From Idea to Impact: Nexus Conversations

How can students use generative AI to enhance their learning without offloading the learning itself?

In this episode, Dr Andrew Dymock, Nexus Fellow and Senior Lecturer at UNSW Business School, joins Dr Chris Campbell to share the story behind the RECESS model, developed to support students to use GenAI critically, responsibly and ethically.

Andrew reflects on how the model emerged from a real assessment challenge, how it has evolved through teaching and collaboration, and how its underlying principles have travelled across disciplines, professional development and beyond the university. The conversation explores AI literacy, critical evaluation and verification, and why students need a strong foundation of knowledge before they can effectively judge what AI produces.

At the centre of the conversation is a simple challenge: how do we help students use AI to enhance their understanding, rather than outsource their learning?

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RECESS model: Examples of AI in learning and teaching
See Andrew Dymock explain how the RECESS model can support systematic and critical use of GenAI with students. 
https://www.teaching.unsw.edu.au/ai/examples

Solving AI challenges in teaching: Analysing AI outputs critically
Explore UNSW resources on critical use of AI in teaching, including Andrew's RECESS model and approaches to assessment design. 
https://www.teaching.unsw.edu.au/solving-ai-challenges

Responsible use of AI, the RECESS Model and the Feedback Model
Learn more about how RECESS supports students to develop sufficient understanding to evaluate AI output and use GenAI responsibly in learning and assessment. 
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/news-events/events/responsible-ai-recess-feedback-model

Nexus Program at UNSW
The Nexus Program | Education & Student Experience - UNSW Sydney

Universal Design for Learning is often mistaken for an accessibility checklist or a single design meant to fit everyone. In this episode, Morgan Harris is joined by Mariana Rodriguez, Julie Chinnery, Mike Bogle, Emina Abroon and Lou Cardinale to explore what UDL looks like when it becomes everyday educational practice. The conversation moves from learner variability, identity and belonging to disciplinary and institutional barriers, the work of the UNSW UDL Guild, and the role of small, iterative changes in making inclusive design sustainable. It also considers how generative AI may support some of the design work without replacing human judgement. At its core, the conversation asks what changes when we locate barriers in the learning environment rather than the learner, while maintaining academic challenge and giving more students a genuine chance to succeed.

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UNSW Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 – Staff Teaching Gateway — Practical UNSW guidance on UDL 3.0, learner variability, inclusive design and the UNSW UDL Guild. https://www.teaching.unsw.edu.au/universal-design-learning-udl

Universal Design for Learning – UNSW Equity, Diversity & Inclusion — An overview of UDL at UNSW and links to practical teaching resources. https://www.unsw.edu.au/edi/diversity-inclusion/disability-inclusion/universal-design-learning

UNSW UDL Guild: New initiative champions inclusive education at UNSW — Read more about the Guild, its community-led approach and practical work to embed inclusive design. New initiative champions inclusive education at UNSW

CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines 3.0 — Explore the current UDL Guidelines, including multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Australian Universities Accord Final Report — The national higher education reform context referenced in the conversation. https://www.education.gov.au/australian-universities-accord/resources/final-report

Tiny Experiments – Anne-Laure Le Cunff — The book referenced in the closing discussion on using an experimental mindset and learning from small iterations. Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff • Ness Labs

What does it take to create educational change across a large university?

In this episode, Emeritus Professor Louise Lutze-Mann, one of the key originators of the Nexus Program, and Samadhi Driscoll, inaugural Program Lead of the Nexus Program, join Sharon Aris to explore why Nexus was created and how an ambitious idea for university-wide educational change became a functioning program.

They reflect on the conditions that gave rise to Nexus, the challenges of building something without an existing template, and what they learned about stakeholder engagement, collaboration, capability and institutional infrastructure along the way. Looking back, they also consider what they would do differently and what lasting educational change requires when the institution, and the problems it is trying to solve, continue to evolve.

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Nexus Program at UNSW
Learn more about the Nexus Program and its approach to educational innovation and capability development.
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/nexus-program

Nexus Innovation Incubator
Read about the Innovation Incubator, how it brings together educators working on educational challenges across disciplines, and its expansion.
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/news-events/news/innovation-incubator-2025-expansion-plans

Education Focused Careers at UNSW
Learn more about UNSW's Education Focused academic community and career pathway.
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/education-focussed-careers

Episode description

How can AI support better assessment design while keeping academic judgement at the centre? Dr Cherie Lucas, Associate Professor Mark Ian Jones and Dr Chris Campbell share the story behind the AI Rubric Project, developed with collaborator Dr Helena Pacitti through the Nexus Program at UNSW. They discuss how multidisciplinary collaboration shaped the project, what they learned through taking it into practice, and the role of responsible AI in supporting assessment design.

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AI Insider: AI for Rubric Design
Explore the practical approach to using GenAI to support rubric design.
https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/education/ai-insider-ai-rubric-design

Ethical Use of GenAI in Designing Rubrics
Read more about the project and its approach to responsible and ethical use of GenAI in assessment design.
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/news-events/news/ethical-use-gen-ai-designing-rubrics

Nexus Program at UNSW
Learn more about the Nexus Program and its work in educational innovation.
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/nexus-program

This episode brings together voices from across higher education reflecting on one question: What conversation, session or encounter changed your thinking?

From systems thinking and student partnership to cross-disciplinary learning and AI, Chris Campbell and Diana Saragi Turnip explore the ideas people are taking back into their practice, and what it takes to move from an interesting conversation to meaningful impact.

The conference conversations were recorded during the HERDSA 2026 conference, with contributions from Gavin Mount, Gee Chong Ling, Steven Davis, May Lim, Sharon Aris, Patsie Polly, Anita Heywood, Kalli Spencer, Silas Taylor, Rita Prestigiacamo and Tahmina Akhter.  

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Learn more about HERDSA and its higher education community: https://herdsa.org.au

How do you create meaningful change in a large, complex university? This trailer introduces From Ideas to Impact: Nexus Conversations, a podcast exploring the people, partnerships and practices behind educational innovation and institutional change.

Episode description 

Professor Patsie Polly, Director of the Nexus Program and Professor of Pathology at UNSW, shares her perspective on educational leadership, innovation and institutional change. From her journey as a scientist to leading one of UNSW's most ambitious educational initiatives, Patsie reflects on what Nexus is today, why relationships matter in creating lasting impact, and how communities of practice can transform learning and teaching across a university. 

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Nexus Program 
Learn more about the Nexus Program and its work supporting educational innovation across UNSW. 
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/nexus-program 

UNSW Scientia Education Academy 
Learn about the Academy and its work in advancing educational leadership and excellence. 
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/scientia-education-academy 

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) 
Explore support and resources for engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/developing-teaching/sotl-support 

Educational Innovation at UNSW 
Discover educational innovation projects and initiatives across the university. 
https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/tags/educational-innovation 

Education Focused Careers 
Learn more about education-focused academic careers and the UNSW Education Focused network. 

https://www.education.unsw.edu.au/teaching/education-focussed-careers