AI, Education, and Unconference Innovations

Patrik

Not long to go now, right Andrew?

Andrew

No, not at all. It's on Monday! I'm a little nervous. A little excited. The feeling is to be honest not entirely different waiting before stepping onto the stage. I think one of the things which is really exciting actually about this sort of event is it's relationship to risk.

Patrik

Exactly! Since we're flipping the traditional conferences on its head, we don't really know for certain exactly what what the outcome will be. Instead of having a set agenda, an unconference is all about participant-driven content. It’s a co-created space where the attendees essentially decide what they want to discuss, explore, and create.

Andrew

Maybe the stage analogy was off. I'll go with food instead. This type of conference is known as a knytkonferens in Swedish, as such we get the connection to the pot-luck dinner. We've set the table, come along with your own dish, mix it together with the other contributions, and maybe something magical will happen.

Patrik

I love that metaphor. You've been preparing quite a lot though Andrew to help people relate to this new environment. You've created a resource pack, which includes... what did you call them... fortune cookies, or was it chance cards?

Andrew

Indeed! I don't want to give too much away, but I've been having great fun in borrowing a little from a home-town hero of mine - Brian Eno. To be rather blunt though, we think this whole event is going to be amazing, we've put a lot of work in, and we're really looking forward to trying this all out with you next week.

Patrik

Moving on Andrew, I've read a blog post by Dr. Philippa Hardman this week which really blew my mind.

Andrew

Go on, I’m intrigued.

Patrik

Alright, picture this: agentic AI tools like Manus or OpenAI's Operator can complete online courses autonomously. Not just the quizzes—they’re submitting assignments, joining discussions, the whole lot. And instead of thinking, "Cheaters!" Dr. Hardman flips the lens. She says, maybe the real question is: if AI can "succeed" in these courses, what does that say about the learning design?

Andrew

Right. We’ve known for ages that these "content plus quiz" models don’t cut it. Like, quizzes measure if you remember what you read five minutes ago, not whether you can apply that knowledge in the wild. It’s a bit like giving someone sheet music and calling them a pianist without checking if they can actually play a tune.

Patrik

Ooh, I like that metaphor. But here’s the kicker—Dr. Hardman proposes some pretty groundbreaking fixes.

Andrew

Of course she does.

Patrik

One of them? Competency mapping. Imagine replacing those shallow quizzes with AI-driven assessments that track your actual skills. One can't assess playing the piano through multiple choice quizzes, but there is of course knowledge which is necessary. In this case, she looks more at how the playing is developing, but using AI to help in the process.

Patrik

Digging a little deeper, Dr. Hardman also questions whether traditional Learning Management Systems, like Canvas are going to be able to keep up.

Andrew

I hear you. One of the really interesting developments at the moment is how the standardised higher educational model is going to adapt to the hyper-personalisation available with AI. Is it time to consider what dynamic systems can do for learning?

Patrik

Sounds like a good question to explore as a group during the unconference. Not only the threat to educational technology, but also the fundamental question of what's going to happen with our educational models. What glimpses of the future can we see already?

Andrew

Speaking of transformative ideas, this unconference seems to be all about pushing boundaries—there are some session proposals here that just scream potential.

Patrik

I know exactly what you mean. Like, "AI and Sustainability." That one hit me, because it’s not just about tech or education—it’s about thinking big picture.

Andrew

Absolutely. It’s asking tough questions like, “Which uses of AI can we justify when there are real environmental trade-offs?” It’s a challenge to everyone—even in education—to think critically about the resources we consume.

Patrik

And isn’t that the beauty of an unconference? Space to ask not just “how can we innovate?” but bigger questions, like “should we?”

Andrew

Exactly. And on a different, but equally important, note—there’s also the proposal about Creative Commons Licensing and GenAI. How do we navigate using community-created work without exploiting creators?

Patrik

That’s huge. It’s like, the rules are still being written, and spaces like this unconference are where those conversations really start to take shape.

Patrik

Right. So what makes the unconference setting perfect for these discussions is that it’s grounded in practicality. People bring their biggest questions, but they’re also brainstorming real solutions, together. It’s like co-creation in action.

Andrew

Exactly. And for anyone listening right now—this is your invitation to get involved. If there’s something in education and AI you’re burning to discuss, the Padlet is open. Go, drop your ideas, because this unconference is a shared space.

Patrik

And for those of you joining us on the 24th, we’re counting down the days. It’s going to be discussions, co-creating, maybe even a bit of controlled chaos—but the good kind—the kind where we all walk away with something valuable.

Andrew

And honestly, that’s what education and innovation are supposed to feel like. Messy, surprising, transformative.

Patrik

I'm looking forward to it! We'll see you all next week!