Walking through the upper floors of NAU’s Student Union, a student can be seen working diligently at a study space. On their laptop, they are in the process of asking Open AI’s newly released Chat GPT-4 model why their code is broken, pasting a sample of their script into the text box. Across the room, another student can be seen engrossed in a conversation with GPT, inquiring about the structural differences between triglycerides and cholesterol.
With recent discussion in the media surrounding artificial intelligence, many pose the question on what the landscape of education will look like with AI models such as Chat GPT on the horizon. In reality, artificial intelligence has already vastly permeated into education. With the aptness that trends and information spread with social media, it’s no surprise that for many students at NAU, artificial intelligence is already a mainstay in their tool-set, no different than a calculator, or a protractor.
Many instructors fear that the prevalence of AI will lead to more situations of academic dishonesty, while others proponent AI as a crucial tool that can assist students to develop critical problem solving and analytical skills. From an academic standpoint at NAU, AI can help champion NAU’s vision of personalized a ention to student success by acting as a personal tutor or instructor for many students, especially for those with educational constraints and conflicting factors that may limit access to tutoring and supplemental academic support.
But what about the negatives? Critics argue that AI technology may encourage students to take a more passive approach to their coursework, especially in fields like writing or programming. For instance, why would a student bother to write their own discussion post when a AI service like Chat GPT can do it for them? This criticism is valid, and not without truth behind it. One solution being considered to address this problem is to establish barriers to prevent academic dishonesty while still providing necessary guidance and feedback. This could look something like integrating AI models into coursework and LMS so ware to offer support and feedback, but refraining from assisting unethical requests to falsify work. In fact, several startups have already emerged on the market claiming to provide these services to academic organizations.
Considering how diverse and unique educational institutions and organizations are, it’s unlikely that one single solution would be applicable to use as a broad approach to AI. However, it’s imperative to hold conversations on the topic now, as the benefits and risks of AI in the realm of instruction are becoming increasingly significant.
Coursework aside, there are many other ways in which AI can be leveraged within a university, particularly in the operational and administrative areas of an organization. One of the emerging areas AI is being leveraged across universities is in the realm of admissions and applications. Educause elaborates that AI can help universities understand the unique relationships between data sets when it comes to admissions, finding unique identifiers and probabilities that may not have been uncovered with a human eye.
Being able to leverage AI to be er influence university marketing and engagement can help bolster enrollment and engagement at NAU. Additionally, AI can potentially be leveraged in a similar way to identify key factors on student retention, analyzing data such as learning styles, preferences, and performance to find indicators of at-risk students and help the university be er tailor to multiple learning styles and methodology to be er retain students.
As we enter the renaissance of artificial intelligence, the role of higher education institutions shaping the future of academia and AI will become increasingly critical. As with any new technology, AI brings inherent risks and benefits to be addressed in education, and now is the time to identify ethical and equitable uses of artificial intelligence. In doing so, universities can recognize not only the educational impact, but the potential to drive operational efficiencies and champion student and organizational success.
ITS’ Chad Stiller was recently appointed by President José Cruz Rivera as an inaugural member of the University Sustainability Advisory Board at NAU. This is a crucial step towards the university’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and promoting sustainable practices.
As a member of the board, Chad will work alongside key stakeholders to provide recommendations on policies, strategic investments, and university actions that advance sustainability efforts. ITS applauds NAU's commitment to sustainability, and looks forward to seeing the positive impact the USAB will have not only on the Lumberjack community, but our region, and our earth.
“I am invigorated by the Presidents support for bold sustainability goals and honored to serve under Dr. Nielsen’s progressive leadership on the University Sustainability Advisory Board. As someone who has been involved with sustainability projects for almost two decades and is a strong proponent of the role technology plays in Green initiatives, I am delighted to have the opportunity to represent ITS in this critical area.”
Chad Stiller Associate Vice President Information Technology ServicesAs the academic year draws to a close, NAU prepares to recognize outstanding graduating seniors with the Gold Axe Award. This award celebrates seniors who have made significant contributions to the university, both inside and outside the classroom. Every year, over 400 seniors apply to the award, with only a handful being selected. During the application process, seniors were asked to name the person who has made the biggest impact on their undergraduate career.
ITS is pleased to announce that Robert Thorpe, an IT Service Analyst working in conjunction with ITS under Campus Services; Alejandra Espinoza, ITS’ Assistant Manager for Operations; as well as Erin Pleše, a Senior IT Security Analyst were all recognized by a graduating senior as influential educators. ITS congratulates these individuals for their positive impact to the Lumberjack Community.
University Advancement IT has accomplished impressive feats under the leadership of Pete Zeman. Over the past year, the team has completed several crucial projects, including the implementation of a cloud-based financial system using Sage Inacct. This system provides detailed scholarship balance reports to colleges.
The team also completed a cloud-based donor experience officer solution using Evertrue, as well as a digital wallet implementation for the Giving Day platform, streamlining the donation process. Zeman's team replaced the existing end-of-life platform with Signal Vine, a more effective texting platform. Finally, the team conducted the BWF Donor Survey, providing valuable insights into donor behavior.
After more than 25 years of service to the NAU Community, Associate Vice President Michael Zimmer has retired as of March 31. Michael Zimmer began his career at NAU in the University Bookstore, where he worked as an Office Automation Specialist. Michael then moved into ITS’ Support Teams before moving through new roles in the Security team, eventually becoming a director, and finally earning the title of Associate Vice President.
Reflecting on his career, Michael likened it to running a marathon, with each stage representing a distinct and significant chapter in his life. As Michael Zimmer begins this new chapter in his life, ITS offers him a heartfelt thanks for his many years of service, dedication, and leadership. Michael’s legacy at NAU will undoubtedly inspire future generations of Lumberjacks to strive for excellence.
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Members of the NAU Community can find trainings, resources, information, and community dialogue through ITS’ Microsoft Teams at NAU website. Click the button below to get started with Teams, or to refresh your Teams skills with a training.
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Beginning July 1st of 2023, all tablet devices used for NAU work or instruction within the university will be purchased through ITS’ Computer Purchasing Program.
This decision to refresh the organizational tablet policy is a strategic response by NAU to the growing threat of cybersecurity risks to hardware on college campuses. With the continued increase of tablet use for NAU work and instruction, the need to fortify against digital the and data breaches has become more pressing than ever.
By centralizing tablet purchasing through ITS’ Computer Purchasing Program, NAU will be be er equipped to implement robust security measures, so ware, and procedures to protect the Lumberjack community from malicious cyber threats.
So, what does this mean for members of the NAU community looking to purchase a tablet device for their work or curriculum? A er July 1st, the digital storefront for tablet procurement can be found within Service Now, ITS’ ticketing and customer service portal. Customers looking to purchase a device can submit and track an order completely through the Service Now portal.
For more information about this change, visit ITS‘ Changes to Tablet Purchasing website. There, you can also find more information about placing orders, the ordering process, and estimated shipping dates, as well as news and information regarding tablet purchasing for the university.
From now until May 19th, ITS employees can submit ideas and input for the IT strategic plan through the ITS Strategic Planning IdeaScale website. Visit the IdeaScale site by clicking the button below and logging in with your NAU Credentials.
Starting Summer of 2023, NAU will be switching the learning management system (o en called LMS) on campus from Blackboard Learn to Canvas. This means that a er May 12th, all NAU courses, including summer courses, will be held entirely within the Canvas environment.
The upcoming change to Canvas has been in the works for over 2 years now, with the final touches and metaphorical ribbon cu ing just around the corner from now. With the upcoming switch to Canvas, NAU has also prepared resources and materials for the NAU Community to get familiar with Canvas before the start of the new semester.
So why the change to our LMS system on campus? A er over 10 years of Blackboard Learn, the opportunity arose to assess and refresh the learning management system for NAU to be er suit the needs of instructors and students, which NAU opted to explore. A er a thorough selection process in 2021 with the NAU community, Canvas was chosen as the next learning management system for the university. The decision was driven by an overwhelming rating of Canvas, and was found to be the most effective solution for meeting NAU’s functional requirements, including usability and technological implementation and support.
NAU’s efforts to implement Canvas as the university’s new learning management system is a step towards progress and improving the academic experience offered by NAU, thus championing NAU’s vision and mission to empower student success and excellence. The new LMS will provide an enhanced and more efficient learning experience for students, while also improving workflows and workload for instructors.
The Lumberjack community is excited for the change, as well. It’s no secret that an institutions learning environment and approach have a profound impact on the overall student experience, with many students taking into consideration the modality of instruction and course materials as an important factor when it comes to choosing a university. On a recent Instagram post from ITS announcing the move to Canvas, one student commented “Wondering if I should transfer to NAU now that there is Canvas, Lol” this sentiment was echoed by others who le comments such as “Bless”, and “W”—Internet slang for a “win”.
Students at NAU can expect a fresh and innovative approach to their academic experience with the platform’s intuitive design, collaborative features, and flexibility. Furthermore, faculty can also reap the benefits of the platform, finding a user-friendly UI and robust tools to streamline back-end and administrative tasks. This will enable instructors to focus more time on teaching and guiding students, and less time on administrative duties. Additionally, Canvas will foster a more collaborative and supporting learning environment, allowing students and instructors to connect and collaborate more effectively. In addition to these features, a seamless mobile experience will be provided, with Canvas being integrated directly into the NAUgo application. This integration provides a new synergy to the NAUgo app, as well as the end-user experience for mobile devices.
In anticipation of Canvas’ debut for the Summer ‘23 semester, NAU has prepared a ’Passport to Canvas’ training module for all NAU students to familiarize themselves with the Canvas environment before the start of the new semester. For more information and to explore the Passport to Canvas course, you can visit ITS’ Canvas at NAU website (linked below).
For faculty looking for more information and resources from Canvas, visit Academic Affair’s LMS Transition website (also linked below).
To directly launch Canvas, visit canvas.nau.edu on your desktop device. Mobile users can launch Canvas via the NAUgo application.
