About This Session
How can a small institution best address the crucial need to build AI literacy and ensure informed, secure, and responsible AI use by all campus constituencies? Wellesley College's approach includes a variety of training models designed to support the differing needs of faculty, staff, and students — all with a small team.
This session shares what worked, what reached capacity in two hours, and how evolving AI tool availability shaped the strategy — from AI administrative roadshows to Faculty Unconferences to a 3-part staff workshop series that filled immediately.
The Multi-Faceted Approach
Faculty Unconferences
Two innovative faculty "unconferences" to explore AI issues across disciplinary boundaries — drawing ~⅓ of faculty and generating continuing conversations that lasted well beyond the event.
Staff Workshop Series
A 3-part in-person workshop series for administrative staff — capped at 25, reached capacity in under 2 hours, and generated a large waiting list.
Equitable Tool Access
The search for an equitable, secure, and affordable means of providing AI access for everyone — leading to Amplify, Google Gemini, and NotebookLM as complementary platforms.
Adaptive Content
Changing content and mode to suit each audience based on participant responses and surveys — a defining feature that kept the program relevant as the AI landscape shifted.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand differing methods for providing faculty, staff, and students with appropriate institutional resources for AI literacy development that scales with organizational change management.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of a multi-faceted approach offering various training models with varying depth, format, and audience.
- Take away lessons learned and successful activities to educate different constituencies in the appropriate use of AI tools.