This practitioner paper explores the intersection of creativity, improvisation and educational technology in higher education, with a specific focus on student collaboration during digital marketing projects.

Drawing on principles from theatre-based improvisation, such as spontaneity, active listening and the foundational ‘Yes, and’ technique, this approach integrates improv exercises into sessions where students use EdTech tools (such as Padlet, Miro or Jamboard) to brainstorm campaign ideas.

The aim is to foster a psychologically safe, low-pressure environment that encourages divergent thinking and imaginative risk-taking, addressing a common challenge where students may default to conventional ideas in digital group work.

Early classroom observations suggest that introducing improv-inspired methods helps students unlock more original, playful and effective concepts when working in shared digital spaces. The paper will share practical examples of how specific improv games are adapted for the EdTech classroom, along with reflections on student engagement and creative output.

The session will include a brief interactive demonstration to engage the audience in experiencing the techniques firsthand. Overall, the paper argues that theatrical improvisation can be a powerful pedagogical tool for enhancing collaborative creativity in tech-supported learning environments.

This practitioner research paper investigates how the integration of creativity and technology enhances learner engagement in third-level language classrooms. Drawing on reflective practice, the study explores the use of multimedia ePortfolios, gamification apps, and digital tools to support learner autonomy, motivation, and meaningful language use. By embedding these tools into everyday teaching practice, language modules became more interactive, student-centred, and aligned with diverse learner needs.

In response to the ILTA 2025 conference theme, “Are we there yet? The hereness and not-yetness of AI and educational technology,” this paper focuses on the “hereness” of widely available technologies already enriching classroom practice. While it does not centre on artificial intelligence, it addresses concerns around plagiarism and academic integrity by highlighting how process-based, creative assessments—such as multimedia submissions and in-class engagement through gamified platforms—can act as both motivational tools and ethical safeguards.

The session will present practical strategies, student feedback, and examples of implementation, offering insights for educators looking to reimagine language learning through flexible, creative, and digitally-supported pedagogies.

Based on research carried out by Manchester Metropolitan University, AI Assess is a tool developed by SETU which allows lecturers to evaluate the extent to which their module’s assessment strategy is protected from AI tool misuse.
Manchester Metropolitan University conducted research on a total of nine characteristics and their effect on the likelihood of students to use AI tools when completing assessments. A link to this research is available at: https://aiinhighered.com/assessments
How it works:
Using the information discovered from this research, SETU developed AI Assess to give a quantifiable measure to the level of susceptibility of a educator’s assessment strategy. It reformats the research into a series of questions for educators to answer. It then performs a calculation to return a score related to how well protected the assessment is from AI misuse. Feedback is provided to inform educators on how to make the assessment more secure across each assessment characteristic.
This tool allows educators to see the cause and effect of different assessment formats and strategies and allows for more informed decisions to be made when setting assessments in this new AI captivated world. It is expected that as research changes and as more educators use the tool that amendments can be made to improve the quality of the tool’s output.