Embracing AI: A guide for faculty
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is pushing innovation in higher education and presenting immense opportunities: personalized learning, deeper engagement, boosted efficiency, and inclusive access.
Consider a few recent examples that sound more like futuristic headlines versus reality:
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Loughborough University in England is experimenting with holograms in the classroom, with plans to beam in guests from anywhere in the world using their smartphones, appearing life-sized and in real time inside a hologram box in a classroom across the world. The tech is still being evaluated and will be added to the school’s curriculum in 2025.
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Arizona State University recently announced it became the first higher education institution to collaborate with OpenAI, the AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT. Starting in February, ASU invited submissions from faculty and staff to implement the innovative uses of ChatGPT Enterprise. The three key areas of concentration include: enhancing student success, forging new avenues for innovative research, and streamlining organizational processes.
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Western University in Ontario, Canada, appointed Mark Daley, a computer science professor and chief information officer, to the new position of chief AI officer. He is establishing over 30 pilot AI projects, reported The New York Times, including automating financial auditing processes and working with faculty to develop new courses in the humanities.
While exciting (and yes, sometimes intimidating), it can be dauting to know where to start in harnessing the potential, avoiding the downfalls, and navigating the implementation. In this guide, we’ll lay out a plan for getting your faculty to incorporate AI features effectively into their curriculums.
Understand the benefits:
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Personalization: AI can tailor learning experiences to individual student needs. Adaptive learning platforms adjust difficulty levels, recommend resources, and offer targeted feedback based on student performance.
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Engagement: AI-powered tools like simulations, chatbots, and virtual tutors can make learning more interactive and engaging, fostering deeper understanding and critical thinking.
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Efficiency:AI automates tedious tasks like grading essays or providing basic answers, freeing up faculty time for deeper interactions and individualized guidance.
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Accessibility: AI-powered tools like text-to-speech or closed captioning can make learning accessible to students with disabilities, promoting inclusivity.
Get started:
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Start small: Don't overwhelm your faculty. Choose a specific AI feature or tool that aligns with your course learning objectives and start there. For example, introduce an adaptive learning platform for one module or use an AI-powered writing assistant for feedback.
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Training and support: Provide resources and workshops to familiarize your faculty with AI tools and best practices. This can include online tutorials, hands-on training sessions, or inviting AI experts to your campus.
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Focus on the human element: Remember, AI is a tool to enhance, not replace, the human educator. Encourage faculty to use AI features to create more personalized interactions, facilitate discussions, and offer deeper guidance.
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Ethical considerations: Discuss the ethical implications of AI in education, such as data privacy, bias, and academic integrity. Develop guidelines and best practices to ensure responsible use of AI tools.
Consider the opportunities:
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Language courses: AI-powered chatbots can simulate conversational practice, while automated scoring can assess pronunciation and grammar.
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STEM fields: Virtual labs and simulations can provide immersive learning experiences in a safe and cost-effective way.
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History and social sciences: AI tools can analyze large datasets to help students draw conclusions and develop research skills.
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Writing and communication: AI-powered writing assistants can help students improve grammar, style, and clarity.
Remember:
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Embrace experimentation: Encourage your faculty to experiment with different AI tools and explore their potential within their courses.
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Feedback is key: Collect feedback from both faculty and students to assess the effectiveness of AI features and adjust as needed.
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Continuous learning: AI is a rapidly evolving field. Encourage your faculty to stay updated on the latest developments and explore new possibilities.
Want to hear more about AI? Check out our latest report here.
Sources:
Zoom who? Higher ed is going holographic - The Hustle
A new collaboration with OpenAI charts the future of AI in higher education | ASU News
Is AI Going To Transform Higher Education And How? (forbes.com)
