This week’s ITC eNews digest includes a video of a presentation regarding “AI and the future of teaching, learning and work”. The presentation is intended for campus leadership but I think you will find that it resonates at any level of the community college org chart. After all, AI is having/will continue to have an impact everywhere. I know there are colleagues that are concerned/somehow hope to prevent AI, but I don’t see any way to stop a global phenomenon like AI. Rather, the challenge is helping our students – and colleagues – to devise appropriate guardrails, address ethical concerns, and to find ways to empower through the educational process and professional development. After all, that is the role that higher education has always had in preparing students for the advances in technology.
The arrival of AI also presents a significant challenge to our institutional leadership. AI represents a paradigm shift that in turn challenges seemingly everything we do. The AI challenge is one of a growing number of events and factors that has openly questioned the value and ROI of what we teach/the degrees we award/our relevance to the 21st Century economy.
National surveys have repeatedly confirmed that anything technology is the Achille’s Heel for most college leadership. Very few of our leaders have had firsthand experience with technology as they climbed the career ladder. And oddly, most national leadership programs that prepare aspiring leaders do not discuss technology. Seriously. Topics like “the importance of Distance Learning” or “What does cybersecurity look like in the age of AI?” Or, “How does higher ed prepare students for a 21st Century technology economy?” are not on the agenda.
So, what can be done? You can be part of the solution. I’d advise against meeting with your leadership for the opportunity to point out any shortcomings they may have. Surprisingly, most people – including college leadership – don’t take kindly to such unsolicited observations . Instead, I would recommend “leading from the middle” - - Top 10 Strategies For Leading From The Middle. You can encourage change, effect change or even drive change. Use your network on campus to engage others as well. Advocate for dialog – all institutions are facing a growing number of surreal challenges. Morale is being impacted, and to be honest, most of us feel more than a little wonky about how to move forward. We need dialog and improved communication. We need to identify the challenges and discuss solutions appropriate to our respective organizations. We need support – and patience - to better adapt to the evolving edtech – and we need assistance in leveling up our curriculum and pedagogical approach to teaching to remain relevant as well.
To be honest, doing anything is much better than the current reality – falling further and further behind because of ignorance, indifference and/or fear. Higher education is ultra-conservative and very fearful of change. None of us seek to upend our traditions and rituals, but we do need to remain relevant - and to be the adults in the room recognizing our responsibility to our students/their future relevance. Leading from the middle may succeed in opening some doors, may effect some changes, and may - may I say – help to move our colleges forward.
Recommended Reading
Report: Basic security failures continue to fuel Enterprise breaches, Campus Technology
Despite years of investment in cybersecurity technologies, many enterprise breaches still begin with familiar weaknesses, according to SonicWall's 2026 Cyber Protect Report. Organizations continue to be compromised by poor patch management, weak identity controls, excessive user privileges, and inconsistent security practices.
Faith in higher ed slips: 38% of adults report high confidence, Education Dive
Just 38% of U.S. adults report having high confidence in higher education, down from the 42% who said the same last year, according to a Lumina Foundation and Gallup poll
Building AI that teaches: scaling learning systems, eCampus News
Crafting an AI-native learning platform also requires rethinking content delivery, assessment, and learner support as a single integrated system
90% of students use AI in the classroom, Instructure poll finds, Education Dive
A large majority of college students — 90% — report using artificial intelligence in class at least occasionally, according to new survey data from ed tech provider Instructure. Educators are looking for support in the form of hands-on training, clear guidance from their institutions about AI use, and ongoing professional development on the topic, according to Instructure.
Beyond GhatGPT: how to create successful AI-ready students, Unversity Business Magazine
Colleges continue to find innovative ways to inject AI into the curriculum despite nagging student mistrust. Most students will accept using evolving technology if it’s used to enhance—rather than automate—human decision-making.
6 trends shaping fast-evolving online business education landscape in 2026, University Business Magazine
Online business education is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Artificial intelligence, changing learner expectations, and new delivery models are prompting institutions to rethink how they deliver value to individuals and organizations.
Video of the Week
Presidential Speaker Series (CT): AI and the future of teaching, learning and work, YouTube
What does artificial intelligence mean for community colleges, their students, and the workforce they serve?
