Keynote Speaker

Lucas Wright
Senior Educational Consultant, University of British Columbia
Lucas Wright is a senior educational consultant at UBC’s Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, specializing in AI, digital literacy, and faculty development. With 15+ years of experience, he has led AI literacy programs, co-developed UBC’s AI Student Readiness Assessment chatbot, and facilitated over 40 workshops on Generative AI in education. His work explores the intersection of AI, pedagogy, and assessment, helping educators navigate this technological sea change. When not working, he enjoys paddleboarding, diving, and exploring the ever-changing currents—both in education and the ocean.
Schedule
Time | Event |
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9:00 – 9:50 | Welcome and Land Acknowledgement Keynote: Lucas Wright – Currents of Change: Generative AI’s Sea Change in Teaching and Learning Generative AI is not just another technological innovation—it represents a fundamental sea change in higher education. Much like the ocean’s shifting tides reshape coastlines, AI is transforming teaching, learning, and the skills needed for the future. This keynote will explore how educators can navigate this change, balancing opportunity and responsibility. We’ll examine the rapid adoption of AI, its emerging capabilities, and the evolving role of educators and students. Through critical reflection and practical strategies, this talk will help participants embrace AI’s potential while rethinking academic integrity, fostering evaluative judgment, and ensuring ethical and responsible use. |
10:00 – 10:50 | Panel Discussion: Ethical Uses of AI in Teaching and Learning Panelists: Seán Donlan (Faculty of Law), Verena Roberts (Open Learning), Peter Tsigaris (Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics), Mridula Sharma (Faculty of Science), Lian Dumouchel (Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism) |
11:00 – 12:00 | Faculty Showcase Presenters: Alana Hoare, Mixalhitsa’7 (Roxane Letterlough) | Whose Ways of Knowing Does AI Serve? Twyla Exner | Exploring Art & Generative AI in the Classroom Verena Roberts, Barb Brown | Integrating GenAI in Online Contexts: A Responsive Instructional Design Approach Christie Fraser | Modelling the Use of Generative AI in Creating Assessment Resources for Teaching Practice in TRU’s Bachelor of Education Elementary Program |
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch |
13:00 – 13:50 | Panel Discussion: The Development of TRU AI Guidelines for Teaching and Learning Panelists: Brian Lamb (LT&I), Melanie Latham (LT&I), Dave Cormier (Open Learning) |
14:00 – 14:50 | Panel Discussion: Frameworks for Responsibly Embedding AI into Courses and Assignments to Support Student Learning Panelists: Alexis Brown (CELT), Brett McCollum (CELT), Jenna Goddard (TRU Writing Centre) |
15:00 – 16:00 | Faculty Showcase Presenters: Quan Nguyen | Pedagogy-informed & Scalable Generative AI Solutions for Computer Science Education Lorraine Weaver | Using AI to Support Communication and Collaboration Development Bridget Orsetti | ‘First Timer’ Reflections of AI Use in a Second Year Business of Adventure Course Pinder Nagra | Developing Nursing Students’ Communication Skills Using Generative AI |