The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 42
IN CONV E RSAT I O N
Learning Across a Life琀椀me
How is ASU leveraging AI to expand access
and opportunity?
Michael M. Crow,
PhD
President, Arizona
State University
Arizona State University (ASU) is where
anyone, regardless of age or loca琀椀on, can
learn anything, anywhere, any琀椀me. What
is ASU doing to serve people in their 60s
and beyond?
Tradi琀椀onally, a琀琀ending college was something you
did as a young adult. That is no longer the case.
With rapid changes in technology, the workplace,
and workforce needs, along with longer working
lives and frequent job changes, lifelong learning is
essen琀椀al. Universi琀椀es must adapt.
ASU is a learning enterprise designed to serve the
broadest possible number of individuals. There
are a few ways we engage lifelong learners: ASU
Learning Enterprise and ASU For You make quality
digital learning resources accessible to people at
all stages of life. For experien琀椀al learning, ASU
created the Osher Lifelong Learning Ins琀椀tute,
which provides free and low-cost, limited session
courses and enrichment experiences. For those
who started college but never 昀椀nished, ASU has a
program called Opera琀椀on Comeback, which o昀昀ers
personalized planning and support to help them get
back on track.
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ASU’s view is that AI is an incredible tool for
augmen琀椀ng human crea琀椀vity and learning.
To help introduce this powerful tool, ASU has
established CreateAI—a secure, university-wide AI
environment that allows students, faculty, and sta昀昀
to build, test, and use AI-powered tools without
needing deep technical exper琀椀se. Addi琀椀onally, ASU
has collaborated with many partners, like FYI.AI
founder will.i.am, to create EDU.FYI, a specialized
pla琀昀orm and course that teaches students to
design customizable AI agents that help them
navigate their learning and life goals. Formula琀椀ng,
tes琀椀ng, and measuring new ways to expand access
using AI is happening across ASU, and we’re seeing
valuable poten琀椀al.
What are you learning from the
intergenera琀椀onal design of Mirabella
at ASU?
Mirabella at ASU exempli昀椀es our innova琀椀ve spirit.
A re琀椀rement residence on our Tempe campus,
Mirabella is home to 400 residents who want
a connec琀椀on to the university, learning, and
intergenera琀椀onal interac琀椀on. Now 昀椀ve years
into the program, we have seen the older adult
community engage enthusias琀椀cally with class
o昀昀erings, university events, and ac琀椀vi琀椀es.
What has been most rewarding is seeing Mirabella’s
senior community engaging with our younger
student community. Mirabella residents act as
academic and personal mentors for tradi琀椀onal
students. In turn, the students provide connec琀椀ons,
perform acts of service, and make connec琀椀ons
that ease loneliness. It’s an authen琀椀c, inspiring
intergenera琀椀onal exchange.
MIL K EN I N S T I T U T E | T H E FU T U RE O F AGI N G A N D LO N GEV I TY
