Session Descriptions
For the full schedule, please see our agenda page.
Keynote
Navigating the Future: Sustaining Learner Wellbeing in the Age of Multimodal AI
Dr. Brian Arnold, National University
We're living in historic times and steering through a rapidly transforming landscape. As we navigate these changes, our dedication to the wellbeing of our learners shines bright. We're tapping into the finest tools of the teaching trade to bolster our students, ourselves, and our institutions. These days, filtering information is key—often more critical than simply finding answers. Adapting to the ever-changing toolkit and rules of the 21st century has become an essential skill. In this session, we'll take a moment to reflect on the enduring human behaviors, delve into the dynamic world of multimodal tools that evolve daily, and, with a playful spirit, peer into our crystal ball to map out a potential future for us all.
Panel Discussion
Teaching and AI in the Community Colleges
Dr. Brian Arnold, National University
Tom Pearson, CGCC
Miguel Fernandez, CGCC
Gordon Inman, RSC
The panel will discuss the transformative impact of Generative AI on community college education. The discussion will include integrating AI tools into curricula, enhancing student learning experiences, and addressing ethical considerations. They will also address your questions and concerns as these tools are becoming more readily available for both faculty and students.
Breakout Sessions (11:00 am)
Packback Questions + Deep Dives Demonstration
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Cantú, EMCC
Katie Horin, Packback
Join Dr. Elizabeth Cantu of Estrella Mountain and Katie Horin with Packback to explore Packback's innovative tools for building critical thinking and writing skills through meaningful online engagement.
We'll begin with Packback Questions, the discussion platform that drives curiosity and insight through open-ended prompts and constructive peer feedback. You'll gain tangible strategies for leveraging Questions to facilitate rich, nuanced dialogue.
Next, we'll dive into Packback Deep Dives, the iterative online writing tool powered by AI. We'll cover best practices for multi-draft assignments, actionable feedback focused on ideas, and efficiently assessing writing with custom rubrics.
Through hands-on activities, you'll experience Packback from both student and instructor perspectives. We'll discuss approaches for seamlessly integrating Packback to inspire the thoughtful, articulate learners of tomorrow.
Whether you want to reimagine discussions or transform writing outcomes, this workshop will equip you to unlock the full potential of Packback. Join us and cultivate the critical thinking and communication skills essential for student success!
Generative AI as a Research Tool in Business Communication: Obstacle or Opportunity?
Stephanie Perry, RSC
Using generative AI to complete coursework can be seen as a violation of academic integrity, but does that mean its use should be banned in the classroom? This hands-on workshop will explore how business communication courses at Rio Salado College incorporate generative AI into student research projects to teach students how to effectively use these tools.
Objectives:
- Examine ways to implement generative AI as a teaching and research tool.
- Demonstrate assignments to teach generative AI use as a research aid.
Participants will learn how generative AI can be a helpful tool for students when they understand its limitations and think critically about AI-generated content.
How Faculty Are Using GenAI in Their Courses
Dr. Steven Crawford, DO
Early this spring, the District AI Task Force conducted a survey on how faculty and staff are using Generative AI. In this session, we will look at the data on how this tool is being used both in the workplace and the classroom. We will also discuss how you can appropriately integrate some of the techniques that were identified in the results.
Lunch Session
Introducing Packback’s Writing Lab
Evan Murphy, Packback
Join us for an exciting deep-dive into the future of AI-assisted learning as we unveil Packback’s groundbreaking new tool, Writing Lab, at MCCCD. Watch a live demonstration, showcasing how Writing Lab transcends traditional boundaries in the realm of educational technology.
Writing Lab is an innovative AI-powered writing tutor designed to meet every learner’s unique needs, across any class or assignment.
Breakout Sessions (1:25 pm)
Ethical Applications of AI
Evan Murphy, Packback
Since the release of Generative AI to the masses, discussions have been evolving as to how AI should be utilized ethically to support improvements to teaching and learning. Join us for a breakout session that dives deeper into how AI tools operate, guidance around what to look for when vetting technologies for your educational practice, and discussions on proper and practical applications of these technologies. This session is tailored to be appropriate for anyone from those most novice to the most experienced with Artificial Intelligence tools.
GPT for Quick Brainstorming Interdisciplinary Assignments
Miguel Fernandez, CGCC
GPT Prompts can be an extremely agile, practical way for brainstorming and designing ‘in common’ topics and learning activities between what you teach and other courses, disciplines, learning communities, currently 'hot' reskilling areas, and for skill sets transfer to meet timely local workforce needs. See several student-successful examples including use in a learning community course pairing between writing (ENG101) and general business (GBS151) courses focused on 1st-semester freshman exposure to business pathways and career exploration, in a writing course contextualized for Cyber, AI, and Drone workforce 'hot' fields of interest, and other contextual learning partnerships. Learn with live demonstration how to create potential crossover and non-siloed skill sets and learning outcomes from developing potential partnered assignments ideas, in a way similar to AI applied for personalization in higher education.
Using AI Personas For Hands-On Project
Gordon Inman, RSC
Effective interviewing is a critical skill across various professions, requiring not only the ability to ask the right questions but also to glean necessary information for successful project execution.
In this session, we will explore the use of generative AI to create simulations of clients or stakeholders. This innovative approach uses a "persona pattern" technique, allowing students to engage in dynamic interviews with AI-generated characters. These simulations are designed to provide students with a practical, immersive experience to refine their interviewing techniques with these AI personas to extract detailed, project-specific information. The responses generated from these interactions will serve as unique, customized assets that students can then utilize to develop comprehensive projects such as websites, digital reports, strategic project plans, mobile apps, etc.
Breakout Sessions (2:15 pm)
AI-Generated Images As Student Flashcards And "Short, Short Stories" For Personalized Reflection And Summary
Miguel Fernandez, CGCC
AI generate images are a quick way to add familiarity with AI tools, including indirectly for prompt writing, and directly in activities ranging from low-stakes icebreakers, to impressionistic use such as 'reverse image captioning' or description/narrative para-translation, to 'recasting' common cultural images to explore tropes, stereotypes, bias, and 'what if's.' Using AI Image generating tools are a great 'easy add' to existing assignments for visual engagement, perfect for a visuals driven generation of students, for ‘hot cognition’ benefits to learning and retention, for reflections, for reader completes the text synthesis, for illustrations and summaries and memes as assessment, for 2nd order thinking and for multimedia versions of short short stories as creative outlet, as movie/story reviews, and more. This session will discuss the use of AI-generated images for several of these purposes, in the context of assignments and activities for a nursing class, for a literature class, and for futures visualization / applied Design Fiction (Joshi 2021). Learn with live demonstration how to turn a concept related to ethical AI issues into a prompt and then into an image that illustrates the issue as personalized by the students' choices and illustrative scenarios.
Let’s Play! Guided AI Student Activities and Assignments
Dr. Carla Ghanem, DO
Join this session to reimagine AI's role in the learner-centered environment! In this hands-on workshop, faculty will explore creative ways to integrate AI tools and activities into their courses to engage students and foster authentic learning experiences. Participants will get to try out sample AI-guided assignments.
Together we'll discuss pedagogical strategies for effectively using AI as a creative aid while developing critical thinking skills. Faculty will work in small groups to ideate AI student projects tailored to their subjects. The workshop will provide a supportive environment to play around with AI tools, share ideas, and prepare to pilot AI-enhanced activities in upcoming semesters. Participants will leave with concrete ideas and resources to design engaging, AI-infused assignments and lesson plans.