IICE-2026 (April) Accepted Workshops
Title: Designing AI Feedback Coaches: A Framework for Scaffolding Student Learning with Generative AI
Scope: Timely, actionable feedback is essential to deep learning, yet providing it consistently is a significant challenge across educational contexts. This hands-on workshop introduces a systematic framework for designing custom GPTs (AI chatbots) that function as “feedback coaches” for learners, prioritizing pedagogical scaffolding over simple answer production.
Objectives and Motivation: Participants will learn to encode specific instructional moves, such as diagnostic questioning and iterative revision loops, that guide students toward critical reflection. Attendees will leave with a functional prototype for their specific context, equipped with enduring design strategies to create future AI interactions that enrich student thinking rather than replacing it.
Organisers: James Diamond and Olysha Magruder (John Hopkins University, USA)
Title: Sustaining the Self: Spirit Resilience for Career and Life Design in Health Professions Education and Beyond
Scope: This evidence informed interactive workshop is designed to cultivate spirit resilience among health professionals in training as well as for practicing educators across disciplines. Grounded in positive psychology, career and life design principles, the session positions spirit resilience as an essential foundation for sustaining a purposeful, meaningful, and fulfilling professional life.
Objectives and Motivation: Participants will engage in identifying unique stressors, identity tensions, and purpose driven demands that characterize professional careers. Through guided reflection, structured exercises, and collaborative dialogue, the workshop will help attendees reconnect with the core motivations and values that brought them to their work. Participants will leave with practical strategies and evidence based tools for reigniting—or maintaining—their personal spark as they navigate the evolving challenges of their professional journeys.
Organisers: Christina Harnett, Kelly Cooney and Christine Eith (John Hopkins University, USA)
Title: Unity in Diversity
Scope: Becoming a successful educator is a complex and multifaceted endeavour. A fundamental prerequisite for effective learning is the creation of an environment where every student feels safe, seen, and valued. Unfortunately, racism—both overt and covert—remains one of the most significant barriers reported by students of colour in their educational experiences. This issue is an undeniable reality for many staff and students within the Irish higher education sector (HEA 2023). At TU Dublin, a growing body of research has examined racism and student experiences (e.g., Fingleton 2023; Ní Chonaill et al. 2022; Darby 2020). Data collected reveals repeated instances of microaggressions, a lack of understanding regarding the multidimensional nature of racism (Darby 2020), and staff experiences of microaggressions. Students have reported facing racism both in the classroom and during placements, while supervisors and academic advisors often lack the tools to support them effectively (TU Dublin 2021; Fingleton 2023). The personal and professional impacts of racism on both staff and students must be acknowledged (e.g., Joseph 2025).
Objectives and Motivation:
The “Unity in Diversity” interactive workshop offers participants an immersive exploration of the challenges surrounding equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a specific focus on the four dimensions of racism. Through a concise yet impactful agenda, attendees will engage in thought-provoking activities designed to foster practical strategies for promoting inclusivity in their professional practice.
Objectives:
1. Cultural Competence and Sensitivity
Participants will demonstrate increased cultural competence and sensitivity in their interactions with diverse individuals and communities.
2. Collaborative and Inclusive Practice
Participants will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in collaborative and inclusive classrooms, implement inclusive strategies in their professional practice, and promote unity and cohesion.
Organiser: Zuzana Tesárová, Technological University Dublin, Ireland
