While it may have been invented in the 1950s, artificial intelligence (AI) burst on the scene in a big way in 2023 with the debut of ChatGPT and other accessible technologies. Higher education spent much of last year grappling with understanding AI’s risks and rewards, determining how best to use it to support the student learning experience.

To help faculty at institutions around the country build a general understanding of AI and the ways it can be used to positively support great teaching, the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) today launched its AI Quick Study Courses. The collection of self-paced, short courses designed to equip educators with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to efficiently utilize AI to support teaching and learning and better meet students’ needs are available now with special introductory pricing. 

“Accessible AI has arrived in our lives and, especially, on our college and university campuses. While some educators may be apprehensive about using it to support instruction, used properly AI has great potential to enhance student engagement and strengthen the learning experience,” said Megan Dusenbery, Chief Revenue Officer, ACUE. 

This series of online Quick Study courses teach educators how to create effective prompts to assist in course communication and resource development, build AI-centered and resistant assignments, and empower students to ethically apply AI skills that foster success in their academic and professional careers.

ACUE’s Chief Academic Officer Penny MacCormack, Ed.D., said, “Our AI Quick Study Course series consists of four courses designed, like all offerings from ACUE, to engage and inspire faculty to learn about and use practices for leveraging AI to support student learning as well as practices to help students use AI responsibly.”

The AI Quick Study Courses were developed based on ACUE’s extensive experience as the developer and provider of the highest-quality courses, pathways, and certifications, designed to make a huge impact on student success. The courses offer educators an interactive, self-paced  learning experience, created in collaboration with subject-matter experts, that features well-defined learning objectives with aligned activities, and implementation videos showcasing best practices. Jn addition, each course includes downloadable implementation guides that educators can use for reference when implementing AI-driven instructional strategies with their students.

Educators who complete ACUE’s AI Quick Study courses will:

• build foundational knowledge of AI and the benefits and challenges it presents to educators.
• learn how to create effective AI prompts to assist in the development of course communications.
• master strategies for using AI to assist in course resource development to maximize time and better meet students’ needs.
• discover how to develop AI-centered and AI-resistant assignments.
• understand how to empower students to responsibly apply AI skills that will help them succeed in their academic and professional careers.

AI Quick Series courses are affordably priced for individual purchase or as a package by an institution. A free webinar, “Embracing the Future: ACUE's AI Quick Study Series Unveiled!,” with the ACUE team and Stephanie Speicher, Digital Fluency Faculty in Residence from Weber State University, will delve more deeply into the uses of AI in higher ed classrooms on February 15 at 1 pm CT. 

For more information, visit https://acue.org/ai-series/.