Rate My Professor Larian Nkomo

Larian Nkomo serves as Surveys Officer in the University Quality Advancement Unit at the University of Otago, with prior affiliation to the Higher Education Development Centre where he conducted his doctoral research. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago in 2022, focusing his thesis on 'Students' engagement patterns with digital learning technologies: An empirical case of lecture recordings,' under the supervision of Ben Daniel and Russell Butson. His academic background centers on higher education pedagogy and technology integration, examining how digital tools influence student learning behaviors and outcomes.

Nkomo's research specializations encompass student engagement with digital technologies, lecture recordings, educational data mining, sentiment analysis, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence in education. Key publications include 'Synthesis of student engagement with digital technologies: a systematic mapping' (2021, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education), which has garnered over 330 citations and maps empirical studies on technology-enhanced engagement. He co-authored 'Social Network and Sentiment Analysis: Investigation of Students' Perspectives on Lecture Recording' (2020), analyzing social media sentiments toward recorded lectures. Additional works feature 'Providing Students with Flexible and Adaptive Learning Opportunities using Lecture Recordings' (2023) and contributions to 'Automatic Grading System Using Sentence-BERT Network' (2020, Frontiers in Education). These publications demonstrate his impact on understanding adaptive learning environments and automated assessment tools. Recently, Nkomo presented a keynote at the DGFC 2025 conference titled 'Students' experiences and perceptions of ethical use of AI tools,' highlighting ethical considerations in educational AI. His data-driven research supports institutional strategies for enhancing teaching and learning through technology at the University of Otago and contributes to broader discourse in higher education technology.