EDUtech Asia and Singapore FinTech Festival in November

Happy to meet up with people around EDUtech Asia and Singapore FinTech Festival, over the next two weeks. On this visit to Singapore I have no presentations planned, but have volunteered to fill in, if needed chairing or speaking at the events. Also happy to speak elsewhere if there is interest. 

Impact Evaluation for Equity workshop

This morning I attended the Impact Evaluation for Equity workshop for Canberra universities, hosted at the Australian National University. This was organized by the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES). Dr Patricia Vermillion Peirce (ACSES Trials Lead) provided enthusiastic and knowledgeable will facilitation. The idea is to help with evaluation of equity practices at universities. Governments and universities spend a lot of time and money providing programs to disadvantaged groups of students, but do these programs actually work and could they be done better? This is the aim of evaluation. 

As a student of education, I was required to study evaluation techniques, but Patricia covered many more approaches I was not familiar with. One aspect which troubles me with equity issues is where universities are not implementing good teaching practices and need to make up for this with programs for students who are discriminated against as a result. If universites used the type of online, competency based, flexible, nested, RPLed and other techniques which are routine in vocational institutions, then much of the equity programs would not be required. 

In some cases universities simply need to implement what is required by law. As an example it if very simple for universities to provided closed captions on video material. As a result the law requires universities to do this. However, so cliam (falsely) that students have to request this.

R&D is a People Business

ANU College of Systems & Society Showcase, 
Photo by Tom Worthington CC-BY 21 October 2025

Professor Roy Green reviewed the new Acton Institute for Policy Research and Handbook on Innovation Ecosystems, highlighting the need to address placemaking, economics, business and governance. But I suggest more important, are relationships. R&D is about people working together, something neglected in PhD training. The Canberra Innovation Network is an example of a place which does this well. Another example was the Australian National University gymnasium yesterday, where the ANU College of Systems & Society students were showing off their projects. This was a mix of research projects and industry ones. As well as academics, there were business people who projects were for, wandering around. I bumped into an ex-student, now successful in industry who won a prize for their group project previously. 

He argues that policy effectiveness depends less on the volume of expenditure and more on the coherence of the system surrounding it. 

Live Hackerthon Pitches to Combat AI Cheating

Greetings from the Copeland Lecture Theatre at the Australian National University. The theatre has been repurposed as a pitch arena. Teams of students are making three minute presentations on an app they developed as part of the Software Construction course. There are only a few seconds for changeover between presentations. This form of experiential learning is one way to combat AI cheating. This allows the whole class to present in one hour long lecture slot. As well as being graded, students can win a prize and may be talent spotted by entrepreneurs, such as Ken Kroeger. While the presentations are digital, I noted that Professor Gretton used an pen and paper for notes on the work. 

As well as having to pitch live, each team has to provide an electronic archive of their work. This makes it much harder for a student to contract out the work, either to a human or AI software. One subtley in the way the pitches are made is that Zoom is being used, although we are all in the room together on this occasion, this allows all the presentations to be easily recorded and the option of a blended mode, wth remote students and teachers. 

Learning to Innovate in Space

Somehow, at some time, I enrolled in CICADA's online course "Space Foundations for Elevate 2025". This is introductory start up training for budding space entrepreneurs. The course has 10 modules with a study time of four and a half hours. There are 3 minute videos some readings and quizzes. This is all designed for the student to do alone in their own time, it is complemented by face to face workshops (the first of which as yesterday and I missed). 

Some of the introductory slides juddered on my screen. All I could do is hit "start" and move on. The videos are the usual talking heads with some slides and quizzes. Unfortunately some of the videos don't have closed captions or transcripts, so if you can't hear, you are out of luck. 

There appear to be a generic set of innovation videos, supplemented by ones specifically on the space industry. This can be a little jarring. The entrepreneurial ethos of quick to market and failing fast doesn't necessarily fit with space engineering, where development can take decades and failure can be fatal. 

I managed to get half way through the course. At that point I noticed I had only completed 90% of the first module. There were a few multiple choice quiz questions. I went back and attempted them several times, but could not get past 90%, so at that point gave up. 

Western University Brands on Asian Higher Education?

Kim, Lee, and Byun (2025) have charted the rise of Korean campuses of US universities. Could we see something similar in other countries, emulating the success of western car brands, on models made in Asia? The authors argue that korean students, and their parents, are hedging their bets by choosing prestige of a a US degree, but a lower cost one delivered locally. 

China adopted an approach to develop its industry base by requiring foreign manufacturers to partner with local industry. In the car industry this was followed by support for development of electric vehicles (EVs). In a later stage local Chinese companies were able to buy up western car brands and apply these to their own local EVs. Could something similar happen with higher education? Asian governments and investors could apply new educational techniques, such as online and experiential learning, which western universities are reluctant to use at scale, to provide superior reasonably priced education. Western brands could then be used to market this programs.

Reference

Kim, K., Lee, H. & Byun, K. Choosing a U.S. branch campus in Korea: a case study of Korean students’ decision-making through the trilateral push–pull model. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-025-10089-4

Industrial Design Capacity Building

Greetings from the Canberra Innovation Network where Ashley Marsh-Croft is running an Industrial Design Capacity Building and PVP Info Session. There is about $100,000 available in vouchers for startups to get help with their prototypes. This is about physical prototypes, not software, or services.

Inserting microphone into soft toy,
Photo by Tom Worthington, CC-BY 2022

The example I chose was a throwable microphone. These are available, but are not cheap and are so heavy I would not want one thrown at me. So I went out and got some stuffed toys with zips in them. Could this be improved on as a product? As an example, how heavy does it need to be to be easily throwable, but not dangerous. Would it be better rugby football shaped, rather the a cube or a ball, as many are? Adults seem to react well to a cartoon face on the microphone, will this help them orientate the unit?

Chat GPT generated image of a
teacher throwing a microphone. 

Copilot generated image of a
teacher throwing a microphone. 

I asked Chat GPT and Microsoft Copilot to "draw a throwable microphone shaped like a football being used in an australian classroom". They produced remarkably similar results, both with a female teacher and three students.  Chat GPT had a microphone end to the football. 

Some questions this brought up were if the microphone could be made of molded foam with no cover. This would be much cheaper, down to the point of being disposable (recyclable?).

EduTech Asia 5 to 6 November in Singapore

Here are my preliminary selections of sessions at EduTech Asia 5 to 6 November in Singapore:

Wednesday, 5 November 12:05 PM

Fireside chat: Harnessing the power of Generative AI for higher education

How AWS is advancing Generative AI in Higher Education across the Asia-Pacific region How AI can be leveraged responsibly to enhance teaching, learning and administration across university, college and polytechnic campuses Hear real-world success stories from global and local institutions leveraging this transformative technology  

Manoj Lohatepanont, Chulalongkorn University
Hannah Gapes, AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC.

Lunch break and exhibition visit

Fireside chat: Flexible learning pathways – incorporating vocational training to boost skills

Enhancing students' technical skills while providing a strong academic foundation Developing stackable credentials, allowing learners to accumulate skills over time Assessing learning through competency-based assessments and industry-recognised certifications

Ann Lautrette, Taipei European School
Chetna Sabharwal, Association of Indian Principals (AIP)

Case study presentation: Enhancing teaching experiences through Nanyang Polytechnic’s competency-based learning approach

Integrating industry-relevant competencies to ensure that students are aligned with workforce demands Building knowledge, skills and attitudes through practical work tasks Showcasing results from the Diploma in AI & Data Engineering

Sophia Wei, Nanyang Polytechnic
Tay Mia Eng, Nanyang Polytechnic

Case study presentation: Building a seamless & borderless university with 5G networks at NUS

Transforming National University of Singapore’s (NUS) campus connectivity through ultra-fast reliable internet access Driving innovation and elevating the teaching and learning experience Fostering a mobile and adaptive learning environment

Nelson Wong, National University of Singapore

Panel: Building bridges – enriching learning experiences through cross-border collaborations

How cross-border collaborations can enhance curriculum development Exploring how such partnerships can enable institutions to share best practices and foster innovation Broadening students' horizons and exposing them to global opportunities 

Nicholas Paul Belcher, The International School @ ParkCity
Jake Pratley, GLOBIS Asia Campus
Aye Chan Oo, Scholatic International School Myanmar
Michael Galligan, Cognita Asia

Panel: Into the unknown – preparing learners for jobs that don’t exist yet

Equipping learners with foundational skills that will prepare them for roles in an unpredictable job market Breaking away from siloed content and embracing cross-disciplinary learning Nurturing lifelong learners who embrace change and remain curious throughout life  

Michael Yap, Coventry University
Angela Siew Hoong Lee, Sunway University
Roel Rodrigo, Malayan Colleges Laguna
Neelesh Bhatia, National University Singapore
Choon Hou Sim, Republic Polytechnic5:10 PM

Panel: Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through student-centred learning

How inquiry-based learning methods encourage students to explore questions and engage in critical analysis Integrating reflective practices into the learning process Assessing and evaluating students' critical thinking and problem-solving abilities

Jayson Bergania, University of Makati
Keith Sharp, American University of Phnom Penh
Mike Choong, Taylor's University
Noorzareith Sofeia Noordin, Sunway University

Thursday 6 November

Panel: Is it time for reform? The bid for authenticity in assessments

Designing authentic assessments that allow learners to demonstrate skills Improving existing models of summative assessment Tapping into AI to develop fairer, more accurate assessments

Edwin Lim, Hwa Chong Institution
Yian Hoon Lim, Seng Kang Secondary School
Barbara Tajti, Saint John Mary International School
Kerry Moore, Stonyhurst International School Penang

Case study presentation: Revolutionising learning with competency-based design thinking

Differentiating between competencies and abilities to sharpen learning outcomes Building and applying design competency maps using AI-powered tools Creating effective assessment rubrics for hands-on classroom activities and projects

Panel: Smarter marketing, recruitment & retention strategies with AI and automation

Increase conversion rates and reduce administrative load Using data to identify and attract students while improving targeting and segmentation in marketing campaigns Deploying AI-powered systems to nurture prospective students throughout recruitment processes  

Alan Go, Hanbridge Institute
Zulkarnan Abdul, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

HE RT 08: ⁠How can higher education prepare students for a global workforce shaped by AI and digital transformation?

This session is ideal for attendees from Higher Education education institutions. Participate in engaging discussions with your peers from around Asia!

Keynote Panel: The road to 2030 – what will learning look like in the next 5 years?

Yuhyun Park, DQ Institute
Graham Brown-Martin, Learning Without Frontiers
Kristie Chen, Bold Academy Pte. Ltd.
Pasi Sahlberg, University of Melbourne
Pak Tee Ng, National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore

Digital Modernisation of Old Government Computer Systems

Greetings from "Digital Modernisation: Unlocking success beyond legacy systems" at the Australian Computer Society.  Ian McDermott – Partner, Digital & Strategic Transformation, Synergy Group is addressing the issue of what to do about old government software. There comes a point where it is not technically possible to keep maintaining old software let alone paying to patch it up. This brings to mind a recent session at Canberra Innovation Network on selling to government. 

Ian mentioned the difficulty of finding COBOL programmers. I only ever wrote one line of COBOL, beginning my career just as it was being phased out. But that was more than 40 years ago and much COBOL is still to be replaced. 

Ian pointed out that simply replacing a "legacy" system is not that easy. Government wants new functions added while maintaining the old system. 

Ian proposed a digital modernization special interest group. 

University Cybersecurity

Recently I was interviewed by Patrick Brischetto about emails sent to university graduates saying their degrees had been revoked ("What we know about the latest university cybersecurity breach - and how to protect yourself", 9 News, Oct 8, 2025). As I explained, this form of attack exploits fear, reducing the reader's normal critical abilities.

AI and Creative Work

Greetings from RegNet AI Series, with Deborah Lupton at the Australian National University. Earlier today Ethan Smith talked on AI image generation at LeonardoAi. Before that one of my computer interns asked if they needed to acknowledge they had used a computer generated voice for their pitch video. 

The theme emerging from this is the nature of creativity and what is seen as a worthwhile human skill. The student said they were writing the script themselves, just getting the software to voice it. 

What I wanted to say was no, do it all yourself. How can you learn if you just get the software to do it. But I use computer generated speech to voice short videos for students, so how can I tell them not to? Of course I spent six months learning to make videos with analog tape, but is that now a useful skill?

Improving ACT Government Services in Ten Minutes

Greetings from the Canberra Innovation Network where I taking part in the Pearcey Foundation awards night. The ACT Chief Minister is arriving shortly minutes. Before then the staff from the AI CoLab are going to help us prepare advice for the minister on services. 

The specific problem is homelessness on Civic streets. This is a high risk topic which could show the biases built into AI from the documents it was trained on. I did not get a good feeling from the AI summary which had a US accent, a country famous for its failure to address homeless. If I was being cynical I would suggest part of the solution is to have the tech companies promoting AI to pay their fair share of tax. 

Each year the ACT Chief Minister sets a challenge for the Pearcey Foundation. Last year this was improving government services with AI. Next year I suggest increasing the diversity of tertiary students in Canberra, both domestic and international. This would be both for equity and to ensure the long term viability of our educational institutions.

ps: The Chief Minister announced Dr Lachlan Blackall as the Pearcey Award winner.

Custom Questions for Each Student Based on Their Submitted Work?

Generative AI has the ability to create questions for students from the syllabus. This is very easy to do: you point the AI at the course documentation and tell it how many and what sort of questions you want. If multiple choice it also provides the answers. Could this also be done for each student, with custom questions based on their individual project work? 

Much has been written about oral examinations as the solution to students cheating. This is traditionally done for project based students, such as those undertaking a PhD. I had to go through a similar process at the end of my MEd, asked questions by a panel, based on what I submitted. However, this would be infeasible expensive for a program with hundreds, or thousands, of students. One option would be to have students question each other (this as been used in the ANU Techlaucher program). Also group projects reduce the workload, while introducing their own problems. 

Recently when attending training for Instructure's Canvas Learning Management System, being introduced at the Australian National University, I asked if each student could be given a separate file during an online test. The idea would be to provide them with a copy of their assignment, then ask them questions specifically about it. At the time I assumed the same set questions would be asked of every student. But it occurs to me now, why not ask them each a custom set of questions based on their work, and not provide a copy of the work to them?