AI Readiness in Education

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is not just about accessibility but about readiness—how effectively students can use AI as a tool to enhance their career prospects. That's the vision shared by Dr. Ngoc Cindy Pham, an associate professor of marketing at CUNY Brooklyn College and a research collaborator at NYU Tandon. Dr. Pham's insights into the integration of AI into educational curricula provide a roadmap for creating a more responsive and relevant learning environment for students in the AI era.

Experiential learning and AI readiness

Dr. Pham's journey into education was influenced by her background, with her father in business and her mother in teaching. By bridging these worlds, she aimed to fill the gap between educational outcomes and employer expectations. Her early efforts in equipping students with practical skills were challenged by the rapid rise of AI in workplaces. Employers began seeking candidates with specific AI problem-solving skills, a turning point that led Dr. Pham to integrate AI-focused sprints and real-world scenarios into her marketing curriculum.

The experiential learning methodologies that Dr. Pham employs have a strong emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving. She redesigned assessments to focus on students defending their AI-assisted decisions. "Student must defend their AI assisted decision alone, and I created the reasoning rather than the AI output itself," she explains. This shift not only reinforces marketing concepts but also ensures students can apply them in practical, AI-driven contexts.

Building industry connections

Building connections with employers at Brooklyn College was initially a challenge for Dr. Pham when she relocated from Houston. She leveraged the Magner Career Center to build a network of employers interested in aligning their needs with the academic skills of students. These partnerships have been integral in shaping curriculum design that directly reflects industry requirements, ensuring students are prepared for the realities of the AI-influenced job market.

Dr. Pham stresses the importance of viewing employers as co-creators of the educational curriculum. She argues for a shift from developing curricula based purely on academic theory to one that is evidence-based and driven by real-world needs. This approach ensures that graduates are not just equipped with theoretical knowledge but with skills that meet emerging demands.

The future of AI in higher education

Dr. Pham envisions a future where AI literacy and readiness are central to educational frameworks. Her work with the Bridge AI Lab seeks to extend collaborations with industry experts to develop frameworks applicable to various sectors. This proactive engagement with industry ensures that educational institutions can rapidly adapt to evolving technologies and maintain relevance in their offerings.

In Dr. Pham's view, the transition to AI-readiness is a perpetual cycle of collaboration between educators and industry. By integrating industry insights and crafting industry-specific training and frameworks, educational institutions can bridge the gap between current pedagogies and future workplace demands. Dr. Pham’s efforts reflect a broader trend in education that recognizes the transformative potential of AI and the need for adaptive, real-time curriculum development.