I started working with university staff development teams back in 2003. It doesn’t seem that long ago to me. The year had some high points: you could go along and see The Return of the King or Lost in Translation at the cinema. We were at a gateway between the analogue and digital worlds; Apple launched the iTunes Store that year, England won the Rugby World Cup, and we had a belting summer, with temperatures reaching over 38°C. It was a dark time too: there were huge marches in London against the invasion of Iraq. The world was changing.
It was a good time to approach universities, which were struggling with the logistics of how to respond to new equality duties and train staff in diversity, with a particular focus on race, following the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. What were universities doing in 2003? I can tell you: they would issue each member of staff with a workbook, and that member of staff would then phone a call centre and take a test. Alternatively, “consultants” were brought in for six-figure consultancy projects.
I created Diversity in the Workplace for Universities – a simple, 30-minute online training course. No LMS was needed (can you imagine that now?!). It used a simple content management system: we uploaded new content and all the university sites were updated.
A breakthrough came when Canterbury Christ Church University College, as it was then known, launched it. They produced a PowerPoint presentation about how it went and, guess what, they presented it at SDF in 2004. Harper Adams then rolled it out to students, and the whole project was featured in The Guardian.
That experience showed me the value of SDF as a place for encouragement, community and sharing new ideas, something I hope continues today.
Something similar happened in local government and the NHS. But I loved working with universities. I became used to visiting them, and each one had its own history, culture and atmosphere. That was when I became interested in customising the content more and more.
Ultimately, the business grew to work with both university and corporate clients, and I felt the time was right to hand it over to a more commercial organisation that could scale it. I stayed with them for two years and, to be honest, that was like being on an intensive MBA. It is good to get out of your comfort zone!
So, what feels different now from 2003?
- Digital learning has gone from being unusual to being expected
In 2003, a 30-minute online diversity course felt like a new solution to a real logistical problem. Today, every university has an LMS and staff and students are surrounded by online content.
But having more digital learning does not mean people will engage with it. There has never been so much choice in what we listen to and watch. In 2003, we all watched England win the Rugby World Cup in Australia; now we are scattered across numerous niche channels, streaming services and podcasts. People are much more demanding about what they give their attention to.
The technology has improved enormously. The question of whether anyone actually wants to watch or read the content has not gone away.
- AI gives us speed, but it does not automatically give us engagement
I see universities trying to replicate their existing e-learning production using AI tools. The results can be remarkably dull. You cannot give people what, I’m afraid, my nephews call “AI slop”.
My observation is that if you outsource your content creation to AI, what you gain in speed, you lose in engagement.
That does not mean AI has no place in creating learning. But it cannot provide all the human qualities for us. In my own work, I still get more engagement when I use real actors and presenters rather than AI-generated avatars.
- People increasingly want answers, not another online course
AI is very good at creating that lovely question-and-answer experience.
I used it myself recently while on holiday in Italy. Instead of looking through my Lonely Planet guide, I asked my AI, “What should I look for?” When particular things became interesting, I could ask, “Tell me more. Why is that?”
The next development, for me, is a student being able to ask a university-maintained AI service, “What should I be doing in my first week?” Or a new member of staff saying, “What should I do as part of my induction?” and receiving a response based on their own university.
People increasingly expect to be able to find answers quickly and interact with information in more conversational ways. We cannot respond by using AI tools merely to replicate online books.
- University working life feels more pressured and transactional
My observation is that people in universities seemed to have more time in 2003. They appeared less stressed and were just as productive. People stayed in their posts for longer, and I developed good working partnerships and friendships with them.
It can feel more transactional now: more measured, more evaluated and often with less time to build the relationships that make working life rewarding.
And I will say it: I think people can sometimes be more cautious about offering a genuine opinion when they are working under significant organisational pressure. That makes spaces where people can speak openly and learn from one another all the more important.
- SDF is needed now more than ever
I hope SDF continues to be a safe place for people working in staff development to speak honestly, share ideas and support one another. Its value is not just in networking, but in creating opportunities for honest conversation, professional learning and the exchange of ideas across the sector. In increasingly pressured working environments, that sense of community and connection is more valuable than ever.
Dare I say it: I miss the days when everyone met up in person?
Starting again
I honestly do not know where this is going. I am currently experimenting through a large pilot with Heriot-Watt University. More than 2,000 students will use an AI support tool designed to help them reach the right people on campus faster – not to replace those people. I think AI is a fantastic tool, but it is not a replacement for real skills and services.
I do not yet know what will come out of this. But I am interested in whether people might like to learn about subjects such as mentoring, diversity and leadership through a similar conversational interface, alongside their digital learning courses.
Through the Heriot-Watt project, we are combining a new student support platform, which the university will own, with an employability focus for the students working on the programme. I hope we can produce something useful for the sector.
I want to thank everyone at SDF, and all of you, for your support over the years. I would be very interested to hear from anyone with thoughts on the Heriot-Watt project or the use of AI to support staff and students.
About the author: David Stewart Marshall is the founder of Marshall E-Learning, one of the UK’s leading e-learning consultancies specialising in higher education staff development. Following its acquisition by Ciphr in 2023, David continues to work as a Strategic Advisor, supporting universities with digital learning and educational innovation.
Alongside this role, David is developing Student Compass—a new approach to delivering timely, trusted guidance to students and staff using AI. His focus is on creating digital support that genuinely changes behaviour and culture, rather than simply meeting compliance requirements. Student Compass is currently being piloted with Heriot-Watt University to support new students as they begin university life.
www.davidstewartmarshall.co.uk