Contact:
Bob Spieldenner
bobspiedenner@schev.edu
(804) 225-2628
February 27, 2024
For immediate release
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia awarded a total of $225,000 in grants to boost integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into classrooms and build AI curricular pathways between secondary and postsecondary education.
George Mason University, Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University each received $75,000 as part of the 2024 Fund for Excellence and Innovation grant program. Their work will help address issues identified in Governor Youngkin’s Executive Directive Number 5 and subsequent Executive Order Number 30.
George Mason University will partner with four other institutions – Bridgewater College, James Madison University, Roanoke College and the University of Virginia – to develop research, resources and a series of workshops to aid faculty with AI integration in the classroom. This work will be supported by a business and industry advisory board to inform curriculum design.
Old Dominion University and Suffolk County Public Schools will create a regional education collaborative focused on defining curricular pathways for students. The collaborative, titled COVAConnectAI, will be constructed by applying a design-thinking model and will collaborate with local business and industry.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Goochland County Public Schools and Henrico County Public Schools will design summer workshops for K-12 teachers to produce AI resources for the classroom. Additionally, the team will build curricular pathways between K-12 and higher education involving high-quality, work-based learning experiences for students.
“These three teams will build a foundation that other education providers in the Commonwealth can emulate as they look to incorporate AI into their efforts,” said Alan Edwards, SCHEV interim director. “The ethical and responsible use of AI in our schools, colleges and universities is key to preparing Virginians for the workforce of the future.”
The Fund for Excellence and Innovation was established by the General Assembly in 2016 to stimulate collaboration among public school divisions, community colleges and public universities; expand affordable education; and reduce costs.
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The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the state’s coordinating agency for higher education. With Pathways to Opportunity: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, SCHEV is dedicated to making Virginia the best state for education by 2030. For more on this statewide strategic plan, visit schev.edu/TheVirginiaPlan.
