AI and Inclusive Tech Revolutionize Higher Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) and inclusive technologies are poised to revolutionize the higher education landscape, according to a new report from Educause. The 2023 Horizon Report: Holistic Student Experience Edition emphasizes the importance of supporting the holistic student experience and highlights key technologies and practices that will have a significant impact in the future.
AI-powered tools have the potential to enhance student experiences in numerous ways. From optimizing course loads to providing personalized coaching and tutoring, AI can design flexible and customizable learning paths, integrate content across courses and extracurricular activities, evaluate institutional processes and courses, and assess student learning. However, the report notes that certain challenges need to be addressed before AI’s full potential can be unlocked. These include training AI systems, establishing data governance protocols, ensuring security and privacy, and addressing issues of AI bias.
Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity is foundational to a holistic student experience, not just in terms of instructional content but across all aspects of education. The report emphasizes that all student affairs, student life, financial aid, and administrative offices should be accessible and inclusive. However, achieving this requires significant investments of both time and money. Institutional leaders must commit to ongoing evaluation and improvement, fostering buy-in and dedication across the institution.
Technology plays a pivotal role in supporting student connection and a sense of belonging. Communication and collaboration tools, virtual communities, social media applications, immersive technology, and digital forums all contribute to student engagement. However, digital equity is paramount. Without equal access to digital tools and resources, students may miss out on the benefits, perpetuating systemic biases and inequity.
Expanded mental health support is another crucial aspect of the holistic student experience. As student services shift to online and hybrid modalities, opportunities for individualized mental health support have grown. The expansion of telehealth and remote-operating capabilities enables students to protect their privacy, find culturally relevant options, and access the appropriate level of care. Nonetheless, these multimodal mental health supports bring increased privacy and security risks.
Learning analytics can provide valuable insights for higher education leaders to understand student experiences across institutional silos. However, to fully leverage the benefits, unified data models are essential. By integrating disparate data from across the institution, a more comprehensive understanding can be achieved. Overcoming challenges such as data governance, resource limitations, and data privacy and security concerns is crucial in this process.
Advances in data analytics must be accompanied by strides in data literacy for institutional stakeholders. Building data literacy among faculty and staff empowers them to generate and use data insights effectively. This enables institutions to gain a proactive understanding of the holistic student experience, identify root causes of barriers to student success, and provide the necessary support. However, incorrect data insights can reinforce stereotypes, lead to wasteful investments, and distract from students’ holistic needs.
The Educause report not only examines current trends but also presents four scenarios for how future trends, technologies, and practices might shape the holistic student experience over the next decade. The full report, including detailed analysis, is available on the Educause website.
Overall, the Educause report underscores the transformative potential of AI and inclusive technologies in higher education. By leveraging these tools and practices, institutions can improve the holistic student experience, enhance student success, and create a more inclusive and accessible educational environment. Despite the challenges ahead, embracing these advancements will undoubtedly shape the future of higher education.
