My AI in Education Journey
Beyond my dissertation research, I'm actively developing expertise in AI for education through professional development courses, certifications, and hands-on projects. This page tracks my progress toward becoming a leader in AI-enhanced education.
Why this matters: AI is transforming education rapidly. To design effective, trustworthy AI systems for learning, I need both deep technical knowledge and pedagogical expertise. This journey combines both.
Phase 1: Foundations (July–Sept 2025)
Online Courses
- Google AI for Educators Completed
- Coursera: AI in Education for Teachers In Progress
- FutureLearn: AI in Education In Progress
- Wharton: ChatGPT for Teaching In Progress
Additional Goals
- Create a blog or Substack to document key takeaways and ideas
- Learn basic Python programming via DataCamp or Codecademy
- Build foundational understanding of AI ethics and pedagogy
Phase 2: Applied Project (Oct 2025–Feb 2026)
Build MVP AI Tutor for Intro Stats
This directly supports my dissertation research on AI-powered cognitive scaffolding.
- Design scope: features, student needs, learning goals
- Use Claude or GPT to build cognitive scaffolding system
- Build front-end interface and chatbot
- Test with student feedback and refine iteratively
- Prepare platform for research data collection
Advanced Learning
- Apply to Lehigh University Certificate in AI & Learning Analytics
- Write whitepaper about AI tutoring in statistics education
- Deepen technical skills in machine learning and NLP
Phase 3: Leadership & Visibility (Mar–July 2026)
Share Knowledge & Lead
- Host webinar or workshop: "AI for Community College Math"
- Submit research paper to ISTE, EDUCAUSE, or AERA
- Present work at conferences or via LinkedIn/YouTube
- Strengthen connection with UCLA dissertation advisors
- Mentor other educators interested in AI integration
Long-term vision: Become a bridge between AI research and classroom practice, especially for community college educators seeking to leverage AI effectively and ethically.
Sample Calendar: July 2025
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 Start Google Course | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Post blog #1 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 Start Coursera AI Course | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 Code Practice: Python | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
Connection to Dissertation
This professional development journey directly supports my dissertation on AI-powered cognitive scaffolding for statistics education. The courses, technical skills, and projects I'm developing are:
- Building technical capacity: Learning to design and implement AI tutoring systems
- Deepening pedagogical knowledge: Understanding how AI can enhance (not replace) teaching
- Creating research infrastructure: The MVP platform becomes my dissertation research instrument
- Establishing credibility: Formal certifications strengthen my expertise for academic job market