Welcome to the Collaboratory! This gathering of teachers, scholars, students, administrators, staff and other members of the communication discipline is attempting to gain leverage on the rapidly changing impacts and implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on our lives, our students lives, and on the society that we are preparing them for. The explosion of information on the topic, the array of rapidly changing tools, the expansion of student use, our own anxieties about adapting effectively or addressing foundational ethical and practical challenges, the potential changes in our research and assessment pedagogy, all of these point directly to the need for a larger community response so that we can share the benefits of a “Large Scholar Model.”
The vision is to start a larger conversation, beginning with the NCAi Collaboratory session on Friday, November 22 from 8:00-10:45 am at the NCA Convention. With demonstrations and group discussions centered around some key topics and areas of interest, we are focusing on generating a sense of existing community practices, community concerns, what the community needs, and some goals or actions we might consider. Following the Convention, and drawing on group reports and survey input, we will prepare a report for consideration by NCA, and will create some continuing collaborative structure for fostering community resources, discussions, and collaborations. The Teaching and Learning Council is supporting the initiative, and this is one of First Vice President Dr. Jeanetta Sims’ Spotlight Panels to gain greater regard for leveraging human intelligence, creativity and shared wisdom using artificial intelligence.
Please join us!
At this preliminary stage, we offer a chance to get connected, a link to an existing early set of resources, an NCA 2024 AI searchable Index (with Permalinks), and a list of the group topics we have planned for the NCAi Collaboratory session.
We know that there is much anxiety and stress about the future of education and AI, particularly about student skill-building, and that there are also tremendous learning and productivity possibilities that we are just beginning to discover. Being able to share experiences, lessons learned, policies adapted, bots created, and alternative assessments developed, while also exploring aligned research interests and collaborations, all seem critical to helping the communication discipline address this rising challenge facing higher education.
Thank you for connecting, for being willing to share, discuss, and think about next steps. For now, address any questions or concerns to Star Muir (smuir@gmu.edu).
The NCAi Collaboratory Team
- Stefan Bauschard, Designing Schools, Union College
- Kerry Byrnes-Loinette, Collin College
- Qingwen Dong, Pacific University
- America Edwards, University of Kentucky
- Sharmila Ferris, William Paterson University
- John Hines, The Head-Royce School
- Colin Kearney, Hampton University
- Star Muir, George Mason University
- Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Texas Tech University
- Anand Rao, Mary Washington University
- Heather Woods, Kansas State University
Connection and Basic Queries
This registration form accepts contact information, allows expression of interest areas, and offers a brief set of queries that the groups will address at the Collaboratory session in November. You can also express an interest in being part of a leadership group moving forward. Whether you will be at the session at NCA or not, please join the
Collaboratory and share your perspective and hopes. This information will not be used for any commercial purpose and responses will be generalized and anonymized.
NCAi Collaboratory Registration Form
Preliminary Online Resource Page
As a preliminary effort, this Google Folder, hosted by Sharmila Ferris of William Paterson University, offers a variety of resources, including an Annotated Bibliography, Syllabus Policy Examples, and some other communication topics. Once you follow the link you will need to supply some information and submit to request access.
Preliminary NCAi Online Repository
NCA 2024 AI Index
This document, offered by the Collaboratory team for convenience, provides titles and descriptions of NCA 2024 AI Panels and Presentations. The titles are Perma links, and search functionality was provided by the NCA Program page.
NCAi Collaboratory Groups
Contingent on attendance and interest at the NCA 2024 Friday 8:00-10:45 am session, we anticipate two rounds of group discussion, so individuals may participate in more than one group during the 165 minutes of time for the session. There will be demonstrations, including a display of AI pets, and groups will report out to help identify challenges, goals and future directions. Current group topics anticipated:
- AI 101
- AI in Writing
- AI and Alternative Assessments
- AI in Research
- AI and Bots
- AI and Ethics
- AI and Performance/Speeches
- Critical AI Studies