“AI in Education”

Mon, Sept. 9 in ATLS 100

6–8 p.m. (come at 5:30 p.m. for free pizza)

RSVP: https://www.meetup.com/rmaiig/events/303139821

The world of education is going through a massive transition as Generative AI tools come into more common use and schools struggle with how to respond. Should students be allowed to use AI? Encouraged to use AI? Required to use AI? What are the upsides and drawbacks? What are sensible guidelines and policies to implement? We're going to cover the whole gamut of opportunities, issues and challenges in this fascinating space.

• Susan Adams will be facilitating the meeting. Susan is a professional development trainer who specializes in guiding faculty and higher education institutions on integrating AI across curriculum and departments. Susan will provide valuable context on the current state of AI in education, offer insights, and support the Q&A session.
• Our first speaker, Bobby Hodgkinson, Associate Teaching Professor in CU’s Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, will focus on AI agents developed by his group and colleagues at CU Boulder. His talk will cover sentiment analysis tools, lab report grading assistants, and AI teaching assistants, while also addressing ethical and compliance considerations. Bobby will discuss the opportunities and challenges in AI education, propose the formation of a new AI in Education subgroup, and conclude with his course policies and advice for students on preparing for a future where AI will be integral to their careers.
• Our second speaker, Axel Reitzig, will examine the rapid impact of AI on public K-12 education, exploring both the challenges and opportunities it presents. His talk will discuss how schools can leverage AI to enhance operational efficiency and instructional methods, and how educators can effectively teach students about AI while providing them opportunities to create with it. Axel Reitzig is the Executive Director of Innovation at the St. Vrain Valley School District's Innovation Center, where he focuses on developing dynamic, high-quality programs and fostering strategic partnerships to integrate cutting-edge technologies across the district and beyond. He collaborates with staff, coordinates innovative programming, and participates in leadership at district, state, and national levels.
• Our final speaker, Lee Frankel-Goldwater, Assistant Teaching Professor in Environmental Studies at CU Boulder, will discuss the broader context of GenAI in higher education and offer insights into what the future may hold.

The Rocky Mountain AI Interest Group (RMAIIG) is a community of non-technical, but passionate and enthusiastic individuals who are fascinated by the recent advancements in generative AI tools. This group is focused on exploring and discussing the latest developments in AI, particularly tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney, Microsoft’s Bing with Chat, and Google’s Bard.  We will also look at the impact of these tools on business, education, workplace, law, entrepreneurship and society in general.

The group is designed to be inclusive and welcoming to all individuals who have an interest in AI and its applications. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, RMAIIG aims to provide a platform for learning, sharing ideas, and collaborating with like-minded people. Our events will host speakers who are experts in some aspect of AI and able to communicate with a broad audience of non-technical users. You will be able to stay ahead of the curve on fast-moving developments in the field and get your questions answered.