This year’s Symposium focuses on the assessment of student learning as observable behavior. Sessions will examine how faculty and institutions document, evaluate, and improve demonstrated competencies through clear outcomes, transparent criteria, and authentic evidence. Featured topics include experiential and project-based learning, student participation in assessment, Competency-Based Education (CBE), accreditation and accountability, equity-focused assessment practices, outcomes-aligned grading, faculty learning communities, record keeping and data analysis, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping or evaluating observable learning outcomes. Registration: events.zoom.us/ev/Alt6PH3h_mn…
Do Submarines Swim? Rethinking AI and Inquiry in Higher Education
Read the full blog post on COACHES’ website
coaches.institute/2025/01/03/do-…
In this post, “Do Submarines Swim? Rethinking AI and Inquiry in Higher Education,” we explore how AI’s impressive capacity to generate answers does not necessarily translate to the kind of thinking that humans do. Citing Noam Chomsky’s famous question—“Do submarines swim?”—the blog invites higher education faculty to consider whether AI’s function can truly be called “thinking.”
Rather than dwell on whether computers have genuine cognition, the article underscores how faculty can guide students to create their own inquiries. It argues that genuine learning does not stem from obtaining right answers alone, especially not from AI-based tools. Instead, education should prioritize the ability to ask questions, conduct investigations, and develop the skills that enable learners to address real-world problems.
The blog highlights how algorithms and data fuel AI, while humans provide the questions, framing, and curiosity. Faculty are encouraged to move beyond fear that AI might simply hand out answers. Instead, the author emphasizes creating learning environments where students learn to refine their problem-solving methods, analyze sources critically, and collaborate effectively.
By shifting the instructional model from a teacher-focused “sage on the stage” to one that fosters questioning and exploration, faculty can transform AI from a feared shortcut into a valuable co-creator in the learning process. Ultimately, the post reminds educators that purposeful, guided inquiry remains at the heart of skill and competency development in higher education, even in the era of rapidly advancing AI.
Podcast
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