Within the framework of Principled Innovation, collaboration is fundamental to bringing diverse perspectives together and fostering the critical reflection needed for creative solutions. Recognizing the challenges faced in higher education while working in the rapidly evolving field of AI, ASU launched Campus AI/PI Communities of Practice (CoPs) to prepare faculty for this dynamic landscape.
These efforts demonstrate ASU’s commitment to building communities that could leverage AI to enhance student success, drive research, and transform the future of education and work. The Downtown campus event on October 24, 2024, gathered 55 faculty from five ASU colleges. The event began with remarks by Vice Provost Anne Jones and Thunderbird Dean Charla, emphasizing the importance of cross-discipline collaboration for advancing ASU’s AI initiatives. A faculty panel, facilitated by Anjelina Belakovskaia, featured AI experts Lance Gharavi (School of Theatre, Film and Media), Retha Hill (Cronkite School of Journalism), and Doug Guthrie (Thunderbird School of Global Management), who shared diverse perspectives. The agenda included interactive discussions on ethical AI practices in teaching and learning and reflections on the intersection of AI and Principled Innovation in value-based decision-making.
Faculty explored how to responsibly and effectively integrate AI into teaching while fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning.
Amy PateDirector of Learning Technology, Office of the University Provost
Positive feedback from this event resulted in the plans for a regular series of Downtown “Thunderbird Tech/Talks” Community of Practice sessions at the Downtown campus for 2025, supported by mini-grants. Building on this success, a second event was held at the West Valley campus on December 9, 2024, focusing on integrating inclusion, empathy, and intellectual humility into AI implementation strategies. Faculty explored how to responsibly and effectively integrate AI into teaching while fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning. Vice Provost Jones opened the session, followed by table discussions facilitated by the New College AI Committee, leading discussions on defining “wins” for AI in education, addressing resistance, supporting students with varied academic backgrounds, and developing AI literacy as a critical skill. These discussions encouraged participants to share practical strategies and reflect on institutional support for ethical AI use.
Each event exemplifies collaboration as a performance asset of Principled Innovation—engaging diverse perspectives, fostering empathy, and establishing shared goals to drive innovative and sustainable solutions. They also promote critical thinking by challenging faculty to reflect on their beliefs, consider alternative viewpoints, and remain open to new ideas about AI’s role in education. With plans to expand these CoPs to the Polytech and Mesa campuses in 2025, ASU continues cultivating a culture of collaboration and critical thinking, ensuring ethical and inclusive AI practices across disciplines.
