Innovating Higher Ed

Human-Centered AI Strategy: Empathy, Trust, Access | Professor Chesa Caparas

Fifty percent of faculty feel overwhelmed by new tech, yet student AI use is soaring. In this episode, Dr. Norma Jones talks with Professor Chesa Caparas, media-literacy scholar and Fulbright researcher, about a people-first path to AI adoption in higher education. Chesa shares how a two-question survey surfaces hidden anxieties, how faculty can adapt without burnout, and why over reliance on AI detectors can damage trust instead of protecting integrity. Take-aways • Ready-to-use survey that maps student comfort with AI • Tactics that keep feedback human while trimming workload • Red-flag signs your AI detector policy harms equity • First steps to close global and local connectivity gaps Subscribe for more higher-ed innovation

The Wonka-Lantern Framework: Creative & Ethical AI in Higher Education

Can a chocolate factory and a power ring teach us about the future of AI on campus? Dr. Norma Jones introduces the “Wonka-Lantern Framework,” pairing boundless creativity with moral clarity to guide AI integration across teaching, learning, and administration.

OER, ZTC & Lightning‑Fast AI Translation | Dr. Sarah Harmon

Textbooks can cost more than tuition,AI‑powered OER wipes that cost out entirely. In this conversation, Dr. Sarah Harmon, Adjunct Professor of Spanish and Linguistics, OER / ZTC Coordinator at Cañada College, and Chair of the SMCCCD Academic Senate Standing Committee on Teaching and Learning (DTLC), lays out the five‑spoke ZTC Wheelthat drives course material costs to $0 without sacrificing rigor. She then shows how LibreTexts’ machine translation delivers 90 %‑accurate Spanish and French editions in minutes and shares simple Creative Commons tips that keep lawyers happy while inviting global remix. Along the way, Harmon connects Universal Design for Learning with higher retention and offers open‑pedagogy ideas that turn students into co‑authors.

Assistive AI Tools: Transform Course Design & Assessment | Professor Scott James

Can a chatbot rewrite your toughest assignments in under five minutes? In this episode, Dr. Norma Jones talks with Scott James—an instructional-design veteran who began in disability services and now builds AI copilots for faculty. Scott explains how his PlayLab custom-bot lets instructors quarantine course materials, slash hallucinations, and surface crystal-clear rubrics—all without surrendering academic voice. He also shares why swapping text-only discussion boards for video collabs is boosting authenticity and how a Star-Wars-themed remix keeps his online class buzzing.  Take-aways • A step-by-step prompt flow to generate AI-resilient assignments in seconds • Tactics to “sandbox” sources and avoid copyright & bias headaches • Tips for injecting personality (and student joy) without extra grading time • Change-management moves that win over hesitant colleagues Professor Scott James Playlab Chatbots Classroom and Textbook Companion: https://www.playlab.ai/project/cm9k4twc108g6ojih3lbvwm83 [https://www.playlab.ai/project/cm9k4twc108g6ojih3lbvwm83] AI Redesign: https://www.playlab.ai/project/cma2sos8l1wkbrgigtms5xuxh [https://www.playlab.ai/project/cma2sos8l1wkbrgigtms5xuxh] EDUC-235 Educ Tech: AI for Educators https://colss-prod.cloud.rsccd.edu/Student/Courses/Search?keyword=EDUC-235 [https://colss-prod.cloud.rsccd.edu/Student/Courses/Search?keyword=EDUC-235]

ChatGPT Pro Deep Research: Worth It? | Tinker Lab with Dr. Norma Jones

Welcome to Tinker Lab, a dynamic new segment of Innovating Higher Ed. In this episode, host Dr. Norma Jones tests OpenAI’s powerful ChatGPT Pro and its premium Deep Research feature. Norma shares her firsthand experience using AI to draft and enhance chapters for an Open Educational Resources (OER) textbook on Public Speaking. Discover how ChatGPT Pro helped identify gaps, suggested valuable updates, and surfaced innovative best practices—especially in accessibility and presentation effectiveness. Step into the lab as we experiment, challenge assumptions, and ignite fresh ideas to elevate teaching and learning in higher education. Take-aways • When Deep Research shines: cross-disciplinary literature scans in minutes • Hidden gems: accessibility standards and medical-presentation insights to enrich course content • Red flags: phantom URLs and a quick Google Scholar back-check to fix them • Budget math: why lower-cost plans still cover most day-to-day course prep needs