Professional, Continuing, and Online Education Update by UPCEA

Artificial intelligence assisted design of a novel cooperative learning technique for higher education - Özgür Tutal, Nature

2026-05-18T06:10:00.008-04:00

Cooperative learning has long been recognized as an effective pedagogical strategy, yet the development of innovative techniques tailored to modern educational demands remains a challenge. This study introduces the Curriculum Concept Constellation Technique (CCCT), a novel cooperative learning technique developed with the support of artificial intelligence (AI). The CCCT employs a metaphorical and visual approach, wherein students collaboratively map key curriculum concepts into visual ‘constellations,’ (Throughout this manuscript, references to ‘constellations’ should be understood as a pedagogical metaphor for conceptual relationships, not as an astronomical or literal representation)—a metaphor representing how individual ideas (like stars) interconnect to form meaningful patterns. This approach fosters deeper conceptual understanding through creativity, role-based collaboration, and peer interaction.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-50770-1

University of Chicago eyes further deficit cuts, staff raises - Max Blaisdell, Hyde Park Herald

2026-05-18T06:05:00.008-04:00

University of Chicago leaders said Tuesday a yearslong effort to close a $288 million structural deficit is on track, with the gap expected to shrink to about $140 million by June. U. of C. President Paul Alivisatos, Provost Katherine Baicker and chief financial officer Ivan Samstein addressed faculty and staff at Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St., offering updates on the university’s financial health amid uncertainty over federal research grants, a potential economic downturn and a unionization drive announced the previous day by workers at the University of Chicago Press. Campus leaders also outlined plans to use artificial intelligence to trim administrative costs and said staff would see their first meaningful pay raises in years.

https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/university-of-chicago-eyes-further-deficit-cuts-staff-raises/article_0d5db265-b2dd-43b0-800e-612287bb9a53.html

2026-05-18T06:00:00.023-04:00

University of Michigan’s $20M OpenAI bet aims for $2B return, legal report shows - Jackie Smith, MLive

The University of Michigan could profit big from a years-old $20 million investment into ChatGPT creator OpenAI, according to an exhibit in Elon Musk’s federal lawsuit against Sam Altman. Business Insider reported on Friday, May 8, that the Ann Arbor institution made the early bet before Microsoft invested billions into OpenAI ― its first billion in 2019 ― and before ChatGPT debuted in November 2022, setting the pace for the industry’s meteoric growth and commercialization of artificial intelligence. Some details remain unclear. According to the report, UM and other first-in-line investors would be prioritized over Microsoft in OpenAI’s payout ― the $20 million contribution marking a recoup goal of $2 billion for the university’s endowment.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/05/university-of-michigans-20m-openai-bet-aims-for-2b-return-legal-report-shows.html

UNESCO and Tec Launch Regional Observatory on the Benefits and Risks of AI in Education - Ricardo Treviño, TecScience

2026-05-15T06:10:00.018-04:00

Artificial intelligence is already being used as a tool in classrooms, but it can be a double-edged sword: either accelerating learning or exposing deep inequalities. Through the observatory, the goal is to promote evidence-based public policies that support the responsible and effective use of AI in the region’s educational systems. The observatory will conduct an assessment of AI use in education to generate evidence that can help shape public policy design. One of the observatory’s first ambitions is to reach more than 250,000 teachers across the region. During its first year of operation, the observatory will organize working groups to define impact measurement models.

https://tecscience.tec.mx/en/education-and-humanism/unesco-and-tec-observatory-artificial-intelligence/

One New Thing: Campus Libraries Become AI Hubs - B. Navarre, US News

2026-05-15T06:05:00.007-04:00

Alina Tugend is an award-winning education reporter. Here is her latest rave on an EdTech innovation: Campus libraries are becoming the go-to place for helping students, faculty and researchers learn about artificial intelligence and how to best integrate it into their work. For example, the libraries at Bryn Mawr College and the University of Oklahoma both provide AI “sandboxes” – shared virtual spaces for experimentation and education about various AI tools with ongoing support. This year, the University of Virginia launched its AI Literacy and Action Lab, developed in partnership with the university’s library. The lab is based on a framework created by Leo S. Lo, UVA’s new university librarian and dean of libraries, that integrates technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking, practical use and societal impact.

https://www.usnews.com/education/u-s-news-higher-ground/articles/2026-05-07/artificial-intelligence-college-library

Chico State’s 2026-27 Book in Common to Tackle Artificial Intelligence - Chico State

2026-05-15T06:00:00.012-04:00

The AI Con is a thought-provoking work examining the rise of artificial intelligence and its far-reaching impacts on society, education and the economy. The selection comes amid heightened interest and debate surrounding AI technologies, including within higher education. Co-authored by a University of Washington linguistics professor and a former Google employee, the book takes a critical look at artificial intelligence, exploring how it functions, the realities behind its rapid expansion, and the social, ethical and environmental implications of its use. Topics include the influence of AI on jobs and creative industries, concerns about academic integrity, and the environmental costs associated with large-scale data centers. “AI is now part of nearly every aspect of our lives,” Mahlis said. “This book helps readers understand not just what AI does, but how it works, and encourages us to question both the hype and the real consequences.”

https://today.csuchico.edu/chico-states-2026-27-book-in-common-to-tackle-artificial-intelligence/

Jeff Rubin ’95 on AI, Digital Transformation, and Syracuse’s Connected Future - Syracuse University

2026-05-14T06:10:00.010-04:00

Jeff Rubin ’95 has spent decades building technology systems designed to scale. From founding SIDEARM Sports into one of the most widely used digital platforms in college athletics to now serving as Syracuse University’s first Senior Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Digital Officer, his career has centered on one question: how can technology fundamentally improve the way organizations operate? Rubin joined the Infoversity podcast to discuss Syracuse University’s digital future, the evolving role of AI in higher education, and why connectivity, data, and artificial intelligence are increasingly inseparable. A two-time iSchool alumnus, Rubin reflected on how the School of Information Studies prepared him not just to work in technology, but to adapt alongside it. “One thing the iSchool gave me was the ability to transition with technology and not be afraid of change,” he said. That mindset has shaped his approach to digital transformation at Syracuse. For Rubin, digital transformation is not simply about adopting new tools. It is about rethinking how students, faculty, staff, and alumni interact with the university at every level, from campus tours and financial aid to data strategy and classroom experiences. “Digitally, we have a chance to be a leader in this space,” he explained.

https://ischool.syracuse.edu/jeff-rubin-95-on-ai-digital-transformation-and-syracuses-connected-future/

From Restriction to Integration: Practical Strategies for Embracing AI in Online Courses - Taoufik Ennoure, Faculty Focus

2026-05-14T06:05:00.000-04:00

Instead of prohibiting the use of AI, it is more effective to assign tasks that require students to use AI tools and then have them critically assess the outputs. In asynchronous online courses with less frequent instructor interaction, I have adopted a new approach to enhance engagement in weekly discussions. I ask students to use AI tools to generate practice questions and sample answers, allowing them to self-assess their understanding. Students then post their AI-generated questions and answers as original discussion posts, reflecting on which questions were most helpful and identifying any gaps in the tool’s knowledge. Additionally, they evaluate at least two other question/answer sets created by their peers. This method fosters a peer dialogue focused on critical assessment, reducing the instructor’s workload in creating every quiz while encouraging collaborative learning.

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/from-restriction-to-integration-practical-strategies-for-embracing-ai-in-online-courses/

Micro Credentials Reshaping Learning While Degrees Remain Relevant - Asia News Network

2026-05-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

As global education systems evolve to meet rapidly changing workforce demands, micro credentials are gaining traction as a flexible complement to traditional degrees rather than a replacement, according to international policy bodies and education experts. Micro credentials, defined by the European Union as certifications of “learning outcomes of short-term learning experiences,” are designed to provide targeted, skills-based learning in a shorter timeframe. Meanwhile, UNESCO notes that micro credentials typically focus on “a specific set of learning outcomes in a narrow field” and are achieved over a shorter period compared to traditional qualifications such as degrees. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD further highlight their growing role in supporting lifelong learning and employability, particularly as individuals seek to upskill and reskill in response to labour market changes.

https://asianews.network/micro-credentials-reshaping-learning-while-degrees-remain-relevant/

Leadership Vision of the COLO to Shape Higher Ed Future? - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-13T06:10:00.013-04:00

The chief online learning officers at colleges and universities are increasingly charting the future of teaching and learning. We are now on the cusp of a significant adjustment in the model of higher education. Who else within the institution’s administration has the combination of technological, pedagogical and innovative knowledge and experience to lead us into the future? The COLO’s knowledge of advanced technologies coupled with the experience of overseeing the application of the vast array of online technologies as they have evolved over the past 30 years is the combination we need to succeed. Our chief online learning officers bring credibility and sagacity to the table in leading us while making this critically important next step in enhancing online learning in higher education.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/online-trending-now/2026/05/13/leadership-vision-colo-shape-higher-ed-future

Instructure Pays Ransom to Canvas Hackers - Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-13T06:05:00.016-04:00

Although the monetary value of the deal is unknown, Instructure says the cybercriminals have returned the hacked personal data and offered assurance “that no Instructure customers will be extorted as a result of this incident.” Instructure has paid a ransom to a gang of cybercriminals that have twice hacked the company’s learning management system, Canvas, over the past week and a half. According to an update published by the education-technology company Monday night, the deal means that the hackers have returned the compromised data of some 275 million users across more than 8,800 institutions.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/administrative-tech/2026/05/11/instructure-pays-ransom-canvas-hackers

UW System Will Give Raises to Faculty in High-Demand Fields - Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-13T06:00:00.013-04:00

The University of Wisconsin system will give more than 2,300 faculty in high-demand fields a pay raise this summer, The Cap Times reported. The State Legislature appropriated $27 million annually for the increases, which will be doled out with the “goal of focusing on market competitiveness of those faculty in high demand fields of study,” which include biomedical sciences, education, graphic design and veterinary medicine, the distribution plan states. To determine which fields are included, the system used Department of Workforce Development data on high-demand jobs that require a bachelor’s degree. Nearly 16 percent fewer adults started college for the first time this fall compared to the previous year.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/05/06/uw-system-will-give-raises-faculty-high-demand-fields

What’s Behind a Drop in New Adult Learners This Fall? - Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-12T06:10:00.010-04:00

Nearly 16 percent fewer adults started college for the first time this fall compared to the previous year. Some say the change represents rightsizing after an enrollment boom, but others say it’s a reversal worth keeping an eye on. In the economic upheaval that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, adult students flocked to higher education in droves. Every fall from 2021 to 2024, the number of first-time students over the age of 25 grew—including a substantial jump in fall 2024, when new students older than 25 grew 18.7 percent over the previous year, according to National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data. But this past fall, that trend reversed. The number of first-time learners over the age of 25 dropped by 15.5 percent from fall 2024 to fall 2025.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/diversity/age/2026/05/06/whats-behind-drop-new-adult-learners-fall

Why Women Need Other Women at Work - Angie Basiouny, Knowledge at Wharton

2026-05-12T06:05:00.012-04:00

New research from Wharton’s Tiantian Yang proves that behind every great woman is another woman. Her co-authored study on virtual career training found that women who attended remote classes exclusively with other women were much more likely to complete their training on time, earn professional certification, and get a job in their field — compared with women who attended mixed-gender classes. The authors determined that the absence of men in the same-gender classes created psychological safety for the female participants, which led them to share personal stories, support each other with messages of encouragement, and swap employment resources. All those actions led to greater success for them.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/why-women-need-other-women-at-work/

AI Agents in Education: What’s Working and What’s Missing - Abby Sourwine, GovTech

2026-05-12T06:00:00.019-04:00

As universities pilot agentic AI for advising and administrative tasks, its place in teaching and learning remains unclear. Experts say decision-makers will need to look carefully at reliability, risks and partners. “We are in the earliest days,” said Nicole Engelbert, vice president of product strategy for student systems at Oracle. “Take a side eye on what anyone is saying about what’s happening in a pervasive way.” “Education is specifically different than your normal institutional tasks,” said Jake Burley, a researcher at the Applied Ethics Center at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. “There’s a strong sense that there’s something personal or powerful about the educational experience.”

https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/ai-agents-in-education-whats-working-and-whats-missing

10 Top Websites Offering Free Online Courses - Academia Mag

2026-05-11T06:10:00.015-04:00

In today’s digital age, online learning has become one of the most powerful ways to gain knowledge, improve skills, and build a successful career. Whether you want to learn digital marketing, graphic design, coding, business management, or artificial intelligence, there are countless platforms available online. The good news is that many of these platforms provide high-quality education completely free of cost. That is why people around the world are constantly searching for the top websites offering free online courses to upgrade their knowledge without spending money.

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://academiamag.com/student-guide/websites-offering-free-online-courses/

Courageous conversations: How to lead with heart - McKinsey

2026-05-11T06:05:00.008-04:00

Leadership, at its best, is a matter of the heart. Courage, which underpins every act of leadership, is also a matter of the heart; it comes from the French word cœur—heart. As Winston Churchill observed, “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because . . . it is the quality which guarantees all others.” The point is simple: Courage is both moral and practical. It is not sentiment or bravado. It is the willingness to face what is real, invite challenge, and repair trust. The story of every great leader—from business to the arts, from education to government to sport—is written in these moments of choice: Do I accept the comfortable, or do I ask for and embrace the truth? Do I protect myself, or do I serve the enterprise?

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/courageous-conversations-how-to-lead-with-heart

UPDATE: Canvas restored at U of I, final exams rescheduled - Ethan Holesha, Molly Sweeney, Bradley Zimmerman, WCIA

2026-05-11T06:00:00.019-04:00

Canvas has been restored at the University of Illinois and the final exams that have already been affected by it are being rescheduled. In a Massmail to students and staff on Saturday at 11:51 a.m., U of I provost John Coleman said Canvas at the university is now online and available to the community. As a result, final ecams originally scheduled for Friday, May 8, will take place on Sunday, May 10. All exam times and locations will remain unchanged from their originally scheduled time. PREVIOUSLY: U of I finals postponed, students confused after Canvas cybersecurity breach Coleman also said as always, instructors will still have the discretion to make the changes they find appropriate to meet course objectives. He noted that deans have asked all instructors to be mindful of the needs of students with an approved accommodation through DRES.

https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county/cybersecurity-incident-affecting-canvas-service-at-central-il-colleges-universities/

Mountain View-based Khan Academy partners with nonprofits to build online AI degree program - Emma Montalbano, Moutain View Voice

2026-05-08T06:10:00.001-04:00

Amid emerging conversations about the future of white collar jobs in the age of artificial intelligence, Sal Khan thinks that now is the time to create something he’s been thinking about for years — a new pathway for higher education. Khan Academy, an online learning platform headquartered in Mountain View, TED, a nonprofit that aims to uplift ideas, and ETS, an organization that develops and administers standardized tests, have partnered to establish an online college called Khan TED Institute. Its inaugural program will allow students to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in applied AI, which Khan believes could benefit people interested in many careers.

https://www.mv-voice.com/education/2026/05/01/mountain-view-based-khan-academy-partners-with-other-nonprofits-to-build-online-ai-degree-program/

Teach students to ask better questions with Artificial Intelligence - Yiming V. Wang & Christoph Heubeck, Nature

2026-05-08T06:05:00.000-04:00

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered university classrooms at a remarkable speed, challenging not only how students learn but also how teachers can tell where thinking is happening1,2,3. AI use shows more than rapid adaptation to a new tool: it also exposes how academic training has long shaped the questions students ask. Conventionally, many questions are framed to elicit coherence rather than conflict, synthesis rather than uncertainty, for example: “Summarise the state of knowledge …”, “Explain the mechanisms of…”. Put to an AI system, the responses often smooth disagreement and blur the limits of evidence4,5. The challenge in AI use is therefore not how far students should rely on AI but whether universities can help them ask questions that expose uncertainty rather than conceal it. We call this approach “grounded inquiry”, which we define as using AI to expose disagreements and weak support, trace claims to evidence, and make uncertainty apparent within a curated set of primary literature sources. We find that this approach helps Earth science students to think more independently and critically.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03536-6

Faculty Concerned About ASU’s ‘Frankensteinian’ AI Course Builder - Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-08T06:00:00.015-04:00

Arizona State University soft launched a web app earlier this month that allows anyone, for $5 per month, to create an apparently unlimited number of customized “learning modules” using artificial intelligence. The AI chatbot, called Atom, uses online instructional materials from ASU professors to create a course that’s tailored to the goals, interests and skill level of the user. After asking a handful of questions and processing for about five minutes, Atom debuts a personalized course that includes readings, quizzes and videos from a half dozen experts at ASU. But several professors whose content Atom pulls from were surprised to learn that their materials—including video lectures, slide decks and online assignments—were being perused, clipped and repackaged for these short online course modules. The faculty wasn’t told anything about the app, ASU Atomic, they said.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/2026/04/29/faculty-concerned-about-asus-new-ai-course

State lawmakers eye accreditation policy changes as new agency forms - Daniele McClean, Higher Ed Dive

2026-05-07T06:10:00.010-04:00

A growing number of Republican-controlled states have introduced legislative and policy proposals that would allow their public colleges to leave their long-standing accreditors for a newly founded accrediting body. The Commission for Public Higher Education, a nascent accrediting body, is moving to potentially take on those and other public institutions as members. The CPHE is financially backed by the state of Florida and the Trump administration and overseen largely by state university system appointees, a model that’s raised alarms among some critics. Recent state legislation has aimed to make it easier for colleges to move to CPHE or other accreditors.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/commission-public-higher-education-state-laws/818856/

Teach students to ask better questions with Artificial Intelligence - Yiming V. Wang & Christoph Heubeck, Nature

2026-05-07T06:05:00.016-04:00

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03536-6

The Impact of AI on Engineering Jobs - Intuit Blog

2026-05-07T06:05:00.014-04:00

Artificial intelligence has become fundamental enough to shift traditional engineering roles, changing how engineers work and the work itself. 88% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function. Engineers are using AI to tackle complex real-world problems, with applications spanning predictive maintenance, design optimization, and automation. AI’s impact on engineering is just beginning. But it’s already creating new job opportunities and demanding new skills to stay relevant. AI likely won’t replace engineers, but it will affect some roles more than others. That makes adaptability 1 of the most valuable traits in the field right now.

https://www.intuit.com/blog/innovative-thinking/ai-impact-engineering-jobs/

Board Ouster Raises Further Concerns About NSF’s Future - Ryan Quinn, Inside Higher Ed

2026-05-07T06:00:00.011-04:00

The Trump administration’s decision to fire the entire board that oversees the National Science Foundation is another blow to American science that threatens the country’s global leadership, multiple higher ed and research advocacy groups warned, as did ousted board members. They added that the move could further destabilize the agency, which is a major university research funding agency, and could give the White House more control over NSF. The White House didn’t initially tell board members or the public why it gutted the board, but in an email Monday to Inside Higher Ed, the White House pointed to a 2021 Supreme Court decision. The court’s reasoning in U.S. v. Arthrex “raised constitutional questions about whether non-Senate confirmed appointees can exercise the authorities that Congress gave the National Science Board.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/science-research-policy/2026/04/27/board-ouster-raises-further-concerns-about-nsfs