Rethinking the Value Proposition of Human-Centred Activity

Keynote for ENIC North 2025 which was held at the University of Strathclyde, Technology and Innovation Centre, and featured a range of relevant and topical content including discussion panels, breakout sessions and plenaries, as well as Q&A.

Fraud and verification, human-centred AI in international admissions, microcredentials, EdTech, English language testing and getting the most out of your UK ENIC membership, are among the topics being explored by visiting professionals and UK ENIC experts.

The 2025 theme was‘Innovation and Human Connection: Harmonising the Future of Education’ and the keynote engaged with participants to encourage a deeper conscious understanding of the role of human-centred effort in a working environment increasingly inhabited by AI.

Transcript

2. Rethinking the Value Proposition of Human-Centred Activity. Prof. Simon Thomson Director of Flexible Learning, University of Manchester Higher Education at the Crossroads: Pioneering AI-Driven Paradigm Shifts Image created in Copilot AI – 08.04.25
3. Our University Position “When used appropriately AI tools have the potential to enhance teaching and learning, and can support inclusivity and accessibility. Output from AI systems must be treated in the same manner by staff and students as work created by another person or persons, i.e. used critically and with permitted license, and cited and acknowledged appropriately” https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/dcmsr/communications/ai-guidelines/
4. Principles • AI tools should enhance our work and be used as a supportive tool to help colleagues save time and work more effectively. • While we may use AI tools in our day-to-day work, there will always be human input involved to ensure they are being used responsibly. A human will always approve the final version of anything where AI is used. • AI tools should support – not replace – our people. We will support colleagues and provide training and development opportunities to help them use AI effectively. • The pace of AI development means that we will regularly review our principles and approach. • AI should not be used to create media content related to sensitive situations or topics. • It is recommended that colleagues use the companion tool Microsoft Copilot when working on AI-related projects if this meets your needs. Use of this tool protects both personal and University data and is GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliant.
7. Piloting Institution-wide AI Co-Pilot
9. Formative Assessment – Multiple Choice Quiz “We know how important multiple-choice questions are in some subject areas for student learning especially as a formative activity, but I don’t have time to write multiple-choice quizzes all the time. I’ve been using Copilot to construct quizzes of 20 questions with multiple choice answers, including the correct answer and three false answers. Copilot is clever enough that I can instruct Copilot to tailor each one to different learning outcomes, Bloom’s Taxonomies, and study levels. Copilot can churn out a multiple-choice quiz in about a minute, saving me hours of work but of huge benefit for learners seeking to test their knowledge”
10. Formative Feedback – Essay Essay Structure • Student makes use of AI to help develop draft essay structure. Tutor Check • Structure is tutor-checked. • Tutor provides structural feedback. Student writes first version of essay. • Student uses agreed structure to develop first draft. • Where a student uses AI they should cite as required. Student asks CoPilot to provide feedback. • Student asks CoPilot to provide feedback based on marking rubric. • Student shares AI feedback with tutor for additional comment. • Student redevelops essay based on feedback. When student submits final essay they also submit the AI developed feedback & tutor comments so the tutor is able to see how the student has responded to the feedback.
11. Generative AI Market. https://iot-analytics.com/leading-generative-ai-companies/
12. ChatGPT has around 400 million weekly active users. In February 2025, it had 122.5 million daily active users. The platform reached 100 million monthly active users within two months of its launch. ChatGPT also had 300 million weekly active users in December 2024. Generative AI Use. Microsoft Copilot has approximately 20 to 30 million active users throughout 2024, with usage split between Windows taskbar, the mobile app, and the website. In the context of Microsoft 365, nearly 70% of the Fortune 500 are now using Microsoft 365 Copilot.
13. Google Gemini recorded 284.1 million total visits in February 2025. Specifically, desktop visits reached 193.3 million, and mobile visits totaled 90.83 million. 40% of users utilize Google Gemini for research purposes. 30% of respondents use it for creativity, 20% – for productivity, and 10% – for entertainment. Generative AI Use. While there are 2.2 billion active Apple devices worldwide, and around 1.46 billion active iPhone users, only a portion of these users will have access to Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence is currently available on specific iPhone, iPad, and Mac models running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later.
17. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND So, Generative AI is here. And these are NOT the two options we want to take: This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
18. https://nationalcentreforai.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2021/09/17/how-ai-adds-value-for-education-institutions-and-for-learners/ How AI adds value for education institutions and for learners.
19. Teaching & Learning Activities Mapping AI Human High Value/Impact Low Value/Impact Formative Feedback Lecture Academic Advising Student Support Seminar Session Workshop Revision Note-taking MCQ Creation Discussion Boards Research Data Analysis Personalised Learning Viva Q&A Activity Student Registers Student Progress Monitoring
20. Teaching & Learning Activities Mapping AI Human High Impact Low Impact Formative Feedback Lecture Academic Advising Student Support Seminar Session Workshop Revision Note-taking MCQ Creation Discussion Boards Research Data Analysis Personalised Learning Viva Q&A Activity Student Registers Student Progress Monitoring
23. The AI/Human intersection. https://www.thestrategygroup.com.au/ai-strategy/
24. The AI/Human intersection in education. https://www.thestrategygroup.com.au/ai-strategy/ People AI Human-Centred Education. Ensuring, responsible, transparent and ethical outcomes. Original thought and knowledge creation. Deep expertise and quality assured learning. Incorporating AI to free the mind for critical thinking. AI driven data analysis to support deeper understanding. Equal access to adaptive & personalised learning. Education as a collective endeavour and social activity. Opportunities to increase capacity and/or capability.
25. What does this look like for you? https://www.thestrategygroup.com.au/ai-strategy/ People AI Human-Centred ?____________
28. 5 steps to success! 1. Understand the value & impact of activities and interactions in the context of your work/activities. 2. Identify opportunities for AI increasing capacity of activities and interactions. 3. Identify opportunities for AI to build capability for new activities or interactions. 4. Use AI to free up human time for low value/impact activities or interactions. 5. Use that freed up time to focus on human interactions that have the most value/impact.