With years of successful experience in teaching AI broadly across many disciplines, the University of Florida has created the AI Learning Academy, offering a series of professional development courses for educators in the state of Florida. This will enable Florida educators to add AI content to their courses and educate a future AI-enabled workforce. The academy plans to train more than 2,000 participants from 2024-2026 in a low-cost, 4-day series of courses to help educate a future digital workforce desperately needed for the state of Florida’s economic growth and security. Completion of the course entitles the learner to a microcredential in artificial intelligence.
The World Economic Forum predicts 97 million new jobs will become available by 2025 that require some level of AI talent. The AI Learning Academy will equip its learners with the skills to teach new talent to meet the needs of an AI-enabled workforce.
UF has a proven track record in the teaching of AI! UF expert faculty have offered these professional development courses many times to faculty from distinct disciplines at smaller colleges in Florida. Now, we are bringing this same training to participants in our Gainesville-based AI Learning Academy, hosted by the AI2 Center at the University of Florida.
In 2020, UF began a university-wide effort to increase education in artificial intelligence. We implemented AI courses in every major across 16 colleges and have hired more than 100 new AI faculty. UF now offers more than 200 AI course with more than 12,000 students taking AI courses each year. And we’ve mastered innovative means of teaching AI to our students and others that requires no prior knowledge of computer science or programming. In 2024, UF received the inaugural Tambellini Group Future Campus Award for its work integrating AI into its curriculum. The Tambellini Group indicated UF has a "uniquely detailed and pioneering strategy" that prepares students of all majors for an AI-enabled workforce.
For smaller colleges and universities, teaching AI may be daunting. It is hard to find faculty capable of teaching AI, and the ones who can are hard to afford. Upskilling existing faculty is the only way smaller universities can rapidly grow AI expertise and curriculum. Our series of courses course allows you to demonstrate to accreditors that your faculty have the credentials to add AI content to courses, and your faculty will be ready to do so upon course completion. No experience is necessary to begin.
Course Series
Course includes: history of AI, conceptual foundations, supervised vs unsupervised learning, data preparation, training models, predictive analytics, machine learning applications
Course includes: biases of algorithms, ethical use of tools, effects of technologies on employment/education, use and implications in teaching and learning
Course includes: building and using AI solutions in higher education, using AI for curriculum building, AI and pedagogy, implementation and evaluation of AI tools, student assessment in an AI world
Testimonials
The applications course sparked lots of conversations on what we could do next with AI. We will be building upon this course on how to integrate AI into our assignments and use AI to streamline our workflow on all of our campuses.
Melissa McAllister, PhDAcademic Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
St. Petersburg College
In this professional development course, you are not just learning; you are gaining the tools and confidence to start applying AI in your school and classroom. I received support throughout the journey and formed lasting relationships that still continue today. I began with no experience and walked away feeling empowered.
Jackie Bytell, PhDChair, Computer Information and Cybersecurity
Northwest Florida State College
The courses were interactive, not just lectures, and we learned a lot about AI. Participants’ fears about the technologies were addressed. We now are more comfortable with AI capabilities, and we have launched an associate’s degree in applied AI so our students can benefit from this degree for great salary opportunities.
Angela Long, PhDChief Engagement Officer, Office of the President
Tallahassee State College
Meet Our Team
David Reed
Associate Provost of Strategic Initiatives and Interim Director, AI2 Center
Nancy Ruzycki
Master Lecturer, Director of Undergraduate Laboratories, Materials Science and Engineering
Duncan Purves
Associate Professor, Philosophy
David Grant
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Joel Davis
Clinical Professor,
Executive Director, David F. Miller Retail Center
Warrington College of Business
Nico Rose
Assistant Provost, Director of Operations
Diego Alvarado
Instructional Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Education
Margeaux Johnson
AI Learning & Organizational Development Specialist III
Jenna Molen
Project Manager, AI2 Center
Learn More
The AI Learning Academy is by invitation only until Dec. 1, and courses are for 36 individuals. Email us regarding your interest, and we will respond to discuss best options to meet your needs.