A national initiative to prepare community college faculty and students to leverage artificial intelligence for transformative teaching and learning across all disciplines.
Learn MoreGrant Award ID: 2500821
Host Institution: Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC)
Partner: National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE)
The technical and career workforce must not only comprehend AI technology but also identify innovative ways to leverage this technology to enhance their job performance while providing greater value to their businesses. Building on previous partnerships and success with the Cybersecurity Across Disciplines (CyAd) Conference, which brought together educators from diverse disciplines to explore the intersection of cybersecurity within their specific educational program areas, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) proposes a three-year, comprehensive project to meet labor market demand for workers with artificial intelligence (AI) aptitude.
While other projects have focused on developing and implementing AI curriculum in computer science, this NSF ATE program is specifically designed to prepare graduates of two-year institutions pursuing career and technical jobs. The purpose of this project is to change the perception and utilization of AI as a tool in the classroom which can then be leveraged to strengthen the AI tools of candidates entering the workforce.
The intellectual merit of this project is based on changing the perception and utilization of AI both as a tool in the classroom and a new technology that the technical workforce can use to transform modern business and industry. MVCC seeks to address a critical gap in AI education: the practical application of AI technology within the technical and career workforce trained by community colleges.
Community college graduates must be prepared to integrate AI technologies into their day-to-day responsibilities, across a variety of fields that include healthcare, manufacturing, business, and cybersecurity. This proposal is uniquely positioned to meet this need by offering practical AI education that enhances the ability of technical professionals to leverage AI for operational efficiency, decision-making, and cybersecurity resilience.
Multiple methods will be incorporated to foster broader impacts. To address the need to include all segments of society, the team will recruit faculty from underrepresented communities to participate. In partnership with the NCyTE National Faculty Development Academy, participants will gain a greater knowledge and understanding of AI. Participating faculty will develop practical applications for their individual classrooms. Faculty will share their knowledge, experiences, and content with colleagues and students from multiple disciplines at their institutions.
A central component of our proposal is the creation of a National Academy, which will provide open-source, relevant content for faculty across various disciplines. This academy will be an extension of the existing NCyTE Center and will leverage the NCyTE community to provide nationwide reach. Through this academy, we will establish a Career and Technical Education (CTE) learning community focused on incorporating AI into the classroom.
Each summer, the academy will train over 100 faculty members. This will include five virtual workshops annually, and we will leverage the Cybersecurity Across Disciplines (CyAD) Conference to bring participants together each year. This will allow them to share their experiences and the content that they developed, sparking further innovation and collaboration.
Five virtual workshops covering fundamental AI concepts, teaching methodologies, and curriculum development strategies. Open to community college faculty nationwide.
Annual gathering of faculty to share experiences, present developed content, and network with peers from across the nation. Special AI in Action track included.
Regional workshops hosted at partner community colleges across 12 different regions of the country.
Regular virtual meetings to foster communication and idea exchange among members of the AI community of practice.
Continuous mentorship pairing experienced AI educators with community college faculty for guidance and support.
For the most current calendar and registration information, please check back regularly or subscribe to our mailing list.
Access our comprehensive library of AI teaching materials, lesson plans, lab activities, and case studies. All materials are available under a Creative Commons license and specifically tailored to community college technical and career programs.
MVCC Resources: https://sands-mvcc.github.io/MVCC/
CMMC Resources: https://sands-mvcc.github.io/CMMC/
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Learn more about the project leadership and their extensive experience in cybersecurity education, AI integration, and community college faculty development.
View Full BioTitle: AI In Action - Transforming Teaching and Learning in the Community College
Description: A comprehensive guide to integrating AI in community college education across all disciplines.
Community college faculty interested in participating in our workshops and training programs.
Apply NowInstitutions interested in becoming partner colleges or collaborating on AI initiatives.
Partner With UsProject Host Institution
9000 W. College Parkway
Palos Hills, IL 60465
In Partnership with:
National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE)