The Higher EdTech Podcast

In Part 2 of our talks with teachers about building custom AI for their classes, we sit down with Zhen Zhai, professor of C++ at Irvine Valley College to talk about how she's used her background in Artificial Intelligence and computer science to build a custom bot for her programming students.

Professor Zhai discusses the innovative use of AI bots in Discord for enhancing student learning. Discover how customized AI tools can provide instant help with assignments and foster a supportive learning environment.

Listen in to hear about:

• Creating Custom AI Solutions: Learn how Prof. Zhai's Discord bot, Octopus, assists students outside of classroom hours.
• Improving Accessibility and Engagement: Explore the benefits of integrating AI in educational platforms for real-time support.
• Navigating Challenges and Future Prospects: Understand the challenges faced and the potential future enhancements in AI for education.

For show notes and other episodes, please visit: https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Can custom chatbots transform your teaching approach? Discover the how professor Ric Epps is exploring the potential of AI in his classroom with custom immersive prompts. Hear how you can do the same by integrating immersive chatbot experiences in the classroom, reshaping student engagement, and redefining traditional teaching models.

Listen in to hear about:

• Custom Chatbots in the Classroom: Learn how Professor Epps crafts immersive AI experiences, engaging students beyond traditional online discussions.
• Building Interactive Historical Narratives: Explore the creation of virtual, interactive figures from history, enhancing the depth and relevance of historical education.
• Overcoming Challenges and Technical Insights: Uncover the practical challenges of integrating AI in teaching and the creative solutions that bring these technological tools to life.
• Future-Proofing Education: Reflect on the transformative potential of AI in education and how it can adapt to cater to the evolving needs of 21st-century students.

For show notes and other episodes, please visit: https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Are you looking at bringing AI into your classroom but don't know where to start? Tim & Brent dive into the crucial considerations and practical steps educators must contemplate when integrating AI into their teaching methodologies.

This episode looks at a few of the areas we all need to consider:

• AI in Education: Exploring the potential and challenges of integrating AI into teaching practices.
• Practical Tips: Insights into using AI for course material preparation and managing administrative tasks.
• Ethical Considerations: Discussion on the ethical implications with your students, including data privacy and algorithmic biases.
• Decision-Making Framework: Guidance on making informed decisions regarding AI use in specific course contexts.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Lots of useful updates have come in to Canvas recently, so we're covering the most useful. From Gradebooks to Document Displays to Waitlist Enrollments, listen in to hear if there's something that can help you out as we step into the spring semester.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

We highly encourage everybody to take some down time to decompress over the winter break, but that doesn't mean you have to turn your brain off. Tim & Brent discuss some ways to keep your thoughts stimulated without worrying about the pressures of school life.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Are people asking you what gift you want for the holidays, or maybe you're struggling to find the right thing for the nerdy someone in your life? Tim & Brent share some ideas for things that a techie teacher might enjoy at the end of 2023.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

There's a lot of obfuscation around what is needed to get software on a college campus. What may seem easy to a teacher who can get their own subscription in a matter of minutes can take months to get through the approval process at school. Vendors, equally, are often unprepared to sell to higher ed institutions. Today we look through the systems, the administrators, the processes, and the contracts that these tools have to go through to end up in your classroom.

Show notes at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Free, open source textbooks and materials, known as OER (Open Educational Resources) are gaining traction across the United States and in California money is being pushed into community colleges to help them adapt to these materials. They're a benefit to students and can be a great way to customize content and delivery for teachers. Tim & Brent look at some of the reasons to consider OER, some of the resources out there, and how you might start incorporating OER into your classes.

Find show notes at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Brent and Tim dig into more tools you can look at that use AI as their basis for building your workflow. This is part 2 of a very incomprehensive list of tools. As always, there's more out there than we can possibly know about, so feel free to share if you've found something we missed!

Find more information and resources at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

There's been a flood of AI tools for all different purposes that have come out over the last 10 months. Brent and Tim cover some of the tools for different purposes around campus and some ideas on how they might work. Remember that these are coming a mile a minute, so no guarantees they'll be around forever!

Show notes and more at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com