EDUCAUSE 2024 Themes and Takeaways

Posted on November 11, 2024
Cheryl McKearin, Szymon Machajewski, and Bryan Libbin at Educause 2024
R to L, Cheryl McKearin, Szymon Machajewski, and Bryan Libbin at Educause 2024

The EDUCAUSE 2024 Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, brought together leaders, educators, and edtech professionals to discuss how technology is reshaping higher education. This year’s theme emphasized building resilient institutions that are competent, caring, and led by strong leadership to meet the evolving needs of students, faculty, and staff.

Key Themes and Takeaways for UIC Instructors

  1. AI and Data-Driven Teaching
    Incorporating AI tools into teaching was a major theme at the conference. AI tools are reshaping education by enabling personalized learning experiences, adaptive content delivery, and data-driven insights into student progress. Schools are integrating AI to support adaptive learning pathways, where content and assessments adjust in real-time based on a student’s understanding and performance. This helps instructors provide more tailored feedback, identify struggling students earlier, and create a more supportive learning environment. AI is also being used to automate routine tasks, freeing instructors to focus more on student engagement and interactive teaching.

    • Actions: Incorporate generative AI tools into assignments to help students practice, receive feedback, and analyze writing trends. Students could use AI tools as part of a “feedback loop” in their learning process, where they can iterate on drafts, get new insights, and refine their understanding before final submission. This promotes active learning and a self-directed approach to skill improvement.
  2. Building a Community of Practice
    EDUCAUSE underscored the value of peer support communities. UIC instructors can form informal groups or join existing networks to exchange ideas on instructional tech, AI, and innovative teaching.

  3.  Improving Digital Equity in the Classroom
    Another vividly present theme in the conference was the importance of digital equity — an essential aspect of inclusive learning, and a goal UIC has pursued passionately. It was encouraging to see our values affirmed by the community of scholars and practitioners at large. While larger institutional changes are key, instructors can take immediate steps to improve accessibility in their own courses.

    • Action: Make sure course materials are accessible by using captions on videos, accessible document formats (such as PDFs with proper headings), and offering content in multiple formats to suit various learning needs. Check out UIC’s Digital Accessibility site for more help.
  4. Fostering a Culture of Trust and Transparency
    Building trust within the classroom was a recurring theme. UIC instructors can support transparency through clear communication around grading, data use, and course expectations.

    • Actions:
      • Be transparent with grading criteria and provide examples of graded work to clarify expectations. This can reduce student anxiety and promote fairness.
      • Encourage open feedback by setting aside time for students to share their thoughts on the course content and pace. Creating a dialogue helps foster a sense of community and trust.

Virtual Conference

For those unable to attend in person, EDUCAUSE offers a virtual conference on November 13-14 ($199 for Educause members), including access to exclusive content and recorded sessions.

Modified on November 12, 2024