From Apprehension to Adoption: Guiding Faculty on their AI Journey

Stephani Cuddie, Executive Director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Franklin Pierce University

Through this article, Cuddie explores how higher education can move from AI apprehension to thoughtful adoption by supporting faculty with accessible guidance, experimentation opportunities and a culture of innovation. It calls for leadership to champion this journey—ideally with a generous supply of cookies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a few decades in various forms. However, ChatGPT took the world by storm in late 2022. More recently, AI has become a significant influence in the teaching and learning space. Many industries have embraced AI. They have welcomed this new digital tool with open arms, incorporating it into their daily work, increasing productivity and embedding it deep into their websites. However, higher education has displayed a more cautious and deliberate response to new technology. AI is no exception. AI integration into higher education appears distinct, characterized by both eager interest and strong apprehension.

In my current role as the Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, I often get two kinds of emails from faculty: some asking, “How can I incorporate AI into my course?” while others ask, “How can I prevent students from using AI to cheat?”

“The journey toward AI understanding, engagement and experimentation also requires leadership that champions and supports innovation, recognizing and sharing successful AI integration strategies. I also believe that the journey toward AI requires cookies, lots and lots of cookies”

Both questions are very important and are being discussed at most universities around the country. The stark reality is that AI is here to stay. The workforce is demanding that college graduates be AI literate; that they can interact with AI in a deliberate way, review and refine the results to produce an end-product. In response, several colleges and universities have launched certificates and majors focused on Artificial Intelligence.

This doesn’t change the fact that there are many faculty who are AI averse. The question becomes: How do we help faculty begin the journey toward AI, not a sprint toward wholehearted AI adoption, but a movement away from AI apprehension and aversion?

The journey begins with providing accessible information, perhaps with workshops focused on demystifying AI, presenting case studies of pedagogical applications and facilitating discussions on ethical AI use in academia.

Once the journey has moved beyond the introduction, the next phase of the journey is fostering experimentation. This can be done through pilot programs, creating an ‘AI sandbox’ for faculty to explore tools without pressure, or even small institutional grants for developing AI-integrated assignments.

The finish line for this journey is to cultivate innovation by establishing faculty learning communities focused on AI, celebrating and sharing what worked and what didn’t and supporting the development of new assessment methods.

Creating a place where experimentation, collaboration and innovation can continue into the foreseeable future.

The journey toward AI understanding, engagement and experimentation also requires leadership that champions and supports innovation, recognizing and sharing successful AI integration strategies. I also believe that the journey toward AI requires cookies, lots and lots of cookies.