Pillar 7 – Faculty and Staff Development

The Faculty and Staff Development pillar focuses on providing training, support, and professional development opportunities for educators and staff to effectively understand, use, and manage AI systems in educational settings. As AI technologies become more prevalent in education, it's crucial that faculty and staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to leverage these tools effectively and responsibly.

This pillar is essential for ensuring that the potential of AI in education is fully realized. By empowering faculty and staff with AI literacy and skills, institutions can enhance teaching and learning experiences, improve operational efficiency, and foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning.

Key Components

Implementing effective governance for faculty and staff development in AI requires a structured approach. The following key components provide a framework for institutions to oversee and guide the development of AI competencies among their workforce. It's important to note that different organizations will require different levels of structure, and not all institutions will implement all these components immediately. Institutions should assess their needs and resources to determine which components to prioritize and how to scale their implementation efforts.

AI Competency Standards for Educators: Establish guidelines for AI literacy and skills required for different roles within the institution.
AI Professional Development Policy: Create a framework for ongoing AI training and development for faculty and staff.
AI Integration in Teaching Practices Guidelines: Develop policies for incorporating AI tools and concepts into instructional methods.
AI Academic Integrity Oversight Committee: Establish a governance body to guide faculty and staff in maintaining academic integrity in an AI-enhanced teaching environment.
AI Ethics Training Requirements: Establish mandatory ethics training related to AI use in education for all faculty and staff.
AI Proficiency Assessment Framework: Create standardized methods to evaluate and certify AI competencies of faculty and staff.
AI Innovation Incentive Program Governance: Establish oversight for programs that encourage AI innovation among faculty and staff.
AI Support and Resource Allocation Policy: Develop guidelines for providing AI-related support and resources to faculty and staff.

Scope

The Faculty and Staff Development pillar from a governance perspective encompasses:

Development of policies for AI literacy and skills development among faculty and staff
Establishment of guidelines for integrating AI into teaching and administrative practices
Creation of frameworks for assessing and certifying AI competencies of educators and staff
Governance structures to support ongoing AI professional development
Oversight mechanisms for AI-related resources and support provided to faculty and staff
Policies to ensure ethical and responsible use of AI by educators and administrators
Development of strategies to foster innovation in AI application within the institution

Objectives

The Faculty and Staff Development pillar aims to achieve several key objectives that ensure educators and staff are well-prepared to leverage AI in educational settings. These objectives provide clear targets for institutions as they develop and implement their AI-related faculty and staff development policies:

Establish clear AI competency standards for various roles within the institution
Develop comprehensive policies for ongoing AI professional development
Create guidelines for effective and ethical integration of AI in teaching practices
Ensure all faculty and staff receive appropriate training in AI ethics and responsible use
Establish frameworks to assess and certify AI proficiency among faculty and staff
Foster a culture of innovation in AI application within educational contexts
Ensure equitable access to AI-related resources and support for all faculty and staff
Align faculty and staff AI competencies with the institution's overall AI strategy

Essential Considerations

When developing governance strategies for faculty and staff development in AI, institutions must consider:

Varying levels of technological proficiency among faculty and staff
Balancing AI integration with traditional teaching and administrative methods
Addressing concerns about AI replacing educator roles
Keeping pace with rapidly evolving AI technologies and applications
Ensuring equitable access to AI professional development opportunities
Adapting professional development policies to different roles and disciplines
Addressing potential resistance to AI adoption
Promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among staff

Challenges

Implementing faculty and staff development governance for AI can present a variety of challenges. Recognizing these potential obstacles can help institutions navigate the process more effectively. Common challenges include:

Resistance to change and adoption of new technologies
Time constraints for professional development activities
Varying levels of technological proficiency among staff
Keeping up with rapid advancements in AI
Addressing fears about AI replacing human roles
Ensuring consistent AI competency across different departments
Balancing AI skills development with other professional development needs
Measuring the effectiveness of AI professional development programs
Addressing potential ethical dilemmas in AI use
Managing the costs associated with comprehensive AI training programs