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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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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A recent study found that algorithms used to predict student success produced false negatives for 19% of Black and 21% of Latinx students, incorrectly calculating these students would fail out of college. Inaccurate predictive models could result in unfair rejections of students from racially minoritized backgrounds because they are incorrectly predicted to fail. And advisers may be less likely to recommend courses and majors they deem too “challenging” for these students.We’ve long known that machine learning models absorb and reproduce historical biases. But “Even if you use bias-mitigation technology, which you should, you may not be able to reduce unfairness from all aspects and to the full extent, mitigation technology won’t do magic,” said Dr. Hadis Anahideh, an assistant professor of industrial engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago and another co-author of the study.As AI use in higher education continues to grow, if left unchecked this bias will likely only grow as well. So what can institutions do about it? The study’s authors suggested several tactics:1️⃣ Avoid the use of highly biased algorithms2️⃣ Use variables more predictive of student success for minoritized students, such as the percentage of Black faculty on campus3️⃣ Keep humans in the mix to analyze algorithm results and look for indicators of biasRead more about the study in Diverse Education: https://lnkd.in/eUYQA_mk

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An estimated 1.7 million single mothers are undergraduate students in the U.S. — almost 10% of all undergraduate students. Providing more on-campus childcare centers would not only support these students but also have a signficant impact on economic development. For every dollar the federal government spends on childcare for single mother students, it would see a projected 430% return on investment through increased tax contributions and reduced public assistance. Yet the number of public colleges and universities offering childcare has shrunk in recent years. To better support single mother students, we need more funding, awareness, partnerships, and data. Perhaps most importantly, we need to stop thinking of childcare service as “charity” and recognize it as the economic driver it has the potential to be. Learn more about current efforts via Community College Daily: https://lnkd.in/gyNAVwGc P.S. Stay tuned for our forthcoming research on Rising Talent, which includes single mothers.

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When Keely Cat-Wells, founder of our Accelerator client Making Space — a platform that connects disabled talent with employers — met with one prospective investor, she was urged to bring on a non-disabled, male co-founder. Not only did she did refuse, she went on to prove just how capable people with disabilities are. Earlier this month, Making Space announced that it has closed on an oversubscribed $2 million pre-seed round led by Beta Boom.“The disabled population represents a massive economic opportunity and many do not consider that anyone can become disabled at any time,” Keely told TechCrunch. “When we build solutions that integrate impact into fundamental business strategy, rather than treating it as an easily discarded initiative, we can start making systemic change.”Keely’s perspective is just one of the many reasons we selected Making Space as the winner of our first annual pitch competition earlier this year. We’re proud to support a company that’s expanding opportunity to an often overlooked community. https://lnkd.in/gte42E6J

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As AI technology continues to improve and expand, so do the possibilities for its use in education. But just because more and more actions can be replaced by AI, does that mean they should be?When it comes to teaching, even the most optimistic AI enthusiasts agree humans are a critical part of the process. Engaging and motivating students is key to effective instruction — and one of the areas technology struggles. That’s why a growing number of educators and EdTech companies are harnessing AI to amplify what human teachers do best. For example, Saga Education, a nonprofit provider of in-person tutoring, partnered with researchers from the University of Memphis and the University of Colorado to test AI feedback for tutors to help them better engage and motivate students. Learn more via The Hechinger Report: https://lnkd.in/gKMSVccU

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