Conference: nairr pilot expansion: FA2: capacity and community for 4-year institutions

This federal Project Grant award, valued at $299,762, was provided by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070). The award was granted to Grinnell College, in collaboration with the Computing Research Association, Swarthmore College, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, to engage faculty from four-year institutions and increase their capacity and utilization of the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot for AI education.

The key objectives of this project are to: (1) facilitate a community of practice among faculty to implement AI courses/modules; (2) establish best practices for AI education at four-year institutions; (3) improve faculty confidence in using NAIRR pilot resources; and (4) develop strategies for integrating AI content into undergraduate curricula. The project will achieve these goals through a series of virtual roundtable discussions and an in-person workshop. This initiative aims to expand the NAIRR pilot community and equip educators with the tools and knowledge to bring AI learning experiences into classrooms nationwide. The project will run from Apr 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026.

Abstract

Grinnell college in collaboration with the computing research association, swarthmore college, and rose-hulman institute of technology will engage faculty from four-year institutions to increase artificial intelligence (AI) education capacity and utilize shared resources in the national AI research resource (nairr) pilot. Expanding access to AI education is critical to preparing a next-generation workforce. This project addresses challenges in expanding AI education by fostering a community of practice and supporting faculty at these institutions through a series of virtual roundtable discussions and an in-person workshop. As part of a broader national effort spanning different types of institutions of higher education, this initiative seeks to expand the nairr pilot community by equipping educators with the tools and knowledge needed to bring AI learning experiences into classrooms nationwide. The project has four primary goals: (1) facilitate increased instructional capacity and develop a sustainable community of practice among faculty at four-year institutions who are implementing AI courses or modules into undergraduate curricula; (2) establish a shared understanding of best practices for AI education relevant to four-year institutions; (3) improve faculty confidence at 4-year institutions in using nairr pilot resources for AI instruction; and (4) develop strategies for integrating AI content into undergraduate courses, particularly where computational resources are limited. The virtual roundtable discussions will bring educators together in small groups to identify challenges and barriers to increasing AI education capacity and effectively utilizing nairr pilot resources. Insights gathered from these discussions will shape the agenda for an in-person workshop, where participants will further explore these challenges, opportunities, and available resources. The workshop will culminate in a publicly available report outlining best practices, example implementations, and recommendations for leveraging nairr pilot resources in AI education. By combining virtual and in-person engagement, the project fosters collaboration, enhances accessibility, and supports faculty in expanding AI education at four-year institutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.