Benefits and Current Applications

The positive impacts of AI are already in action for students, faculty, researchers, policymakers, and higher education professionals and leaders. Arguably, the greatest benefit for students is personalized learning. Adaptive learning platforms, like and , can adapt educational content and experiences to meet student needs by providing customized learning resources, experiences and recommendations. This allows students to learn at their own pace and style, which can lead to improved engagement and academic outcomes.

AI for Enhanced Learning Experiences

Adaptive learning platforms can leverage analytics by assessing student data to predict academic performance and identify anyone at risk of falling behind. This enables institutions to get involved proactively and provide the necessary support to help students succeed.

Another incredible benefit with immense potential is AI-powered teaching and learning assistants, which can offer personalized educational support to students and faculty outside the classroom. These systems, like , can answer questions, provide explanations and give feedback on assignments, helping students learn complex concepts at their own pace.

Additionally, by integrating AI into their practices, faculty can enhance efficiency, provide personalized student support and create a more interactive and engaging learning environment. For example, generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT can help faculty develop accessible course materials, including lecture notes, quizzes, assignments and multimedia content.

These tools can also facilitate interactive activities, such as discussions, debates and role-playing exercises, making learning more engaging and dynamic. As an added benefit, tools like Khanmigo and can save time by providing instant feedback and support, which enables more efficient use of study and instructional time.

AI for Professional Efficiency and Effectiveness

AI also offers numerous benefits to higher education professionals, helping them to streamline their work and improve efficiency. For example, tools like and can set reminders, manage calendars and automate routine tasks, allowing administrators to focus on high-priority issues.

On a personal level, three of my favorite AI tools are Grammarly,  Humantelligence and Microsoft Copilot.

• is a writing assistant that provides real-time grammar, spelling, style, tone and punctuation feedback. It can help students and all users produce clear and concise writing, which is essential for academic and professional success.
• is a human resources tool that fosters a more engaging and collaborative work environment. It uses generative AI to provide personalized suggestions for improving email communication, meeting effectiveness and overall team interactions.
• is an assistant that helps users automate tasks and enhance productivity by providing real-time insights and suggestions. I use Microsoft Copilot daily to assist me in drafting emails, creating presentations and summarizing meetings.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

While the thoughtful integration of AI in higher education has many benefits, there are also significant ethical considerations and challenges. It is important that students and higher education professionals approach AI with a balanced perspective and a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism.

Data Privacy and Content Accuracy

Arguably, the most significant ethical concerns pertain to data privacy and security. AI systems in education may require access to student data to function effectively, which raises key concerns about how this data is collected, stored and used. Institutions must ensure that their student data is secure, and colleges and universities should develop policies and ethical guidelines for the appropriate use of AI.

Another challenge pertains to instances where an AI tool generates misleading or inaccurate information. These instances are referred to as hallucinations. An example of a hallucination may include the creation of a bibliography with books and names that don’t exist. It is critical to incorporate human oversight in the AI tool’s decision-making process to mitigate the risk of AI hallucinations.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

Academic integrity is also a prevalent concern due to the potential for plagiarism. Most institutions generally find it acceptable for students to use AI tools for tasks such as brainstorming, generating ideas, finding background information on a topic, clarifying research questions, drafting an outline and checking grammar and style.

However, there is a fine line between acceptable use of AI and relying on it entirely to complete assignments. Institutions should educate all members of their communities about the importance of academic integrity and the ethical use of AI. Additionally, colleges and universities should develop clear policies about using it in academic work, including what is allowed.

In addition to my role as Assistant Provost of Doctoral Research and Student Success at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ (ACE), I serve on an external that is dedicated to improving higher education through the responsible use of AI. As part of this council, I am focused on addressing these challenges while developing best practices for the effective and ethical integration of it in higher education.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

The future of AI in higher education is filled with promise, as several emerging trends and technologies will likely further enhance student success, elevate teaching and learning, streamline operations, and close equity gaps. Whether you are a student, parent, faculty, staff or administrator, the current and future role that AI will play in higher education is sure to impact you.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences

One of the most exciting opportunities for AI is its potential to enhance virtual and augmented reality experiences, creating immersive learning environments that can simulate real-world scenarios and provide hands-on learning experiences.

One example is , which uses AI to create virtual science labs where students can perform experiments and learn complex concepts without being in a physical lab. Another compelling tool is , which is a virtual reality platform that enables faculty to create interactive lessons and virtual field trips. It also uses AI to analyze student interactions to provide insights for improving teaching strategies.

AI and Accessibility

Perhaps the most important current and future trend is the ability of AI to enhance accessibility for students with disabilities. For example, tools such as and offer real-time captioning and transcription services that can convert spoken language into text, making discussions and lectures accessible to students with hearing impairments.

Other tools like and convert written text into spoken words, aiding students with reading disabilities or visual impairments. By leveraging these AI tools, colleges and universities can create more supportive and inclusive learning environments for all students.

In the coming years, AI will undoubtedly provide further advancements and transform higher education by making it more personalized, efficient and accessible. By implementing AI-based tools thoughtfully and strategically, institutions can meet evolving workforce and community needs. In alignment with its mission, ACE is committed to empowering its community members with practical AI skills, shaping the future workforce and driving transformative impact across diverse, evolving communities.

Make a difference in higher education with the M.Ed. in Higher Education program at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ.

As such, what are the steps to secure a career as faculty in higher education? A growing field with more competitive candidates requires a strategic approach to successfully navigate a career in academia.

Academia operates on two pillars, namely teaching and research. These primary duties grow over time into more administrative roles with tenure for faculty seeking higher education leadership roles, such as heads of departments and deans.

Teaching

The first step toward a career in academia is completing a degree in the field you would like to teach and research in. The degree level needed to begin teaching at the tertiary level varies, but most U.S. universities require a terminal degree, most often a Ph.D., in the intended career field. Some begin teaching with a master’s degree at the instructor level rank. However, advancement to the rank of professor – assistant professor, associate professor and full professor – requires a doctoral degree. The field of study for undergraduate studies is typically less relevant, as people frequently dive into sometimes completely different graduate degree tracks. It’s important that the terminal degree be within the area you want to teach in, as the expectation is that you are at the near-expert level in your field to lead in teaching and research.

Research

The other arm of academia resides with research. If you enjoy researching – genuinely are concerned with the expansion of knowledge for the benefit of scientists and the community at large – academia is likely a great fit for you. People often start off with very broad research interests, which they refine as they progress in their academic journeys. Typically, the dissertation is the most significant contribution to current literature that represents one’s research interests. Researchers also frequently identify within a specific research paradigm: quantitative researcher, qualitative researcher or mixed-methods researcher. This identity is important for securing career opportunities that are a good match for the nature of the field and institutional orientations.

Other Requirements

Recent graduates from doctoral programs often go on to secure postdoctoral research positions as a preparatory track to full-time faculty positions. During these tenures, postdocs focus on researching and publishing to enhance their skillsets and expertise for entry-level faculty positions, usually at the assistant professor level. Other typical requirements for academic faculty positions include and diversity statements.

If your goal is to become an academic, these are some important steps and considerations to account for in strategizing your career plans. With the correct and articulate plan, you can make your dreams of a career in academia a reality.

Prepare for your journey as faculty with a doctoral-level programs at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ.