{"id":1487,"date":"2025-11-04T10:15:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T10:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/clt\/?p=1487"},"modified":"2025-10-30T15:36:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T15:36:00","slug":"reflections-from-the-alt-conference-2025-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/clt\/2025\/11\/04\/reflections-from-the-alt-conference-2025-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections from the ALT Conference 2025: Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back to Pedagogy<\/h4>\n

Never having attended the Association for Learning Technologists (ALT) Conference before, I didn\u2019t quite know what to expect. Would it be all about the latest tools? Would it be about what technology can do for us? Would I need to know in advance how to dance a ceilidh? Luckily, ALT 2025\u2019s focus was on what really matters in learning technology \u2014 pedagogy first<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Rather than concentrating solely on the newest digital tools, many sessions explored how technology can support, rather than drive, teaching and learning. It was a brilliant mix of perspectives, each connecting innovation back to the student experience.<\/p>\n

We All Need to Belong<\/h4>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

An important thread throughout the conference was wellbeing and belonging<\/strong>. There were excellent discussions about building belonging \u2014 not only for students, but also among lecturers and academic staff.<\/p>\n

Talks from Zoe Moutsopoulos<\/strong> (Designing for Belonging: Embedding Wellbeing into Digital Learning)<\/a>, Sundus Baig<\/strong> (Click, Pause, Breathe: Embedding Wellbeing in Online Learning Design)<\/a>, and Gabi Witthaus<\/strong> (Engaging Learning: Rethinking Inclusion with\u00a0Insights from the Margins) focused on how fostering a sense of belonging isn\u2019t just a \u201cnice to have,\u201d but a crucial way to help all students stay, attain, and succeed.<\/p>\n

Another interesting talk from Julien le Jeune d\u2019Allegeershecque<\/strong> (Exiting the Silo: Creating a Community for Professionals Involved in the Teaching and Delivery of Online PGT Programmes)<\/a> explored creating community among lecturers supporting online Postgraduate Taught (PGT) programmes. There\u2019s growing recognition that online learners \u2014 and their teachers \u2014 need intentional spaces to connect, share challenges, and learn from one another. I left thinking about how platforms like CROPNet<\/a><\/strong> could be useful in strengthening that sense of shared practice for tutors within our own institution.<\/p>\n

When Students Speak: Learning from Their Perspective<\/h4>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

One of the moments that really stood out came during a student-led session. A student commented that she wished her university\u2019s virtual learning environment (VLE) felt more like social media.<\/p>\n

At first, many of us smiled or dismissed the idea \u2014 after all, academic spaces demand critical thinking and deep reflection, not quick scrolling and likes. But the more I thought about it, the more it resonated.<\/p>\n

What I feel she was really expressing was a desire for familiarity and simplicity<\/strong>. Social media offers immediacy, clarity, and structure. You always know where to find things, and the navigation feels intuitive (I would argue more from consistent use than an innate ability). However, that doesn\u2019t mean academia should mimic TikTok (that would be cringe and not fire) \u2014 but it does mean we can learn from its usability. If we make learning spaces clearer, more consistent, and easier to navigate, we reduce the cognitive load on students and allow them to focus on thinking critically, not just finding their way around.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m happy to say at our university, we\u2019re already making strides toward this idea through initiatives like the Bath Blend<\/a><\/strong>, which promotes consistency across Moodle courses. Small changes \u2014 clear scaffolding, intuitive labelling, and predictable structure \u2014 can make learning more digestible for students without diluting academic rigour.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t need to reinvent the wheel or become content creators. Instead, it\u2019s about using the tools we already know, but rethinking how we present information to better support how students naturally consume and process it.<\/p>\n

It was also great to hear what other universities are doing to create clarity and structure. For example, Eddie Joo\u2019s<\/strong> talk, Eclipsing Traditional Textbooks: Using Students as Co-Creators of Learning to Create Open Educational Resources<\/a>, showcased work from the University of Alaska Anchorage, where staff co-created learning resources with students. Taking feedback from students who found it difficult to navigate the information provided to them, the university aimed to create a single, reliable \u201csource of truth.\u201d This helped reduce students\u2019 anxiety about where to find accurate information \u2014 something many of us can relate to.<\/p>\n

Managing Change and Motivating People<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There was also a fascinating session from Dr Arezou PourMirza<\/strong> (Beyond Labels: Personalizing Digital Pedagogy to Empower Every Learner & Educator)<\/a> on change management that moved beyond the usual focus on \u201cearly adopters.\u201d Instead, it explored the different archetypes of people we need to influence when implementing new technologies or pedagogical practices \u2014 and the diverse motivations that drive them.<\/p>\n

It was a valuable reminder that introducing change isn\u2019t just about innovation itself, but about understanding people and how to bring them along.<\/p>\n

GenAI: Clarity Over Complexity<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Of course, Generative AI (GenAI) was still a major theme. What struck me most was how the conversation has evolved. The focus is no longer on the novelty of GenAI tools, but on clarity and communication<\/strong> \u2014 helping students understand why GenAI is being used in their learning and how it supports their development. When students see purpose and transparency, they\u2019re far more likely to engage meaningfully with it.<\/p>\n

There was a lot of discussion around GenAI and academic integrity, but the emphasis is shifting. Instead of asking how to stop students from using GenAI, we\u2019re beginning to ask why they\u2019re using it \u2014 and how we can support them to use it effectively and ethically. Many students turn to GenAI because they lack confidence or clarity in their own skills, using it to bridge perceived gaps in understanding.<\/p>\n

Teaching students the skills they need to feel capable and confident \u2014 in research, writing, and critical thinking \u2014 will naturally lead to more responsible, informed use of GenAI. It\u2019s not about banning the technology, but about positioning it as a collaborator, not a crutch.<\/p>\n

Talks from Jamie Wood and Jon Chandler<\/strong> (Reimagining Historical Thinking: Aspiring Teachers, GenAI and the Future of Learning)<\/a> explored this. They showed that encouraging students to develop a more processual perspective \u2014 one that helps them understand the stages of learning and reflection \u2014 could foster deeper engagement and better use of AI overall.<\/p>\n

Final Reflections<\/h4>\n

There were a lot more \u201cmagic\u201dal and informative talks, sadly I couldn\u2019t attend them all, but you\u2019ll be able to find out about some of those from my colleague Olivia Soutter\u2019s reflections on the conference.<\/p>\n

Overall, ALT Conference 2025\u2019s focus on pedagogy and the fundamentals of learning and teaching<\/strong> really stood out. Returning to the core questions \u2014 how students learn, what they need to succeed, and how we can make learning feel human: connected, consistent, and compassionate \u2014 will benefit us all.<\/p>\n

Tying back to my earlier reflections on belonging, I also really appreciated the network I formed at the conference. Connecting with peers, hearing about their successes, innovations, and shared challenges left me inspired. The sense of community reinforced the point that professional belonging matters just as much as student belonging.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m already looking forward to ALT Conference 2026<\/strong> \u2014 and to continuing these conversations about how we can make learning more meaningful, inclusive, and human.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Lynn Cheong-White<\/strong>, Curriculum & Academic Developer, and Instructional Designer in the CLT.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lynn's colleague Olivia Soutter also attended ALT conference, keep an eye on the CLT blogs for further reflections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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