UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) Dreamery Speaker Series will host guest speaker Mitch Colver, associate provost and vice president at American Public University System, on Oct. 12- 13. He will lead three sessions focused on cultivating human potential in an artificial-intelligence-driven world.
“The AI Tower of Babel: Unifying the Conversation About the Future of the Human/AI Interface”
Colver will present “The AI Tower of Babel: Unifying the Conversation About the Future of the Human/AI Interface” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, at the Dreamery, ground floor Shields Building, on Penn State’s University Park campus. This session offers a unifying framework for understanding the evolving human-AI interface and its implications, including for teaching, learning and work. Attendees will examine how AI is changing not only what people can produce, but also how they think, solve problems, exercise judgment and develop expertise. The session will distinguish between mere use versus human augmentation, while identifying the human capabilities that become essential in an AI-rich environment.
Attendees are invited to participate in a networking hour afterward.
“From Transactional to Transformational Use of GenAI: Using Cognitive Ergonomics to Combat the Risks of Cognitive Debt”
From 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct.13, Colver will present “From Transactional to Transformational Use of GenAI: Using Cognitive Ergonomics to Combat the Risks of Cognitive Debt.”
According to Colver, there’s a new term circulating the halls of higher education and it has rapidly become a critical challenge to overcome: cognitive debt, the inevitable loss of students’ problem-based inquiry skills, authentic growth of knowledge and self- awareness of the learning process as they delegate more and more tasks to GenAI. In this session, Colver will showcase effective ways to avoid mental overload that he has developed called “Socratic Safeguarding.”
“The New Michelangelos: What Students Need to Learn About AI and Fast”
To end his visit, Colver will present “The New Michelangelos: What Students Need to Learn About AI and Fast” from 10:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 13.
This session examines what students need to learn to thrive in an environment where AI can generate plausible answers, images, analyses and artifacts in seconds. Colver will consider how higher education will inevitably evolve to manage both the presence of AI and the shifting needs of the world of work that make economic and social mobility possible for graduates. Attendees will explore practical ways to design learning experiences that make student thinking visible, encourage responsible collaboration with AI and preserve opportunities for productive struggle.
About the speaker
Colver began working in higher education in 2007, and said his early experiences with students taught him to focus on the value of human diversity and human potential. As a thought leader in the field of analytics and intelligent systems, he is frequently invited to champion the idea that student success can best be fostered through increased intentionality amongst faculty, staff and executives. He has degrees in psychology, music and experimental research, as well as a doctorate emphasizing research in higher education. His research has appeared in Popular Science, Discover, Slate, Smithsonian, New York Magazine and internationally on Radio BBC.
In-person attendance of Colver’s sessions is encouraged. Alternatively, a virtual option will be available for Penn State attendees across all campuses and those working or studying remotely.
Visit the Dreamery Speaker Series webpage to learn more and to register for the sessions.