Rate My Professor Chris Pedler-Jones

Chris Pedler-Jones is a Lecturer in the School of Education at Adelaide University, part of the College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences. Previously serving as a Teaching Academic and Lecturer in the Education Futures department at the University of South Australia, he specialises in secondary teacher education courses, with a particular focus on Design and Technologies. Pedler-Jones emphasises project-based learning approaches and prioritises safe work practices in workshop environments to prepare pre-service teachers effectively.

He coordinates and delivers a range of undergraduate courses designed to develop practical skills for future educators in design and technology fields. These include Design and Production 1 (EDUC 1090), where students learn CAD software, laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining, sustainability principles, and WHS requirements; Design and Production 2 (EDUC 2060), advancing these skills for design visualization and production; Materials and Technologies 1 (EDUC 1092) and 2 (EDUC 2071); Textiles Technology 1 (EDUC 1091); Advanced Manufacturing (EDUC 4215); Design and Technology Workshop Knowledge (EDUC 3031); and Technologies Curriculum 2 (EDUC 4236). These courses, offered at campuses such as Adelaide City and Mawson Lakes, equip students with hands-on experience using state-of-the-art machinery.

In addition to his teaching, Pedler-Jones contributes to educational research, particularly on the role of Generative AI (GenAI) in design education. His work, presented at the UniSA Teaching and Learning Symposium 2025 in collaboration with Chris Chimwayange and scheduled for the Asian Conference on Education & International Development (ACEID) 2026, is titled "Ally Rather Than Mere Utility: Reimagining the Teacher and Generative Artificial Intelligence Relationship in Design Education." Drawing on sociomaterial and posthumanist theories, the study uses mixed-methods data collection—questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and reflective journals—to investigate how secondary Design and Technology educators engage with GenAI in Makerspaces. Key findings highlight GenAI's evolution from a utilitarian tool to a creative collaborator, facilitated by tools like Fusion 360 GenAI and ChatGPT, opening new pedagogical opportunities while raising concerns over authorship, bias, and control. This research advocates for enhanced critical digital literacy and ethical frameworks, providing valuable insights for educators, school leaders, and policymakers navigating the human-GenAI interface in education.