“What helps me grow the most are students and their feedback”: interview with Andrea Holešinská

We meet at the beginning of summer, shortly after the semester ends. Can you recall an interesting moment from teaching this semester? 

The previous semester was particularly interesting for me because I decided to incorporate artificial intelligence into my teaching. The goal was to use AI to support students’ critical thinking. However, the use of AI led to something entirely different than I expected. I had to unexpectedly adjust the teaching concept during the semester. Although the original goal wasn’t fulfilled as planned, a major benefit was the improvement of digital competencies — not only for the students but also for the teacher. :-) 

Students were tasked with answering my questions related to the topics discussed using AI in MS Teams chat. We then discussed their answers during lectures. It turned out that AI produced very uniform responses. That was a big disappointment because what I used to enjoy most about students’ answers were their differing opinions and perspectives. That enriched the discussion and allowed me to connect it with the course content. Suddenly, that wasn’t possible — the diversity of critical arguments was missing. So I changed the “rules.” Students still used AI, but they had to read others’ responses to avoid repeating the same answers, which was challenging for them. In our discussions, we repeatedly encountered the issue that while AI can respond cleverly, its answers lack diversity and the uniqueness of human opinion. So, the goal of fostering critical thinking was ultimately achieved not through the topic itself, but through analysing AI-generated statements. What was meant to be a tool for supporting critical thinking became the very subject of critical thinking. 

Students also used AI to write essays, which is often a challenge for them. Nonetheless, I believe essay writing offers a lot — they get to practice academic writing, working with sources, and using critical thinking. This time, they had to create a prompt and generate a 500-word essay on a given topic, which they then responded to based on the literature they read. It turned out to be harder than writing on their own because it’s difficult to break away from the structure AI establishes. During oral exams, where students defended their essays, we also encountered issues with Czech translations and incorrect use of scientific terminology. When they realised what AI had actually written in the essay, it was often a “wow” moment for them. Students really appreciated this experience. 

In the upcoming fall semester, I plan to use AI again, and that’s my current challenge — AI is evolving rapidly, so I’m curious how I’ll be able to use it this time. 

You use AI as part of independent preparation at home. How do you motivate students to do this work? 

Everyone likes tangible results, so the primary (opportunistic) motivation is the points students earn for homework (i.e., for answering discussion questions), which can improve their final grade. Students know in advance how many points they can earn for active participation. It’s up to them what strategy they choose and whether they want to improve their grade this way, because even if they don’t participate in discussions, they can still pass the course based on their final essay. The second motivation comes from the students themselves, who soon realise that I not only respond to their answers but also use them in lectures. I’ve received feedback that this is motivating for them. Moreover, by the end of the semester, they realise that they’ve been consistently preparing for the course without intending to, which they don’t usually do for other subjects. 

How do you develop as a teacher? 

There are several aspects to that. What helps me grow the most are students and their feedback. I care about how they respond to my teaching, and I try to think about how I could do things differently next time. That pushes me to look at how others teach or just reflect on it myself — after all, you gather some experience in 20 years of teaching. Sometimes I also think back to my own studies. Besides these internal sources, I also seek out trainings where I can get inspiration from others. I choose programmes or workshops deliberately, but sometimes the content doesn’t quite fit my subject. Still, there’s usually at least one small thing worth being inspired by. I really enjoy playing with that inspiration and finding ways to use it in my teaching. 

Can you recall something that inspired you recently? 

Last year, I was inspired by the Festival of Good Teaching. Even before the festival, I often attended CERPEK courses, where I met other active teachers. I met them again at the festival and could take something from each of them, for example during the Pecha Kucha part of the programme. 

You’ve participated in various ERASMUS+ Teaching Mobility trips — can you share something about that experience? How does teaching abroad compare to teaching here? 

I’ve had experiences in Sweden and Slovenia. Only a few times did I get the chance to observe someone else’s teaching, but usually, you go on these international stays to teach yourself. I’ve been to Ljubljana in Slovenia several times. I was very pleased when, during a later visit, I found out they were using teaching methods I had introduced during my previous visit.  

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to teach abroad because I get to see how others approach the topics I teach and how important themes (like sustainability in Sweden) are reflected in teaching. When I taught in Sweden, it was a diverse, multicultural group of international students. You had to approach teaching differently — with more perspective, in a broader context, and at a different pace. In contrast, in Slovenia, it was a group of local students, and I could better recognise the specifics of their culture. When I returned, I already knew how to prepare the teaching to suit them and match what they were used to. We recently launched a follow-up Master’s programme for international students called Regional Development and Tourism, so I can apply my ERASMUS experience in practice. I now know what to expect and how to structure the teaching so that it’s understandable for everyone and provides the same “starting line” for all. 

In addition to teaching in regular degree programmes, you also teach at U3A and MjUNI. How do these experiences complement your teaching practice? 

I really enjoy teaching at both U3A and MjUNI. Essentially, you transfer experiences from one type of study to another, selecting the most suitable teaching methods for each group, while still building on the same foundations. For example, at MjUNI, students really appreciated the integration of artificial intelligence — it wasn’t a traditional lecture but rather an interactive session. With more mature students, I like that they view things differently and are eager to discuss and learn more. When preparing a presentation, I use the base material for full-time students and then think about how U3A students (who are from my parents’ generation) will perceive it, what questions they might ask, and I adjust the materials accordingly. It’s very inspiring, and the different perspectives students bring enrich me personally. 

Your teaching experience is even broader — you’ve taught in a detention facility in Brno. 

Yes, through the Norwegian Funds, the Faculty of Economics and Administration collaborated with the Brno detention facility for over four years. Two students completed their bachelor’s degrees with me, and I supervised their final theses. It was an interesting experience: as teachers, we’re used to having certain equipment and environments for teaching. We’re used to walking into a classroom where everything works, but here I could hardly bring anything with me. I taught a course on Information Technology in Tourism, where I used various software tools. At the time, these technologies were still in their early stages, so for example, the reservation system wasn’t online — it was a standalone programme. Suddenly, I had to think about how to show these things to the students. That’s when I started recording my first videos, which we watched together, and I described the processes. It was like a first preparation for COVID. I had to adapt my teaching to the given conditions — both the teaching methods, since it was a specific, individualised form of instruction, and especially the teaching materials. It was truly a valuable experience. 

How would you summarise your teaching philosophy? 

This year, I completed the Teacher as Mentor programme, which is heavily inspired by the teachings of John Amos Comenius. I was pleased to realise that what I naturally do aligns with Comenius’s philosophy: to perceive the student, to be helpful, to guide them — not just tell them what they have to do and how. To be helpful, I must also grow, which is why I enjoy attending various courses to seek inspiration. Students react differently to different situations, and I know I can offer the kind of support they need at that moment. In 2004, I was creating study materials for our degree programme and thought I’d write a textbook and never have to do anything again (laughs). Then came the realization that at the beginning of a teaching career, you can operate within set boundaries, but soon you discover that students’ needs vary. Moreover, today, when students can Google information or use AI to find it, the question arises: why am I even there as a teacher? It’s the perfect time to return to what Comenius said — that we should be guides for students and give them direction. We shouldn’t just advise but help. I believe that now, in the age of AI, there’s space for us educators to show students how to make the most of existing resources and move forward thanks to them. We shouldn’t just pass on the knowledge we’ve accumulated over the years. I want students to take away not only professional expertise but also skills from my teaching. It’s important to adapt and change our approach to students, and that’s why I’m very grateful for their feedback. Because I don’t have large numbers of students in my courses, I’m lucky to be able to examine them orally, which is also great feedback for me — and I believe it’s beneficial for students to have the opportunity to discuss and defend their views. 

Recently, I read an interview in eM with physiotherapist Michal Novotný, who talked about how every athlete needed something different to stay motivated and perform well. If, as a teacher, you take feedback from students and work with it, you’ll also know what works for them. 

Is there anything you’d like to mention in conclusion? 

I’d like to express my appreciation for being given the opportunity to focus more on teaching in my current professional role. I’ve always enjoyed research, and thanks to it, I have professional expertise and many contacts with the applied sector, many of whom I can now invite into my teaching. However, the pressure to publish impact-factor articles was overwhelming, and I felt torn between scholarly work and teaching, which I love. I became an academic because I primarily wanted to educate. I’m glad I can do that now, and I think this opportunity would benefit many other teachers as well. After all, Henry Ford introduced the division of labour because he knew productivity would be higher if everyone specialised in what they’re good at. 

Interviewer: Karolína Zlámalová, Quality Office RMU (zlamalova@rect.muni.cz)