A new Texas-wide AI facilitative learning network, delivered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), has welcomed a cohort of professors from Lone Star College-Online. They are joining over one hundred other educators across Texas to learn and network about AI.
The THECB’s, Adapting to Innovation: AI Facilitated Learning Network program, has an exciting goal, to help academics adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI in higher education. The program is delivered by AI experts sharing their knowledge and experience.
A selection of LSC-Online professors are gaining valuable knowledge on how to incorporate AI tools into their teaching practices. The program offers online learning and a great opportunity to discuss AI tools, their implications, and share insights with other cohort members, making it a fantastic professional development opportunity.
Dr. Gabryszewska, a Professor of Government from LSC-Online, was selected through a rigorous application process and has found the program to be an invaluable experience.
“This will help students by bringing back information on tools, frameworks of use, and ethical considerations that professors can then incorporate into their class designs,” she said.
Dr. Gabryszewska has embraced AI in the classroom and is acquiring skills from the program to utilize with students, such as “being able to craft lessons in a way that’s helpful for the students, making prompts, creating visuals like photos and videos with AI voiceovers, and learning about the tools themselves. Also, understanding the ethical implications and how to use AI tools in the real world to ensure positive outcomes.”
Dr. Gabryszewska is also the Professional Development Fellow for LSC-Online and is a member of the AI Task Force at LSC-Online, ensuring that the knowledge gained from the program benefits students even further.
The AI Task Force at LSC-Online has initiated a professor idea share, offering monthly workshops where teachers can brainstorm and share AI-related insights, supporting the use of AI in our lessons for students.
“AI is progressing rapidly, and it’s crucial for professors to stay informed about these tools, even if they don’t incorporate them into their classes,” she says. “Understanding AI is essential for shaping the modern classroom experience and preparing students for the workforce.”