From punch cards to generative AI: the projects transforming student learning

What does a university learning experience look like when artificial intelligence can write code, produce reports and solve increasingly complex problems in seconds?

That question sits at the heart of many of the projects supported through the 2026 ANU College of Systems and Society Learning and Teaching Grants. But rather than focusing solely on the technology itself, educators are asking a broader question: what skills, experiences and ways of thinking will students need to thrive alongside it?

Across computing, cybernetics, engineering, mathematics and environmental studies, grant recipients are testing new approaches to teaching that strengthen critical thinking, deepen engagement, improve belonging and better connect learning with  life beyond university.

Learning beyond the AI hype

Several projects challenge the assumption that learning more technology is the answer to technological change.

In Unplugged Education in an AI Age a program of activities saw educators from the School of Cybernetics and School of Computing introduce students, staff, and local educators to the concepts behind generative AI – without using computers at all. The LLMs Unplugged program takes a similar approach, where participants build simplified large language models using only pens, paper and dice, to demystify how AI systems work and encourage critical engagement with emerging technologies.

At the Fenner School of Environment & Society, the Learning in the AI Age: Curriculum Redesign for Future Capability project takes a different approach/angle. Rather than redesigning assessments to include more AI, the project rethinks entire courses around the capabilities students will need in AI-shaped workplaces, to equip them with the judgement, creativity, ethical reasoning and critical thinking needed.

Meanwhile, the School of Engineering is exploring how AI can improve teaching itself. The project Using Marking Analytics and Generative AI to Improve Tutor Training, Feedback Quality, and Moderation analyses assessment feedback patterns to help tutors deliver more consistent, constructive and meaningful feedback to students.

Slowing down to learn better

Other projects are looking to the past for inspiration on how to improve the learning experience.

In Deliberate Programming with Punch Cards, School of Computing educators create a hands-on programming experience inspired by the punch-card systems used in earlier generations of computing. In this activity, students design, test and debug programs using physical cards and a custom-built reader, helping them develop stronger mental models of how code works at a time when AI tools can increasingly automate programming tasks.

Beyond Homework: Mastery-Based Assessment Infrastructure for (Theoretical) Computing focuses on helping students demonstrate genuine understanding of their learning at a pace suitable to them. This program pilots self-paced learning, flexible assessment scheduling and interactive demonstrations of understanding that place deeper learning ahead of simple task completion, which can often be outsourced to AI, meaning fundamental knowledge is being missed.

Creating more inclusive learning experiences

A strong theme across this year's grantsubmissions is the importance of belonging, inclusion and diverse ways of learning.

In Using Generative AI to Embed First Nations Perspectives in Curriculum Design, educators plan to work with Ngunnawal and Ngambri community members and Indigenous knowledge holders to develop an AI-assisted tool that helps academics build authentic narratives and Indigenous perspectives directly into course design.

Complementing this work, Aboriginal Approaches for Supporting Teamwork provides staff with practical frameworks for embedding Indigenous approaches to leadership, teamwork and sustainability into their teaching. This project is designed to build confidence among educators while reducing the risk of tokenistic inclusion.

Supporting student belonging in another way, Belong in Math establishes a peer-mentoring program connecting first-year women and gender-diverse mathematics students with more senior students. Through regular mentoring conversations and community-building activities, the program aims to strengthen confidence, connection and retention in mathematics and related STEM disciplines.

Connecting learning with future careers

Several projects focus on helping students see a clearer connection between their studies and future opportunities.

Bridging Students to Industry: Scalable Industry Connection and Peer Mentoring Model for WIL supports engineering student  internships by creating  resources, peer-mentoring programs and workshops to support students engage effectively with industry. The project is designed to make industry placements more accessible and equitable.

At the Fenner School, Building Better Pathways: A Digital Degree Planner to Support Student Success will develop an interactive planning tool that helps students visualise their degree pathways and make more informed decisions throughout their studies.

Meanwhile, Badges as a Complementary Performance Indicator for Student Engagement and Development is piloting new digital credentials that recognise achievements often overlooked by traditional grades- like collaboration, leadership, participation and contributions to university life.

Learning by doing

Many projects emphasise active and authentic learning experiences.

The School of Engineering's Digitising the ANU Systems Engineering Process will create an open-source digital platform allowing students to experience professional systems engineering workflows, while the Mathematical Sciences Institute's MATLAB Based Application Questions for Mathematics Students expands interactive assessment activities that connect mathematical theory with real-world applications such as computer graphics, cryptography and heat conduction.

Elsewhere, the School of Cybernetics is launching a Gameful Learning Community of Practice, bringing together educators, researchers and designers to explore how games and simulation-based learning can help students engage with complex systems and real-world challenges.

Investing in the future of learning

Taken together, the 2026 Learning and Teaching Grant projects paint a picture of a college actively experimenting with what higher education can become.

At the centre of all these projects is a shared belief that preparing students for the future requires more than keeping pace with change. It requires creating learning experiences that help students think deeply, work collaboratively, adapt confidently and engage meaningfully with the complex systems that shape our world.

Chat to the people behind these projects and other educators across the college who will be sharing their innovative teaching practices at the College Teaching & Learning Day. Friday 13 November 10am-2pm, Innovation Space, Birch Building.