Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That? - Paul Tough, NY Times

A decade or so ago, Americans were feeling pretty positive about higher education. Public-opinion polls in the early 2010s all told the same story. In one survey, 86 percent of college graduates said that college had been a good investment; in another, 74 percent of young adults said a college education was “very important”; in a third, 60 percent of Americans said that colleges and universities were having a positive impact on the country. Ninety-six percent of parents who identified as Democrats said they expected their kids to attend college — only to be outdone by Republican parents, 99 percent of whom said they expected their kids to go to college. A decade later, Americans’ feelings about higher education have turned sharply negative. The percentage of young adults who said that a college degree is very important fell to 41 percent from 74 percent. Only about a third of Americans now say they have a lot of confidence in higher education. Among young Americans in Generation Z, 45 percent say that a high school diploma is all you need today to “ensure financial security.” And in contrast to the college-focused parents of a decade ago, now almost half of American parents say they’d prefer that their children not enroll in a four-year college.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/magazine/college-worth-price.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share

In the Age of ChatGPT, What’s It Like to Be Accused of Cheating? - Britt Faulstick, Drexel

“Rather than attempting to use AI detectors to evaluate whether these assessments are genuine, instructors may be better off designing different kinds of assessments: those that emphasize process over product or more frequent, lower-stakes assessments,” he wrote, in addition to suggesting that instructors could add modules on appropriate use of generative AI technology, rather than completely prohibiting its use. While the study offers a thematic analysis, Gorichanaz suggests that future research could expand the sample to a statistically relevant size and draw it from sources beyond English-language conversations on Reddit. 

https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2023/September/ChatGPT-cheating-accusation-analysis

You hate AI for all the right reasons. Now reconsider. - Josh Tyrangiel, Washington Post

 Imagine if your brain got 10 times smarter every year over the past decade, and you were on pace for more 10x compounding increases in intelligence over at least the next five. Throw in precise recall of everything you’ve ever learned and the ability to synthesize all those materials instantly in any language. You wouldn’t be just the smartest person to have ever lived — you’d be all the smartest people to have ever lived. (Though not the wisest.) That’s a plausible trajectory of the largest AI models. This explains how, since roughly the middle of the Obama administration, AI has gone from a precocious toddler to blowing through many of the supposed barriers between human and machine capabilities. The winners and losers might be in flux, but AI is likely to insinuate itself into most aspects of our lives.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/10/ai-future-power-imperfection-technology/

Is the political climate in southern states driving a faculty exodus? - Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

Political interference in higher education and changes to tenure are significantly affecting faculty morale and retention in a handful of southern states, new survey findings from the American Association of University Professors suggest. The association, working with state faculty groups, surveyed more than 4,250 faculty members in Florida, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina from Aug. 14 to Sept. 1. Two-thirds of participants hold tenure. Overall, two-thirds of surveyed faculty said they would not recommend their state to colleagues as a desirable place to work. One-third are actively seeking academic employment elsewhere, the survey found. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 have already interviewed for jobs in other states since 2021.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/aaup-two-thirds-of-southern-faculty-would-not-recommend-their-state/693042/

What Students Said About the Spring of ChatGPT - Ross Aikins and Albert Kuo, Inside Higher Ed

 If interviews with students tell us anything, it’s that an ever-growing number of students are turning to AI as a first resort for almost everything following OpenAI’s public release of ChatGPT in November 2022. All of this points to an “AI inevitability” in academia in terms of students assuming its fair use. The way students see it, many jobs and industries don’t care as much about the process—as opposed to the product—as we do in academia. Whether they are correct or not, students who believe this are likely to value AI-aware class environments that provide them opportunities to better learn how to responsibly use tools that could enable their promotion and professional advancement in postgraduate careers. Anything that makes college easier in the meantime is a bonus.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/09/07/what-students-said-about-spring-chatgpt-opinion

My 5 favorite AI tools for school: Class is in session, and generative AI can help - Sabrina Ortiz, ZD Net

 A common misconception is that generative AI can harm education by promoting cheating. However, when used properly, these tools have the potential to improve student learning and transform workflow significantly. Today, a student can use AI to help them find sources for a paper, which cuts down on time searching on Google. They can then use the technology to save time on reading materials and synthesizing ideas into a paper. The key to correctly using AI for schoolwork is identifying the right tools and use cases. Since there are so many tools, I compiled the list linked below from months of testing to make your life easier. 

https://www.zdnet.com/article/my-5-favorite-ai-tools-for-school-class-is-in-session-and-generative-ai-can-help/

Preparing Students for the GenAI Enhanced Workforce - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

The common adage repeated again and again is that AI will not take your job; a person with AI skills will replace you. The learners we are teaching this fall who will be entering, re-entering or seeking advancement in the workforce at the end of the year or in the spring must become demonstrably skilled in using generative AI. The vast majority of white-collar jobs will demand the efficiencies and flexibilities defined by Generative AI now and in the future. As higher education institutions, we will be called upon to document and validate GenAI skills. This demands that we integrate the appropriate skills and knowledge into our learning outcomes for classes and for programs. In addition, learners will be best served if we can provide opportunities for them to build portfolios of meaningful and relevant GenAI activities.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/online-trending-now/2023/09/15/preparing-students-ai-enhanced-workforce

Shaping the future of education using stackable credentials - Times Higher Education

 Microlearning is an educational approach that has gained momentum in recent years. The concept of stackable credentials could create a paradigm shift in the education sector by challenging the traditional linear model of education. “There’s been quite an explosion in microlearning,” said Graham Bell, director of digital education at Cranfield School of Management. Microlearning programmes offer learners the flexibility and autonomy to study the modules they choose and in the order they prefer. The programme at Cranfield is self-paced and globally available, with minimal entry requirements. This offers learners the opportunity to build their capabilities over time, with the option to progress to a master’s degree.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/shaping-future-education-using-stackable-credentials

Shaping the future of education using stackable credentials - Times Higher Education

 Microlearning is an educational approach that has gained momentum in recent years. The concept of stackable credentials could create a paradigm shift in the education sector by challenging the traditional linear model of education. “There’s been quite an explosion in microlearning,” said Graham Bell, director of digital education at Cranfield School of Management. Microlearning programmes offer learners the flexibility and autonomy to study the modules they choose and in the order they prefer. The programme at Cranfield is self-paced and globally available, with minimal entry requirements. This offers learners the opportunity to build their capabilities over time, with the option to progress to a master’s degree.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/shaping-future-education-using-stackable-credentials

Let’s equip students with the skills to use ChatGPT critically and responsibly - Michael le Cordeur, Daily Maverick

The American futurist Alvin Toffler said that all we can be sure of is change. ChatGPT has shaken academics out of their academic nap. There is no longer a place for handing out notes which students must memorise. A paradigm shift is required similar to the mind shift made with the arrival of the internet. To keep up with the rapid development of AI and remain relevant, education is forced to adjust their approach to TLA [teaching and learning assessment]. Educational institutions will thus have to prepare for the world of AI. There are concerns. There will always be. But it would not be wise to discourage students from making use of it. Students will use it, just like they use smartphones, calculators and Google. Rather we must equip students with the skills to use ChatGPT critically and responsibly, in which case it can follow the same route as previous AI models.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2023-09-03-lets-equip-students-with-the-skills-to-use-chatgpt-critically-and-responsibly/

How automation is shaping the future of work - McKinsey

The future of work is still in flux. Economic uncertainty is wearing on, hybrid and flexible work models are as popular as ever, and attitudes toward work are shifting. Plus, new generative AI tools are poised to introduce more automation and could prompt an additional 12 million occupational shifts in the US workforce by 2030, according to McKinsey Global Institute directors and senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud and Olivia White, MGI partners Michael Chui and Anu Madgavkar, partner Saurabh Sanghvi, and colleagues. To make sense of these trends and see how organizations and employees can adapt to them, read the full report on generative AI and the future of work in America, and dive deeper with more insights linked below.

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/how-automation-is-shaping-the-future-of-work

What Jobs Will AI Replace? Not Those Requiring a Human Touch - Angie Basiouny, Dan Loney and Stefano Puntoni - Knowledge at Wharton

Automation is efficient, but it can’t replicate the human touch. Consumers prefer the unique qualities that human labor gives to certain products and services, according to a recent paper co-authored by Wharton marketing professor Stefano Puntoni. The findings suggest companies automating for supply-side reasons may want to keep their employees because of the value they bring to the demand side. “Companies should shift the conversation from what can be automated to what should be automated,” Puntoni and his colleagues wrote in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal about the study.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/podcast/wharton-business-daily-podcast/what-jobs-will-ai-replace-not-those-requiring-a-human-touch/

The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year - McKinsey Report

The latest annual McKinsey Global Survey on the current state of AI confirms the explosive growth of generative AI (gen AI) tools. Less than a year after many of these tools debuted, one-third of our survey respondents say their organizations are using gen AI regularly in at least one business function. Amid recent advances, AI has risen from a topic relegated to tech employees to a focus of company leaders: nearly one-quarter of surveyed C-suite executives say they are personally using gen AI tools for work, and more than one-quarter of respondents from companies using AI say gen AI is already on their boards’ agendas. What’s more, 40 percent of respondents say their organizations will increase their investment in AI overall because of advances in gen AI. The findings show that these are still early days for managing gen AI–related risks, with less than half of respondents saying their organizations are mitigating even the risk they consider most relevant: inaccuracy.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-2023-generative-ais-breakout-year

The First 3-Year Degree Programs Win Approval - Josh Moody, Inside Higher Ed

 Three-year bachelor’s degrees are coming to Brigham Young University–Idaho and affiliated Ensign College next year, following approval of the truncated programs by an accrediting body. By eliminating electives, BYU-Idaho will bring five three-year programs online in April: applied business management, family and human services, software development, applied health, and professional studies. Ensign will offer two such programs: communication and information technology. Both institutions are owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and operated by the Church Educational System. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved the seven programs—each of which requires between 90 and 94 credit hours instead of the standard 120—at its June meeting and sent a formal approval letter late last month.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/academic-programs/2023/09/01/first-three-year-degree-programs-win-accreditor-approval

OpenAI to Teachers: Tools to Detect ChatGPT-Generated Text Don't Work - Michael Kan, PC Mag

As teachers tap tools to detect whether students are using ChatGPT to cheat, OpenAI says don’t bother: The tools aren't reliable. The company issued the advice in a new FAQ instructing educators about the use of ChatGPT in schools, including the potential pitfalls in trying to detect AI-written text. A number of tools have emerged to address how AI-powered chatbots can help students cheat on their homework assignments and tests. But according to OpenAI, depending on a tool to suss out AI-written text from a student’s work is loaded with problems. “While some (including OpenAI) have released tools that purport to detect AI-generated content, none of these have proven to reliably distinguish between AI-generated and human-generated content,” the company wrote in the FAQ. 

https://www.pcmag.com/news/openai-to-teachers-tools-to-detect-chatgpt-generated-text-dont-work

SNEAK PREVIEW: A BLUEPRINT FOR AN AI BILL OF RIGHTS FOR EDUCATION - Kathryn Conrad, Critical AI

As this special issue elaborates at some length, today’s AI entails a host of ethical problems, including the nonconsensual “scraping” of human creative work for private gain, amplification of stereotypes and bias, perpetuation of surveillance, exploitation of human crowdworkers, exacerbation of environmental harms, and unprecedented concentration of power in the hands of a few corporations that have already proven themselves poor stewards of the public interest.5 The reality of increasing harm in the deployment of these systems has led the EU to place “AI systems intended to be used for the purposes of assessing students” and “participants in tests commonly required for admission to educational institutions” in their highest category of risk, alongside those used for law enforcement and administration of justice (EU AI 2023, n.p.).  Teaching critical AI literacy (Bali 2023) includes making this larger context visible to students. Advancing such literacy does not preclude the possibility of envisioning AI tools that work. 

https://criticalai.org/category/preview/

With 1 Sentence, Google's CEO Just Explained the Biggest Downside of A.I., and It's a Warning for All of Us - Jason Aten, Inc.

The lesson here is that the things that are designed to help or entertain us have unintended consequences. Technology can make life easier in a lot of ways, but it also has the potential to cause harm--usually in ways we've never considered. In the case of A.I., the benefits could be enormous and society-changing. At the same time, the risks are unknown and could also be society-changing. If nothing else, Pichai's warning should cause everyone to stop and consider the lessons learned from previous forces with the same potential for good--and destruction. 

https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/with-1-sentence-googles-ceo-just-explained-biggest-downside-of-ai-its-a-warning-for-all-of-us.html

In an age of AI, understanding the value of a human is key - Keith Nuthall, University World News

Educators will need more than ever to understand the unique value of a human and to perceive large language models as legitimate and useful sources of ideas rather than shortcuts and avenues for cheating, according to tech-focused educational entrepreneur and author Priten Shah. Shah told University World News that the rapid development of artificial intelligence should prompt a re-evaluation of education’s ‘three Rs’ – away from reading, writing and arithmetic and towards “rhetoric, relationships and reasoning”. In a forthcoming book, AI and the Future of Education: Teaching in the age of artificial intelligence, Shah defines that unique value as the capacity for emotional connection with other humans.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2023082609034598

AI ADVISORY BOARDS: Giving Students and Teachers a Voice - Barbara Anna Zielonka

In the effort to centre students in the use of AI, it is crucial to recognize that they are the ones who will be most affected by this transformative technology. As AI has the potential to revolutionize education, it is extremely important to involve students in the conversation about how it is implemented and utilized. There are many ways to empower students in this dialogue, and one promising avenue is through the establishment of AI advisory boards at schools. AI advisory boards can serve as a platform for students to have a genuine voice in their education. By bringing together students, administrators, and AI experts, these boards can become a forum for brainstorming innovative ideas and solutions to enhance the educational experience. Through such collaborations, students’ perspectives and needs can be considered, leading to increased student engagement and a more effective learning environment.

https://aiadvisoryboards.wordpress.com/

Majority of Faculty Prefers In-Person Teaching, but Just Barely - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed

An Educause survey finds that faculty members also want more help and time when it comes to working with technology and remote learning. Faculty preference for in-person teaching has eroded considerably in the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosive growth in remote learning, a new survey finds. Educause’s “Faculty and Technology” report found that 53 percent of faculty prefer teaching courses in person. In the 2019 survey, 73 percent of faculty surveyed said they preferred teaching mostly or completely on-site.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/teaching-learning/2023/08/25/report-majority-faculty-prefers-person-teaching

To ensure value for students and taxpayers, colleges must be held accountable for student outcomes - Stephanie Riegg Cellini, Brookings

The market for higher education does not operate like other markets. It exhibits several types of market failure that make government intervention imperative for protecting students and taxpayers. One market-based approach to solving problems of imperfect information is to simply provide more information to students, but information provision alone is not sufficient to protect students and taxpayers. New research shows that accountability systems, like gainful employment, that sanction or close poor-performing for-profit colleges, do not reduce college access, but instead cause students to attend colleges with better outcomes.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/to-ensure-value-for-students-and-taxpayers-colleges-must-be-held-accountable-for-student-outcomes/