A number of factors are converging to create a huge storm. Generative AI advances, massive federal policy shifts, broad societal and economic changes, and the demographic cliff combine to create uncertainty today and change tomorrow. The confluence of all of these disruptions in 2025 predict a challenging year ahead for higher education. Has your institution prepared for the fallout from these developments? Who is coordinating the response to these disparate trends? Are you following the trends and considering the implications for your career as well as for your department, college and university?
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Is Algorithmic Management Too Controlling? - Lindsey Cameron, Knowledge at Wharton
In more and more workplaces, important decisions aren’t made by managers but by algorithms which have increasing levels of access to and control over workers. While algorithmic management can boost efficiency and flexibility (as well as enabling a new class of quasi-self-employed workers on platforms like Uber and Instacart), critics warn of heightened surveillance and reduced autonomy for workers. In a newly published paper, Wharton Prof. Lindsey Cameron examines how ride-hail drivers interact with the algorithmic management tools that make app-based work possible. In this interview, she shares insights from her research, along with tips for creating a more equitable future of work.
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/is-algorithmic-management-too-controlling/
Monday, November 18, 2024
Warren Buffett Pointed Out 1 Clear Sign to Spot Someone With Good Leadership Skills - Marcel Schwantes, Inc.
You’ve got to be able to communicate in life, and it’s enormously important. Schools, to some extent, under-emphasize that. If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential. Effective communication isn’t just about talking; great conversationalists listen intuitively to the other person’s story, ask questions, and search conversations for depth, meaning, and understanding. This takes the skill of being present and in the moment. This means that you don’t need to talk over others to get your point across, which works to your advantage. When you truly listen, you hear peoples’ objections, anxieties, and fears, as well as the solution to problems.
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Why Podcasts Succeeded in Gaining Influence Where MOOCs Failed - Joy Buchanan, Economist Writing Every Day
MOOCs fell short of revolutionizing education. MOOCs struggled to retain learners because of the commitment they demanded and the structure they imposed. One thing people thought the MOOC could deliver at low cost was accountability. It turns out that traditional universities were and are still good for that. Podcasts succeeded by offering flexibility, accessibility, and a lower barrier to entry. Podcasts excel at passive learning, where listeners absorb information through storytelling, interviews, and discussions. This style appeals to a wider audience, blending education with entertainment. If someone in 2014 were told that MOOCs would not become influential on intellectual life, then a possible excuse might be that the public does not want talking or long-form content. We now know in 2024 that long-form talking content can be hugely popular, in the format of a conversational podcast.
Saturday, November 16, 2024
The second Trump term: Higher education braces for impact - Nathan M Greenfield, University World News
‘Professors are the enemy’ – Incoming Vice-President JD Vance, quoting Richard Nixon. From likely reductions in student aid and an end to student debt forgiveness, to a possible dismantling of the United States Department of Education, cuts to research, a reintroduction of the travel ban on Muslim countries and deportation of undocumented immigrants, the re-election of former US president Donald J Trump on 5 November represents a major challenge to American higher education. “I think I’ll just be honest about it: I’m very anxious,” Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education (ACE), told the ACE dotEDU Live post-election podcast on 6 November, a few hours before Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded to Trump who will become the 47th president on 20 January 2025.
Friday, November 15, 2024
5 Bold Predictions for AI in 2025 and how we think AI will continue to transform industries - Cypher Learning
The pace of innovation is rapidly accelerating, and AI is poised to redefine how we work, learn, and connect with technology in surprising ways. From empowering new roles and fostering inclusivity, AI is on the brink of reshaping entire industries. Last year, we shared our predictions for AI in 2024 and saw them come to fruition. As the year comes to a close, we wanted to turn the page and once again share our predictions for how AI will continue to evolve in 2025. Among the predictions is #5. Personalized workplace development displaces old-school training.
https://www.cypherlearning.com/blog/news/bold-predictions-for-ai-in-2025
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Satya Nadella on the Future of AI - Douglas, AI Newsroom
In Nadella’s view, AI is transforming how we learn and work, with implications for every industry. He envisions a world where AI tutors are accessible to everyone, enabling a deeper, more personalized learning experience. “The big novelty is that every student can now have access to a personalized AI tutor throughout their life.” This unprecedented access to knowledge, combined with the flexibility of tools like GitHub Copilot, opens doors for students, professionals, and lifelong learners. On the future of work, Nadella emphasizes that AI’s purpose isn’t to eliminate jobs but to improve the quality of work. By automating tedious tasks, AI allows professionals to focus on higher-value activities.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
University of Akron braces for workforce cuts - Ben Unglesbee, Higher Ed Dive
University of Akron leadership signaled that workforce reductions are on the horizon for the Ohio public institution as it grapples with rising operating costs. “In the coming years, we will incrementally reduce the number of positions so we can better invest in our people and chart strategic growth moving forward,” President R.J. Nemer said in an Oct. 24 email to faculty and staff published Friday by Signal Akron, a local news outlet. “This will be a challenging but necessary change.” Nemer added that the university must “engage in cost reductions at all levels to stabilize and ultimately refine UA for the future.” The process began with a recent $800,000 reduction to the president’s office budget, he said.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Concerned about retention? Prioritize AI upskilling - Malika Asthana, HR Executive
As rapid technological change reshapes the workplace, employees are eager to build new skills to stay relevant and advance their careers. Learning and development leaders are well-positioned to meet this challenge and offer strategic learning opportunities that drive growth and retention. Recent data collected by D2L and Morning Consult underscores this need. While 75% of L&D leaders feel a strong sense of urgency to prepare their organizations for the effects of AI on their work, nearly 40% of employees believe their employers are not prioritizing AI professional development opportunities.
Monday, November 11, 2024
Exploring the future of higher education through student perspectives - MSN.com
The landscape of higher education has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with online learning emerging as a pivotal component. This shift from traditional classroom settings to virtual platforms has been propelled by the need for flexibility, accessibility, and the demand for diverse learning resources. Additionally, the aspect of high demand for higher education coupled with limited resources and universities for regular education further underscores the importance of online learning as a means to accommodate this growing need. As institutions adapt to this new paradigm, it becomes imperative to understand and address the following expectations of higher education students from online learning.
Sunday, November 10, 2024
EDUCAUSE ’24: The Evolving Role of the CIO - Abby Sourwine, GovTech
A panel of experts at the annual EDUCAUSE conference discussed why data and analytics, and ultimately chief information officers, are growing more important to the future of higher education. As colleges and universities grapple with declining public trust, rapid leadership turnover and the need to demonstrate return on investment, the role of the chief information officer has become increasingly pivotal. At the annual EDUCAUSE conference last week, three seasoned IT leaders shared their perspectives on navigating the shifting landscape.
Saturday, November 9, 2024
AI Tops List of Most Important Technologies of 2025 - Heidi Vella, AI Business
The study by IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization, surveyed 355 technology leaders, including CIOs, CTOs, and IT directors, in Brazil, China, India, the U.K. and U.S. When asked to select the top three areas of technology that will be most important in 2025 from more than a dozen areas, respondents overwhelmingly ranked AI first (58%) marking the second consecutive year they have done so. Cloud computing (26%) and robotics (24%) ranked second and third, respectively.
Friday, November 8, 2024
Educause ’24: University of Michigan's Journey With Generative AI - Abby Sourwine, GovTech
One major AI integration came in the form of U-M GPT, a chatbot that provides free access to the latest versions of large language models like GPT 4.0 and DALL-E 3. It has all the capabilities of these chatbots with a few customizations to best serve UM users. Pendse said the team also created a more focused AI tool, U-M Maizey, with which users can upload their own data sets to serve a customized GPT experience. In an academic setting, Maizey can be integrated with Canvas, the learning management system from the education software company Instructure, and used for things like generating practice exam questions and offering personalized tutoring. Pendse said the Canvas integration was designed to be simple — instructors can integrate in six minutes even without any coding experience.
Thursday, November 7, 2024
California Students Want Careers in AI. Here’s How Colleges Are Meeting That Demand - Associated Press
Many California college students are choosing to learn about artificial intelligence theory and its emerging applications while preparing to enter an ever-changing workforce. With hopes of bolstering these efforts, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the first statewide partnership with a tech firm to bring AI curriculum, resources and opportunities to California’s public higher education institutions. The partnership with Nvidia, a leading AI software development company, will bring AI tools to community colleges first. In the future, the hope is to add partnerships for the California State University and University of California systems as well, according to the governor’s press release.
What Can AI Chatbots Teach Us About How Humans Learn? - Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge
Do new AI tools like ChatGPT actually understand language the same way that humans do? It turns out that even the inventors of these new large language models are debating that very question — and the answer will have huge implications for education and for all aspects of society if this technology can get to a point where it achieves what is known as Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI.A new book by one of those AI pioneers digs into the origins of ChatGPT and the intersection of research on how the brain works and building new large language models for AI. It’s called “ChatGPT and the Future of AI,” and the author is Terrence Sejnowski, a professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego, where he co-directs the Institute for Neural Computation and the NSF Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center. He is also the Francis Crick Chair at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
ETSU recognized in three categories of 2024 Abound College Awards - Jennifer L. Hill, ETSU
Abound is a college guidance system for degree-seeking adults, and helps students age 24 and up find the best place to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree. In the Finish College Awards, ETSU won in the categories Best Colleges for Adults, Best Online Colleges and Best Colleges for Military and Veterans. “As an institution that puts people first, ETSU provides adult students with the flexibility they need to earn their degree,” said Timothy Lewis, director of New Student and Family Programs at ETSU. “Not only do we provide special services to our adult students, our faculty and staff work to get to know each student as an individual: helping each student succeed and reach their specific goals.”
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
How AI Is Reshaping Higher Education - AACSB
Because artificial intelligence will likely become the primary way humans access information, professors must prepare students to use the technology effectively in their lives and careers. Students will especially need to learn skills related to effective prompt engineering, which refers to the ability to craft questions that elicit the most useful answers from AI platforms. The more comfortable that faculty become with using AI, the better they will be at teaching students how to use this skill ethically and effectively in the years to come.
Monday, November 4, 2024
EDUCAUSE 2024: The Risks and Rewards of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education - EdTech
The world took notice when OpenAI released the high-powered large language model ChatGPT in November 2022. Nearly two years later, at EDUCAUSE 2024 in San Antonio, artificial intelligence was still a hot topic of conversation among higher education’s leading technologists. They mostly agree that AI is a tool that could be beneficial to colleges and universities in a number of ways, but acknowledge that just because an AI solution exists, that doesn’t mean it’s the right solution. Working backward from a problem to identify if AI is the best path forward is a good way to avoid making AI mistakes, and ensuring good data governance before implementing AI is vital to producing accurate outcomes.
https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/media/video/educause-2024-risks-and-rewards-artificial-intelligence-higher-education
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Leveraging AI to Improve Learner Outcomes and Learner Records - UPCEA
The implementation of AI-driven tools in higher education is still in its early phases. It's clear that institutional staff either are still learning how to incorporate the tools into the learning process or are encountering obstacles in optimizing their use. This study revealed that interest in the potential of these technologies is far outpacing adoption. Most respondents are heavily involved in developing learner experiences and tracking outcomes, though nearly half report their institutions have yet to adopt AI-driven tools for these purposes. The research also found that only three percent of institutions have implemented Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs), which provide a complete overview of an individual’s lifelong learning experiences. Download your copy of UPCEA and Instructure's latest research study today.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Memorandum on Advancing the United States’ Leadership in Artificial Intelligence; Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Fulfill National Security Objectives; and Fostering the Safety, Security, and Trustworthiness of Artificial Intelligence - the White House
This memorandum fulfills the directive set forth in subsection 4.8 of Executive Order 14110 of October 30, 2023 (Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence). This memorandum provides further direction on appropriately harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) models and AI-enabled technologies in the United States Government, especially in the context of national security systems (NSS), while protecting human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, and safety in AI-enabled national security activities. A classified annex to this memorandum addresses additional sensitive national security issues, including countering adversary use of AI that poses risks to United States national security.
Friday, November 1, 2024
SynthID: Identifying AI-generated content with SynthID - Google Deep Mind
Being able to identify AI-generated content is critical to promoting trust in information. While not a silver bullet for addressing problems such as misinformation or misattribution, SynthID is a suite of promising technical solutions to this pressing AI safety issue. This toolkit is currently launched in beta and continues to evolve. It’s now being integrated into a growing range of products, helping empower people and organizations to responsibly work with AI-generated content. SynthID uses a variety of deep learning models and algorithms for watermarking and identifying AI-generated content.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)