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Posted: 1/23/25

TAMIU's Dr. Covarrubias Discusses A.I. Education at Southwest Texas College Faculty Development Day

 

Dr. Daniel Covarrubias
Dr. Daniel Covarrubias  

Dr. Daniel Covarrubias, Texas A&M International University's (TAMIU) A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business Texas Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development (TCBEED) director, recently delivered a virtual presentation on Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) at Southwest Texas College's Eagle Pass Campus Faculty Development Day.

The presentation, titled "A.I. as a Catalyst for Student Creativity: Preparing for the A.I.-Centered Workforce," addressed the critical role of artificial intelligence in modern education, focusing on innovative approaches to incorporating A.I. in education while preparing students for an increasingly A.I.-driven workplace.

The session was organized through the efforts of Brenda Hoffman, Eagle Pass campus vice president, and Juan Gilberto García, TAMIU vice president for Enrollment Management.

Dr. Covarrubias emphasized the urgency of preparing students for an A.I.-integrated future during his presentation.

 "Unlike previous technological revolutions, we're not just witnessing a simple replacement of old jobs with new ones," he said, "Instead, we're seeing a fundamental reimagining of how work itself is performed."

According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report, the workforce is rapidly evolving, with 89% of industries expecting A.I. transformation and an estimated 170 million new jobs by 2030, Covarrubias said.

He also introduced his concept of the "A.I.-centric workforce," which divides future workers into three categories: A.I. Producers who create and refine A.I. solutions, A.I. Users who employ these tools to enhance their work, and A.I.-Aware professionals who need to understand A.I'.s impact on their field.

Covarrubias provided faculty with four key strategies for incorporating A.I. in the classroom: starting small with simple A.I. tools, establishing clear guidelines for acceptable use, designing A.I.-enhanced assignments that encourage experimentation, and measuring impact through student engagement and learning outcomes. He emphasized that successful A.I. integration requires a balanced approach that combines traditional academic rigor with innovative technological applications.

"We must view A.I. as a creative partner in education," he said, "From brainstorming and ideation to visual creation and content development, A.I. tools can enhance student creativity while developing critical skills for their future careers."

Covarrubias emphasized the importance of educational institutions adapting their teaching approaches.

"The most successful professionals will be those who can effectively collaborate with A.I., using it to enhance their human capabilities rather than replace them," he said, "Our role as educators is to prepare students for this reality, ensuring they develop both the technical competency and ethical understanding necessary for the A.I.-integrated workplace."

The session concluded with a call to action for educators to begin implementing A.I. tools in their classrooms, noting A.I. literacy is becoming as fundamental to professional success as digital literacy was in previous decades.

For more information about TAMIU's TCBEED and its research initiatives, please visit http://texascenter.tamiu.edu, email Dr. Covarrubias at dcova@tamiu.edu, or call 956.326.2520.

 

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