WGU Labs on LinkedIn: Student AI Use Grows, but They Aren't Ready to Replace Professors with… | 40 comments (2024)

We're thrilled to announce the launch of Solutions Lab, our testing ground for educational innovations! Through small-scale, exploratory pilots with segments of Western Governors University's student population, we'll explore:👬 Belonging interventions 🤖 AI-assisted learning platforms 🎭 Attitudes around AI🛣 The student journey“Solutions Lab is an innovative initiative with real potential to improve student outcomes,” said Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth, Chief Academic Officer and Provost at WGU. “With access to a large data set, the research team at WGU Labs is uniquely positioned to quickly scale solutions across WGU.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gCDuKtEe

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While no one (that we know of) has actually proposed fully replacing faculty with AI, that fear continues to grow among educators and the general public. In fact, several states have introduced legislation aimed at preventing that very outcome in response to this sentiment, as reported by EdSurge. In case that’s not enough to quell fears of a robot takeover in the classroom, our research revealed that students don’t want that future either. In our latest CIN EdTech Student Survey, 66% of students said they would feel negatively about AI teaching entire courses at their school (https://lnkd.in/deAgxs-Z). With declining enrollment top of mind, higher education insitutions need to prioritize the student perspective.https://lnkd.in/eecK8qHK

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ICYMI, we recently published new research on students' AI views (spoiler: they're not clamoring for robots to replace their teachers), improving career coaching in higher ed, and belonging in online learning environments ⬇

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Supporting people with disabilities is often viewed as charity — a great altruistic activity, but not something that impacts a company’s bottom line. While we certainly agree that supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds is the right thing to do, we also know that it simply makes economic sense. People with disabilities are a tremendous source of untapped talent, and hiring these individuals can yield a real competitive advantage. That’s one of the reasons we invested in Making Space, a talent acquisition and learning experience platform that creates new pathways to employment and career advancement for Disabled populations, and Daivergent, the first fully remote, Medicaid-approved job coaching platform for individuals living with physical or cognitive disabilities.Harvard Business Review shared four ways employing individuals with disabilities can spur innovation and increase profitability:1️⃣ Disabilities often confer unique talents that make people better at particular jobs. 2️⃣ The presence of employees with disabilities elevates the culture of the entire organization, making it more collaborative and boosting productivity.3️⃣ A reputation for inclusiveness enhances a firm’s value proposition with customers, who become more willing to build long-term relationships with the company.4️⃣ Being recognized as socially responsible gives a firm an edge in the competition for capital and talent.https://lnkd.in/gChcmeEN

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📣 Applications due this Friday! 📣As a supporting sponsor of the Human Potential Summit and a fellow investor focused on making an impact in workforce education, we wanted to share this exciting opportunity with Samvid Ventures. Applications to their inaugural Solution Pitch Competition in partnership with the Human Potential Summit close on August 9. If you’re a company or non-profit working on employee financial stability, wraparound support and employment stability, education and training, career mobility, or other solutions that generate economic mobility for employees, consider applying. 🎟 Those selected as finalists (up to 5 people) will receive a complimentary ticket to the Human Potential Summit💰 One winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize🏔 All parties that apply and are not selected will receive a 30% off Summit ticket discountApply here: https://lnkd.in/gtksHMYD

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Currently, 13% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 are neither working nor attending school. A number of factors contribute to being at-risk youth, including the lack of a stable home, positive role models, and financial and educational resources. A new report from WalletHub identifies the states with the most at-risk youth, finding that many are from rural areas with fewer educational and career opportunities. Higher education clearly has significant work to do not only in reaching these individuals but also in persuading them why a degree is worth it in the first place. But higher ed can’t do it alone. Collaboration with policymakers and local industries is critical for success.“Policymakers are crucial in creating environments that foster connection and growth for rural youth. They can start by investing in local educational programs tailored to rural communities’ unique challenges and opportunities. Enhancing digital connectivity is another key strategy, as it opens up access to remote learning and employment opportunities that are often scarce in rural areas. Addressing these foundational needs can create a more inclusive and supportive framework for rural youth to thrive,” says Desmond Upton Patton, one of the expert panelists invited to share their thoughts on these findings. https://lnkd.in/eYm_5dN

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While certainly a significant barrier, the cost of college isn’t the only reason why students from underinvested communities continue to face difficulty accessing and completing college. In an op-ed for Inside Higher Ed, Siva Kumari — the CEO of College Possible, a nonprofit organization focused on college access and success — argues that information deficits are a considerable barrier for these students. “Even for someone like me, with specialized professional experience in the field, the path to and through college remains astoundingly opaque,” Kumari writes. According to research from The Brookings Institution, many students, especially those from lower-income backgrounds, are vastly misinformed about the financial aid process and their eligibility for aid. More than a third of low-income students who intended to go to college didn’t file the FAFSA because they didn’t know how.Even when they overcome the access component, many college students lack information about which majors will lead to a good job and the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. More than half of graduates of four-year institutions remain underemployed a year after earning their degree.“State policymakers and college leaders should work together to identify, support and scale near-peer coaching solutions that can help close these knowledge gaps, create a more equitable postsecondary education system, and light the way forward for millions of hardworking and motivated learners who aspire to accomplish more in their lives,” Kumari concludes.These information barriers persist long after the college experience as well. In our research with Savi (https://lnkd.in/g3CKne2C), we found that most student loan borrowers aren’t fully aware of all the repayment options they have, and aren’t taking advantage of the best option available for their circ*mstances. The information gap seems particularly dire for borrowers who have not obtained bachelor’s degrees. https://lnkd.in/g9bkjjHP

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We are so excited to launch this pilot with Making Space and Western Governors University! Read more about it in eCampus News: https://lnkd.in/gVt8GwRQ

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Whether students are about to enter the workforce for the first time after graduation or are enrolled in an academic program to advance in their current careers, career coaching can be immensely valuable. The challenge is that few students take advantage of coaching services: A whopping three in ten (31%) of students say they’ve never interacted with their college or university career center, according to National Association For Continuing Education (NACE). That’s concerning because eight in 10 students believe college should prepare them for a job or career they love.To better understand the lack of participation and what motivates students to take full advantage of these services, we partnered with a private, nonprofit online university to explore students’ and faculty’s understanding, perspectives, and use of career coaching in a higher education setting.Discover our findings and strategies for higher education institutions and EdTech companies to improve career coaching delivery in our latest research brief:https://lnkd.in/gJz3qdKb

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