Virtual, free event features how AI can boost productivity, enhance content creation and support existing skills, highlighting higher education experts who developed new University course on Generative AI in Everyday Life

University of Phoenix is pleased to announce that it will host a webinar “Embracing the Future: Benefits and Uses of Generative AI” on Thursday, November 7, 12:00pm AZT (11:00am PT, 2:00pm ET). The event features University of Phoenix leaders Marc Booker, Ph.D., vice provost, Strategy; Mary Elizabeth Smith, M.Ed., director, Learning Innovation Strategy in the Center for Teaching and Learning; Tahnja Wilson, MBA, director, Faculty Training and Development in Academic Affairs; and Julie Cain, M.Ed., senior instructional designer, for a panel discussion focused on how generative AI can boost productivity, enhance content creation and support existing skills. The virtual event is free and open to the public.

“AI represents an enormous opportunity in how we approach and perceive learner experiences and how we structure content so that it is relevant to the workplace of today. As we follow the rapid evolution of AI, we must continuously provide upskilling activities and engage in lifelong learning so learners can stay competitive in the workforce,” states Booker. “We look forward to sharing insights about how workers and learners can leverage generative AI to gain competitive skills, the importance of durable skills, and practical steps for using generative AI in daily lives.”

The University of Phoenix’s 2024 Career Optimism Index® study found that workers are increasingly embracing AI in the workplace and see its potential to drive career advancement: 44% of workers think knowledge of how to use AI in their work is very or extremely valuable to their career or building their career. Additionally, those who currently use AI are already experiencing the benefits that AI has for their productivity and work-life balance with 85% saying that using AI to assist them in completing their work has improved their productivity, and 81% saying it has improved their work-life balance.

The webinar panel experts contributed to the planning and curriculum of a new, foundational course offered by University of Phoenix, Generative AI in Everyday Life, which equips learners with an understanding of generative AI technology, including hands-on experience with AI tools. In this five-week course learners can gain the following skills:

• Creative Thinking: create original digital content using generative AI tools and adapt prompts to improve outputs
• Ethical Reasoning: analyze the ethics, transparency, safety, and impact of generative AI tools and outputs
• Lifelong Learning: describe generative AI and its applicability in everyday life.

As Vice Provost for Strategy at the University of Phoenix, Booker oversees critical path academic initiatives to improve the student experience such as learning platform implementations, curricular enhancements, and developing empathetic solutions to drive improved student outcomes through data. He is the recipient of the 2024 UPCEA Operational Excellence Award and a 2024 American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) Thomas A. Bilger Award. In 2023, he was part of a leadership team named winners of the Catalyst Award for Teaching & Learning. Booker has been an employee of the University of Phoenix since 2001, previously serving multiple leadership roles including as vice president of Admissions and Evaluation at University of Phoenix.

Smith is the Director of Learning Innovation Strategy in the Center for Teaching and Learning at University of Phoenix and previously served as the Research and Implementation Strategist and the Director of Curriculum Development. Smith recently co-authored a white paper on how digitized skills-aligned aligned curriculum ensures a career focused learning experience. For over 30 years, Smith’s career in education has included working in curriculum development, learning design, faculty development, faculty, and e-learning roles for four universities and several community colleges as well as two educational software companies. She holds a bachelor’s in Speech Communication and Journalism from Southern Illinois University and an M.Ed. in Educational Media and Computers from Arizona State University.

Wilson is the Director of Faculty Training and Development at University of Phoenix where she helps drive innovation and supports faculty excellence. Her professional accomplishments include redesigning in-person courses for online delivery at Arizona State University. Since joining University of Phoenix in 2019, she has led initiatives in faculty training and development, with research interests in artificial intelligence, games in learning, and personalized education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Washington, a master's in international management from Thunderbird, and an MBA from Arizona State University.

Cain is an innovative designer with decades of experience designing engaging curriculum and media for classroom and online learning. She started with the University in 2011 after teaching at the secondary level to pursue a path serving career-minded adults—first in student services, then as an editor, and now, as a senior instructional designer. Cain holds a Bachelor of Education from Arizona State University and a Master of Education in Educational and Instructional Technology from Western Governors University. Her current projects involve designing and implementing practical tutorials on ethical uses of generative AI tools to support learners’ academic and professional goals.

Register here for the Embracing the Future webinar focused on generative AI.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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