AI Day: Teaching and Learning with AI
About this Event
Date: August 20, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: U of A North Campus; Specific details will be shared with registered participants.
Generative AI is sparking profound, generational shifts in how we approach teaching and learning. Where the use of GenAI aligns with learning objectives, it can enable new possibilities. But where it doesn’t align with objectives, it can be very difficult to contain.
Join us for AI Day on August 20th, where the U of A community will gather to explore the opportunities and challenges brought about by this rapidly advancing technology.
The day will include:
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A keynote address from Shani Gwin, Founder and CEO of pipikwan pêhtâkwan and wâsikan kisewâtisiwin
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A panel discussion featuring U of A experts across disciplines, exploring how trust, transparency, and human-centred approaches can guide the responsible use of AI in higher education.
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Stories and hands-on demonstrations from your fellow U of A instructors who are applying GenAI in their teaching
Lunch will be provided.
See below for the event schedule and keynote biography.
Registration
This is an in-person event, open to current U of A faculty and staff.
This event will not be recorded.
Event Schedule
Schedule of Events. Click on a linked session title to view session details.
| Time (MDT) | Topic(s) |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. |
Sign-in + networking |
| 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. |
|
| 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
|
| 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. | Break |
| 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Interactive Breakouts Presenters from the U of A community will give short 45-minute presentations on ways that they are positioning generative AI in their classrooms and teaching workflows. Participants will choose one of the following presentations to attend:
|
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch and networking |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. |
Interactive Breakouts Presenters from the U of A community will give 75-minute interactive presentations (bring your laptop!) on ways that they are positioning generative AI in their workflows. Participants will choose one of the following presentations to attend:
|
| 2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Break |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
|
Keynote Biography
Shani Gwin
Shani is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of pipikwan pêhtâkwan and wâsikan kisewâtisiwin. She is also one of four hosts of Settle Down- a podcast guided by the experiences of First Nations and Métis women sharing their stories of entrepreneurship.
Shani is a sixth generation Métis and a member of the Cunningham Clan on her mother’s side and a descendant of the Michel Band and Ferguson Clan on her father’s side. Shani is a proud Métis woman with a passion for elevating Indigenous voices, projects and successes.
Today, she has built one of Turtle Island’s leading Indigenous-owned, led and majority-staffed communications and engagement agencies. She also created an AI company with the goal of correcting unconscious bias or racism directed to Indigenous People in written materials. She helps guide clients and organizations with strategic guidance on decolonization, reconciliation, artificial intelligence, issues management and public relations. She is committed to uplifting underrepresented peoples, including Indigenous women, youth, and the LGBTQ2S+ community, so that they hold equal spots in society.
In 2021, Shani was recognized as one of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 and IABC Edmonton’s Communicator of the Year. In 2023, she was also awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, on behalf of her team, for their work on the Papal Visit to Treaty Six Territory.