Higher Ed AI Lab

Suraj talks with Alex Berry from Khan Academy about how generative AI is reshaping the way teachers teach and students learn. They unpack what it means to grade for process instead of output, why creativity and critical thinking matter more than polished essays, and how tools like Khanmigo help students develop, and not just produce better writing. The conversation digs into where AI belongs in education, the risks of over-automation, and why human teachers remain central even as technology advances.

Our first episode features Dr. Ebony Wilkins, director of English and Humanities at National Louis University, award-winning author, and lifelong advocate for equity and literacy. We talk about what AI literacy really means in the classroom, why authentic student voice still matters, and how faculty can teach with AI without letting it replace critical thinking.Dr. Wilkins shares her shift from skepticism to curiosity, compares today’s tools to past tech transitions like the early internet, and lays out simple first steps for instructors: open the conversation, name the discomfort, then learn alongside your students.

A warm welcome to those of you tuning in!