AI tool adoption continues to increase across roles in higher education. But how do faculty and staff effectively implement AI within their individual areas and day-to-day tasks? Many lack guidance or training, and may even feel wary of new technologies.
According to a recent EDUCAUSE survey, while 94 percent of higher education workers use AI tools, only 54 percent are aware of their institution’s AI use policies and guidelines. Where policies exist, only about half of employees feel confident about using AI tools for work.
Hosting an AI hackathon can be a quick, relatively low-lift way to break the ice, pique curiosity, and assuage employees’ fears. It can give employees much-needed permission to explore and direct them to the tools your institution is pursuing as part of its larger technology stack, ultimately helping employees to effectively utilize AI tools in their own specific roles and contexts.
At WGU Labs, we have hosted several AI hackathons and other events to support our team and the broader organization in acquiring and leveraging new technological skills. As part of our mission to support scalable solutions that address the biggest challenges in education today, we compiled a comprehensive guide to hosting an AI hackathon at your institution — including sample exercises, rubrics, agendas, and additional resources.
We hope that other institutions will leverage this free downloadable to spur innovation at their own institutions and host their own AI hackathons. Happy innovating!
WGU Labs | Downloadable AI Hackathon Toolkit
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