Embedding AI in a pedagogy of compassion

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi40.1769

Keywords:

AI, assessment design, collaborative learning, compassionate pedagogy

Abstract

Although increasingly recognised in higher education assessment and teaching practices, compassionate pedagogy is often misunderstood. Designed to alleviate student distress and trauma, it is sometimes dismissed as ‘soft’, ‘fluffy’, or insufficiently rigorous, particularly in relation to the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) use in higher education. This case study, co-authored by academic staff and students, explores a constructive way forward. Drawing on student experiences, co-facilitation, and module performance, we demonstrate how teaching and learning with AI can be situated within a compassionate pedagogy. We suggest that this can foster engaged and inclusive learning communities promoting scholarship and belonging, while supporting critical research skills. We conclude with recommendations for educators on how they can embed teaching and learning with AI into their own pedagogy of compassion.

Author Biographies

Constantine Manolchev, University of Exeter

Constantine Manolchev is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter Business School, where he serves as PRME Lead (Principles for Responsible Management Education) and a Sustainability Champion. With a commitment to ethical, critical and compassionate education, Constantine's research focuses on the responsible integration of AI in teaching and learning environments. He works at the intersection of ethics, technology and pedagogy, helping shape institutional approaches to AI that are both innovative and grounded in sustainable, responsible practice.

Sarah Jerome, University of Exeter

Sarah Jerome is a final-year student on the University of Exeter's BSc Business programme. Demonstrating exceptional academic engagement, she has already achieved Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy — a distinction rarely held at undergraduate level. Sarah has a keen interest in sustainable governance and the role that responsible leadership plays in addressing today's environmental and organisational challenges. She plans to continue developing this expertise at postgraduate level, building on a strong foundation in both theory and practice.

Marco Campenni, University of Exeter

Marco Campenni is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter Business School and Programme Director for the MSc in Sustainable Business Management. His research and teaching sit at the cutting edge of sustainability and data science, with a specialism in big data, simulation, and agent-based modelling methodologies. Marco brings a rigorous quantitative lens to questions of sustainable business, helping students and researchers alike understand complex systems and the dynamics that drive organisational and environmental change.

Pawel Sierocinski, University of Exeter

Pawel Sierocinski is a Lecturer at the University of Exeter Business School whose work is shaped by an interdisciplinary background spanning biology and ecology. This scientific grounding informs a distinctive perspective on business, sustainability, and complex systems. Outside of academia, Pawel hosts a successful gaming podcast, reflecting a broader curiosity about communities, storytelling, and the ways people engage with interactive worlds — interests that often find unexpected parallels in his research and teaching.

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Published

25-06-2026

How to Cite

Manolchev, C., Jerome, S., Campenni, M., & Sierocinski, P. (2026). Embedding AI in a pedagogy of compassion. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (40). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi40.1769

Issue

No. 40 (2026)

Section

Case Studies

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