Revolutionizing Campus Life with AI

About the Episode: 

AI is not the future of technology. It’s the technology of today that is shaping the future. With that mantra in mind, Jaime sits down with Claire Brady, president of Glass Half Full Consulting and a former vice president for student affairs, to discuss how AI is shaping the student experience.

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Leveraging Networks and Resources

Dr. Claire Brady emphasizes the importance of leveraging professional networks to stay updated with AI developments. With 25 years of experience in student affairs, she actively engages with her peers and vendor partners to gather insights and share best practices. She also moderates a LinkedIn group called "AI in Higher Education," encouraging professionals to join and contribute to discussions on AI use cases and innovations.

Dr. Brady's dedication to collecting information for NASPA and Strata highlights the effort required to stay informed. At the NASPA National Conference, she noted the limited focus on AI, with only a handful of sessions dedicated to the topic. Despite this, she persevered, seeking out pioneering use cases and sharing her findings to inspire others.

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Drawing Inspiration from Healthcare

Dr. Brady looks to the healthcare industry for inspiration, particularly in handling ethical issues such as patient privacy and confidentiality. She believes that higher education can learn from healthcare’s advancements in predictive and prescriptive analytics, which can be adapted to improve student support services. By addressing concerns like cheating and data privacy, higher education institutions can make informed decisions about integrating AI tools.

The healthcare industry’s approach to overcoming challenges can serve as a model for higher education. For example, the focus on patient confidentiality and cybersecurity in healthcare can be mirrored in higher education to address concerns about student data privacy and ethical AI use.

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Encouraging AI Exploration

Jaime Hunt discusses the importance of fostering a culture of AI exploration within institutions. She emphasizes the need to overcome intimidation and ethical concerns associated with AI tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney. By providing training and encouraging staff to experiment with these tools, institutions can better prepare their teams for the future.

Hunt shares her experience at the Element 451 Engage Summit, where she spoke about promoting a culture of AI exploration. She highlights the need to address the learning curve and ethical considerations associated with AI, encouraging professionals to continue experimenting and learning from each other.

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Practical AI Applications

Dr. Brady shares practical AI applications that are making a difference in higher education. For instance, NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering uses virtual reality (VR) to engage and recruit women into their programs. By providing admitted students with a branded Google Cardboard and tailored VR apps, they have seen a significant increase in female enrollment.

Similarly, UC Berkeley and Mission College use Open Adaptive Tutoring (OA Tutor) to provide differentiated tutoring based on students’ prior learning. This open-source platform helps bridge skill gaps in subjects like math and chemistry, enhancing student learning outcomes.

Dr. Brady also mentions Virginia Commonwealth University's Climate Text Initiative, which uses AI to gauge student sentiment on various issues and respond with timely advisories. This innovative approach has resulted in high student engagement and valuable insights for the institution.

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The Future of AI in Higher Ed

Looking ahead, Dr. Brady is optimistic about the future of AI in higher education. She envisions greater integration of AI tools into existing systems like student information systems and learning management systems, streamlining administrative tasks and enhancing data analysis capabilities. This integration will help institutions achieve strategic goals related to student success, equity, and efficiency.

Dr. Brady emphasizes the need for a well-defined AI strategy, data governance, and AI literacy among staff. By adopting frameworks like Complete College America's "Do Now, Do Soon, Work Towards," institutions can prioritize AI initiatives and make informed decisions about AI implementation.

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Takeaways from this episode include:

• A look into some of the most innovative ways colleges and universities are using AI.
• Insight into what barriers keep people – and universities – from exploring AI and ideas for overcoming them.
• Guidance on how to upskill yourself and your team to best leverage AI.
• Tips for how campuses can create more cohesive strategies for deploying AI solutions.

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To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO in your favorite podcast player.

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Connect With Our Host:
Jaime Hunt
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/
https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMC

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Talking Tactics and Higher Ed Pulse. 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 —  the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.