Submissions (2)
Accepted (2):
Re-Defining Humanity in the Age of AI — Kevin Yee <kevin.yee@ucf.edu>
Not only is AI a permanent addition to the fabric of life, it’s not even a static concept. The specific tools and implementations of AI continue to evolve. Newer agentic browsers and wearables like AI-glasses with undetectable heads-up displays have, for example, offered completely new affordances and challenges than early generative AI tools like large language models. Things will change yet again as robotics and AI merge, humans implant computer chips in their brains, or “Artificial General Intelligence” (AGI) tools all but pass the Turing test and mimic sentience. What will humans do as AI proliferates? Will humans still work jobs? What will it mean, exactly, to even be human when technology becomes even more integrated in our experiences? We’ll take our best shot at reading the tea leaves in the hopes of preparing for such a dizzying future, including the future of learning at our institutions.
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Reclaiming the Human Element in STEM Classrooms — Brie Tripp <btripp@ucdavis.edu>
As undergraduate classrooms become increasingly shaped by technology, intentionally restoring the human dimensions of learning has become essential. Dr. Brie Tripp examines how purposeful course design situates scientific content within meaningful social and personal contexts, strengthening students’ engagement and well-being. Grounded in her empirical research, she highlights the Scientist Spotlight initiative, a metacognitive intervention featuring diverse, counter-stereotypical scientists that has been shown to significantly increase students’ sense of relatability to science. Dr. Tripp's scholarship also empirically investigates alternative grading practices, including quiz retakes and other low-stakes assessments. When paired with contextualized learning, these approaches shift the focus away from rigid content coverage and toward deeper, more durable learning. Collectively, this body of work reframes STEM classrooms as spaces where scientific inquiry and student well-being are mutually reinforced, where every learner can recognize their story as part of science.
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