About

Dr Sandra Elsom is a lecturer, researcher, and educator based at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in Australia, where she works at the intersection of technology, learning, and human experience.

Her current focus is on AI in education, specifically, how educators, students, and organisations can use AI tools in ways that strengthen rather than replace human thinking. She brings a perspective that is grounded in learning research, shaped by years of classroom practice, and guided by a genuine concern for the ethical dimensions of AI adoption. Her work is less interested in what AI can do than in what it should do, and how humans can stay meaningfully in the loop.

Sandie speaks and writes about AI literacy, human-centred approaches to AI in learning, and the practical and ethical challenges facing educators and organisations navigating rapid technological change. She has presented at national and international conferences and to industry audiences.

Her research background spans game-based learning, alternate reality games in higher education, and enabling education. Her work has been published and cited internationally.

Speaking and engagement

Sandie is available for keynote presentations, workshops, and panel discussions on AI in education and corporate learning contexts. Her sessions are practical, evidence-informed, and designed to leave audiences with a clearer sense of how to make good decisions about AI, not just how to use it.

Enquiries from conference organisers and corporate learning teams are welcome.

Research supervision

Sandie welcomes enquiries from domestic postgraduate students interested in game-based learning, alternate reality games, or enabling and access education. Students interested in AI as a research topic are encouraged to get in touch for an initial conversation, though she will be transparent about the boundaries of her current supervisory expertise in that area.

Contact Sandie via usc.edu.au