Topic: Teaching with technology
Issue Brief
March 7, 2024
Generative AI in Higher Education
The Product Landscape
Generative AI has quickly gained a significant foothold in academia, and is now used widely for teaching, learning, and research purposes. New products are appearing so rapidly that just keeping up with them is difficult, and understanding the value of individual products in a now-crowded marketplace is a major challenge for end users and for university CIOs, IT departments, and others involved in decision making about which products will be supported and/or licensed for campus users.
Blog Post
February 7, 2024
The US Instructor Survey 2024 is Open
We are excited to announce that Ithaka S+R has launched the 2024 US Instructor Survey! For over 20 years, we have surveyed teaching and research faculty in the US, and as universities and colleges continue their commitment to teaching and learning, we have officially launched an instruction-focused edition of the survey to over 150,000 faculty members across the country. As higher education evolves, this new survey is designed to support a variety of stakeholders and decision makers by providing…
Blog Post
February 6, 2024
Unveiling AI in Academia
Insights from the University of Baltimore's Study
In September 2023, Ithaka S+R kicked off its Making AI Generative for Higher Education project, a two year collaboration with 19 universities who are committed to learning about generative AI’s impact on higher education and developing institution-specific strategies to best leverage the technology. This fall and winter, each university in the cohort has been focused on assessing the needs and experiences of their campus communities in relation to generative AI. One of these institutions, the University of Baltimore, surveyed…
Blog Post
December 7, 2023
How Can Universities Create AI Tools for their Communities?
An Interview with the Creators of UC San Diego’s TritonGPT
Following the commercial release of tools like ChatGPT, it has become clear that generative AI technology will have a marked impact on higher education. In the midst of widespread discussions on how generative AI can best be leveraged in teaching and research contexts, universities are exploring how they can provide secure access to this technology for faculty, staff, and students. In our recent blog post on university custom AI platforms, we highlighted three institutions—the University of Michigan, Harvard University,…
Past Event
November 14, 2023
Adapting to Innovation: Perspectives from Across Sectors
Texas Digital Learning Week
At Texas Digital Learning Week on November 14, held by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board OERTX, Ithaka S+R’s Dylan Ruediger will participate in a roundtable discussion on “Adapting to Innovation: Perspectives from Across Sectors.” The session will feature a distinguished panel of professionals who have successfully navigated the ever- evolving landscape of their respective sectors, and they’ll discuss how the integration of AI has become a pivotal driver of innovation in their areas. This panel can inform educators,…
Blog Post
September 28, 2023
Is Your University Building a Custom AI Platform?
In June 2023, the University of Michigan’s Generative AI Committee released a report with a list of recommendations for how to adapt to increased use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. One of the committee’s key recommendations was that the university provide “secure and equitable access to GenAI platforms and tools for the entire U-M community.” To meet this need, the University of Michigan launched a custom AI…
Blog Post
September 21, 2023
Generative AI Goes Back to School
Where Things Stand in Fall 2023
The commercial release of ChatGPT and other forms of generative AI created a firestorm this spring in and well beyond higher education. Other types of AI were already being used in university settings, particularly by researchers, but the sudden availability of consumer-friendly tools capable of generating responses to virtually any query transformed AI from a specialized tool into a mass-market product. The rapid spread of these easy to use tools raised important questions about teaching, learning, and research practices in…
Blog Post
September 7, 2023
Technology in Higher Education in Prison Programs Survey Report Released
Ithaka S+R has published the results of a first-of-its-kind, nationwide survey of technology access in higher education in prison programs. You can read the full report findings, discussion, and recommendations here, as well as a condensed version of the key findings and figures. Important Information for a Field in Flux In July, the FAFSA Simplification Act went into effect, reinstating federal Pell grant funding for students who are incarcerated, and it is expected to increase access to…
Research Report
September 7, 2023
Technology in Higher Education in Prison Programs
A Report on Survey Findings
In an effort to make visible the national landscape of access to educational technology in prison education programs, Ithaka S+R launched a national survey in the fall of 2022. The survey asked respondents about student access to technology in their higher education in prison program, collecting demographic information before focusing on four thematic areas: technological devices, learning management systems and software, network connection and internet access, and future technology plans.
Research Report
September 7, 2023
Technology in Higher Education in Prison Programs: Key Findings and Figures
This report includes the key findings from the technology in higher education in prisons survey that Ithaka S+R fielded in 2022. The survey focused on four thematic areas: technological devices, learning management systems and software, network connectivity or internet access, and future information technology plans.
Blog Post
September 6, 2023
Assessing Open Education Resources Programs
New Research Project
Today we are excited to announce that Ithaka S+R is embarking on a one-year research project, funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, to assess the impact and implementation of open educational resources (OER) programs at public institutions of higher education. Through the project, we will develop a framework to guide sustainable OER adoption and implementation. At their core, OER initiatives aim to increase student learning outcomes by reducing costs. Our project aims to explore how OER strategies…
Past Event
September 15, 2023
What’s Next for Generative AI in Higher Education?
As AI technologies continue to rapidly evolve, how can universities make strategic decisions about when and how AI can support student learning and faculty research? In a presentation at the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium on September 15 at 11am – 12pm, Dylan Ruediger and Claire Baytas will share early insights into an Ithaka S+R project, key issues raised by generative AI, and strategies for harnessing the technology in the longer term. Register to attend the virtual event.
Past Event
August 14, 2023
Embracing Digital Transformation in Higher Education
Shaping the Future of Teaching & Learning
Ithaka S+R’s Mark McBride will deliver the keynote address at Fredonia’s 17th Annual Teaching & Learning Conference, Digital Transformation: Leveraging Technology for Student Success, on Monday, August 14. The keynotes session will reflect on the steps higher education has taken in adopting digital technology into the campus ecosystem, including the affordances of digital learning and the increasing demand from students for higher education to take a digital-first approach to teaching and learning. Largely due to previous exposure…
Past Event
July 20, 2023
Allocating Resources to Scale and Sustain Digital Learning and Student-Centered Initiatives
AASCU Academic Affairs Summer Meeting
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in leveraging digital learning solutions to promote effective teaching and learning practices, while at the same time use digital technologies to connect with students, building closer ties and establishing a sense of community. These interests has been driven, in part, by concerns around the affordability of a college education, particularly course materials, as well as the need to promote more personalized and engaging learning experiences for students. What is often lacking…
Past Event
July 12, 2023
What’s Next for Generative AI in Higher Education?
AACRAO Technology & Transfer Virtual Summit
Over the past year, AI has transformed from a specialized tool into an easy to use mass market product. The speed of this transformation has left many colleges and universities playing catch up as generative AI touches every aspect of higher education, including their core missions of educating students and supporting academic research. In a rapidly evolving landscape, how can universities make strategic decisions about when and how AI can support student learning and faculty research? Ithaka S+R is…
Blog Post
June 27, 2023
Taking a Student-Centered Approach
A Spotlight on College Unbound’s Approach to Generative AI Policy
The flurry of announcements in recent months of new, and ever improving, generative AI technologies, is causing universities to reexamine every area of their operations. At the current, very nascent phase of university-wide adoption, institutions are responding primarily by providing background information to their stakeholders. How can an institution move from general information sharing to developing and deploying the guidance, services, and tools that will enable staff and students to harness this technology’s potential—and pitfalls? This fall, Ithaka…
Blog Post
May 24, 2023
Making AI Generative for Higher Education
Announcing the Partners for a New Multi-Year Research Project
The ability of computers to create content is advancing rapidly, spurring an investment arms race within the technology sector. As new products like ChatGPT and Midjourney turn AI into a part of daily life, universities are facing decisions about how students, instructors, and researchers can best engage with these new tools. This fall, as part of a two-year research project, Ithaka S+R is convening a select group of universities committed to making AI generative for their campus community. Today we…
Blog Post
May 15, 2023
Crafting Your Institution’s Strategy for Instructional Support
Announcing a New Program
Ensuring educational excellence is a complex balancing act for universities. As the value of higher education, and who gets to set its agenda, has become the subject of national debate, there are growing expectations around the skills that students will gain through their coursework. The shift to digital-first and AI enabled modalities is providing new opportunities to expand access to education, but is also leading to new challenges to the core values of teaching and learning. As a rhythm of…
Past Event
April 27, 2023
Teaching with Streaming Video
Understanding Instructional Practices, Challenges, and Support Needs
On Wednesday, April 26 at 11 am ET, a Choice 360 webinar sponsored by ProQuest will answer the question: What challenges and opportunities does streaming video present for academic libraries and faculty? The session will focus on an Ithaka S+R research project conducted in collaboration with 24 academic institutions on teaching with streaming video and implications for academic libraries and faculty. Tune in to hear from Ruby MacDougall, Sarah Brennan, and Kathleen McLellan. Register here.
Blog Post
April 11, 2023
US Faculty Survey Updates
2021 Data Now Available and Looking Ahead to 2024
For over 20 years Ithaka S+R has tracked teaching and research trends through a national survey of faculty. Today we are excited to share several updates about the program. Working with our data Last year we published the findings from the US Faculty Survey and in parallel we have been working with the incredible staff at ICPSR to ensure that the associated data is made openly available at the highest level of quality for current and future use. The…