Technology and Learning Research (AARE)

Is AI something that controls us, or is it a tool we can learn to control? In this episode, Dr Jodie Torrington explores one of the most important yet overlooked questions in AI education: locus of control. Drawing on her research in self-regulated learning, AI literacy and educational psychology, Jodie challenges fear-based narratives and explains how educators can develop the knowledge, confidence and agency to work with AI rather than be led by it. Discover practical strategies for fostering critical thinking, metacognition and ethical AI use, while empowering students and teachers to retain human agency in an AI-enhanced world. 

Support readings:

Generative AI for Educators Coursera course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/mqfoa-generative-ai-literacy-and-prompting-skills-for-educators 

Torrington, J., Ballsun-Stanton, B., & Lai, J. W. (2025, February 21). Teaching Students How to Effectively Interact with LLMs at University: Insights on the Longitudinal Development of AI-Locus of Control. https://osf.io/preprints/edarxiv/6mke5_v3

Torrington, J., Bower, M. & Burns, E.C. What self-regulation strategies do elementary students utilize while learning online?. Educ Inf Technol 28, 1735–1762 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11244-9

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In this episode we chat to Dr Matthew Harrison from the University of Melbourne, and explore how cooperative video games can build teamwork, negotiation, and social capability in neurodivergent learners. We also explore strength-based, interest-driven learning to genuine co-design with neurodivergent students and offer practical insights for inclusive classrooms. The episode also tackles the realities of scaling research into schools and the opportunities and risks of using Gen AI in supporting neurodivergent young learners. If you’re wanting to learn more about how digital technologies can advance inclusion, this is a must-listen.

References

Harrison, M. (2022). Using video games to level up collaboration for students: A fun, practical way to support social-emotional skills development. Routledge.

Harrison, M., Rowlings, J., & Aivaliotis-Martinez, D. (2024). Press B to Belong: Using Esports to Promote Inclusive School Communities. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/9781804559260

Cohn, E. G., & Harrison, M. J. (2025). From principle to practice: Creating neurodiversity-affirming learning environments for students with echolalia. Research in Autism, 126, 202628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2025.202628

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Dr Ellie Meissner sits down with Dr Simone Smala, Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, to unpack what artificial intelligence really means for teachers, students, and literacy in today’s classrooms. The conversation explores how teachers are using AI for everything from lesson planning to communication, the ongoing concerns around bias and professional learning, and Simone’s innovative framework for using AI to analyse the hidden literacy and cultural challenges within texts. Thought-provoking, practical, and timely, this is a must-listen for educators navigating the future of teaching and learning. 

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Shea Rigney's Master of Research thesis examines the complex landscape of digital game-based learning in NSW secondary history education, revealing critical disconnects between pedagogical potential and classroom reality. Through mixed-methods research involving surveys, interviews, and policy analysis, her findings expose how well-intentioned teachers default to quiz-based platforms like Kahoot! and Blooket; tools that motivate students but rarely advance historical thinking beyond recall. This tendency fundamentally misses opportunities for digital games to develop critical inquiry and higher-order analysis - a requirement of the current and new 7 - 10 History Syllabus.

More concerning, Rigney's research reveals how commercial off-the-shelf games like Civilization and Age of Empires (games built on mechanics of invasion and exploitation) perpetuate colonial narratives while erasing Indigenous perspectives leading to digital dispossession in Australian classrooms. Moreover, the use of these games violates ACARA's Cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Culture. Despite a framework designed by Southgate et al (2017) within NSW  for serious games, the research discovered zero teacher awareness of the resource, highlighting a significant theory-practice gap and dissemination failure in professional learning within the NSW education sector.

The research identifies technology infrastructure disparities as the most significant barrier to implementation, with analysis of 21 large NSW public schools revealing stark equity gaps between high and low socioeconomic communities. Rigney argues that without targeted professional development, Indigenous community collaboration in game design, and longitudinal studies examining games' impact on students' historical knowledge, digital game-based learning risks reinforcing the very inequities and colonial frameworks quality history education should challenge. As she prepares to commence PhD research at the University of Sydney next year, Rigney's work highlights the immediate need to deliver digital game pedagogical professional learning to both in- and pre-service teachers to ensure effective and culturally appropriate use of digital game-based learning. 

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In this episode, Dr Ellie Meissner speaks with Professor Federica Fornaciari about what educators need to know as AI rapidly reshapes teaching and learning. Together they unpack how media literacy now demands far more than spotting fake news, it requires helping students question sources, evaluate intent, understand digital identity, and recognise bias in AI-generated content. Federica shares practical strategies for integrating AI safely and ethically in the classroom, including rethinking assessment through critical reflections and Socratic dialogue with AI. This conversation empowers teachers to support authentic learning, foster student agency, and navigate the challenges and opportunities of AI-enhanced education. 

Resources

Teach information and media literacy: The foundation of democracy https://avidopenaccess.org/resource/teach-information-and-media-literacy-the-foundation-of-democracy/

Deconstructing deepfakes with an AI expert https://www.nu.edu/podcast/engineering-and-technology/deconstructing-deepfakes-with-an-ai-expert/

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In this episode of the Technology and Learning Podcast, host Ellie Manzari from Monash University speaks with Dr Emily Ross (University of Queensland) and Dr Margaret Marshman (University of the Sunshine Coast) about their recent research on integrating digital technologies in mathematics classrooms.

Dr Emily Ross is Deputy Director of Teaching and Learning, Director of Primary Programs, and Lecturer in the School of Education at The University of Queensland. Her research on curriculum interpretation and implementation has shaped government policy at state and federal levels, providing a critical nexus between policy and practice. Additionally, Emily leads research and innovation in STEM, mathematics, and science education, advancing disciplinary pedagogy and teacher capability across primary and secondary contexts. 

Associate Professor Margaret Marshman is Discipline Lead Secondary and Outdoor Education in the School of Education and Tertiary Access at the University of the Sunshine Coast. With a background in medical physics, laser physics, and MRI, she transitioned into secondary mathematics and science teaching, later serving as a Head of Mathematics. Her research focuses on mathematics teacher education, exploring beliefs about mathematics, inquiry-based pedagogies, statistical thinking, and spatial reasoning, and she supervises doctoral and masters’ students across these areas.

Link to study:

Ross, E., Marshman, M. & McMaster, N. (2025). Teaching the incidental mathematics: How integrated tasks with digital technologies unlocked mathematics concepts in primary school classrooms. Math Ed Res J.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-025-00529-0

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In between PhD data sets, teacher educator Katie Wilson took on a small reflective project with her first-year students — and what she found was bigger than expected.

In this episode, Katie (a lecturer at ACU in Brisbane) shares how tracking pre-service teachers’ digital confidence across a semester opened up unexpected insights about capability, curriculum, and identity. Grounded in ACARA’s digital requirements, framed through TPACK and the Digital Capability Continuum, this isn’t just a tech talk — it’s a powerful reflection on what it means to teach with intention in a digitally complex world.

With honesty, humour, and deep practical insight, Katie unpacks how small changes in delivery can lead to big shifts in confidence — and why teacher educators should never assume their students “just know how to use the tech.”

Further Reading: For Listeners Who Want to Dive Deeper

 Digital Capability & Continuums

• Cain, M., & Coldwell-Neilson, J. (2020). Reviewing digital capability in higher education: A framework for benchmarking.
  • The foundation of the Digital Capability Continuum used in this project.
• Jisc (2022). Building digital capability: The six elements framework.
  • A practical model used widely in HE to map digital development for staff and students.

Pedagogical Frameworks (TPACK & PedTech)

• Koehler, M.J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)?
  • The core article introducing the TPACK framework, which underpins the pedagogical lens in the project.
• Aubrey-Smith, F. (2022). From EdTech to PedTech: Changing the way we think about digital technology in education.
  • Katie’s favourite! A brilliant, accessible reflection on using tech with purpose, not just presence.

Digital Identity, Literacy & Confidence

• Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy?
  • Unpacks the myth of the “digital native” and what real digital literacy requires.
• Couch, J. (2019). Rewiring Education: How Technology Can Unlock Every Student’s Potential.
  • Accessible and practical, this text provokes deep thinking about designing learning in the digital age.

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Dr Lynette Pretorius is an award-winning educator and researcher who interlaces imagination and insight to reimagine what higher education can be. Drawing on her interdisciplinary expertise, she weaves together diverse ideas, lived experiences, and pedagogical innovations to create inclusive and transformative learning environments. Lynette has extensive experience teaching across undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate research levels, including supervising PhD students. Her research advocates for more compassionate, equitable, and creative learning environments, with a particular focus on doctoral education, academic identity, student wellbeing, and AI literacy. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, including two academic books that explore the lived experiences of graduate research students. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Lynette has also been internationally recognised for her leadership in teaching and learning, particularly her dedication to designing transformative educational experiences that centre wellbeing, justice, and student growth.

Further reading:

https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2025.8.2.9

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2025.101038

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In this episode Natalie McMaster speaks with Dr Juliana Peloche, Senior Learning Advisor and AI researcher, about her unique journey into the world of artificial intelligence in education.

In this podcast Juliana discusses the importance of AI literacy—not only for students, but for academics who are often underprepared to guide AI use in classrooms. She emphasizes the need for cross-sector collaboration, referencing hybrid forums and stakeholder engagement as essential for meaningful progress in the AI and education space.

As a strong advocate for gender equity, Juliana reflects on the continued underrepresentation of women in AI development and policy conversations. She shares candid observations from her research and professional experience, offering thoughtful insights on how women’s voices—and their absence—are shaping AI futures.

This episode is a must-listen for educators, researchers, and policymakers navigating the fast-evolving intersection of AI, learning, and equity. Juliana’s story is both inspiring and grounding, offering a practical yet hopeful roadmap for those committed to building more inclusive digital education landscapes.

Resources

2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition | EDUCAUSE Library

This is little about Polycrisis through the lenses of an Australian I admire: Talks

Please, please! Let's avoid the calculator analogy now - EduResearch Matters

Technical Democracy - Conference Presentations (hybrid forums presentation from Simon Buckingham-Shaw)

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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Michael J. Henderson, a former electrical engineer turned educator whose lifelong fascination with technology began with a crystal radio set and evolved into a career spanning decades of innovation, education, and digital transformation. From early computing in the 1970s to current explorations with AI and data analytics in education, Michael shares how informal learning, hands-on experimentation, and technological curiosity have shaped his teaching and learning practices. Join us as we explore what it means to be ‘technologically agnostic,’ the role of AI in higher education, and the importance of developing system thinking and self-directed learning in a digital world.

Interviewer is: Dr Elham(Ellie) Manzari (She/her), Lecturer, Monash University
School of Curriculum, Teaching and Inclusive Education | Faculty of Education.

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