Ben Harwood
Lead Learning Experience Designer,
Skidmore College
From Challenges to Innovation: A Toolkit for AI-Enhanced Teaching, Research, and Operations
Wednesday, April 02, 2025 | 2:45PM–3:30PM ET | Room 552 AB
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Presentation/Panel Session
Higher education institutions face complex challenges requiring innovative solutions. At Skidmore College, the Skill2Build AI Institute builds upon our AI Think Tank initiative, expanding our Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning impact. Our approach positions AI as a collaborative tool that enhances human expertise and creativity. Selected through a competitive process, participants receive stipends to develop AI-enhanced tools and practices. The program creates an experiential laboratory where participants leverage AI while building custom solutions. Learning clusters provide structured support for developing tools that enhance both educational experiences and operational efficiency, with AI catalyzing innovation. Key initiatives include custom app development, curriculum tools across disciplines, automated assessment systems, communications tools for advancement and outreach, and solutions supporting accreditation and planning. The program demonstrates how faculty and staff can create AI-powered tools and prompt libraries for disciplinary teaching, research, and administrative workflows—emphasizing that AI augments, rather than automates, human decision-making. Through applied case studies, we will provide attendees with actionable takeaways and resources they can adapt to their institutions. These resources showcase how AI can enhance institutional effectiveness while preserving the essential human elements of teaching, learning, and administration.
