Online discussion turns students into robots. Can AI help?

Concurrent Session 5
Leadership

Brief Abstract

Most class-based discussion forums are ineffective, poorly designed and actively counterproductive. But that doesn’t mean online discussion is always bad: done right, it can be transformative. At this panel, we’ll discuss how to build strong online discussion communities that don’t turn students into robots — and how AI can actually help.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Newton Miller, University of Arizona Global Campus

Dr. Newton Miller has been committed to the education arena since 1992 when converted non-traditionally from the ranks of the engineering field. His research interest lies within educating at-potential populations, focusing on the systemic thinking tied to student achievement, effective school cultures, and facilitating programming and instruction that promotes educational success within non-traditional and marginalized adult populations. Some of Dr. Miller’s contributions to the world of education have been lauded by honors like the Impact Award from the Urban League San Diego County, 2018; Provost Award for Outstanding Faculty, from Ashford University, 2014 and the Excellence in Teaching Award from Swarthmore College, 2012. He is the author of 'Why Some Seeds Don’t Grow' a book that sheds light on high impact principles needed to enhance the educating, mentoring and parenting of urban youth. Dr. Miller believes educators are meant to facilitate the thinking that changes the world; thus his mantra is: Educate … Motivate … Help Them Grow! Fun Fact: Dr. Miller’s dream job was as a Structural Engineer until he stood in front of a classroom of knowledge-hungry, inner-city students. It was at that moment he knew his true purpose and career path was to be an educator. Some of the research, publications and presentations Dr. Miller has contributed to the education arena are: • The 3T’s of Effective Online Instruction • Learning from Men of Color: Creating Culturally Responsive Academic and Student Service Systems • Learning from Men of Color: Factors Leading to the Success of Men of Color in Online Higher Education Programs • A guide to effective learning walks in YouthBuild programs. • The Digital Divide: Does computerized instruction affect math and reading scores of urban high school students. • Intervention Convention: A manual for implementing PLATO as an intervention in failing urban middle schools. • Classroom Techniques: A Professional Development. • Classroom Management in a Socratic Classroom: A Professional Development. • Leading the leader to prepare urban secondary students for a successful transition to post-secondary placements: A Laundry list of necessary components that should dominate the school culture of transitioning high school students and strategies to implement them. • Using classroom walkthroughs as data collection tool to enhance direct instruction and professional development. • Establishing a Model for Back-on-Track through College. How Community Based Organizations can Partner with Community Colleges to Support Postsecondary Success for Previously Disconnected Youth. • Using computer-based learning environments to establish effective individual academic interventions in public school systems as a differentiated instruction option.

Co-presenter: Jennifer Summers, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences

Co-presenter: Andrew Shean, Penn Foster

Dr. Andrew Shean is the Chief Learning Officer at Penn Foster where he leads academic program leadership, curriculum/courseware, academic support, faculty, non-academic support, and academic operations in pursuit of improving student lives. Penn Foster recently earned one of the best online providers in 2023 from Newsweek. Previously, Dr. Shean was the Senior Vice President & Chief Academic Officer at National Education Partners. In the earlier stages of his career, Dr. Shean has served in a variety of roles: the Chief Academic Learning Officer for Bridgepoint Education, Vice Provost for Ashford University, Executive Dean for the College of Education at Ashford University, and helped lead the Poway Unified School District’s initiative to develop online and 1-1 education programs. He also served as a high school English teacher where he was named the 2009 District Teacher of the Year. In 2014, Dr. Shean was selected to be one of six faculty to lead the Institute for Engaged Leadership in Online Education through Penn State World Campus in partnership with Online Learning Consortium. In 2017, Dr. Shean was selected as a Chief Academic Officer Digital Fellow, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation along with 31 other CAO's from across the country. Dr. Shean currently serves on the Association for Chief Academic Officers Board of Trustees, is sought out to give keynotes, and is highly involved in academic research. Dr. Shean earned his Doctorate of Educational Leadership and Management degree from Alliant International University. He holds an MA in Education and a BA in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado.

Co-presenter: Devyn Maguire, Packback

Extended Abstract

The past two years have necessitated creative thinking about what works in online learning — and what it takes to help more students engage in an increasingly remote education landscape. One tool that has great potential to facilitate curiosity and critical thinking in the classroom has, unfortunately, been slow to evolve: the old-fashioned discussion forum. Online bulletin boards and virtual communities are vibrant places for many college students to argue and share thoughts about sports to video games – why can’t classroom discussion forums be just as engaging?

As counterintuitive as it may seem, artificial intelligence may hold the key to building discussion forums that don’t turn students into robots. Today’s AI is sophisticated enough to play a transformative role in the discussion experience: providing real-time feedback on discussion posts, evaluating the open-endedness and creativity with which students write, and incentivizing students to write well-articulated and well-supported responses. Not only does this enable instructors to spend time on substantive feedback rather than the basics of grammar and structure, but the immediate feedback can also guide students towards longer discussions, more thoughtful responses, and deeper engagement with course materials.

The educators, higher education decision-makers and technology experts on this panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing new online discussion technologies into in-person, virtual, and hybrid classrooms. Drawing on the very pedagogical strategies that make AI-enabled discussion effective, the panel will take an “inside-out” approach, beginning by asking the audience questions to spark their curiosity and engage them in the conversation before the substance of the panel even begins. 

Attendees will learn about the role of emerging technologies in improving discussion, the keys to effective discussion-based pedagogy, and will discuss strategies to avoid the traditional online discussion forum in favor of more student-centric, dynamic approaches to student engagement.