Gen AI - Challenges and Opportunities in Education (September 2026)

With the rapid rise and proliferation of AI in the last 12 months, this session will explore the emergence of technologies, tools, and platforms which are being shaped by generative AI. In particular, this session will highlight strategies for the safe and responsible adoption of generative AI as it pertains to teaching, learning and assessment. We will look at best practice for ensuring AI literacy among students and also what specific platforms and applications should be promoted as part of a modern teaching approach. In addition, we will look at what effective assessment design should look like in 2026, and highlight the emergence of associated AI wearable technologies and its consequences for exam design and security.

Target audience is: Those in teaching roles in FET, those in management and senior management, staff with responsibility for QA.

Facilitation: Professor Jim O Mahony

Professor Jim O'Mahony is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at Munster Technological University (MTU) since 2005.
In addition, Jim is the AI Lead for the Teaching and Learning Unit, MTU Cork and Co-Chair of MTU's Working Group on Generative Artificial Intelligence. He serves as a member of the National Advisory Group on Generative AI for the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, contributing to the strategic development of AI integration in Irish higher education and works with the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) to support school management teams in their work.
A passionate advocate for innovation in AI in education, Jim specialises in making AI tools more accessible to educators and demonstrating their practical applications in enhancing student learning experiences. His expertise spans a range of AI platforms beyond Chat GPT and he is dedicated to exploring how technology can transform education while keeping the work we do as teachers very much human focused.
Jim produces the popular LinkedIn newsletter "AI Simplified - for Educators" sharing the latest tools, tips, and Gen AI platforms to help educators work better and smarter.