In collaboration with ISC and Penn Libraries, CETLI was honored to receive a Draw Down the Lightning Grant for the AI Curriculum & Training Initiative, which will offer AI learning opportunities for Penn staff who are using Penn AI tools. The aim is to provide hands-on, practical learning opportunities that will help faculty and staff develop skills and make informed decisions about how to apply those skills to their job context. Â
The initiative will offer three courses: AI Essentials, AI in the Classroom, and AI in the Workplace. Participants will have the option to take all three courses to develop strong foundational knowledge, or, for those who feel like they already have a foundation, skip the Essentials course and focus on AI in the Classroom and AI in the Workplace. The initiative is scheduled to launch in early fall 2025 and run through early spring 2026.Â
A representative from the Initiative's interdisciplinary curriculum team will lead each session. Rachel Hoke of CETLI is the lead for the curriculum team that includes members of ISC, Penn Libraries, and CETLI. Graduate students will serve as TAs in each of the courses, which will also give them the opportunity to gain experience incorporating AI into their pedagogy before they enter the job market. The curriculum team is in the midst of a robust curricular mapping and instructional design process to create a cohesive curriculum that responds to a diverse range of training needs. Â
At the end of the grant period, the Initiative will perform a thorough evaluation of the program and assess how participants were able to apply the knowledge in their work and imagine what they might do next. Â