Rate My Professor Matt Fernandes

Matt Fernandes serves as a digital developer at the University of Otago, contributing to advanced learning design initiatives in higher education. He was instrumental in developing a comprehensive digital course aimed at enhancing career readiness for PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows. This course addresses critical findings from research on PhD graduates in New Zealand and the United States, who often possess limited knowledge of their skills and attributes, as well as scarce awareness of career pathways outside academia—where only 40-50% secure academic positions. As the digital developer, Fernandes integrated thoughtful design elements across the course, which draws on principles of social constructivism and reflective practice while incorporating cultural perspectives. Hosted on Microsoft Teams Classroom and the EdX platform, the self-paced program guides learners through 12 modules via a symbolic koru diagram outlining stages of self-discovery, career option exploration, practical career strategies, and action plan formulation. Participants engage in reflective journaling, cultivate a digital portfolio for assessment, and interact with ChatGPT for personalized feedback on articulating skills and tailored career recommendations based on their values, skills, and preferences.

Fernandes co-authored the publication "Embracing partnerships – human and AI – in digital course on career readiness" in the ASCILITE 2023 proceedings, chronicling the multidisciplinary collaboration that included academic developers, careers advisers, graduate research candidates, videographers, and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, he collaborated on "Embedding ChatGPT as a Tutor and Career Adviser in an Online Career Readiness Course," presented at the New Zealand AI in Higher Education Symposium hosted by the University of Otago on September 4, 2024. Co-authors included Yvonne Gaut, Alba Suarez Garcia, Jodie Evans, Rachel Spronken-Smith, Russell Butson, and Patrick Mazzocco. These works exemplify Fernandes' significant influence in pioneering AI-human partnerships to bolster career development tools in academic environments, fostering greater preparedness among graduate researchers.