Author: Graham Attwell

A couple of weeks ago I greatly enjoyed being interview by Michael Hallissy for Teachnet Ireland. We covered a lot of ground but being honest I didn’t want it to stop. Anyway here is their report on the podcast and you can listen to the podcast on their website. In the latest edition of the TeachNet podcast, Dr. Michael Hallissy is joined by Dr. Graham Attwell, a researcher and practitioner in vocational education and training (VET), and a leading voice in digital learning and artificial intelligence in VET. Drawing on over four decades of experience, Graham offers a critical and […]

UNESCO‑UNEVOC are developing a practical guide for the integration of AI in TVET institutions, together with Shenzhen Polytechnic University and Otto‑von‑Guericke University Magdeburg. The practical guide focuses specifically on TVET, not general education. They say they “are therefore particularly interested in the challenges, opportunities, practices, and lessons learned that relate to the unique realities of TVET, especially the practical dimensions, including the teaching, learning and assessment of hands‑on skills both in school-based settings and in workplace environments.” From AI Pioneers myself, Graham Attwell, George Bekiaridis and Oliver Nahm all applied to join the expert group for the publication and all […]

Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing the landscape of education, presenting both opportunities and challenges. As AI and other advanced digital technologies become more integrated into our learning environments, it is important to develop a dialogue that is inclusive, ethical, and forward-thinking. For researchers, educators, and policymakers in the field of vocational education and training (VET), two recently announced calls for papers offer a chance to contribute to this important conversation and shape the future of AI in education. AI in Vocational Education and Training (VET) Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, has launched a call for […]

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries and job roles, the conversation around digital skills in vocational education and training (VET) has never been more prominent. While the focus is often on the latest AI developments, a 2020 Cedefop research paper, “Key competences in initial vocational education and training: digital, multilingual and literacy,” provides a foundation for understanding the challenges and opportunities in teaching these skills. This article revisits the report’s key findings on digital competence and explores their enduring relevance for how we approach basic skills education in an age increasingly defined by AI. The Ongoing Debate: Integrated vs. […]

There is a common assumption circulating in educational circles, in staff rooms, at conferences, and across social media, that artificial intelligence arrived in education with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. For many teachers and trainers, that moment felt like a sudden rupture, a before and after. The reality, however, is considerably more complicated, and considerably more interesting. AI has been present in education in various forms for well over sixty years, and the current fixation on generative AI risks obscuring a much richer and more instructive history. A recent piece on Substack by Nick Potkalitsky, titled “If Testing […]

The conversation around artificial intelligence in education is rapidly evolving. While much of the initial focus has been on generative AI tools that respond to prompts, a new frontier is emerging with the rise of agentic AI. These are systems that can not only answer questions but also plan, act, and learn to achieve goals with minimal human intervention. A recent workshop held by Jisc in the UK for their AI staff brought this topic into sharp focus, and it is clear that the implications for education and training institutions across Europe are profound and demand urgent attention. The Jisc […]

A recent exchange on the topic of digital literacy sparked a question that cuts to the heart of Europe’s relationship with technology. It began with a comment on Cristina Costa’s article, “Misplaced accountability: Why should young people be made to pay for the problems Big Tech create?” [1], which rightly challenges the narrative that places the burden of online safety on young people and their parents, while technology companies remain largely unaccountable. In response to my agreement, Cristina posed a further question: “Where’s the indie tech that we saw at the beginning of the WWW? It has been absorbed, silenced […]