Mike Swanepoel

I believe that education can meaningfully transform peoples’ lives and sustainably improve our collective future because it leads to economic opportunities, informed choices and a better quality of life.

In 2018 I was seconded by my institution to develop a strategy for the digital transformation of Learning & Teaching and this led to the establishment of a new service cluster focussed on supporting academics in the transition to digital. Prior to my current role as Director of Digital Learning Design & Innovation (LxD), I lectured for 22 years in the areas of art and design history, technology and production, design and business practice including 8 years as head of department for Applied Design. My years as an academic have turned out to be a superpower when engaging academics because the conversation is almost always led by pedagogy, rather than being driven by technology. After all, digital transformation is not about technology, it is about people.

It is not possible at present, to have a digital learning conversation without reference to AI. Engaging in pedAIgogy and coming to grips with automation is essential to enhancing the effectiveness of learning and teaching, specifically the individualisation of learning and the mitigation of administrative workload of academics.

My incurable curiosity about how all things work, and what the future holds, has led me into work centred in innovation, foresight and futures-thinking. I believe future of work and economic opportunity are inextricably linked to high quality, digital-first, values-based education.