With AI rapidly growing and instrumental to Vision 2030, members across the state are looking for suggestions on how to implement this in their classrooms. In an interview, Faculty Association for California Community Colleges (FACCC) President Wendy Brill-Wynkoop shares how AI is evolving in the future of education.

How do you use AI in your classroom?

ChatGPT has yet to have its first birthday. As I’m serving as president of FACCC, I haven’t had a chance to apply generative AI in my classroom. But there are many exciting ways teachers could use it.

I could ask it to summarize readings or lectures to help students review key points. It could help develop lesson plans, suggest a flipped classroom approach, or generate practice questions and sample responses. AI could also assist with producing lecture materials, translating course content into other languages to increase accessibility, and even creating assessments.

The key is the iterative process – like having a dialogue with a thought partner. Through a series of back-and-forth prompts, I could refine my goals and get materials tailored to my needs. While there’s still much to explore with this emerging technology, it holds much potential to augment teaching in a student-centered way.

What recommendation do you have for faculty?

When it comes to AI, I recommend faculty approach it with cautious optimism. Experiment to understand the potential, but don’t immediately give it to students without guidance.

First, become fluent with the tech yourself. Then, you can set student expectations on proper use and limitations. For instance, vet any AI-generated content to avoid misinformation.

Advocate for professional development around AI on your campus. Faculty insight will be key for establishing ethical policies on its use.

AI holds promise to enhance teaching but can’t replicate human understanding and connection. Find ways it can inspire “aha moments,” not replace them.

This technology is still so new. If implemented carefully and creatively, AI could meaningfully augment our classrooms. But the human element remains irreplaceable. Let’s shape how this unfolds to empower students thoughtfully. That’s the challenge and opportunity ahead.

What tools are out there?

When it comes to AI tools for education, the options are exploding. ChatGPT has made a huge splash for its vast knowledge drawn from a massive data set. But it doesn’t discern between sources, so the output can be unpredictable.

Some AI tools limit their data sources or focus specifically on scholarly research for more controlled use. These could provide higher quality output, though with less breadth.

I advise digging in and experimenting with ChatGPT since it’s accessible and powerful. But approach the information critically. And complement it with more specialized AI tools as they emerge to take advantage of curated data sources.

We’re still in the early days for educational AI. New offerings will come rapidly, so stay curious. Try different options to see what best supports your teaching aims without going too far down the AI rabbit hole. As with any tech, balance automation with the human touch.

What is Vision 2030?

Vision 2030 is an exciting roadmap guiding the future of the California Community Colleges system. It outlines goals and strategies, with AI as one key priority among many.

Specifically for AI, Vision 2030 explores how to leverage these tools to enhance teaching and learning. Upcoming webinars will dig deeper into thoughtful implementation.

But AI is just one component of this broader vision to transform the community college experience by 2030. The core focuses are eliminating equity gaps, strengthening pathways to jobs and more.

As Vision 2030 rolls out, faculty have an opportunity to help shape how AI thoughtfully supports larger student success and workforce goals. By engaging with the process, we can advocate for ethical, empowering uses of AI that uplift our institutions.