JomoRC Partners FCT College of Education SUG to Host Three-Day SmartLearn Virtual Conference for Students
The initiative aims to help students overcome academic challenges, harness artificial intelligence responsibly, and build personalised strategies for more effective learning.
Jomo Resource Center (JomoRC) is set to host a three-day SmartLearn Virtual Conference for students of the FCT College of Education and students from other institutions, in partnership with the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the FCT College of Education.
The conference, themed “AI-Assisted Learning in Higher Education — Effective Use, Responsible Practice and the Prevention of Abuse,” is designed to equip students with practical knowledge and strategies for navigating the changing landscape of education in an increasingly AI-driven world.
The initiative reflects JomoRC’s commitment to making learning more accessible, practical, and relevant to the needs of today’s students while promoting responsible engagement with emerging technologies.
Addressing the Real Challenges Students Face
For many students, academic life involves more than attending lectures and completing assignments. Difficult subjects, information overload, poor retention, mounting academic tasks, and examination pressure can make effective learning a persistent challenge.
Students may spend hours studying yet struggle to remember what they have read. Others face difficulty understanding complex topics, organising their study schedules, or preparing confidently for examinations.
At the same time, the growing availability of artificial intelligence tools presents new opportunities and challenges. While these tools can support research, explain difficult concepts, and personalise learning, their misuse can undermine independent thinking and academic integrity.
Against this backdrop, JomoRC is organising the SmartLearn Virtual Conference to help students move beyond simply using AI tools towards developing deliberate, effective, and responsible learning strategies.
The programme will explore how students can leverage AI to improve their learning experiences, strengthen their academic preparation, and become more independent learners without surrendering their critical-thinking abilities.
A Three-Day Journey Towards Smarter Learning
The conference will feature three sessions designed to address different dimensions of personal development, AI literacy, and academic learning.
Day One: Reality Check & the Power of Leverage
The opening session will challenge participants to examine their current learning approaches, recognise opportunities for improvement, and understand how to use available resources more strategically.
The discussion will explore the importance of leverage in personal development and learning, encouraging students to identify practical ways to maximise their time, effort, and opportunities.
Day Two: The AI Advantage — Use and Abuse
The second session will examine the opportunities artificial intelligence presents for education alongside the risks associated with irresponsible use.
Participants will explore how AI can support learning, research, and academic preparation while considering the importance of critical thinking, independent understanding, and responsible academic practices.
The objective is to help students distinguish between using AI as a learning aid and relying on it in ways that undermine genuine learning.
Day Three: Building Your Personal AI Learning Assistant
The final session will focus on personalising the learning experience through AI.
Participants will explore how to build a personal AI learning assistant that can support their individual learning needs, help them engage with difficult topics, and make their study processes more structured and purposeful.
The session will encourage students to approach AI not merely as a tool for generating answers but as a resource for developing more effective learning habits.
Together, the three sessions are intended to provide participants with a practical foundation for making better learning decisions and using technology more purposefully throughout their academic journeys.
Building a Personal SmartLearn Strategy
At the heart of the conference is the idea that academic improvement requires more than working harder. It also requires understanding how to learn effectively.
Through the SmartLearn initiative, JomoRC seeks to encourage students to develop personalised learning strategies that address their individual challenges and goals.
These strategies can include using AI to clarify difficult concepts, organising study activities, reviewing learning materials, strengthening understanding, and preparing more effectively for examinations.
The broader objective is to help students become more intentional about their learning, recognise the limits of AI-generated information, and retain ownership of their academic development.
By combining practical AI education with a focus on independent learning, the conference aims to help participants make more productive use of their study time and approach academic responsibilities with greater confidence.
A Partnership Designed to Reach Students
JomoRC initiated the collaboration with the FCT College of Education SUG as part of its efforts to reach students directly with relevant digital learning opportunities.
The SUG leadership welcomed the initiative and is actively promoting the programme to encourage student participation.
The partnership provides an opportunity to connect practical AI education with the everyday experiences and aspirations of students, while encouraging greater awareness of responsible AI-assisted learning.
Although the initiative is being organised in partnership with the FCT College of Education SUG, participation is open to students of the college and students from other institutions.
There is no fixed participation limit, creating an opportunity for interested students across institutions to benefit from the learning experience.
The virtual format also provides a convenient way for students to participate without the need to travel to a physical venue.
Beyond the Conference: Building a Continuing Student Community
For JomoRC, the SmartLearn Virtual Conference represents more than a three-day educational event.
The longer-term vision is to build a continuing student community where learners can remain connected to opportunities that encourage smarter learning, responsible AI adoption, and ongoing academic development.
This approach recognises that meaningful learning improvement is a continuous process. Students need opportunities not only to acquire new knowledge but also to practise, refine, and apply what they learn.
Through the SmartLearn initiative, JomoRC hopes to foster a culture in which students actively explore better ways to learn, share knowledge, and take greater responsibility for their academic development.
The continuing community will provide a foundation for extending the initiative’s value beyond the conference and encouraging sustained engagement with smarter learning practices.
Advancing JomoRC’s Mission
The SmartLearn Virtual Conference aligns with JomoRC’s broader mission of taking learning beyond traditional classroom boundaries and making relevant educational opportunities more accessible through technology.
As artificial intelligence continues to influence education and the world of work, the ability to use emerging tools effectively and responsibly is becoming an increasingly important learning competency.
JomoRC’s approach emphasises the practical application of technology: helping learners understand not just what AI can do, but how to use it in ways that support genuine learning, independent thinking, and personal development.
By bringing together AI literacy, personalised learning strategies, and student engagement, the initiative seeks to contribute to a more informed and empowered generation of learners.
Ultimately, SmartLearn is built around a simple idea: students should not merely spend more time learning; they should develop better ways to learn.
Jomo Resource Center remains committed to creating opportunities that help people learn more effectively, develop relevant skills, and prepare for an increasingly technology-driven world.
JomoRC — …the SMART Way to LEARN.
