The Higher EdTech Podcast

Ever wondered how how to deal with the problems we see around AI? This episode of "The HigherEdTech Podcast" dives deep into the heart of AI's role in community colleges and universities. Join us as we explore both the revolutionary benefits and the challenges that educators face in integrating these technologies into their curriculums.

• Understanding AI's Potential: How can AI transform teaching and learning?
• Recognizing Pitfalls: Identifying common issues and how to avoid them.
• Practical Solutions: Real-world advice for educators on navigating AI's complexities.
• Future Outlook: What's next for AI in higher education?

Tune in to equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to confidently navigate the landscape of AI in education.

For show notes and other episodes, please visit: https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

In Part 2 of our talks with teachers about building custom AI for their classes, we sit down with Zhen Zhai, professor of C++ at Irvine Valley College to talk about how she's used her background in Artificial Intelligence and computer science to build a custom bot for her programming students. 

Professor Zhai discusses the innovative use of AI bots in Discord for enhancing student learning. Discover how customized AI tools can provide instant help with assignments and foster a supportive learning environment.

Listen in to hear about:

• Creating Custom AI Solutions: Learn how Prof. Zhai's Discord bot, Octopus, assists students outside of classroom hours.
• Improving Accessibility and Engagement: Explore the benefits of integrating AI in educational platforms for real-time support.
• Navigating Challenges and Future Prospects: Understand the challenges faced and the potential future enhancements in AI for education.

For show notes and other episodes, please visit: https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Can custom chatbots transform your teaching approach? Discover the how professor Ric Epps is exploring the potential of AI in his classroom with custom immersive prompts. Hear how you can do the same by integrating immersive chatbot experiences in the classroom, reshaping student engagement, and redefining traditional teaching models.

Listen in to hear about:

• Custom Chatbots in the Classroom: Learn how Professor Epps crafts immersive AI experiences, engaging students beyond traditional online discussions.
• Building Interactive Historical Narratives: Explore the creation of virtual, interactive figures from history, enhancing the depth and relevance of historical education.
• Overcoming Challenges and Technical Insights: Uncover the practical challenges of integrating AI in teaching and the creative solutions that bring these technological tools to life.
• Future-Proofing Education: Reflect on the transformative potential of AI in education and how it can adapt to cater to the evolving needs of 21st-century students.

For show notes and other episodes, please visit: https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Are you looking at bringing AI into your classroom but don't know where to start? Tim & Brent dive into the crucial considerations and practical steps educators must contemplate when integrating AI into their teaching methodologies.

This episode looks at a few of the areas we all need to consider:

• AI in Education: Exploring the potential and challenges of integrating AI into teaching practices.
• Practical Tips: Insights into using AI for course material preparation and managing administrative tasks.
• Ethical Considerations: Discussion on the ethical implications with your students, including data privacy and algorithmic biases.
• Decision-Making Framework: Guidance on making informed decisions regarding AI use in specific course contexts.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Lots of useful updates have come in to Canvas recently, so we're covering the most useful. From Gradebooks to Document Displays to Waitlist Enrollments, listen in to hear if there's something that can help you out as we step into the spring semester.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

We highly encourage everybody to take some down time to decompress over the winter break, but that doesn't mean you have to turn your brain off. Tim & Brent discuss some ways to keep your thoughts stimulated without worrying about the pressures of school life.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Are people asking you what gift you want for the holidays, or maybe you're struggling to find the right thing for the nerdy someone in your life? Tim & Brent share some ideas for things that a techie teacher might enjoy at the end of 2023.

Links & Show Notes at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

There's a lot of obfuscation around what is needed to get software on a college campus. What may seem easy to a teacher who can get their own subscription in a matter of minutes can take months to get through the approval process at school. Vendors, equally, are often unprepared to sell to higher ed institutions. Today we look through the systems, the administrators, the processes, and the contracts that these tools have to go through to end up in your classroom.

Show notes at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Free, open source textbooks and materials, known as OER (Open Educational Resources) are gaining traction across the United States and in California money is being pushed into community colleges to help them adapt to these materials. They're a benefit to students and can be a great way to customize content and delivery for teachers. Tim & Brent look at some of the reasons to consider OER, some of the resources out there, and how you might start incorporating OER into your classes.

Find show notes at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com

Brent and Tim dig into more tools you can look at that use AI as their basis for building your workflow. This is part 2 of a very incomprehensive list of tools. As always, there's more out there than we can possibly know about, so feel free to share if you've found something we missed!

Find more information and resources at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

There's been a flood of AI tools for all different purposes that have come out over the last 10 months. Brent and Tim cover some of the tools for different purposes around campus and some ideas on how they might work. Remember that these are coming a mile a minute, so no guarantees they'll be around forever!

Show notes and more at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

The world of Zoom Add-ons has grown a lot since it launched 2 years ago. Tim & Brent look at some of the options available and some of the things you might consider if you're hoping to get them installed on your campus.

For show notes and more information, please go to http://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Tim and Brent dive into creating Shadow Student accounts and Sandboxes and how you can use each independently and together to better work with Canvas and improve your students' experiences. 

Find more information at TheHigherEdTechPodcast.com

While many teachers may have been on break, the EdTech services certainly haven't. Here we do an overview of the updates that have come to our more commonly used tools including Canvas, DesignPlus, Screencast-o-Matic (now ScreenPal), and Class. Tune in to hear about what's changed and how they can help ease your workflow.

Find show notes and other episodes at http://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Big personal changes for both Tim & Brent, and the show still goes on! Let's catch up after a long summer away and review a few key ideas and things worth remembering as we step into the new semester!

More info and other episodes are available at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Tim & Brent wrap up the season with a brief review of favorite moments from the season, as well as some light advice to help step into summer. 

We'll be back in August, so feel free to check out the back catalog at https://www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com in the meantime!

Have you considered what a HyFlex classroom looks like and how it can work for your classroom or college? At IVC, a few intrepid teachers have worked with Tim to experiment with building a "mobile" HyFlex classroom before investing in a full-on classroom rebuild. Join in to hear Dr. David Bugay's experiences, successes, and failures as he has experimented with building out some of the first HyFlex classes at IVC's campus.

More info and other episodes are available at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

Tim & Brent are doing a broad overview of an in-the-weeds topic: Canvas Trust. Canvas Trust allows students from across the California Community College district to log into their courses across campuses with a single log-in. Sounds simple, but in reality there are a lot of considerations. Log in to hear what it all means and how it might affect you as you deal with students, faculty, and other stakeholders.

More info and other episodes are available at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

As the conversation around AI continues, we wanted to hear about the uses and concerns of services like ChatGPT from a student perspective. IVC student Austin Wagner joined us to share about how he is using it and what he thinks about the concerns that are being brought up.

More info and other episodes are available at www.thehigheredtechpodcast.com 

We've got Adam Lopez back to share updates on what's happening with IVC's Esports program and how students can leverage Esports as a career pathway. If you've got a career in mind, there's a link between it and Esports. Listen in to hear about how gaming can tap into any professional field.