Higher education jobs related to artificial intelligence have seen the biggest increase in time demands since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an Educause report released Monday. It turns out that digital literacy skills are important for future careers.
The report surveyed more than 1,000 professionals in teaching and learning-related jobs, from top-level administrators to faculty, most of whom had been in their jobs for more than five years. are doing. However, many respondents said they were considering dropping out of higher education due to excessive workload and burnout.
“The field of teaching and learning is evolving, but in many institutions teaching and learning professionals are now working in constrained environments and are forced to do more with less time. “They are struggling to catch up because they don’t have the time to focus on the things that are most urgent,” the report says.
Workloads in teaching and learning roles in higher education have increased overall, with 65% of respondents saying they have an excessive workload. Roles related to AI ranked highest in terms of increased time demands, but saw minimal increases in terms of budgeting to expand these roles. The researchers said this suggests that “demand for AI capabilities is outpacing growth in AI staff.”
Most survey respondents have multiple areas of responsibility, including additional duties related to teacher training and development, distance learning, and evaluating new technologies.
The majority of respondents said adaptability, agility, and change management skills are important to sustaining their current and future teaching careers, and that AI in particular will disrupt education.
In its report, Educause recommends that higher education institutions prioritize employee well-being and morale, professional development opportunities, and collaboration across campus. One of the key areas in which higher education institutions can begin to address these concerns is by offering remote or hybrid work options. 61% of respondents said job flexibility was “very important” to them. While more universities are offering such flexibility to their employees, about one-third of survey respondents reported working in “undesirable locations.”
“Going forward, institutions will need to find ways to provide continuing professional development and training support to help teaching and learning professionals not only adapt, but thrive,” the report reads. It’s dark.
