Topic: Teaching and learning
Upcoming Event
March 16, 2027
What Can Universities Learn from Microcolleges?
As colleges grapple with AI, student disengagement, and declining trust in higher education, a little-known group of institutions may offer unexpected lessons. Micro-colleges combine liberal arts education with student self-governance and labor to cultivate responsibility, belonging, and purpose. Most enroll fewer than 50 students, creating close-knit communities in which students have a genuine stake. This panel at SXSW EDU 2027 will explore what microcolleges can teach larger colleges and universities about designing educational experiences that foster engagement, character, and…
Past Event
November 4, 2026
Open in Prison Spaces
Exploring the Potential of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education in Prison
Open educational resources (OER) have the potential to reduce costs, expand access to learning materials, and support educational continuity for incarcerated students. But how are OER currently being used in prison education programs, and what challenges shape their adoption? In a webinar hosted by MHEC and the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), Ess Pokornowski and Sindy Lopez will share key findings, highlight opportunities for collaboration between open education and prison education practitioners, and discuss practical considerations for institutions…
Blog Post
October 26, 2026
Balancing Affordability and Access within Textbook Affordability Models
A New Research Report
We’re pleased to announce the publication of the first of two reports resulting from new research to analyze, pilot, and evaluate affordable course material models. This project, conducted with funding from ECMC Foundation, provides us with the opportunity to document how course affordability programs are working in practice and understand the support they need to thrive.
Research Report
October 26, 2026
Balancing Affordability and Access
A Review of the Current Landscape of Textbook Affordability Models
Empire State University, in collaboration with Ithaka S+R, Monroe Community College, and SUNY Canton, undertook a comprehensive research study on textbook affordability. By studying best practices for providing high-quality and affordable resources, the three SUNY campuses plan to pilot new approaches for supplying free or low-cost educational resources to students, with a long-term goal of testing the viability of these options in the SUNY system.
Blog Post
October 7, 2026
The “Skill” of Not Using AI
In a recent national survey, we asked college instructors to share the AI-related skills they prioritize and teach in their classes and compared their responses to employers’, using an AI skills Framework originally developed by researchers at the multi-national human resources technology company HiBob. Asking instructors to prioritize AI-related skills within a specific framework inevitably begs the question of what other skills those instructors consider important. When offered the opportunity to suggest additional skills, many instructors noted how…
Blog Post
October 1, 2026
Assessing Open Education in Higher Education in Prison Programs
Benefits, Constraints, Risks, and Future Research
Today, Ithaka S+R released exploratory research findings on the benefits, constraints, and risks of using open education resources (OER) in higher education in prison settings. This report is intended primarily for open education practitioners and advocates interested in understanding how OER is currently used in prison education and how they might begin working with colleagues in this field.
Research Report
October 1, 2026
Open in Prison Spaces
The Potential and Limitations of Open Educational Resources and Practices in Higher Education in Prison
Ithaka S+R was commissioned by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to explore the potential for, and limitations of, open educational resources (OER) and open education practices in higher education in prison. Conducted in dialogue with MHEC and the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), this exploratory study draws on research, interviews, and a focus group with stakeholders from MHEC and NEBHE member states.
Blog Post
September 25, 2026
It’s Not Just About AI Skills
Much of the AI conversation in higher education focuses on the value of AI literacy and AI-related skills for students’ future prospects in the job market. Far less attention, however, has been paid to how students can communicate what they have learned with potential employers. As part of a recent national survey on the AI skills instructors prioritize and teach in their courses, we asked instructors: who is responsible for preparing students to present AI-related skills to potential…
Past Event
September 27, 2026
AI, the Humanities, and Teaching
At the Clemente Course in the Humanities Annual Retreat, Ithaka S+R’s Claire Baytas will share an overview of what we have been learning about generative AI, higher ed, and teaching and learning in the humanities. The session will include a short presentation followed by group discussion with faculty who teach humanities courses with Clemente Course. The session is scheduled to take place on September 27.
Blog Post
August 31, 2026
Ithaka S+R’s Environmental AI Literacy Framework
Inviting Feedback from the Public
As campuses introduce trainings and resources to promote AI literacy, how can they also ensure that students, faculty, and staff understand the environmental impacts of the technology? This question is at the core of the Incorporating Environmental Perspectives into AI Literacy project. Through it, we published a LibGuide which provides resources on the environmental footprint of AI and efforts to mitigate those impacts. To make the LibGuide actionable, we are now introducing the Environmental AI Literacy Framework.
Blog Post
August 26, 2026
Where Instructors Turn To Learn About AI
Acknowledging that some instructors reject AI outright and see no place for it in higher education, there are increasing numbers of faculty members seeking to better understand, utilize, and integrate AI into their own practice as teachers and researchers. While institutional centers for teaching and learning, libraries, and IT offices are all trying to help instructors adopt or adapt to AI, the broad impact of these efforts remains unknown.
Blog Post
August 5, 2026
PanelPicker Is Open for SXSW EDU 2027
Vote for Sessions on Microcolleges, Learner Success, and AI Literacy
Each year, we look forward to bringing innovative projects and research to SXSW EDU 2026, where we connect, learn, and collaborate with an active and engaged community. This year, we’re proposing three sessions—a panel, a presentation, and an interactive workshop—that explore timely topics across higher education, from nontraditional colleges and learner-centered educational pathways to AI literacy.
Past Event
July 30, 2026
From Strategy to Scale
Leading AI Transformation in Online Higher Education
At the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration Conference, Claire Baytas will speak as part of a panel on AI’s impact across the student lifecycle—from enrollment to student success, instructional design, and instructional operations—and strategic choices senior leaders should be making to position their institutions well with regard to AI.
Blog Post
June 11, 2026
AI Literacy: Join the Latest Cohort
Beginning this July, Ithaka S+R will convene a cohort of 15-20 colleges and universities to explore how existing information literacy frameworks can be adapted and revised to reflect the changing realities of an AI-driven information ecosystem. The project will bring together librarians, teaching and learning professionals, and other campus leaders committed to advancing AI literacy as a core learning outcome.
Blog Post
June 10, 2026
Three Perspectives on the AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success
In April, we had the opportunity to attend the 2026 AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success, or CLASS, in Tucson, Arizona. This year’s conference centered around the theme of courageous care, with sessions exploring topics from campus culture and community building to the current state of AI literacy initiatives for students and staff. During the conference, we facilitated a roundtable discussion on integrating undergraduate teaching with generative AI, sharing insights from Ithaka S+R projects exploring AI in…
Past Event
June 12, 2026
From Detecting to Mentoring
Teaching for Trust and Learning in the Age of AI
False accusations of cheating based on unreliable AI-detection tools can erode trust, undermining constructive faculty-student relationships. Caution regarding GenAI’s impact on learning integrity is warranted, but a policing mindset contributes to student anxiety and negates the emotional dimensions of learning. Drawing on student experiences that highlight faculty’s central role in shaping students’ AI-adoption, this presentation for the University of Central Florida’s Teaching and Learning with AI Conference proposes a mentoring mindset as a human-centric approach to academic integrity. Mentoring…
Past Event
June 16, 2026
The Future of Anthropology Departments
Enrollment, AI & Building Sustainability
On June 16 at 2:00pm ET, Ithaka S+R’s Chelsea McCracken and Claire Baytas will participate in a webinar for members of the American Anthropology Association, sharing findings and insights from their recent report on The Academic Humanities Today: Findings from Conversations with Department Chairs. Learn more about the webinar.
Past Event
October 29, 2026
What We Can Know and What We Should Know about the Humanities
At the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convening, Ithaka S+R’s Chelsea McCracken will lead a session on “What we can know and what we should know about the humanities,” sharing what data tell us about the state of the humanities, and what additional information we need to understand where the field has been, where it is currently, and what the future may hold. The convening is scheduled for October 29-31, 2026.
Past Event
May 5, 2026
Defining AI Literacy Cohort Information Session
As students and instructors experiment with AI tools, colleges and universities are being called upon to provide support while also navigating complex questions around academic integrity, ethics, and accessibility. Against this backdrop, developing effective and comprehensive AI literacy initiatives remains a pressing priority across higher education. This July, we’re launching Defining AI Literacy, a collaborative cohort that will work with approximately 15 colleges and universities to define AI literacy using established…
Blog Post
April 17, 2026
Uncovering How Instructors Define and Teach AI Skills
Announcing a New National Survey
Higher education institutions and employers alike tout the priority they place on AI skills, but rarely do they describe what ‘AI skills’ actually mean. While there are many models of AI literacy in both educational and employment settings, there are remarkably few frameworks that identify the specific skills that make that literacy applicable in either setting. To help bridge that gap, Ithaka S+R is undertaking a new, national study to better understand what specific AI skills instructors think are important…