Ruminating on HighEdWeb 2024 - Accessibility, AI, Oh My!

Five Jars was proud to return to HighEdWeb to sponsor this awesome event around the challenges and trends of the higher education world. We are excited to see the rebranding of HighEdWeb to Digital Collegium for next year and beyond, as the scope of sessions offered at this event span across just websites to encompass many digital topics for higher education professionals. 

The floor was alive with institutions and solution technology companies alike, and the panels offered learning resources and chances that enhanced comprehension, aptitude, and expertise. While there were many topics, the overarching theme was the same: progress higher education. Between the lively discussions at our sponsor booth, we were able to catch a few panels, and noticed some interesting trends that are currently driving the high ed world.

Top Topics: Accessibility and AI

Among topics such as analytics, reporting, SEO, and gamification, there are two top subjects that dominated panels and discussions alike: Accessibility and AI. 

Accessibility is a crucial element to web design across industries, and particularly holds priority within higher education facilities as diversity and inclusion are held in high regard. The panels and discussions impart an overarching concept: regardless of the physical, sensory, cognitive, or technical differences, all should be provided with an equal access to educational opportunities. 

As many higher education institutions are historic, there might be less accessible website areas in the university’s digital presence and a larger lift to become compliant. However, with a growing emphasis on digital learning and the use of online platforms, it's more important than ever to design learning environments, websites, and resources that are inclusive. Adopting accessible practices, institutions are able to break down barriers, foster an equitable academic experience, and empower students during and beyond their collegiate experience.

Accessibility in higher education is not just a moral imperative; it is often a legal requirement under regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Institutions that prioritize accessibility demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, benefiting not only students with disabilities but also the broader student body, faculty, and staff - essentially, casting a wider net. Accessible design can enhance the learning experience and ensure that higher education is a space where everyone can thrive.

Artificial intelligence (AI) also plays a transformative role in higher education in enhancing learning experiences, streamlining administrative tasks, and providing support to backend development. For example, one key application of AI is in adaptive learning platforms, which use data to tailor educational content to the needs and pace of individual students. This allows for more personalized learning experiences, can be leveraged toward accessibility, and improving student engagement and outcomes. But, how are institutions leveraging this tool to the betterment of their online presence?

In a session by Michael Miles at MIT Sloan School of Management, we learned how AI can be used as a tool for understanding code. Using AI as a point of reference for developers to bounce ideas, solve problems, and imbue creativity can be a powerful tool toward critically understanding structures. An important element also touched on in this panel was the importance of the human element when implementing AI as a tool, that the technology is not there for it to run without the guard rails of human interaction.

This seems to be the general consensus - AI is a powerful tool that can uplift the efforts of our everyday lives, but we must consider it as a tool and not a full or automatic solution. AI provides a jumpstart and optimization for various tasks, but human judgment, interaction, and oversight is essential when implementing the tool (for now).  As AI evolves, higher education institutions can leverage it not only to enhance academic delivery but also to optimize campus operations, create smarter campuses, and better prepare students for a future workforce increasingly driven by AI technology.

Golden Nugget: Lightning Talks

Our Golden Nugget for the event was certainly the Lightning Talks offered on Tuesday morning. These occurred as short presentations that opened up to discussions, such as Behind the AI: How Design Systems Empower AI Solutions in Higher Education presented by University of Arkansas. 

This talk covered how, as universities increasingly implement AI to improve the student experience and optimize admissions processes, an essential yet often overlooked factor in AI’s effectiveness is the role of design systems. Just as design systems create consistency in web development through a unified user interface (UI), AI solutions in higher education rely on a well-structured framework to ensure scalability, alignment with institutional goals, and consistency. By integrating AI into a strategic system, similar to the design systems used for digital assets, universities can offer more cohesive and intelligent digital experiences. This unified approach enables AI to effectively support diverse applications, from student engagement to content creation, all while maintaining a consistent brand identity and user experience.
 

Summary

Five Jars is proud to call ourselves extensions of many teams in higher education, as a customizable digital solutions partner. We transform our products and services to fit the needs of our clients, and provide comprehensive and empathetic support to the wide array of stakeholders invested in the digital success of an institution. We resonated with attendees on the unique dichotomy still present in many organizations between those with deep institutional knowledge and those onboarding with newer perspectives. This is one of the reasons for our in-depth Discovery phase, where we involve the team that will be working on your project from the beginning, so you have full transparency as to how your project will be handled.

Although we’re proud to have many projects launched with our partners in higher education, there’s never a point where we stop learning. We are proud to have made so many new connections and contributed to this awesome event. Special shout out to Jen Mont from Antioch University who was the winner of our Five Jars gift basket!

See you next year in your new skin, Digital Collegium!