AI in Education Podcast

Inside Sydney's AI Hub: Building University Automation That Works
In this episode, Dan and Ray are joined by Dan Hart, now leading the Automation and Innovation Hub at the University of Sydney.
Dan shares how the Hub has evolved from a robotic process automation team into a university-wide service using automation and AI to improve everyday work. With around 400 automated processes running across the university, the team helps staff remove repetitive, time-consuming tasks without taking away the human parts of their roles.
The conversation explores practical examples, including AI-powered invoice processing, and how generative AI is changing the software development lifecycle. Dan explains how tools like Cursor and AI-assisted coding are speeding up development, while also raising important questions about security, code quality, workload intensity, and developer wellbeing.
The episode also dives into vibe coding, what it means for enterprise systems, and why the future of software development may depend less on hand-writing code and more on communication, problem-solving, and understanding users.

We kick off Series 17 with a multi-interview episode!
Recorded live at the The Anglican Schools Corporation "Day of AI" in Western Sydney, this episode brings together three educators who are reshaping teaching, assessment and student learning in real classrooms with AI.
You'll hear from Maria Mertzanakis at Oran Park Anglican College on how teachers are building shared "Brains" in NotebookLM to save time, improve differentiation and support pedagogy, while reducing workload by more than 50 hours a week across staff workflows.
Nathan Jones from Marsden Park Anglican College shares how AI is opening new creative possibilities for students and teachers alike, and why schools needed to guide students toward using AI well rather than trying to ban it.
And Patrick Ell from Roseville College explores what happens in a "post-product world", where assessment can no longer rely on trust in the final submission alone. His focus? Designing learning experiences that value process, thinking and cognitive craft.
We had a lovely grounded, practical and optimistic conversation with these teachers, who are leading from the front as schools navigate the realities of AI in education. Really great to have been invited to attend and participate by Julian Ridden, the TASC Head of AI.

This week's episode explores a defining moment for education in the age of AI.
Fresh from a week of major events in Sydney, including the Microsoft AI Summit, Dan and Ray unpack the newly released Castlereagh Statement - a collaboration between 70+ education leaders calling for urgent change across schools, universities, and training systems. Their message is clear: education isn't ready for the speed and scale of AI disruption.
But that's only part of the story.
We're also seeing a growing pushback on technology in classrooms, with schools limiting screen time and universities questioning device use; while, at the same time, new AI-first models like AI-led tutoring and mastery-based learning are emerging rapidly.
Add to that a widening gap between what employers expect and what graduates can actually do with AI, plus billions being invested in infrastructure and skills, and it's clear: something has to change.
We also dive into the latest research on AI in teaching, from new peer learning models to rethinking assessment and feedback.
This episode connects the dots across policy, practice, and innovation.
Resources discussed this week
Castlereagh Statement
https://castlereagh.ai/
California schools introduce tech limits
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/22/los-angeles-school-district-screen-time
Yale considering banning all electronic devices
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/device-free-classrooms-mooted-yale-plan-rebuild-public-trust

Khan TED Institute announced
https://blog.khanacademy.org/introducing-the-khan-ted-institute-a-new-approach-to-higher-education/ 
https://khanted.org/Home 

LSI: The world's first AI-led university
https://lsi.ac.uk/

Pearson/AWS survey of employers re students
https://www.pearson.com/en-us/power-of-learning/ai-readiness.html

The Pedagogical Promptbook
https://edtechbooks.org/promptbook/
Microsoft's $25 billion AI in Australia announcement
https://news.microsoft.com/source/asia/features/investing-in-australias-ai-future/
Harvard adds mandatory AI courses to English writing course
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/4/23/expository-writing-ai/
Research Papers
Think–Pair–Chatbot–Share: AI-Facilitated Peer Learning in Chemistry
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00438
Identifying what our students have learned: a framework for practical assessment validation
https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2026.2620053
Using generative artificial intelligence to reimagine feedback in higher education: a collaborative autoethnography
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02602938.2026.2653889#abstract

In this episode, we're joined by Dawn Knight, a sustainability lead and specialist support educator working with deaf students in a UK secondary school (Epsom and Ewell High School). Dawn shares how she's using AI in simple, practical ways to make learning more accessible - not just for students with additional needs, but for everyone in the classroom.
From generating transcripts and differentiated resources to using AI as a planning "checklist," Dawn explains how these tools are helping her save time and reinvest it where it matters most: supporting students directly.
The conversation explores how technology originally designed for accessibility - like captions and transcription - is now benefiting all learners, and why inclusive approaches to AI can unlock better outcomes across the board.
We also dive into the realities of AI adoption in schools: what works, what doesn't, and why starting small is often the best approach. Dawn offers a refreshingly grounded perspective, showing that you don't need to be a technical expert to make a real impact.
If you're looking for practical ways to use AI to support students and improve classroom experiences, this episode is full of ideas you can start using today.
This might also be the ideal episode to share with any colleagues who are at the beginning of their AI in teaching journey

In this episode, Dan and Ray explore how AI is rapidly reshaping education, workplaces, and policy - often faster than institutions can respond.
They unpack new guidance from NSW's NESA on student AI use, highlighting the growing tension between rules, real-world behaviour, and the need for clearer, more consistent policies across education systems.
The conversation expands globally with insights from the 2026 Stanford AI Index Report, revealing that while over 80% of students are already using AI, formal education and policy frameworks are struggling to keep pace. The distinction between 'AI in education', 'AI literacy', and 'AI education' becomes critical for understanding what schools and universities could actually be building.
They also discuss emerging tools like Adobe Student Spaces, evolving AI workflows using tools like Claude and Copilot, and new data showing Australians are among the most advanced AI users globally.
Finally, they revisit "real AI" use cases - specifically wildlife (crocs, turtles and quokkas) detection in Australia - as a reminder that AI's impact extends far beyond chatbots.
News items discussed
NSW NESA's "Use of Artificial Intelligence by students" rules
https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/hsc/rules-and-procedures/artificial-intelligence 
 
Adobe Student Spaces
https://acrobat.adobe.com/studentspaces/home 
 
The 2026 AI Index Report from Stanford University Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence (HAI) centre
https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report 
 
Anthropic came Down Under
https://www.anthropic.com/research/how-australia-uses-claude 
https://www.anthropic.com/news/australia-MOU 
 
AI crocodile detection trials begin in north Queensland
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-26/ai-crocodile-detection-trials-begin-in-the-wild/106492460
Related stories from the past:
Scientists use drones, cloud, and AI to protect Australia's Quokkas
https://news.microsoft.com/apac/features/preserving-diversity-with-ai/
Indigenous knowledge and AI help protect baby turtles from predators on Australia's remote Cape York
https://news.microsoft.com/apac/features/indigenous-knowledge-and-ai-help-protect-baby-turtles-from-predators-on-australias-remote-cape-york/
Strengthen your research workflow with generative AI
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/skills-hub-blog/strengthen-your-research-workflow-with-generative-ai/4501740