Amara's Law states that society overestimates the short-term impact of new technology, but underestimates how that new technology is likely to change our collective experience over the long term. It's a concept. Cars did not replace horses and buggies overnight, but over time they have had far-reaching social impacts. The effects of this long tail range from the rise of suburban sprawl to the fact that top restaurants still earn Michelin stars because of guidebooks created by tire companies to encourage people to drive. It has spread to
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly follow a similar arc.
For universities, predicting the myriad impacts that AI will have on higher education is a difficult task.
To help university leaders think through and navigate the AI era, the Partnership for Education Advancement (Ed Advancement), which provides tailored technical assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), has developed an AI primer . This is a book worth reading for organizational leaders.
As stated in the primer, the challenge of tackling AI integration is further complicated by the fact that each agency is arriving with very different resource levels and needs at this time. Although we often talk about “higher education” as a single entity, the reality is that it is far from monolithic. This difference is noticeable in many ways, but it is felt most deeply when it comes to technology.
The digital divide persists in higher education. In fact, the federal government continues to make significant efforts to ensure that institutions facing resource constraints, such as HBCUs, tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and minority serving institutions (MSIs), have equitable access to high-speed broadband. spending billions of dollars.
“HBCUs are powerful engines of social mobility, but despite being an incredible asset, they face significant underinvestment,” said Jim Runcie, CEO of Ed Advancement. Ta. “Many of these institutions have been unable to prioritize non-emergency technology upgrades given resource constraints. AI represents a breakthrough moment for these institutions; It means jumping from situation to new system that can provide better and more efficient support for staff and students. But getting there will require a lot of work to build the foundation for the most meaningful digital transformation with AI. It will require investment in infrastructure and data governance.”
As with the Internet and computing in the classroom, the AI-based tools and solutions currently in use are likely to change over time. However, creating the technical prerequisites for using AI and supporting AI users to build digital literacy and fluency to use it safely and responsibly are critical. That's the first step.
“Understanding AI’s ability to create, analyze, predict, and even ‘see’ and ‘listen’ can help higher education institutions identify opportunities to use AI as solutions to campus challenges.” , says the book's author, Erica Price Burns. Primer. “At the same time, understanding the limitations of AI, such as hallucinations and algorithmic bias, can help agencies develop mitigation strategies as part of the implementation process.”
Last year, Complete College America (CCA), a national nonprofit organization focused on improving postsecondary educational attainment in the United States, also announced an institutional strategy and created the Council for Equitable AI in Higher Education. was established. The new council aims to build partnerships with leading technology companies as a way to bridge the relationships between institutions that are often overlooked when implementing new technologies.
“For me, practicality and equity are two big themes that we need to focus on,” said CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson-Spiva. “We're not just looking at innovation, but the reality of helping institutions do the hard work of getting students, especially those from historically marginalized backgrounds, into and through higher education. We need to find a way.”
“The tremendous potential of artificial intelligence to reshape higher education is undeniable,” continued Dr. Watson-Spiva. “What is uncertain is whether this technology will be managed and maximized by a select few educational institutions for the wealthy, or whether it will be used to support students and institutions that have long been neglected due to chronic underinvestment.” The question is, will it be used for this purpose?”
The good news is that some of the foundational work needed to support the integration and advancement of AI is already underway. Ed Advancement Primer features case studies of institutions that are beginning to implement AI-powered solutions and stories of institutions that are building data systems to improve their long-term AI readiness. .
In one case study, leaders at Norfolk State University in Virginia partnered with the Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence and chatbot developer Mainstay to create a web browser that provides culturally relevant responses to students attending the HBCU. It focuses on how the bot was built. Chatbots and managed text services are now providing culturally relevant resources to students and have proven successful in improving grades, reducing summer heat, and increasing enrollment.
“A growing body of research demonstrates the potential of AI to extend effective coaching for college success,” said Drew Magliozzi, co-founder of Mainstay. “What has become clear is that AI-enabled tools have tremendous potential to improve the support that hardworking educators provide to their students. It has to be designed with a realistic approach.”
South of our colleagues in Virginia, South Carolina State University leaders are building a new data infrastructure that will allow the university to leverage student information and other inputs from the Unified Data System to provide new insights for the university. and developing a dashboard.
“We want the student experience to be seamless,” Lett said. Colonel Alexander Conyers, President of South Carolina State University. “Whenever a student meets with an advisor or financial aid officer, staff have all relevant information about that student readily available so that students don’t have to explain their situation over and over again. We are seeing student enrollment growth as a result of our digital transformation efforts with the Partnership for Education Advancement, and we look forward to continuing this to support student success.”
Integrating and using AI is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Understanding the diversity of campus cultures, student demographics, and institutional missions is a key element in ensuring the success of all learners. As that understanding evolves, the support institutions need to prepare for new technologies will vary accordingly. With the playbook in hand, campuses will be in a position to advocate for more resources to prepare campuses and their learners to tackle their AI-enabled future.