TELT at the Digital Learning with CARE Symposium 2026

The poster for Digital Learning with CARE Symposium 2026

On 31 March 2026, members of the Technology Enhanced Learning Team (TELT) — Wenqing Chen, Annette Muhammad, and John Seamons — attended the Digital Learning with CARE Symposium 2026, hosted by the Digital Education Studio, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD) at Queen Mary University of London.

Centred on the theme Co‑creating digital futures in the age of AI, the symposium brought together educators, students, learning designers, and digital education specialists for a day of keynotes, showcases, and collaborative discussions. The details of the agenda can be found on the event page.

Setting the Scene

The day opened with a welcome from Professor Chie Adachi, Dean for Digital Education at FMD and Interim Academic Director of the Centre for Excellence in AI in Education. She framed the event around a thoughtful provocation: What does it mean to care in the age of AI?

The keynote, delivered by Professor Lorainne Tudor Car (King’s College London), offered an evidence‑informed exploration of the future of digital health professions education. From VR in clinical training to AI‑enabled mastery learning, Professor Tudor Car highlighted how innovation must be coupled with rigorous, reflective, and ethical practice to genuinely enhance digital learning in healthcare.

TELT's Contributions on the Day

TELT’s presence at the symposium extended well beyond attendance. Two of our Student Ambassadors — Vandy Widyalankara and Archisha Manchanda — played a prominent role throughout the day.

Student–Staff Panel on Co‑creation

Vandy contributed to a panel exploring student–staff partnership, offering insights shaped by her experience both as a TELT Student Ambassador and as a learner navigating the same systems she supports. Her reflections provided a powerful illustration of authentic co‑creation in action.

Showcase 3: Student‑led Co‑creation

In Showcase 3: Student‑led co‑creation: Onboarding students through co‑created guidance, Vandy presented on behalf of the TELT Student Ambassador team. She showcased student‑developed guidance designed to help new learners confidently navigate technologies within QMplus, demonstrating how tools such as Mentimeter make orientation sessions more engaging and responsive.

World Café: Student Transitions

Vandy and Archisha later joined John Seamons in a World Café session on student transitions, contributing to cross‑institution discussions and ensuring that student voice remained central in a space often dominated by staff perspectives.

Student Ambassador Spotlight

The symposium offered a vivid reminder of what the TELT Student Ambassador programme enables. Seeing Vandy and Archisha present with confidence to colleagues from QMUL and beyond was a proud moment for the team.

Their contributions were especially meaningful considering their journey: from students learning to navigate digital tools, to articulate advocates for accessible, inclusive, and student‑centred digital learning. Their participation across a panel, a showcase, and a collaborative session in one day reflected the depth and value of genuine student partnership.

Reflections and Takeaways

The symposium created space to reflect on the future of digital education and how TELT can continue contributing to that evolution. Key themes included:

• the CARE agenda’s emphasis on co‑creation, active learning, and evidence‑based design
• the growing importance of responsible, ethical, and transparent uses of AI in education
• the ongoing need to keep student voice at the heart of digital learning design

Above all, the day reinforced that students are not simply stakeholders — they are co‑designers, decision‑makers, and essential partners in shaping meaningful digital learning experiences at Queen Mary and beyond.

We look forward to continuing this work.

About the Technology Enhanced Learning Team (TELT)

The Technology Enhanced Learning Team (TELT) at Queen Mary University of London supports staff and students in making effective use of digital tools for teaching and learning. From platform support and training, to developing online resources and student‑facing guidance, TELT works across the university to enhance the digital learning experience for all.

For TELT support, you can:

• Raise a ticket request via the Service Desk
• Join upcoming TELT CPD training sessions
• Speak to the TELT team during AskTELT in 20 drop‑in sessions

For certain technology requests, one of our specialists in the team will help you. The team is always happy to discuss ideas and support colleagues who would like to experiment with interactive digital activities in their teaching.