Education

EDU News Curated by Kiosk: AI to counsel students and other higher ed news

The (AI) Counselor Is in

From Inside Higher Education: “AVA, which will launch in pilot this fall, is the latest AI counseling tool meant to replicate the work of a high school counselor or private admissions consultant. Proponents of the technology argue it could reduce the burden on overworked counselors and give students access to expertise and information 24-7 during the stressful application cycle. Critics worry it could be seen as a cheap alternative to high-impact counseling for students who most need a human touch.”
View the full article from Inside Higher Education.

 

Using AI to help more college students graduate

From Google: “John Jay serves many first generation Americans and nontraditional students. For two years, we collaborated on a predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to identify students most at risk of dropping out. We looked at indicators including years of enrollment, grades, and number of hours passed to create a risk score for every student, while controlling for bias. Students identified as high risk of dropping out received extra, proactive support from advisors such as one-on-one coaching. Hundreds of students benefited from this program, which ultimately drove the College’s senior graduation rate up to 86% (from 54%).”
View the full article from Google.

 

Three ways AI can support student success and well-being

From Times Higher Education: “We developed an AI student engagement platform that is scalable and user-friendly, providing high-quality, on-demand student support that frees our staff to support students with more complex issues. … Imagine having access to vital support at any time, day or night. AI-driven virtual assistants are revolutionising the way students navigate the complexities of university life. At the University of Galway, our AI-driven virtual assistant, named “Cara” (meaning “friend” in the Irish language), engages with students through their chosen platforms, providing 24/7 support. It actively responds with the most up-to-date information on topics related to student life, ensuring clarity and understanding.”
View the full article from Times Higher Education.

 

College students are dropping out in droves. Two sisters could fix that.

From The Washington Post: “Two Italian sisters, Carolina and Claudia Recchi, are using AI to bring some sanity to higher education. The company integrated AI through Google’s free Dialogflow, which was then the best platform for building chatbots. As clients rolled in, the company customized its knowledge base to each university. The bots can be trained with the specific geography of a campus to give directions, as well as with each school’s process for class registration or academic assistance. Security and mental health issues get hard-coded responses to avoid the risk of hallucinations and are referred to emergency or social services. All the student data remains with EdSights and the school.’

View the full article from The Washington Post.

 

Student chatbot use ‘could be increasing loneliness’

From Times Higher Education: “Universities should exercise caution as they outsource more functions to artificial intelligence (AI). Australian researchers found ‘evidence that while AI chatbots designed for information provision may be associated with student performance, when social support, psychological well-being, loneliness and sense of belonging are considered it has a net negative effect on achievement’, according to the paper published in Studies in Higher Education. …’It seems students may be seeking out AI help instead of librarians, student advisers and counsellors, and this means universities have no visibility from a whole-of-student continuity of care perspective,’ said Joseph Crawford…one of the authors of the study.”

View the full article from Times Higher Education.

 

Cautious experiment with AI in student counselling gets under way

From Times Higher Education: “Arizona State University’s partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI includes an effort to create AI-based subjects that counselling students can use to test their skills. …Various studies and surveys have concluded that US higher education students have been suffering for several years with record rates of poor mental health …  overwhelming the capacity of institutions to respond…But while college campuses may provide plenty of potential test subjects should a place like ASU choose to expand its experiments with AI-based mental health innovations, that’s probably not a good future direction, he (Victor Schwartz, the senior associate dean of medicine for wellness and student life at the City University of New York) said.”

View the full article from Times Higher Education.

 

68% of seniors say college has significantly boosted their ability to land well-paying jobs, poll finds

From Higher Ed Dive: “Around two-thirds of incoming college seniors said college has significantly contributed to their ability to land a well–paying job, according to a new survey from job platform Handshake. A slightly higher share, 72%, said higher education has appreciably improved their ability to secure a meaningful job. And 85% of surveyed seniors said college significantly helped them understand their own career goals. College seniors also indicated that higher education has helped them beyond their career development. According to the survey, 88% said college significantly contributed to their personal growth.”

View the full article from Higher Ed Dive.

 

ACE Works to Expand Acceptance of Credit for Prior Learning with Support from Walmart

From ACEnet: “ACE is expanding the use of credit for prior learning (CPL) for learners, employers, and educational institutions, thanks to support from Walmart. The $500,000 grant will allow ACE to build a transfer equivalency database and share valuable data about where learners can receive college credit for their professional skills and credentials.”

View the full article from ACEnet.

 

Just 29% of families say the updated FAFSA was easier to complete, survey finds

From Higher Ed Dive: “Just 29% of polled families found the updated form easier to complete than the older version. Yet respondents indicated that financial aid matters when selecting where to enroll, with 36% of students saying the scholarships and financial aid they receive play a role in their ultimate decision. “That confusion, those delays had an impact on students and families,” said Rick Castellano, vice president of corporate communications at Sallie Mae. ‘Those who are disproportionately hurt the most are those who would probably be most eligible for support.’” 

View the full article from Higher Ed Dive.

 

For too many learners, working while in college is a barrier to career growth

From Higher Ed Dive: “Under the Federal Work-Study program, low- and middle-income college students are paid by their colleges for part-time work to help cover their educational costs. Using these dollars more effectively to enhance the early-career prospects of college students is critical to giving them quality work-based learning experiences. … However, most undergraduates don’t get a high quality, career accelerating opportunity to combine work and learning while in college. Yet, nearly two-thirds of undergraduates work while they’re in school. One-quarter of students from low-income backgrounds have full-time jobs — which is concerning, as working long hours correlates with lower grades, fewer credits earned and a higher chance of dropping out.”

View the full article from Higher Ed Dive.

 

‘Vultures circling’ as cash crisis forces universities’ hand

From Times Higher Education: “‘All options are on the table’ as UK universities brace for another round of cost-cutting at the start of the academic year, with a new generation of students arriving to find many institutions in a state of turmoil. Fears over cash shortages have become the primary concern for financial officers across the country, which some believe could tempt institutions into ever riskier and short-term decisions to meet their immediate obligations. A range of institutions is understood to be affected – including some unexpected names – with a handful facing a real threat of bankruptcy and many more needing a full transformation to survive.”

View the full article from Times Higher Education.