Bangalore Archdiocese

Media Release

Hunsur - Mysuru, Oct 14 : St Joseph Educational Institutions, managed by the Ursuline Franciscan Education Society (UFES) in Hunsur, hosted a three-day intensive workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for their teaching faculty from October 10 to October 12, 2024. The workshop, held at the College Computer Lab in Hunsur, was organised in collaboration with Canara Communication Centre, Mangaluru.

The sessions were led by Fr Anil Ivan Fernandes, Director of Canara Communication Centre, a Google Certified AI Coach and media professional, and Mr Leo Victor Zalki, Director of Oxidane Enviro LLP, an Oracle and Google Certified AI professional.

The workshop, held in three batches, saw the participation of around 150 teachers within the campus from State Board Kannada medium, English medium schools, CBSE schools, as well as lecturers from the PU and First Grade College.

Sr Philomena Noronha, General Councillor and Secretary of the UFES, who coordinated the event, stressed the importance of AI in modern education. “The future of education lies in harnessing the power of AI to create more inclusive, adaptive, and student-centred learning environments,” she said. “We are committed to equipping our teachers with the skills they need to lead this transformation in our schools.”

The goal of the workshop was to equip educators with the skills to integrate AI into their teaching methods, shifting from traditional approaches to technology-enhanced learning. Participants explored various AI-powered tools and methodologies designed to make teaching more interactive, data-driven, and personalised to meet students’ individual needs. Additionally, the sessions provided a critical understanding of the ethical use of AI in educational environments.

Fr Anil Ivan Fernandes focused on practical applications of AI in the classroom, while Mr Zalki demonstrated innovative AI tools that educators could adopt. Together, they emphasised the importance of adapting to the evolving landscape of education, where AI plays an increasingly pivotal role.

Fr A I Fernandes said, "Learning is an ongoing process. As teachers with years of experience in your respective fields, you can truly make a difference in the classrooms only when you adapt to emerging technologies like AI."

Sr Bindu Elizabeth, UFES Deputy Secretary, Sr Daisy D’Costa, Correspondent of St Joseph Educational Institutions, and Sr Anitha D’Souza, Principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Sr Gracy Pinto the Principal of St Joseph Central School and Sr Arokia Mary the Principal of St Joseph’s Degree College collaborated in empowering the staff and leading the transformative sessions throughout the workshop.

With the successful completion of the workshop, the entire teaching faculty of St Joseph Educational Institutions has now become AI-empowered, ready to enhance their classrooms with cutting-edge technology to benefit students in the years to come.