ETS AI Information

Artificial Intelligence at the Foothill-De Anza Community College District

Welcome to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub for Foothill-De Anza Community College District—a virtual center of innovation, learning, and ethical advancement. We are committed to fostering a dynamic environment where inter-college collaboration and responsible innovation converge. Our AI Hub reflects the district’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible while ensuring that technological progress aligns with the goals of both the district and California Community Colleges.

At the heart of our mission is a commitment to responsible, ethical, and human-centered AI use. We believe that innovation must be guided by principles that prioritize fairness, transparency, and societal benefit. Our administrators, staff, faculty, and students engage in critical discussions about the implications of AI technologies, exploring ways to mitigate bias, protect privacy, and ensure that AI serves the greater good.

Whether you are a prospective student, a current member of our community, an industry partner, or any higher education stakeholder, we invite you to explore our AI Hub. Together, we can drive meaningful change and shape a future where AI empowers all of humanity.

What is ArtificiaI Intelligence?
AI Working Group Projects & Initiatives Information & Resources	Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, music, or videos, by learning from large datasets. Unlike traditional AI, which focuses on analyzing data to make decisions, generative AI produces original, realistic content based on what it has learned. Generative AI typically uses models like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Large Language Models (LLMs). These models are trained on extensive datasets, learning the patterns and structures within the data. For instance, an AI trained on numerous books can generate coherent and human-like text.

What is ArtificiaI Intelligence?

AI Working Group

Projects & Initiatives

Information & Resources

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, music, or videos, by learning from large datasets. Unlike traditional AI, which focuses on analyzing data to make decisions, generative AI produces original, realistic content based on what it has learned.

Generative AI typically uses models like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Large Language Models (LLMs). These models are trained on extensive datasets, learning the patterns and structures within the data. For instance, an AI trained on numerous books can generate coherent and human-like text.

The California Community Colleges has provided direction and Generative AI is called out in the Vision 2030 roadmap as one of the three key strategic directions. The California Community Colleges are committed to using AI to:
Support the teaching and learning process Improve communication with students Improve student engagement and retention	Improve operational and administrative efficiency Advance equitable support, access and success

The Artificial Intelligence Working Group, a subgroup of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District's Educational Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC), is focused on exploring, evaluating, and providing recommendations regarding the integration and utilization of artificial intelligence in higher education. Comprising diverse stakeholders, including faculty administrators, technical experts, and student representatives, the working group aims to foster a comprehensive understanding the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching, learning, and administrative functions, and student services within the district.

The charge of the Artificial Intelligence Working Group is as follows:

Review and Evaluation: Assess current artificial intelligence applications and systems within the district, examining their efficacy, ethical implications, and alignment with the district's educational and strategic objectives.
Recommendations: Recommend strategies and guidelines for responsible artificial intelligence implementation, suggesting best practices and ethical frameworks for the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in higher education.
Policy Formulation: Collaborate with relevant departments and/or stakeholder groups to inform the creation of and/or revision of district policies and procedures governing the use of artificial intelligence, ensuring transparency, fairness, and data privacy.
Education & Awareness: Contribute to the development of workshops and resources to educate stakeholders about artificial intelligence, fostering a culture of informed decision-making and ethical use.
Continuous Monitoring: Regularly monitor and assess the impact of artificial intelligence systems deployed within the district, providing feedback and adjustments as necessary to optimize their effectiveness, ethical application, and alignment with the district's educational and strategic objectives.

District AI Resources and Guides:

Artificial Intelligence Use & Adoption Considerations	AI in Higher Education: An End-User Guidebook for Employees	Internal Criteria for Evaluating AI Tools/Platforms
PDF document	PDF document	PDF document
Document links	Document links	Document links

District Projects & Initiatives:
Educational Technology Services (ETS) Includes the District Technology Plan, revised in 2022-23. In it, under the 2023-2024 Implementation Objectives, Goal 1 - Modernization, a strategy is: Explore avenues for effectively, securely, and ethically leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. Foothill College Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI) Established in the Summer of 2022 for interested faculty and staff to address how rapidly changing technology advancements can impact education and enhance more immersive student learning experiences. This institute offers a variety of technology labs, including the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab: “Artificial intelligence leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. The AI Lab is where we explore machine learning and robotics.” Lightleap.ai Initiative – Piloting through end of fiscal year An AI search bar customized for institutions of higher education that “will be the new solution for not only students but also for professors and chancellors as well. This level of customization ensures that the AI Seamlessly integrates into existing workflows, addressing specific challenges and enhancing efficiency with surgical precision.” Artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies are transforming classrooms. An article published on March 28, 2023, on the use of ChatGPT at Foothill College: “ChatGPT has taken over headlines and caused controversy nationwide with concerns about damaging education’s academic integrity. Foothill College, however, encourages discussions surrounding ChatGPT and is integrating virtual reality technology into the classroom.” Zoom AI Companion FHDA is currently considering whether or not to enable this feature on Zoom but needs first to explore security concerns and considerations. Some resources available via Zoom include: Zoom AI Companion Security and Privacy Whitepaper How Zoom AI Companion features handle your data CCC TechConnect held a webinar outlining the available features: Unleashing the Power of AI: Exploring Functionalities and Possibilities within Zoom Webinar

District Projects & Initiatives:

Educational Technology Services (ETS)

Includes the District Technology Plan, revised in 2022-23. In it, under the 2023-2024 Implementation Objectives, Goal 1 - Modernization, a strategy is:

Explore avenues for effectively, securely, and ethically leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.

Foothill College Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI)

Established in the Summer of 2022 for interested faculty and staff to address how rapidly changing technology advancements can impact education and enhance more immersive student learning experiences. This institute offers a variety of technology labs, including the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab:

“Artificial intelligence leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. The AI Lab is where we explore machine learning and robotics.”

Lightleap.ai Initiative – Piloting through end of fiscal year

An AI search bar customized for institutions of higher education that “will be the new solution for not only students but also for professors and chancellors as well. This level of customization ensures that the AI Seamlessly integrates into existing workflows, addressing specific challenges and enhancing efficiency with surgical precision.”

Artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies are transforming classrooms.

An article published on March 28, 2023, on the use of ChatGPT at Foothill College: “ChatGPT has taken over headlines and caused controversy nationwide with concerns about damaging education’s academic integrity. Foothill College, however, encourages discussions surrounding ChatGPT and is integrating virtual reality technology into the classroom.”

Zoom AI Companion

FHDA is currently considering whether or not to enable this feature on Zoom but needs first to explore security concerns and considerations. Some resources available via Zoom include:

- Zoom AI Companion Security and Privacy Whitepaper
- How Zoom AI Companion features handle your data

CCC TechConnect held a webinar outlining the available features:

Unleashing the Power of AI: Exploring Functionalities and Possibilities within Zoom Webinar

Additional Information & Resources
Articles: eCampus News: Defining higher-ed policy for AI in teaching and learning Inside Higher Ed: New ChatGPT Version Aiming at Higher Ed WCET: The Promise and Challenges of AI in Higher Ed Resources: Stanford University - Generative AI Policy Guidance WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies - WCET Resources WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies - WCET Policy Center Oregon University Artificial Intelligence Tools - Decision Tree & Bloom's Taxonomy AI Group Document Links - ETS Technology - AI at FHDA

Additional Information & Resources

Articles:

eCampus News: Defining higher-ed policy for AI in teaching and learning

Inside Higher Ed: New ChatGPT Version Aiming at Higher Ed

WCET: The Promise and Challenges of AI in Higher Ed

Resources:

Stanford University - Generative AI Policy Guidance

WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies - WCET Resources

WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies - WCET Policy Center

Oregon University Artificial Intelligence Tools - Decision Tree & Bloom's Taxonomy

AI Group Document Links - ETS Technology - AI at FHDA