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Conference: Association for Learning Technology Annual Conference (ALTC26)

Date: 20-21 October 2026

Location: Cardiff, Wales

Theme: Learning Without Edges: Digitally enabled learning in an ever-changing world

Overview

ALTC26 brought together learning technologists, academic staff, researchers, educational developers and sector leaders to explore the future of digitally enabled education. The conference focused on how higher education can support flexible, inclusive and lifelong learning in a rapidly changing social and technological landscape. Key themes included learner agency, digital transformation, flexible curriculum design, collaboration across professional boundaries, digital skills and the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning.

Key messages

Several themes emerged across the conference:

• The need to design learning experiences that remain adaptable to changing student needs and technological developments.
• Increasing emphasis on learner empowerment, enabling students to take greater ownership of their learning journeys.
• The importance of collaboration between academic, professional services and technical staff in driving sustainable digital transformation.
• Growing interest in digital maturity, institutional capability and the strategic use of technology to support learning.
• Continued sector-wide discussion regarding artificial intelligence, digital literacy and the development of appropriate assessment approaches.

Relevance to SELCS and Warwick

Many of the discussions aligned closely with current institutional priorities around digital education, active learning, student success and responsible use of emerging technologies. Particularly relevant were examples of:

• Embedding digital education within curriculum design rather than treating technology as a separate initiative.
• Supporting staff development through communities of practice and cross-functional collaboration.
• Developing student digital capabilities and AI literacy alongside subject knowledge.
• Using evidence-informed approaches to evaluate digital learning initiatives and demonstrate impact.
• Building organisational capacity for ongoing digital transformation.

These themes strongly complement ongoing work within SELCS relating to digital learning strategy, staff development, active learning, online provision and AI-enhanced educational practice.

Highlights

These included the sessions called ‘Beyond the School Trip: Immersive 360° Environments as a Tool for Equitable and Agentic Learning’ and ‘Choose, Don't Default: SlowTeching and the Case for Human Flourishing in HE.’

Beyond the school trip showcased a project developed by Immersive Discoveries for Adnodd and published on Hwb, Wales's national digital learning platform, using 360° immersive environments to support the Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) curriculum. The project was designed to address inequities in access to religious and cultural sites, recognising that many learners are unable to participate in educational visits due to geographical, financial, accessibility, or parental barriers.

The presenter argued that immersive environments should not be viewed as replacements for school visits, but as complementary tools that enhance curriculum access. They can prepare learners before a visit, support reflection afterwards, and provide meaningful alternatives where visits are not possible. In doing so, they offer a more equitable learning experience irrespective of a school's resources or location.

A key theme was learner agency. Unlike traditional teaching resources, the 360° environments allow pupils to choose where to explore, what to investigate, and how long to engage with particular content. This shifts learners from passive recipients of information to active participants in their own learning. Evaluation data indicated strong pupil engagement, with learners describing the environments as immersive, enjoyable, and realistic.

The session also demonstrated practical design features including hotspot sequencing, embedded video, escape-room style activities, and bilingual accessibility. These design elements illustrated how immersive digital experiences can be structured to support engagement, exploration, and curriculum learning. If you would like to know more about these kinds of activities, please email selcs-digi-learning@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Choose, Don't Default explored how educators and students can make more intentional decisions about their use of technology, particularly in the context of growing AI and automation. Rather than focusing solely on efficiency and productivity, the session introduced SlowTeching, an emerging reflective framework designed to help practitioners consider how technology affects human flourishing and wellbeing.

Drawing on the , the , and the , SlowTeching encourages users to examine whether technology is enhancing or hindering different aspects of their lives. The framework is built around six domains: joy and positive emotion; meaning and purpose; productive struggle and character development; embodiment and mental state; belonging and community; and material and financial balance.

A central argument of the session was that educational technology adoption should be a conscious choice rather than a default response to technological innovation. Participants were encouraged to reflect on what is gained when tasks are delegated to technology, particularly AI, but also what may be lost in terms of learning, agency, human connection, skill development, and personal wellbeing.

The workshop used collaborative reflection and discussion to help participants explore their own technology practices and identify approaches that support flourishing in educational contexts. The session also contributed to the ongoing development of the SlowTeching framework by gathering practitioner perspectives and experiences.

Conclusion

Attendance at the conference provided an opportunity to engage with current sector thinking, learn from examples of practice across UK higher education, and develop professional networks with colleagues working in digital education. The conference offered valuable insights that will inform ongoing work relating to digital learning strategy, staff capability development and enhancement of the student learning experience.