Empowering minds... with AI

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and reshaping the future of work, the role of educators has never been more crucial.

Enter the Summer School for Teaching Faculty: Empowering Minds, a groundbreaking and transformative programme designed specifically for teaching faculty to equip them with the knowledge, and skills needed to integrate AI-driven tools into their teaching practices and research methodologies; creating dynamic, responsive, and learner-centered environments.

Held this year with a focus on 'Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research,' the summer school catalysed positive change in teaching practices by providing a unique platform for teachers to explore AI’s potential, not just as a teaching aid but also as a driver of innovation in academic research.

Faculty members from different disciplines and various academic institutions in the Sultanate of Oman were immersed in a week-long journey of engaging workshops, interactive discussions, expert-led sessions, and hands-on activities, all aimed at fostering AI literacy and application among faculty from diverse disciplines.

Dr Asma al Ghassani, Assistant Professor and Director of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Sultan Qaboos University, stated that this summer school bringing international and national experts to train higher education faculty and enhance their AI literacy. She noted that the programme went beyond AI in education, placing a spotlight on its role in advancing academic research. The discussions and debates during the programme have sparked numerous innovative ideas while expanding networking opportunities among faculty from various institutions.

It is obvious that there is a paradigm shift in education - from teacher-centered instruction to a learner-centered approach, and the summer school addressed this transition head-on, offering educators the chance to learn about AI's role in personalised learning, tailoring educational content to meet individual needs, analyzing large sets of educational data to identify trends and improve curricula, and enabling real-time feedback.

In research, AI facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration and automates data analysis. This paradigm shift transforms traditional methods, fosters innovation, and ultimately reshapes how knowledge is acquired, shared, and applied across various disciplines.

"AI isn't meant to replace educators; it's designed to amplify their capabilities," remarked Dr Adhari al Zaabi, Assistant Professor at Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine and Health Sciences. The faculty were encouraged to rethink traditional pedagogical models, from adaptive learning platforms that tailor instruction to individual students' needs, to AI-driven tools that enhance engagement and creativity.

As AI continues to evolve, educators and researchers must remain agile and open to change. This means that they must adapt and embrace these evolving technologies to remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape and therefore become sustainable in the future.

The Summer School for Teaching Faculty is part of a broader effort to ensure that teaching professionals stay at the forefront of these developments and keep pace with this trend of transition, adopt and adapt the opportunities and challenges of AI-enabled technologies.