By Dave Holloway
At any university event - whether it’s an open day, a panel discussion, or a conference - you can usually count on seeing a familiar kind of student volunteer: confident, articulate, and comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their contributions are invaluable, but they’re also just one part of a much wider, more diverse student population.
What about the students with equally thoughtful perspectives but a deep discomfort with public speaking? Or those whose schedules, responsibilities, health, location, or neurodivergence make live participation challenging or even impossible? These students are often unintentionally left out of the spotlight, not due to a lack of insight, willingness to contribute, or effort on the organisers’ side, but because the format doesn’t fit.
This was something we wanted to address at the University of Sheffield’s Education Conference. My colleagues in Elevate and I were hosting a session on student opinions of AI where we wanted a student panel to talk openly in front of academics and professional services staff about how they and their peers approach the use of AI in their studies.
We managed to secure a number of student volunteers who were interested in discussing the topic, however not everybody was available due to availability, geographic location or anxiety levels - and who can blame students for being wary of discussing a potentially contentious subject in front of over a hundred members of staff?
To navigate this, Matt Gilchrist in the Digital Learning Team sat down with three of the unavailable volunteers and spoke to them at length about their thoughts on the subject of AI. We had already outlined the 10 questions we wanted to put to our student panel, and these were used as a basis for the conversations. These discussions were transcribed and summarised, and then Matt worked with each student in turn to transform these thoughts into prompts for AI avatars.
Wonda is our 360 media and XR platform at the University, and staff and students are able to write system prompts to allow users to interact with AI avatars. Previously these AI avatars have often been used for training or rehearsal purposes, but this was the first instance where we attempted to generate representational examples of real people. Using the students' own words (and helping them to design the appearance of the avatars) ensured that the students felt accurately represented, and safeguards were built into the prompts so that the avatars could not speak beyond their genuine opinions.
At the conference event we seamlessly moved through a variety of student reflections; three students appeared in person, fielding questions live, one student sent in written responses and one provided video responses - and we had our three AI students as well. Wonda is very good at understanding human voices so we were able to engage with them as they were live in the room, as well as add follow up questions or inquiries from the audience.
Attendee responses were positive; it was beneficial that the technology was aligned with the topic of conversation, but the result was more than just a gimmick - it was a step toward a more inclusive and representative way of engaging students in university life.
The real value of using AI avatars isn’t in novelty - it’s in access. For students who are neurodivergent, anxious about public speaking, or managing invisible barriers like chronic illness, traditional forms of engagement can be daunting or outright inaccessible. AI tools like Wonda allow for pre-scripted, asynchronous participation that feels safe and controlled. Students can still share their insights and shape conversations, but in a way that respects their boundaries and comfort levels. In this sense, technology becomes not just a tool for communication, but one for equity - broadening whose voices get heard and how.
Looking ahead, the possibilities go far beyond conferences. AI avatars could be used in welcome weeks to introduce new students to diverse experiences of university life; they could be used to answer questions at virtual open days, or as interactive guides on virtual campus tours. There’s potential here not just to include more students, but to build a more flexible, responsive culture around participation itself.
By embracing AI avatars, we’re not replacing human connection - we’re expanding it. We’re acknowledging that not every student thrives under a spotlight, but every student has something valuable to say. As educators, it’s our responsibility to create spaces where all voices can be heard, not just the loudest. If we want a truly inclusive academic environment, then we have to keep rethinking the stage - not just who stands on it, but how we invite people there in the first place.
You can chat to our student avatars about their thoughts on AI here.
Dave Holloway is a Senior Digital Learning Advisor in the Digital Learning Team