2025 AI Fair

Virtual Meeting Room Opens & Welcome Remarks

Keynote: Finding Your Footing: Encouragement for Navigating Generative AI Across Disciplines, by Dr. Jeanne Law

Keeping pace with generative AI sometimes feels like trying to win a race you never signed up for. Faculty from all disciplines may feel uncertain about integrating these rapidly changing technologies effectively and comfortably into their teaching practices. This keynote addresses that uncertainty head-on, showcasing practical strategies for faculty to leverage generative AI confidently within their comfort zones, enriching their teaching methods and enhancing student learning.

Central to this conversation is the OpenStax Writing Guide GPT, a custom-built, open educational resource (OER) developed to support AI literacy, critical thinking, and metacognitive skills for students from diverse academic backgrounds and disciplines. We will also explore a prompting framework designed and tested at KSU to guide students through AI interactions, promoting reflective learning and always keeping humans at the helm of AI collaborations.

A live demonstration of the Custom GPT will illustrate how generative AI serves as a cognitive scaffold, encouraging deeper engagement, critical thinking, and metacognition without overshadowing faculty autonomy or disciplinary expertise. Participants will experience how Custom GPTs can foster meaningful collaborations between students and faculty, enhance student confidence in AI-assisted literacy, and support interdisciplinary teaching objectives.

Ultimately, this keynote presents generative AI as a versatile ally rather than a disruptive force, highlighting ways faculty can maintain instructional autonomy and adapt comfortably to AI-driven changes, while actively fostering AI literacy, critical thinking, and deep learning across diverse disciplines to prepare KSU students to thrive in the AI-infused workplaces of the now.

Custom GPT

About Dr. Law: Jeanne Beatrix Law is a professor of English, director of the first-year writing, and coordinator of the new graduate certificate in AI Writing Technologies at Kennesaw State University. Her research specialties including multimodal languaging, custom GPTs for creative and applied writing use cases, and generative AI technologies for professional communication. Her public scholarship includes scaling oral histories into large language models, transforming open educational resources into interactive GPT textbooks, and teaching generative AI for grant writing and everyday use to multiple industry audiences. Jeanne is the co-author of The Writer’s Loop: A Guide to College Writing (Macmillan) and is a founding author for MacMillan Education’s Multimodal Mondays and Bits on Bots blog series. She has authored chapters on generative AI in edited collections from The University of Illinois Press and Computers & Composition. Her work is also regularly featured in print and digital public media, including The Chronicle of Higher Education and Government Technology Magazine. She writes for The Conversation and is the lead researcher for the nationally recognized #ATLStudentMovement digital oral history project. She has authored eight courses on Coursera on generative AI use, featuring her Rhetorical Prompting Method (RPM). She is the lead researcher on both external and internal grants to pilot this method as prompt-first AI literacy. Jeanne also serves as a faculty mentor for the AAC&U’s AI Pedagogy Institute and is on the educator leadership council for Boodle Box and the educator leadership community for OpenAI.

She has been called on as an AI use case expert by private industry and the University System of Georgia on numerous occasions, including serving on a plenary panel and conducting two prompt engineering workshops for the inaugural USG AI Summit. She has presented and published numerous times since 2022 for professional, public, and academic audience on the ethical uses of generative AI, including leading prompt engineering workshops in 2023 and 2024 at Open Educa Berlin (OEB). Her digital and f2f audiences total more than 10,000. Her greatest educational passion is making sure that generative AI use cases are accessible to everyone. Her personal passion is her service Dog, Henck.

Visit Dr. Law’s Kennesaw State University faculty page for current information, and follow her on LinkedIn.

Welcome

The doors will open and faculty and staff will be invited to come inside as day 2 launches!

Student Use of AI: A Conversation With Two Undergraduates

• Presenters: Jessica Joachim and Olivia Ruiz
• Abstract: Join us for "Student Use of AI: A Conversation With Two Undergraduates," where two students will share their perspectives, experiences, and opinions on using artificial intelligence in academic, personal, and professional contexts. This interactive session will provide valuable insights into how students are leveraging AI tools, their thoughts on AI's benefits and challenges, and AI's role in their educational journey. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A session, offering KSU faculty the opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of student use of AI. This session is designed to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration between students and faculty around the evolving role of AI in higher education.

Investigating the Unexpected: Methods for Managing Unstructured Information for Research

• Presenter: Dylan Goldblatt
• Abstract: In today’s data-rich research environment, unstructured information—ranging from free-text documents and multimedia files to social media feeds—often holds untapped potential and hidden insights. This lecture explores robust methods for managing, analyzing, and deriving meaning from such unpredictable data sources. We will delve into strategies for data cleaning, text mining, natural language processing (NLP), and forcing structured output, providing a comprehensive toolkit for researchers who wish to turn chaotic data into actionable knowledge. Through case studies and practical demonstrations, attendees will learn how to design workflows that anticipate the unexpected, leverage computational techniques for structure extraction, and ultimately enhance their research outcomes by embracing the complexity of unstructured information.

11 a.m.

Enhancing Instruction With Microsoft Copilot Chat

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: This session aims to introduce faculty to Microsoft Copilot, showcasing its capabilities and practical applications in an educational setting. Participants will learn how to leverage Copilot to enhance productivity, streamline content creation, and support instructional activities with advanced AI tools. We will also showcase how to introduce Copilot Chat to students and ways that you can integrate it into your curriculum.
• Participants will understand the core functionalities of Microsoft Copilot
• Participants will explore practical use cases for Copilot in areas like content creation and student support
• Participants will learn best practices for integrating Copilot into daily instructional tasks
• Participants will explore use cases for faculty to frame how students can use Copilot for learning and assignments

1 p.m.

Introduction to Skillsoft's CAISY AI Simulator

• Presenter: Cayla Howard
• Abstract: This workshop introduces learners to CAISY. CAISY provides interactive, scenario-based content powered by AI where a learner can practice new skills in a safe space. This AI simulation content allows learners to choose roles and practice specific skills by responding to AI prompts. The CAISY AI simulator rates your responses as if it were a HR representative employing best practices for the given situation.

2 p.m.

Inference at the Edge: How to Work Securely and Offline with Language Models

• Presenter: Dylan Goldblatt
• Abstract: As language models continue to revolutionize the way we process and generate text, concerns regarding data security, privacy, and dependency on cloud infrastructure have become increasingly prominent—especially in sensitive academic and research settings. This lecture provides a comprehensive exploration of how to deploy and operate language models securely in offline, edge-computing environments. We will cover techniques for model compression, quantization, and efficient inference, alongside best practices for maintaining data security and privacy. Through demonstrations and case studies, attendees will gain insights into optimizing language model performance on local hardware while ensuring compliance with stringent security requirements. This session is ideal for researchers and academic staff who need to safeguard sensitive data without sacrificing the benefits of advanced natural language processing capabilities.

3 p.m.

Artificial Intelligence and “Cheating”: Resilient & Adaptive Courses for the Age of AI

• Presenter: Michael Kingston
• Abstract: Concerns about students “cheating” with generative AI tools are consistently ranked among the top concerns of higher education faculty. This interactive presentation unpacks both the challenges and opportunities that generative AI tools present for traditional assessments and learning tasks. Participants will explore how providing clear, purpose-driven guidance on AI use, combined with modeling responsible AI use in course design and delivery, can drive student engagement and improve outcomes – without compromising academic integrity. Participants will leave this session with actionable steps for using AI tools and guidance to enhance course design and delivery and reduce the risk of “AI cheating”.

To empower faculty to use AI tools and guidance to reframe concerns around “AI cheating” into opportunities to engage with AI tools and build critical student AI literacy.

By the end of this presentation, faculty will be able to:

• Reflect on how students already use generative AI.
• Reframe what “cheating” is for the AI age.
• Explore opportunities to model AI-use best practices within courses.

4 p.m.

Enhancing Research Efficiency with Copilot Chat and Agents

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: Microsoft’s AI experts will introduce faculty to Microsoft Copilot, showcasing its capabilities and practical applications in an educational setting. Participants will learn how to leverage Copilot to enhance productivity, streamline content creation, and support instructional activities with advanced AI tools. We will also showcase how to introduce Copilot Chat to students and ways that you can integrate it into your curriculum. 
• Participants will discover use cases for Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents for academic research.
• Participants will learn how to leverage Microsoft Copilot Chat for research workflows.
• Participants will learn how to automate research administration and other workflows to be more efficient.

5 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Enhancing Research Efficiency w/ Microsoft Copilot Chat & Agents 

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: Discover how academic researchers how to use Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents to enhance their research workflows. Learn how Copilot Chat can streamline literature reviews, support article copyediting, and assist in drafting proposals. Additionally, discover how Copilot Chat Agents can enhance your workflows like automatically generating project documentation, and reducing knowledge and technical debt while supporting graduate students. 
  Participants will discover use cases for Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents for academic research.
  Participants will learn how to leverage Microsoft Copilot Chat for research workflows.
  Participants will learn how to automate research administration and other workflows to be more efficient.

Exploring the Use of AI in Administrative Tasks

• Presenter: Lori Meadows
• Abstract: Learn about admin use of AI. Lori Meadows aims to raise awareness about ways admin support can capitalize on AI technology while providing ideas for use and demos of what it can do. The demo will include examples of prompting, the creation of agendas and minutes, and budget forecasting.  

Guidance and Best Practices for AI Use at KSU

• Presenters: Christine Harkreader, Trish Weber, Jessica Joachim, Olivia Ruiz, and Christian Lucas
• Abstract: Learn best practices for maximizing the benefits of AI in your academic pursuits and professional work while adhering to the university's code of conduct. The table will provide accessible information and answer questions regarding appropriate AI usage within the university environment. Furthermore, collected data on frequently asked questions will inform future AI initiatives to address community interests and concerns. 

Microsoft Copilot Prompting

• Presenters: Monica Hall and Kelly Harden
• Abstract: This table will introduce learners to the art of crafting effective prompts for AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. This training covers various techniques and strategies to optimize the use of AI in generating creative content, answering questions, and improving productivity.

noon–1 p.m.

Break

1–4 p.m.

Getting Started With Microsoft CoPilot

• Presenters: Kimber Williams and Cayla Howard
• Abstract: Join us to delve into the exciting world of Microsoft Copilot, a powerful AI (artificial intelligence) tool. This workshop is perfect for beginners and will explore topics like generating creative content, answering questions, and even proofreading your writing. Whether you’re looking to write a compelling story, create a unique image, or simply make your day-to-day tasks easier, this workshop will help you master AI at KSU!

Guidance and Best Practices for AI Use at KSU

• Presenters: Christine Harkreader, Trish Weber, Jessica Joachim, Olivia Ruiz, and Christian Lucas
• Abstract: Learn best practices for maximizing the benefits of AI in your academic pursuits and professional work while adhering to the university's code of conduct. The table will provide accessible information and answer questions regarding appropriate AI usage within the university environment. Furthermore, collected data on frequently asked questions will inform future AI initiatives to address community interests and concerns. 

Leveraging GitHub for Academic Research

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: Did you know that GitHub is free for anyone in education? Come to this session to learn more about how academic researchers can leverage GitHub for version control, collaboration, and project management, ensuring their research is organized and accessible. Additionally, the session will introduce GitHub Copilot, an AI-powered tool that assists in code writing and problem-solving, enhancing productivity and innovation. Finally, this session will walk you through the steps of getting started with GitHub today.
  Participants will discover use cases for GitHub and GitHub Copilot for academic research.
  Participants will learn the onboarding process for setting up an education account on GitHub.
  Participants will learn how to join the group of GitHub users affiliated with KSU.
  Participants will explore how to tie in GitHub Copilot in VSCode for no cost.

Reimagining Assessments: Balancing Human Insight and Generative AI with Bloom's Taxonomy

• Presenters: Marcus Green & Ashely Moore
• Abstract: Reimagining Assessments: Balancing Human Insight and Generative AI with Bloom’s Taxonomy is a 60-minute interactive demonstration created to help participants with strategies for integrating Generative AI tools into their course assessments. This hands-on demonstration provides an opportunity to align assessment prompts with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, participants will have the opportunity to discuss different avenues for leveraging Generative AI for their course assignments and the need for human intervention. By the end of this demonstration, faculty participants will gain clarity regarding balancing Generative AI with the necessity of human insights. The purpose of this demonstration is for faculty to discuss Generative AI tools used in creating effective prompts that align with and support their course learning objectives.
• Faculty will discuss the use of Generative AI tools for course assignments/prompts aligned with the course learning objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Faculty will be able to discuss the need for human intervention when forming learning objectives through generative AI.

Welcome

The doors will open and faculty and staff will be invited to come inside as day 3 launches!

Student Use of AI: A Conversation With Two Undergraduates

• Presenters: Jessica Joachim and Olivia Ruiz
• Abstract: Join us for "Student Use of AI: A Conversation With Two Undergraduates," where two students will share their perspectives, experiences, and opinions on using artificial intelligence in academic, personal, and professional contexts. This interactive session will provide valuable insights into how students are leveraging AI tools, their thoughts on AI's benefits and challenges, and AI's role in their educational journey. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A session, offering KSU faculty the opportunity to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of student use of AI. This session is designed to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration between students and faculty around the evolving role of AI in higher education.

Investigating the Unexpected: Methods for Managing Unstructured Information for Research

• Presenter: Dylan Goldblatt
• Abstract: In today’s data-rich research environment, unstructured information—ranging from free-text documents and multimedia files to social media feeds—often holds untapped potential and hidden insights. This lecture explores robust methods for managing, analyzing, and deriving meaning from such unpredictable data sources. We will delve into strategies for data cleaning, text mining, natural language processing (NLP), and forcing structured output, providing a comprehensive toolkit for researchers who wish to turn chaotic data into actionable knowledge. Through case studies and practical demonstrations, attendees will learn how to design workflows that anticipate the unexpected, leverage computational techniques for structure extraction, and ultimately enhance their research outcomes by embracing the complexity of unstructured information.

11 a.m.–noon

Break

noon

Enhancing Instruction With Microsoft Copilot Chat

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: This session aims to introduce faculty to Microsoft Copilot, showcasing its capabilities and practical applications in an educational setting. Participants will learn how to leverage Copilot to enhance productivity, streamline content creation, and support instructional activities with advanced AI tools. We will also showcase how to introduce Copilot Chat to students and ways that you can integrate it into your curriculum.
• Participants will understand the core functionalities of Microsoft Copilot
• Participants will explore practical use cases for Copilot in areas like content creation and student support
• Participants will learn best practices for integrating Copilot into daily instructional tasks
• Participants will explore use cases for faculty to frame how students can use Copilot for learning and assignments

1 p.m.

Artificial Intelligence and “Cheating”: Resilient & Adaptive Courses for the Age of AI

• Presenter: Michael Kingston
• Abstract: Concerns about students “cheating” with generative AI tools are consistently ranked among the top concerns of higher education faculty. This interactive presentation unpacks both the challenges and opportunities that generative AI tools present for traditional assessments and learning tasks. Participants will explore how providing clear, purpose-driven guidance on AI use, combined with modeling responsible AI use in course design and delivery, can drive student engagement and improve outcomes – without compromising academic integrity. Participants will leave this session with actionable steps for using AI tools and guidance to enhance course design and delivery and reduce the risk of “AI cheating”. To empower faculty to use AI tools and guidance to reframe concerns around “AI cheating” into opportunities to engage with AI tools and build critical student AI literacy.

By the end of this presentation, faculty will be able to:

• Reflect on how students already use generative AI.
• Reframe what “cheating” is for the AI age.
• Explore opportunities to model AI-use best practices within courses.

2 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Enhancing Research Efficiency w/ Microsoft Copilot Chat & Agents

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: This session will show academic researchers how to use Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents to enhance their research workflows. Learn how Copilot Chat can streamline literature reviews, support article copyediting, and assist in drafting proposals. Additionally, discover how Copilot Chat Agents can enhance your workflows like automatically generating project documentation, reducing knowledge and technical debt while supporting graduate students. Join us to explore these powerful tools and transform your research practices.
  
  
• Participants will discover use cases for Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents for academic research.
• Participants will learn how to leverage Microsoft Copilot Chat for research workflows.
• Participants will learn how to automate research administration and other workflows to be more efficient.

Exploring the Use of AI in Administrative Tasks

• Presenter: Lori Meadows
• Abstract: Learn about admin use of AI. Lori Meadows aims to raise awareness about ways admin support can capitalize on AI technology while providing ideas for use and demos of what it can do. The demo will include examples of prompting, the creation of agendas and minutes, and budget forecasting.

Guidance and Best Practices for AI Use at KSU

• Presenters: Christine Harkreader, Trish Weber, Jessica Joachim, Olivia Ruiz, and Christian Lucas
• Abstract: Learn best practices for maximizing the benefits of AI in your academic pursuits and professional work while adhering to the university's code of conduct. The table will provide accessible information and answer questions regarding appropriate AI usage within the university environment. Furthermore, collected data on frequently asked questions will inform future AI initiatives to address community interests and concerns.

Microsoft Copilot Prompting

• Presenters: Monica Hall and Kelly Harden
• Abstract: These presenters will introduce learners to the art of crafting effective prompts for AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. This training covers various techniques and strategies to optimize the use of AI in generating creative content, answering questions, and improving productivity.

Break

Enhancing Instruction With Microsoft Copilot Chat and Agents

• Presenter: Microsoft
• Abstract: This session aims to introduce faculty to Microsoft Copilot, showcasing its capabilities and practical applications in an educational setting. Participants will learn how to leverage Copilot to enhance productivity, streamline content creation, and support instructional activities with advanced AI tools. We will also showcase how to introduce Copilot Chat to students and ways that you can integrate it into your curriculum.
  
  
• Participants will understand the core functionalities of Microsoft Copilot
• Participants will explore practical use cases for Copilot in areas like content creation and student support
• Participants will learn best practices for integrating Copilot into daily instructional tasks
• Participants will explore use cases for faculty to frame how students can use Copilot for learning and assignments

Guidance and Best Practices for AI Use at KSU

• Presenters: Christine Harkreader, Trish Weber, Jessica Joachim, Olivia Ruiz, and Christian Lucas
• Abstract: Learn best practices for maximizing the benefits of AI in your academic pursuits and professional work while adhering to the university's code of conduct. The table will provide accessible information and answer questions regarding appropriate AI usage within the university environment. Furthermore, collected data on frequently asked questions will inform future AI initiatives to address community interests and concerns.

Introduction to Skillsoft's CAISY AI Simulator

• Presenter: Cayla Howard
• Abstract: Learn about CAISY, an AI tool in OwlTrain that provides interactive, scenario-based content powered by AI where a learner can practice new skills in a safe space. This AI simulation content allows learners to choose roles and practice specific skills by responding to AI prompts. The CAISY AI simulator rates your responses as if it were a HR representative employing best practices for the given situation. 

Reimagining Assessments: Balancing Human Insight and Generative AI with Bloom's Taxonomy

• Presenters: Marcus Green & Ashely Moore
• Abstract: Reimagining Assessments: Balancing Human Insight and Generative AI with Bloom’s Taxonomy is a 60-minute interactive demonstration created to help participants with strategies for integrating Generative AI tools into their course assessments. This hands-on demonstration provides an opportunity to align assessment prompts with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Moreover, participants will have the opportunity to discuss different avenues for leveraging Generative AI for their course assignments and the need for human intervention. By the end of this demonstration, faculty participants will gain clarity regarding balancing Generative AI with the necessity of human insights. The purpose of this demonstration is for faculty to discuss Generative AI tools used in creating effective prompts that align with and support their course learning objectives.
  
  
• Faculty will discuss the use of Generative AI tools for course assignments/prompts aligned with the course learning objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Faculty will be able to discuss the need for human intervention when forming learning objectives through generative AI.

2 p.m.

Closing Remarks