We are delighted to introduce Professor Kathryn MacCallum as a confirmed keynote speaker for the FLANZ 2026 Conference, taking place at Otago Polytechnic in Ōtepoti Dunedin from 7–9 October 2026.

Kathryn is a Professor of Digital Education Futures at the University of Canterbury, where she serves as Head of the School of Leadership and Professional Practice and Co-Director of the Digital Education Futures Research Lab. Her internationally recognized work explores the vital intersection of education, technology, and society, with specialized expertise in digital pedagogy, learning design, and ethical emerging technologies.

Celebrated for leading the development of the Scaffolded AI Literacy (SAIL) framework, Kathryn empowers educators and learners to engage critically and responsibly with artificial intelligence. From developing New Zealand’s first Master’s programme in AI and Digital Technologies to collaborating on low-connectivity educational initiatives across the Pacific, her commitment to equitable, human-centred technology integration is profound.

A past recipient of Ako Aotearoa’s Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching Award, Kathryn’s insights perfectly embody our conference theme, He tāngata (the people).

Be inspired by her visionary expertise—register for FLANZ 2026 today!

Keynote Abstract

He Tāngata in the Age of AI: Literacy, Metaphor, and the People at the Centre

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education, we must question not only what AI can do from a technical perspective but who it may benefit or harm. AI does not impact everyone equally, and institutional responses may either reduce or deepen existing digital, social, cultural, and educational divides. For example, institutional attempts to police AI use through detection tools risk shifting attention away from learning and towards suspicion. Students may be distracted from learning by anxiety over potential accusations of AI misuse, and their relationships with educators may be undermined. Human-centred approaches that focus on helping educators rethink assessment, trust, and pedagogy to support effective use of AI by learners are more likely to be successful.

Drawing on the conference theme of He Tāngata, this keynote explores the relationships between humans and AI. It considers how the metaphors we use to describe AI, such as tool, threats, assistant, black box, and mirrors. These metaphors shape how we use and interact with AI, and what kinds of educational futures we can envisage. At the heart of this relationship is AI literacy. If educators and learners are to navigate AI critically and ethically, they need more than technical familiarity. They need the conceptual, social, cultural, and ethical literacies to understand AI’s limits, question its impacts, and make informed decisions about its use. This keynote argues that AI literacy must be central to our collective response, so that education remains grounded in people, relationships, equity, and inclusion.

— Professor Kathryn MacCallum