At the Fall President’s Opening Day, State of the College, I spoke about the importance of actively exploring the Future of Teaching and Learning. The future of teaching and learning is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid advancements in generative AI. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, its integration into education has the potential to reshape traditional models of instruction and create more personalized, adaptive, and engaging learning experiences. From automated content creation and real-time feedback to personalized learning paths, generative AI offers educators new tools to meet the diverse needs of students in ways that were previously unimaginable.
One of the strategic directions of our system’s Vision 2030 focuses on California Community Colleges actively engaging with the impacts of generative AI on the future of teaching and learning. This initiative affirms the value of active engagement and assesses the risks and benefits of generative AI to help our system — and consequently our students — stay ahead of this powerful tool’s accelerated rate of change. As part of the Vision 2030 implementation phase, California Community Colleges are called to:
- Improve the student experience with the use of generative AI as well as smart analytics.
- Modernize system technology infrastructure to support online education delivery.
- Develop an analysis of the impact of generative AI technology and its potential implications for teaching and learning, and take the necessary action in policy reform, systems development, and practices to advance success, access, and support for our students.
According to the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), the world of work has quickly discerned ways AI can create efficiencies and improve the quality of service. Nearly all employers across all business sectors now say they are or soon will be expecting employees to possess AI competencies and literacies. Employers also recognize the need to fill a significant skills gap as they search for programs that produce graduates with AI skills. The question for higher education, then, is how to address this rapidly emerging skills gap to ensure students achieve the range of learning outcomes currently embedded within existing courses and programs.
How is IVC preparing to bridge the gap between technology and pedagogy and respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities artificial intelligence (AI) presents?
#1: IVC was accepted into the AAC&U’s Institute on AI, Pedagogy and Curriculum, and our multi-disciplinary team of five faculty and one classified professional will engage in a year-long experience to bring back a wealth of learning to our college.
The institute is designed for colleges and universities seeking to: rethink pedagogical and assessment approaches within and across courses and disciplines; address academic integrity concerns and consider new policies and practices; contemplate the ethical and equity implications of AI; and adopt AI competencies and literacies as course and/or programmatic learning outcomes.
#2: In Fall 2023, the AI Task Force was established under the Academic Senate and in conjunction with the Online Education Committee to explore, implement, support, and integrate Artificial Intelligence technologies in various aspects of our institution. The task force will assist with the learning and integration of AI technologies to enhance student-centered instruction, empower colleagues, improve efficiency, and uphold ethical standards and privacy.
#3: The Hub: Center for Professional Learning is offering an AI strand in a year-long series focusing on supporting our campus community to gain practical skills and a deeper understanding of AI and its capabilities and challenges. It includes speakers, panels, and hands-on workshops for faculty, classified professionals, and managers.
I encourage us all to keep an open mind by fully engaging in conversations, professional learning opportunities, and possessing the curiosity to discover the endless possibilities this presents and to identify your individual role in shaping this future. Every decade has experienced impactful technological advances that were at first misunderstood, rejected, or outright dismissed and yet, each evolution made its way into everyday use over time.
Let’s embrace this challenge and its limitless opportunities to reimagine the future of teaching and learning.
Best,
John