Topic: Student learning and outcomes

On June 3, 2025, the University of Baltimore hosted its second AI Summit, organized by the university’s Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Technology (CELTT). The event, as described by the organizers, was “an in-depth exploration of artificial intelligence’s transformative impact across sectors, with a particular focus on workforce development, educational adaptation, and responsible innovation.” A key strength of the summit was its commitment to bridging the gap between what is happening with AI in the classroom and…

Ithaka S+R is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a new grant from Lumina Foundation to assess how state higher education agencies use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to support their systems, inform policy and planning, and advance credential attainment and other postsecondary education goals.

In "How Researchers Use the PSEO Data to Study Postsecondary Outcomes and Inform Policy," we examine how scholars, systems, and agencies leverage PSEO to answer key policy questions. This report was commissioned by the PSEO Coalition, which brings together state, system, and institutional partners committed to expanding access to and use of PSEO data as a foundational tool for data-informed decision-making.

This May, we hosted the first workshops for our Integrating AI Literacy in the Curricula cohort, a group of 45 colleges and universities committed to promoting AI literacy as a core learning outcome on their campuses. In the first half of the workshop, we facilitated a discussion of information literacy and AI literacy frameworks. In the second breakout session, participants selected one of six provided personas and hypothesized about the risks, benefits, and needs of AI use for…

To help libraries and centers for teaching and learning adapt their expertise in data, digital, and information literacy to AI literacy, we launched the Integrating AI Literacy into the Curricula cohort project. We held the kickoff meeting in April, welcoming participants from all 45 institutions involved in the project. Participants shared their observations and experiences with current AI literacy initiatives at their institutions, including challenges and successes. Several interesting themes emerged from these discussions. When it comes to AI…

In February 2025, Ithaka S+R and Complete College America launched the holistic credit mobility acceleration cohort. This community of practice comprises 11 state higher education and university systems, as well as institutional consortia, that are collaborating throughout 2025 and into early 2026 to identify best practices, policies, and technologies to advance credit mobility nationwide. This is critical to student success, as recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse demonstrates that transfer pathways are becoming increasingly non-linear, multidirectional, and…

Higher education is undergoing a profound transformation, with adult learners representing a growing and influential segment of the student population. Balancing employment, family responsibilities, and academic commitments, these students encounter unique challenges that significantly impact their educational trajectories. Among the most pressing barriers to success is basic needs insecurity, which encompasses food and housing instability, childcare access, physical and mental health access, transportation and technology needs, alongside financial insecurity. Despite the existence of numerous, public, state, and institutional resources…

For many students, the hardest part of college isn’t the classes—it’s figuring out how college works. From navigating confusing admissions processes to registering for classes and understanding financial aid, higher education can often feel like a maze of unfamiliar terminology and siloed systems. The result? Too many students miss critical deadlines, misunderstand key processes, or struggle to advocate for themselves in an unfamiliar and bureaucratic environment. This challenge disproportionately affects students who are already navigating complex life circumstances: first-generation students,…

A bachelor’s degree remains a key lever to achieve economic success. Median earnings disaggregated by educational attainment demonstrate the importance of a bachelor’s degree for securing a job and making strong earnings. The difference in median weekly earnings of a person with a high school degree ($930) compared to someone with a bachelor’s degree ($1,543) adds up to an additional $32,000 over one year. This wage premium grows even larger as a person advances in their career. Despite…

Ithaka S+R is proud to announce a new engagement with the Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) Coalition. As a research collaborator, Ithaka S+R will work closely with the Coalition’s leadership and member institutions to develop a robust research agenda that leverages PSEO data, alongside other federal data sources, such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and American Community Survey (ACS), to explore critical questions about postsecondary outcomes and workforce dynamics. This collaboration will focus on generating…

Across the nation, there are 36.8 million individuals under the age of 65 with some college and no credential. Approximately 557,000 of these learners have stopped out from Kentucky colleges and universities. Re-enrolling adult learners with some college, no credential is a growing priority across the US and in Kentucky. Credential completion helps individuals get high paying jobs, brings in new tuition revenue for institutions, and helps regions develop a workforce needed for a healthy economy. Individuals and…