze, who delivered two sessions to our staff. Leon is an educator and consultant completing a Phd on the implication of AI on writing instruction and education. Leon has taught English, Literature and Digital Technologies in Australia and the UK for over 15 years and was formerly Director of Learning and Teaching at Monivae College, Hamilton. 

Since the arrival of Chat GPT late last year, Leon has been a leading voice helping educators navigate the new questions Artificial Intelligence poses for teaching and learning. He has run sessions for ACMI, Independent Schools Victoria and dozens of schools. 

In his Opening Address to our staff, Leon focused on how teachers can use GAI ethically and appropriately in their own teaching practice to reduce workload, without devaluing essential skills. Throughout his highly interactive session, Leon demonstrated how to employ the technology in innovative ways to augment processes such as curriculum mapping and assessment design.  

In his second address to the Senior Leadership and Middle Leaders, Leon presented the ethical implications of the technology, with a particular focus on academic integrity, assessment best practice and student wellbeing. Staff were then able to apply the concepts and strategies to the afternoon Faculty Sessions focusing on curriculum design for 2024.  

The core message throughout the day was the need for educators to adopt a proactively critical stance to GAI, avoiding binary thinking which leads to blanket bans or an unquestioning adoption.  

As with all recent digital innovations, St Catherine’s is well placed to understand both the risks and affordances posed by GAI. We look forward to the continual upskilling of our staff in this area.