Rapid advances in generative AI present significant opportunities and challenges for society and for education providers. In FET the opportunities include harnessing AI to support planning and teaching and utilising AI tools to support learners throughout their learning journeys. Challenges include addressing concerns about academic integrity and developing a strategic approach to AI use which focuses on ethics and criticality. In this workshop we will detail how the TEL and QA support services in LCETB College of FET came together to develop a coordinated strategic approach to the adoption and use of AI. The approach adopted involved initial awareness raising, the development of guidelines on AI use in assessment, and the rollout of CPD initiatives focused on AI and assessment and the critical exploration of AI tools.

Target audience: All FET educators and particularly those involved in assessment of learners includinf QA staff.

Facilitation: Máire Lynch and Dr Brendan Ryan

Máire Lynch is a QA Officer with Limerick and Clare ETB with responsibility for curriculum development and review, new programme development and quality assuring teaching, learning and assessment across the organisation. Máire previously worked in industry before taking up a teaching position with the former VECs and worked extensively in classroom and co-ordination roles before moving into the area of quality assurance. She was part of the national working group responsible for the development of the FET Referencing Handbook and Academic Writing Handbook for Learners. Areas of particular interest include incorporating UDL Principles into teaching, learning and assessment at all NFQ levels, use of Plain English tools and facilitating AI practices to enhance teaching, learning and assessment.

Dr Brendan Ryan has worked in Adult and Further Education for over thirty years and as a Learning Technologist for over twenty of those years. In his role with Limerick and Clare ETB Further Education and Training (FET) Division he leads up the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Support Service. Brendan has extensive teaching and research experience and recently completed a PhD study focused on embedding criticality in Learning Technology Professional Development.

Please note: Pre-booking is essential. Please do not book onto this session unless you are sure that you will attend / have approval to attend (if required). If an emergency arises, please inform us ASAP (cpdcancellations@fess.ie) as we operate a waiting list system and if time allows, we can offer your booked place to another person.