Session Narrative
This session will explore the evolving role of the president in shaping technology strategy, understanding both the risks and the potential of technology adoption, and fostering alignment between academic and technology units to improve learner experiences and outcomes.
Session Notes
The idea of technology/IT/instructional technology being “an office over there” is no longer a thing.
Higher education is a sector where graduates need some form of AI competency (2nd only to Silicon Valley).
Interesting quote: Those using PowerPoint have neither power nor a point.
Culture work: Set a culture to allow technology to be used and explored. Learn together. It allows people to want to try.
Infrastructure work: If you are going to do this work, you are going to have to do hard work around your SIS, LMS, data warehouse, etc. If you don’t have your core systems right, technology pilots will never matter because they can’t be brought to scale.
Be the catalyst: You have to be the catalyst – doing the research and exploration and identifying the ideas that are worth piloting.
Don’t be scared to discontinue renewing technologies that were purchased because they are “shiny objects.”
Higher education has an immune system – if an idea is so far outside of the norm, the institution will attack it.
You have to be willing to look at the data and admit that things aren’t working in their current state – that changes need to be made.
Northern Virginia: With AI coming – have faculty and staff participate in coming up with grant ideas on how AI can help students. Was set up as a Community of Practice with funding to support the ideas. Good ideas are being funded into the future with $3m over the next few years.
Session Reflection
It’s really interesting to hear executive leaders hear about how they are supporting technology innovation in their institutions. I completely agree with the culture work, infrastructure work, and being the catalyst. In some areas of ACC, we have people who are trying to do the culture work and some individuals who are working to be the catalyst. However, the infrastructure work is still lacking. Topics like AI are still being frowned upon and requests for AI tools being denied because of concerns with security. These concerns are certainly valid, but there needs to be room for innovation, failing forward, and exploring what is happening around these technologies. Without the infrastructure work (not just physical resources but also the policies), our students will continue to fall behind those in other institutions who are more forward-thinking. Without this support and work, our graduates will not have the requisite experiences that employers are really wanting from our students.