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Asmaa Vally, HCSS Coordinator. I am curious to see how it can assist with guiding critical thinking instead of taking it away.

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Hi everyone. My name is Johanna Bapela, and I am a lecturer in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. I primarily use AI as a language tool, but I am interested in learning more about its applications in enhancing teaching and learning. My goal is to use AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of how I deliver and administer my modules.

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My name is Angela Lengoloi van Rooyen, I am a part-time lecturer in the AMLAC department teaching Ancient Culture Studies to first and third years. I'm pursuing my PhD in ancient Latin poetry.

Through this course, I hope to learn how to guide my students to use AI ethical ways, since they will use it regardless of what I say to them about it. I'm also hoping to become more comfortable with AI as I am a bit of an AI skeptic, and tend to avoid using it when possible (which is becoming less and less of a viable option). My skepticism is mainly caused by how difficult it has been to watch my students rely more and more heavily on AI and suffer for it.

I would like to learn safe and ethical ways to use AI in academia and how I can pass this info on to my students, especially my third years who will be writing mini-diss essays this semester. They really enjoy trying to get AI to do everything for them, which leads to issues when they have to present their work to us or think critically on their own. So it would be nice to be able to give them tips on how to use it properly instead of waxing poetic about how horrible it is and how they should stay away from it.

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I am a Setswana lecturer and linguist with a specialised interest in Setswana standard orthography, language standardisation, and African linguistics. My research focuses on the development, harmonisation, and advancement of African languages to ensure their continued relevance in education, research, and society. I am particularly passionate about the digitalisation of African languages and their meaningful integration into emerging technologies. My vision is to see Setswana, alongside other African languages, accurately represented, well-resourced, and fully supported across artificial intelligence platforms, natural language processing technologies, and other digital ecosystems, thereby promoting linguistic equity, preserving Africa's rich linguistic heritage, and expanding access to knowledge in indigenous languages.

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Nadeem Osman (Digital Dentist/Lecturer@UP: Dept of Periodontics & Oral Medicine)

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Nadeem Osman (Digital Dentist/Lecturer@UP: Dept of Periodontics & Oral Medicine)

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Hello All! I am Nadeem, a dentist and newly appointed lecturer at UP. I have been a sessional lecturer since qualifying and have finally taken up the challenge to share my knowledge and experience with future colleagues. AI is moving at an incredible pace and even in my field the boom of applications involving AI in healthcare is amazing. I want to learn and equip myself to be able to implement AI in teaching and also empower those i teach t use AI effectively and responsibly. I have been using AI in my daily practice and see the infinite possibilities AI can deliver in the education space. I find myself using it more and more on a daily basis. My focus is on how AI can augment both Teaching and Learning in education, while also developing AI to deliver better healthcare in the graduates we produce.

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Hi Everyone I am Blanche Steyn from the Department of Auditing. I focus on postgragduate research courses. I am interested in both learning how to use AI to be more productive as well as teaching the responsible use of AI.

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Hi everyone! I’m Ankie, and I work as a Learning Designer.

I’m excited about how AI can make teaching and learning more engaging, personalised, and efficient. I’m currently experimenting with AI tools and exploring how they can support education in meaningful ways.

One big question I have is: How can we use AI ethically while still maintaining authentic learning and assessment? Looking forward to learning with you all!

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Lesley Meyer, Private practice physiotherapist, Extraordinary Lecturer, Author, Activist, and PhD Candidate

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Lesley Meyer, Private practice physiotherapist, Extraordinary Lecturer, Author, Activist, and PhD Candidate

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After practicing for 22 years in private practice, I returned to UP to conduct a master's degree to protect medical professionals against unfair forensic audits. This research went out in a press release in March 2026 and I have been sharing this information on various media platforms using AI to my advantage. My PhD will continue with this topic to reduce attrition in the medical field and I am actively using AI to speed up my research and provide a thinking platform to gather more ideas. AI has made research easier to conduct in less time and it has helped me understand complex situations in seconds.

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Lecturer/Researcher

Department of Social Work & Criminology

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My name is Dr John Simango, Lecturer with the UAL division. I am fascinated by the ease with which AI can do, and I want to know more about this technology.

My AI experience is that I have used it, but the lines between ethical and unethical usage are still not clear to me. I need to know more about this.

My AI question is whether one can really use any AI tools morally without feeling a sense of guilt afterwards?

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I am Dr Madelyn Cloete, a seasoned academic and accomplished lecturer in the Department of Accounting at UP, since 2003. With over two decades of experience in higher education, I have focussed my interest on curriculum design, teaching innovation, and academic management.

As an educator, my work reflects a deep commitment to enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes through innovative pedagogical approaches.

I hold a PhD in Accounting Sciences from the University of Pretoria, as well as an MEd in Curriculum and Instructional Design and a BCom (Hons) in Accounting Sciences, reflectingmy dual professionalism as an educator and accounting accounting scholar. I am currently involved in the development and implementation of fully online accounting courses, as well as full-time lecturing of second year accounting students.

Beyond my role as an academic, I would like to be known for my authenticity, empathy, and creativity — qualities that shape my philosophy as both a teacher and a leader. I remain guided by my personal ethos of living purposefully and creating lasting positive change.

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Lecturer in mechanical engineering. I often bounce ideas off of AI for the percolation to happen in my brain but I am still very leery of the potential global impact of power requirements in both cooling and computation.

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Hi, my name is Nothando Mbatha, lecturer at SHSPH. I would like to make AI my friend and use it effectively to improve outcomes, for me and the student.

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I am Nelda Smith, a lecturer in the Geology Department, focusing on hydrogeology and hydrochemistry. I am also busy with my PhD in hydrochemistry.

I am "intermediate" when it comes to AI use. I've played around with it enough to see it's value and also many of its shortcomings. I believe there will always be more of these lessons to learn, depending on how and for what you are using it, therefore shared experiences are of immense value.

I have used it to learn new skills (Python scripts), refine and better communicate student assignments, as well as hash out questions or gaps in aspects of my research in order to better define my research focus.

My question is on ethical use of AI in an academic setting and what the best way is to teach students what that looks like.

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Elna Verster - Senior lecturer in the department of Accounting on the third year module, Responsible Reporting 300.

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Cecile Janse van Rensburg, senior lecturer in the Department of Accounting.

I use AI primarily as a language tool. I am reluctant to use it as part of my research, as I am concerned about its limitations and protection of the confidentiality of data.

Students use AI extensively, there is no doubt about that. It is important to teach students how to use AI ethically to prevent unchallenged reliance on AI outputs. Practical guidance on how to teach this would be valuable.

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I'm Dr. Amanda Mdlophane. I'm a Radiopharmacist and Extraordinary Lecturer focusing on radiopharmaceutical research in the Dept. of Nuclear Medicine at UP among my other roles elsewhere.

I'm interested in the use of AI in research as well as its application in developing specialised short courses in the Radiopharmaceutical / Nuclear Medicine Industry.

I am relatively new to AI as I only recently (3 mo) started using it, so I'm experimenting with it.

How can AI be more reliable and encompass a range of responses in assessments, such that students can be satisfied in its ability to evaluate and give fair marks without the intervention lecture/student intervention?

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Hello everyone! My name is Dr Nthuseni Sharon Murudi-Manganye, and I am a lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Nursing Science. I am also involved in capacity building for healthcare professionals and conduct research on integrated care for multimorbidity.

I am particularly excited about the potential of Artificial Intelligence to enhance teaching, learning, and health systems strengthening—especially how AI can support personalized learning, automate assessment feedback, and improve decision-making in clinical education.
I am currently exploring and experimenting with AI tools to improve curriculum delivery, assessment design, and research productivity. I’ve also been integrating AI-driven approaches into health education and co-design methodologies to promote innovation in teaching and healthcare.

My key question is: How can we ensure that AI integration in education remains ethical, inclusive, and contextually relevant—particularly in resource-limited settings like South Africa?

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Mariatha Yazbek (Associate professor in Midwifery)

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Mariatha Yazbek (Associate professor in Midwifery)

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As an educator, I am looking forward to what I can learn from this group about using AI. AI has save me a lot of time and provided frameworks for my teaching content. Not all AI has fed me has been correct. I have therefore worked on my keywords and search concepts. How can I use AI optimally and correctly?

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I am Irma Eloff, professor of Educational Psychology; eager to learn more about AI in academia; biggest question on AI: ethics.

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AI in education holds so much scope and potential. I use AI to get feedback on my own work and as a critical friend. The biggest question on AI, I have is, will it even feel as passionately as humans do?

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Clinton David van der Merwe (Associate Professor, Department of Humanities Education)

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Clinton David van der Merwe (Associate Professor, Department of Humanities Education)

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Interested in knowing how to use AI ethically and effectively implementing it in my teaching and learning. My biggest question is if it can be used to generate grading rubrics?

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My name is Maryke Henning, a lecturer in the Department of Accounting.

AI can help each student personalise their own learning journey. AI helps me reduce mundane tasks to get to the things I enjoy, teaching. Currently I am experimenting with AI.

A big question I have is how we can use AI in our research. What are the limitations and where should we tread carefully. For example can we upload an article and ask AI tool to summarise?

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Good day colleagues. My name is Brett van Coppenhagen, I'm a Family Physician based at Kalafong Provincial tertiary Hospital with the Department of Family Medicine supervising and involved with MMED Family Medicine registrar training. As a registrar research and portfolio supervisor I often recommend the use of AI to assist with literature review reports and other academic assignments. My use of AI is limited to Copilot integrated into Microsoft Word, extremely useful and lately started exploring Paperpal, albeit with limited 3 month license. These tools are so incredibly useful, even in my daily work, that I would like to learn more about AI tools and applications! I have an interest in which tools we can access for free or with UP subscription access as personal monthly subscriptions is really the limiting factor for myself as even more with students. Excited to learn more around AI and its uses, to which we may have access!

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Hi, my name is Dolly Langa (Lecturer in the Physics Department)

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Hi, my name is Dolly Langa (Lecturer in the Physics Department)

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What excites me most about AI in physics education is its ability to personalize learning and make complex concepts more accessible. Physics often requires deep conceptual understanding and problem-solving, but students come with different backgrounds and learning paces. AI can:

Adapt content in real time: providing tailored explanations, hints, or simulations depending on how a student is struggling or excelling.

Enhance visualization and experimentation: through AI-driven simulations, virtual labs, and adaptive problem sets, students can explore physical principles interactively—even those that are impossible to recreate in a classroom.

Automate routine tasks: grading assignments, analyzing common mistakes, or giving instant feedback—freeing up educators’ time to focus on mentoring, guiding inquiry, and fostering critical thinking.

Open new possibilities for discovery-based learning: AI can generate problem variations, suggest analogies, or even predict misconceptions before they fully form.

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Avinash Singh (Lecturer, Researcher, TechTeam Manager, Department of CS, EBIT)

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Avinash Singh (Lecturer, Researcher, TechTeam Manager, Department of CS, EBIT)

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My name is Avinash Singh, and I am a lecturer/researcher in Computer Science (specializing in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and AI-driven analysis).

I am particularly excited about how AI can transform education through personalized learning, automated assessment, and intelligent feedback systems. I’m also intrigued by AI’s potential in improving plagiarism detection and enhancing digital forensics education.

I have been actively exploring AI tools, including large language models, for both teaching and research. I integrate AI into curriculum design, coding assessments, and research projects (e.g., ransomware investigation platforms and phishing detection).

Biggest AI Question:

How can we ensure that AI in teaching and assessment maintains academic integrity while enhancing creativity and critical thinking, rather than enabling over-reliance on automated solutions?

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Hi! I’m Michelle Finestone, a lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology and a registered Educational Psychologist, which basically means I spend a lot of time thinking about thinking (and overthinking about thinking). I’m intrigued by the ways AI can supercharge research and teaching, kind of like having a very clever assistant who never sleeps (and doesn’t drink all the coffee). I’m currently experimenting with AI in my work, using it selectively to enhance learning without letting it take over the classroom. My biggest burning question? How do we keep students thinking for themselves when they’ve got a digital genie ready to grant them instant answers? I want AI to be a launchpad for curiosity, not a shortcut to complacency.

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Hello everyone,

My name is Thakane Rampai, and I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Auditing. My academic interests lie in risk management and the integration of technology within the auditing field. I joined UP in 2023 and am currently pursuing my PhD.

I am in the process of exploring how artificial intelligence can be effectively integrated into teaching and research. I look forward to learning, sharing, and growing alongside all of you in this community of practice.

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My name is Keith Ncube. I am a Lecturer in Pharmacology at the University of Pretoria and a PhD candidate in Pharmacology. My research is centred on the application of 3D spheroid models in cancer drug testing. I currently teach physiology and pharmacology across undergraduate levels, with a focus on developing both foundational understanding and critical engagement with applied concepts.

My interest in artificial intelligence lies in its potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning through improved assessment design, personalised student engagement, and the facilitation of academic support in large-group settings.

I am actively engaging with AI in my teaching and academic workflow. I regularly use ChatGPT, Paperpal, Perplexity, and the AI-integrated tools available on the Blackboard LMS.

These platforms assist with the generation of formative assessments, the development of revision content, and the refinement of academic writing.

A key question I have is how AI can be ethically and effectively integrated into assessment and feedback practices, in a manner that upholds academic integrity while supporting reflective student learning.

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Hi there! I'm Cara, a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Pharmacology. Although my title may be a bit misleading, like a true budding academic, I wear multiple hats. I'm involved in establishing the Academic Excellence Office in our department aimed at alleviating some of the administrative pressures off our staff and streamline our processes to ensure quality educational outcomes. We believe AI will be instrumental in this endeavour, hence my interest in this community. I have primarily been using ChatGPT the last few months, but recently I've also played around with Microsoft Copilot, Consensus and Paperpal. My biggest AI question relates to the ethical use of AI in research. Where do we draw the line of using AI to assist us in our daily tasks and when are we relying too heavily on AI to do our work.

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I’m Ashona Singh, an academic in Chemistry passionate about transforming how we teach and learn science. My work focuses on blending deep disciplinary rigour with emerging AI tools to make complex content more intuitive, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating.

What excites me most is AI’s potential to personalise the learning journey, especially in cognitively demanding subjects like Chemistry. I’m currently exploring AI for automated assessment, real-time feedback, and dynamic modelling of chemical systems.

My burning question: Can AI move beyond marking answers to actually evaluating how students think? If we can teach AI to recognise reasoning, not just correctness, we’ll unlock a whole new dimension of meaningful learning.

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Ashona Singh, organic chemist, computational chemistry, animated

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Nokuthula N Dewa ( Educational Psychology Lecturer)

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Nokuthula N Dewa ( Educational Psychology Lecturer)

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Hi there, my name is Nokuthula and I am a lecturer from Educational Psychology department. I am passionate about the inclusion of all learners/students, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds. Therefore, with the emergence of Generative AI, I am keen about the inclusion of marginalised populations so that they attain quality education. I do use AI in almost everyday of my life, particularly in enhancing my academic and professional skills.

The question that I have is : Although there is no AI policy as yet, I am worried about the confusion especially amongst us as colleagues. For instance, one feels like violating some university rules by teaching students how to use Generative AI to enhance their work.

I am therefore, looking forward to travel this journey ( CoP) that I believe will enrich my knowledge, skills and confidence in using Generative AI.

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Hello everyone! I’m Pariksha Singh from the AIM department, and I’m thrilled to be part of this journey exploring how AI Literacy can help bridge the digital divide for our first-year students. I’m especially excited to discover innovative approaches and creative strategies that can empower our learners and make technology more accessible for all.

Currently, I’m experimenting with crafting the perfect AI prompts-though I must admit, my dream is to find a way for AI to handle my gym sessions and return my body when it’s beach ready!

But on a more serious note, I’m deeply interested in how we can effectively weave AI into our curricula to truly equip students for the fast-evolving world they’re stepping into.

I look forward to learning from all of you and sharing ideas on how we can make AI an engaging, transformative part of our students’ educational experience!

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Jeanine Fourie (Senior Lecturer in Oral Medicine, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine)

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Jeanine Fourie (Senior Lecturer in Oral Medicine, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine)

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I am Jeanine Fourie, an AI novice, eager to explore its potential and harness it to make good better.

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My name is Marguerite de Waal, and I am a lecturer in the Unit for Academic Literacy. My background is in literature and language teaching, and I have been teaching academic literacy since 2018. I completed my MA at UP and my PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand. Recently, I have undertaken a postgraduate diploma in Educational technology through UCT.

I am interested in AI as a technological tool that directly and broadly influences literacy practices in educational and professional spaces. AI literacy will have to be included in our definition of what it means to be academically literate. Moreover, given the risks associated with unethical and unreflective AI use, critical AI literacy will be essential to maintaining users' agency and their academic and professional integrity.

Since AI is an evolving and encompassing communicative tool, critical AI literacy is a skill that will require constant development and (re)evaluation, based in critical reading and writing practices.

I have recently experimented with allowing AI use in assessments within specific parameters and with guidelines for acknowledging use in transparent and reflective ways. I have also experimented with practising AI use during class time for assessment purposes (e.g. editing an assignment).

My biggest AI question is double-barrelled: What is the optimal way to teach AI literacy, and what skills and skill levels precede AI literacy / should be separately developed from AI literacy? (Skills I have in mind, for example, are reading and critical reading. AI requires reading and critical reading skills. However, I am not convinced (as some seem to be) that AI should also be used to teach these skills.)

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Hi everyone, my name is Jason Oberholster. I’m a lecturer in the Architecture Department and serve as the Director of the Unit for Urban Citizenship. I’m currently experimenting with AI, particularly using custom GPTs to support our research projects. I’m also exploring how AI can be used as a visualisation and co-design tool when engaging with communities. What excites me most about AI in education is its potential to open up new ways of learning, collaborating, and imagining possibilities, especially in community-focused work. One question I’m curious about is how we can use AI creatively without losing the human-centred approach that’s so important in education and community engagement.

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A close-up view of a smiling Palesa Nqubezelo.

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Prompt used: Write a short intro about me for an AI discussion group—I'm a Learning Design Intern trying to sound clever but not too robotic.

My name is Palesa Nqubezelo, and I’m a Senior Learning Design Intern at UPOnline, COES and a MEd Student. I support the design and development of fully online modules, working closely with learning designers and academic staff to create engaging learning experiences. What excites me most about AI in education is its potential to personalise learning and offer timely feedback. I’m also curious about how it might ease the admin load for learning designers and how we can use it to support accessible and inclusive education in fully online spaces. At the moment, I’m experimenting with various AI tools, mainly for content creation and idea generation.

I have many questions about AI (too many), but the biggest one is: How can we ethically integrate AI into assessment practices while ensuring fairness, academic integrity, and student empowerment?

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A close-up view of a smiling Palesa Nqubezelo, wearing a black top and jacket with dark brown and blonde braids. 

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I am Zuki Tshabalala from the Faculty of Health Sciences in the Family Medicine Department. Any tools that may enhance teaching and learning are of interest to me. In this day and age, I really want to have engaging sessions with students, but also facilitate how they navigate through the vast amount of knowledge that may be available to them.

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Hi, I am just returning from Japan and are a bit tired after a 12-hour flight. So, I asked ChatGPT to quickly tell you who I am: My name is Mari van Wyk, and I am a university professor, learning designer, and researcher working in the field of online and distance education. I am particularly interested in how AI can support adaptive learning, and support inclusive and equitable pedagogical practices, especially in multilingual and under-resourced contexts. I actively use AI in my academic work, ranging from course design and feedback generation to exploring its potential in academic writing. One of the key questions I am currently exploring is how AI can be ethically and effectively integrated into assessment practices to enhance critical thinking and support diverse learners without reinforcing existing biases or compromising human judgment.

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Lucinda Kok (Lecturer, researcher, and LLD candidate in the Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law)

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Lucinda Kok (Lecturer, researcher, and LLD candidate in the Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law)

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Hello, everyone! I'm Lucinda from the Faculty of Law. Where to begin...

My interest in AI is broad, and my research reflects this diversity. Initially, I explored AI concepts aimed at enhancing teaching and learning within the LLB curriculum.

Currently, my LLD research focuses specifically on "the impact of artificial intelligence on contractual capacity and agency". This research is part of a broader project incorporating strategically selected AI tools aligned with objectives of ethical scholarship, academic integrity, and innovation in higher education.

Ultimately, my goal is to enhance contemporary legal research methodologies and provide insights into how ethically deployed AI-driven applications could sustainably shape the future of legal scholarship, professional practice, and societal well-being. There is also a likelihood of pursuing a MEd degree to present these findings...

I'm actively integrating AI into my teaching, research, and student supervision.

This fuels my ongoing excitement about the transformative potential of AI in education—particularly through Guided Learning AI (GLA), a concept I developed during my research over the past two years. GLA seeks to enhance adaptive and personalised learning experiences in legal education.

I'm currently working on a project titled Guided Learning AI in Legal Education: A Practical Framework for Adaptive Learning, aiming to provide practical insights into effectively leveraging AI tools.

Biggest AI Question:

1. My biggest question revolves around striking the right balance—how can we harness the efficiency and precision of AI without compromising students' critical thinking, creativity, and independent problem-solving skills?

2. Additionally, my research is dedicated to establishing a workable (legal) definition of AI that embodies core principles like accountability and transparency while remaining flexible enough to govern AI applications across various sectors and fields.

As you can see, I'm incredibly ambitious and enthusiastic about the potential of AI in all its aspects.

I look forward to engaging, collaborating, and learning with all of you! 🚀✨

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I am Machdel Matthee, a professor in the Deparment of Informatics. My research interest is in the development of cognitive skills in the digital era, including AI literacy but also focusing on critical thinking, computational thinking and problem solving.

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My name is Maryke Strydom. I am a part-time lecturer in the Department of Religion Studies at the Faculty of Theology. I recently earned my PhD in religion studies.

My interest in AI is in how we can use it to save time and increase our creativity. I would also like to learn more about how some AI tools may assist in creating a more effective education system.

I am very new to AI, but I have started to experiment with it.

My biggest question would be on the ethical use of AI for educators, scholars and students. Therefore, not just focusing on the value added but also on the problems that AI can cause and how we can solve these problems.

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Hi, my name is Alta van der Merwe, and I work as Deputy Dean, Teaching and Learning in EBIT. I'm particularly excited about the potential of AI to enhance personalisation and efficiency in education—especially how it can support both educators and learners in more targeted, meaningful ways. I would say I’m in the “experimenting” phase with AI; I’ve been exploring various tools and their applications in teaching and learning, and I’m eager to see how they compare across different platforms like PeopleSoft. One big question I have is how we can ensure the ethical and effective use of AI in assessment without compromising academic integrity or equity.

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Edwin Mapasha (Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics, Teaching Foundational Physics for Four Year Program and  Computational Physics for Honors Program )

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Edwin Mapasha (Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics, Teaching Foundational Physics for Four Year Program and  Computational Physics for Honors Program )

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I am planning to integrate AI into my teaching to enhance my educational objectives and improve student learning outcomes. In foundational physics, AI will be employed to identify knowledge gaps and provide targeted, personalized recommendations. Additionally, AI will analyze gradebook data to pinpoint at-risk students and enable timely interventions. To further enrich the learning experience, AI will generate a variety of educational resources, such as videos and diverse question types, and also use assessments tools to give rapid feedback. These AI-driven strategies will be carefully curated to ensure they complement, rather than overwhelm, students' learning journeys.

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Abrie Oerholster (Senior lecturer, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering)

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Abrie Oerholster (Senior lecturer, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering)

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I am Abrie Oberholster, a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. My research interests stretches from vibration based condition monitoring of machines and components, to non-contact measurements, to biomechanical testing. I enjoy multi- and transdisciplinary research, having been involved with various engineering disciplines as well as the UP department of Anatomy, Plant Sciences, Music and the Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies.

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Vanessa Steenkamp (Deputy Dean Teaching & Learning, Faculty of Health Sciences)

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Vanessa Steenkamp (Deputy Dean Teaching & Learning, Faculty of Health Sciences)

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I am interested in incorporating AI into T&L to enhance learning experience. Also, using AI in assessments to enhance critical thinking.

I have undertaken a few courses on AI, including prompting course. I am currently undertaking a research project on AI use in T&L and students perspectives.

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I am Juanita Dos Santos-Venter, a lecturer in the Taxation department, where I teach taxation to first-, second-, and third-year Accounting and Finance students. With over 12 years of experience at the university, I am passionate about teaching and find great joy in witnessing the moment when students finally "get it." I go the extra mile to simplify complex tax concepts by incorporating real-life examples that students can relate to, along with visuals that enhance their understanding.

What excites me most about AI in education is the endless possibilities it offers. I frequently use ChatGPT as a sounding board and a first point of reference when crafting stories for upcoming assessments. Additionally, AI plays a crucial role in my research, helping me develop strong research questions, refine objectives, and establish a solid framework.

While my experience with AI in education is still somewhat limited, I am eager to explore its potential further. One of my biggest questions about AI in teaching, learning, and assessment is how to effectively integrate it into higher education while maintaining academic integrity and critical thinking skills among students.

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Madelyn Cloete (Lecturer Department of Accounting)

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Madelyn Cloete (Lecturer Department of Accounting)

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I am proud to introduce myself as a happily married mother of two young adult daughters, more or less your age as well. Having a balanced, fulfilled life is what I continue to strive for, and what I wish for any individual that I encounter on their life-journey.

My scholarly development reflects my unique dual professionalism as an accountant and education practitioner, culminating in my MEd dissertation on this dual professionalism. I am now in the final stages of a PhD in Accounting Sciences, focusing on alternative engagement and assessment in accounting education.

My teaching philosophy centers on inclusivity, adaptability, and authenticity. I aim to accommodate diverse learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and levels of experience while embracing the reciprocal nature of learning. The dynamic fields of Accounting and Higher Education demand continuous adaptability, and I remain responsive to institutional changes, technological advances, and real-time classroom dynamics.

Authenticity is at the core of my teaching; I aim, not only to assist my students to pass exams, but also to develop responsible global citizens equipped with essential life skills such as financial literacy and critical thinking. Student motivation, engagement and overall satisfaction are high priorities for me as a facilitator.

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Werner Cordier (Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology)

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Werner Cordier (Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology)

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Interests in AI: As a self-proclaimed technophile, I enjoy digital advancements, particularly when it can make my life much simpler (or exciting). The possibility of AI to reduce the redundancy of many of our tasks thrills me, as well as the possibility of having a soundboarding assistant that can offer quick, effective and out-of-the-box support for my ideas.

Experiences in AI: I've been playing around for quite a while, with most of my experience coming from ChatGPT (purely because I enjoy its platform and outcomes a lot more). I actively use it for system strengthening, research, and teaching-and-learning, and as I become more competent, it will likely be a big part of my own daily tasks.

My biggest AI question: I would say my biggest question stems from my biggest concern - the ultimate use of the system my humans. Its a tool, and tools are only as effective as the person who knows how to use it effectively, appropriately and ethically. Given the knowledge base is primarily from the Global North, not always vetted appropriately, and at risk of various biases, ensuring that systems acknowledge these to support use is needed. So, the question I guess is: how do we achieve the best possible human-use of AI?

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🔹 Your Name & Role – Michelle Bheemraj - Dean's office @NAS - Support to DD T&L

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🔹 Your Name & Role – Michelle Bheemraj - Dean's office @NAS - Support to DD T&L

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🔹 I'm thrilled about the opportunities AI presents in higher education, particularly in enhancing student learning experiences, improving assessment methods, and supporting faculty in their teaching practices. However, I'm also deeply interested in measures ensuring that AI integration aligns with our core values of academic integrity, ethical considerations, and the fundamental principles of effective teaching and learning.

🔹 Active user, exploring continually

🔹How can we harness the potential of AI to create personalised, adaptive learning pathways that cater to the diverse needs and abilities of our students, while ensuring that these pathways remain with the vision, mission and attributes all while remaining inclusive, accessible, and socially responsible?

What strategies can we employ to strike a balance between leveraging AI to enhance student learning and preventing its misuse, such as relying too heavily on AI-generated content or compromising academic integrity through unchecked AI-assisted submissions. Are we ahead of the ever evolving?