College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management | August 2025
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Welcome to the August 2025 edition of our AI and Innovation Newsletter! This month, we bring you the latest updates in AI, highlight faculty and staff reflections from AI conferences and trainings, and share useful resources and information to help you integrate AI into your work.
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Dean’s Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund application for 2025-2026 opened on Aug. 15, 2025. There will be an Innovation Fund information session on Sept. 12 at noon in room 112 of the Welcome Center. Faculty and staff will be able to attend to learn more about the process and hear from previous recipients. Be sure to apply for an Innovation Fund Grant by Sept. 30.
Innovation Tours
This fall, we are excited to announce that we will travel to Atlanta over fall break for the Sport and Entertainment Innovation Tour. Do you have ideas about a place to host a future innovation tour? Here is the link to our Innovation Tour Interest form. If you have suggestions regarding future locations or sites to visit, please fill out this form. Your input is welcome! The form will be housed on the Organizational Development and Innovation website for future use.
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UCF Teach & Learning with AI Conference
The University of Central Florida hosted a Teaching & Learning with AI conference, which aimed to discuss how to use AI tools effectively in instruction and support. Martiez Moore and Md. Rafiqul Islam Rana attended the conference and discussed notable insights.
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| Three Key Takeaways:
1. Cognitive Offloading: Martiez explained the concept of cognitive offloading using AI to manage mental load, emphasizing its potential for administrators and student support staff. He discussed that AI can be used to manage mental load by automating menial tasks and repetitive questions.
2. AI Literacy and Ethics: Martiez highlighted the importance of AI literacy, noting that students with lower AI literacy are more likely to cheat, and emphasized the need for proper education on AI usage. Educating students on AI tools and their proper use can lead to more responsible and ethical behavior, reducing the likelihood of shortcuts and unethical practices.
3. Approaches to AI: Martiez described three different approaches to AI adoption: the ostrich (ignoring it), the crow (curious but cautious), and the falcon (eager to be first), advocating for a balanced approach.
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| Md. Rafiqul Islam Rana, Ph.D.
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Assistant Professor, Department of Retailing
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Three Key Takeaways:
1. Cheating vs. Teaching?: The AI boom has created a cat and mouse game in Higher Ed. Many sessions focused on detecting cheating, preventing it, and designing cheating-proof assignments. With faculty already overworked and underpaid, I wonder how sustainable this is. Should we keep playing defense, or should we focus on teaching students the ethics and value of education instead of just helping them earn a degree that is already expensive?
2. Ethical concerns are real: From data sharing to model training using student files, to the limited understanding of how large language models actually work, there are major ethical questions surrounding AI in education. How far have we really come in ensuring responsible use?
3. Humanities are leading the conversation: I met several entrepreneurial faculty who are collaborating with tech experts to create AI-based teaching tools. Most presentations were from the humanities (English, creative writing, philosophy), with very few from STEM. It seems writing-intensive disciplines are feeling the pressure the most. Are we headed toward a decline in human writing standards?
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UF AI Learning Academy
In June, the University of Florida hosted the AI Learning Academy, which is a four-day series of courses to help educate faculty and staff on AI starting from foundational knowledge and spanning to how to utilize it ethically. Tammy Macek attended the AI Learning Academy and discussed insightful takeaways.
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| Learning Experience Designer
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Three Key Takeaways
1. AI is not magic, it is mathematics: The facilitators of this academy emphasized the importance of recognizing the logic and mechanics behind artificial intelligence. This helps users to identify AI-generated content and to verify the output from tools like ChatGPT.
2. Faculty, give students guardrails and guidance in effective AI use. Include an AI policy in your syllabus and provide assignment-specific guidelines, including requirements for students to cite any AI-generated content (text and images). Be transparent about your own use of AI to model responsible and ethical practices.
3. Prioritize AI literacy as a professional development goal. The use of AI is prevalent in today’s society, and it is important to prioritize learning about AI and discussing how we can incorporate it into our respective roles.
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USC Career Center and SCACE AI Symposium
In July, Erica Lake, Ph.D., Jasmine Carter and Ashley Richardson attended an AI Symposium titled, Redefining Career Readiness: How AI & Innovation are shaping the future of HIRE education. This event was hosted by the USC Career Center and the South Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (SCACE). USC Darla Moore School of Business professor, Joel Wooten, Ph.D., delivered a keynote address and there were over 100 attendees present who represented five states and 16 institutions. The event included an employer and industry panel, ethical usage panel, round table discussions, a session on using AI in the job search process and a faculty panel discussion.
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Institutional Support and Faculty Development
The Faculty Panel highlighted a shift in higher education from banning AI to integrating it as a core literacy, akin to calculators or computers. Faculty are redesigning assignments to encourage reflection on AI use and assessment of the learning process. Some institutions are embedding AI into learning management systems to make its use universal.- Forbidding AI usage in academic courses could be damaging to students. This sends the message that utilizing AI is bad, which becomes a barrier to students desiring to learn how to use AI correctly. More employers are desiring candidates who have AI knowledge/skills; therefore, it is imperative that we switch this narrative.
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Institutional support, clear policies, and ongoing dialogue are essential for effective and responsible AI integration in education.
- Ethical Use and Human Oversight
Both faculty and symposium speakers raised concerns about bias, data retention, and over-reliance on AI. There was strong consensus on the need for:- Human oversight in AI-generated content.
- Avoiding AI detectors due to privacy and accuracy issues.
- Encouraging students to develop AI ethics credos and to reflect on real-world scenarios in which AI has been used without oversight and the consequences of those choices.
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AI as a Tool for Thought Efficiency and Innovation
- AI is an enhancement and not a replacement for thought development. It can be used to efficiently solve problems that are consistently time consuming.
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Virtual Co-Pilot Trainings
On June 18 and June 19, Microsoft Co-Pilot Sessions were hosted by two Microsoft 365 representatives. They discussed an overview of CoPilot and covered practical ways to use CoPilot for creating surveys and forms, setting up Agents, managing tasks, automating workflows, and more. Be on the lookout for more Co-Pilot trainings and meetups to share how HRSM faculty and staff are using CoPilot this fall.
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We are excited to highlight faculty and staff members who have integrated AI into their courses and workflows to enhance student learning and HRSM operations.
George Hendry shares his thoughts on an educational tool, Packback, and how it is beneficial for faculty and students and helps produce more in-depth discussion.
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| George Hendry, Ed.D, C.C.E., C.E.C.
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Director, McCutchen House/Marriott Lab & Senior Lecturer
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"The Packback app is being used by several university instructors at USC and other universities as well. I like to use it because you can establish criteria for the discussion, and the AI assists you in making sure you have enough valuable content to get your full credit. These are called curiosity points. The student also must reference where they pulled their information, therefore, learning how to reference for writing papers. The discussion between students is very good and I can highlight (pin) a comment to the top of the page for others to see. I can make comments or add my opinions to the conversation as well.
"The second feature Packback has is the writing lab. I have them do a scholarly persuasive paper for the class. I can input all the criteria I want for the paper into the system and Packback will assist them in reaching their goals for content, references, check for plagiarism, and it allows them to use AI as a collaborator and not as a plagiarizer. Finally, if they use the writing lab in my class, they can use it for any class during the semester as a writing tool, and they can purchase an annual subscription for $25 for the rest of their college career.
"As an instructor at the University, I want our students to be able to use AI as a tool for learning and not as a device to cheat or take the easy way out. I believe all instructors need to get ahead of the curve so that we can incorporate AI into our courses and make our students understand the value of using it correctly."
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AI FACULTY DIRECTOR UPDATES
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To better understand student attitudes and concerns about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) affects their learning experience, the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management (HRSM) surveyed students from May until July 2025. A total of 292 usable responses were received. Key findings are as follows:
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- Widespread AI usage
- 95% of HRSM students use AI in coursework.
- 84% use ChatGPT; the top use case is idea generation (75%).
- High confidence in AI skills
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67% feel confident in their AI-related skills.
- 62% feel prepared for an AI-integrated workforce.
- Strong desire for guidance and training
- 74% want HRSM-specific AI training.
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Students prefer industry-specific training over general AI literacy (74% vs. 63%).
- Value real-time feedback
- Students rate real-time feedback and course relevance as highly important.
- Less interest in 24/7 chatbot support
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Concerns about AI’s educational impact
- 27% of students are "very concerned" or "extremely concerned" about AI’s effect on education quality.
- AI trustworthiness, bias, and value-for-money are top concerns.
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The complete study is available to download from the HRSM-AI Resource Hub on Blackboard.
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- AI Enthusiasts Monthly Meetings: A new series to share insights on teaching and learning with AI. First meeting details will be announced soon. See Dr. Drew Martin for more information.
- AI Test Drive Grants: Limited grants will be available for faculty/staff to explore AI platforms. Details coming soon.
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Python & Machine Learning Training Survey: Look out for a survey gauging faculty interest in Python and Machine Learning.
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- New Feature: Assignments (Beta)
Instructors can now build courses and interact with students using AI for specific tasks. - Training Seminars by Meredith Lancaster
- Thursday, Oct. 2: 1-2:30 p.m., Room 602B
- Friday, Oct. 3: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Room 828
- Faculty Training Recap
25 faculty attended HTMT and Retail sessions. SPTE training is coming soon. -
Check out this introductory video from Dr. Martin about how to integrate Boodle Box into your courses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2288FiJQMk
Instructors can request student licenses by submitting a collaborative learning plan and post-term summary of the results of its use.
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If you’re new to AI or consider yourself a beginner, here is a resource that can assist you in learning the fundamentals of AI and understanding the different types of AI that exist.
The Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of the Provost have partnered to offer all faculty and staff free access to DataCamp — an interactive training platform with expert-led courses on a wide range of data skills. Click here to learn more about this resource.
Eleven Labs is offering a promotion for students (or someone with a university e-mail address who claims to be a student). The company is offering a free year of study assistance. Students can load reading materials into their accounts, and the AI will read it to them. This could be a great resource for students who may prefer audio books to engage with their class reading materials. Free Eleven Labs license: https://aistudentpack.com
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UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Sept. 10, noon-1 p.m. — AI and Academic Integrity: How We Support Students While Encouraging Positive Use of AI in the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity. Click here to register.
Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Multiple sessions throughout the afternoon) — What is Copilot? Click here to register.
Sept. 26, 9-10:30 a.m. — Coffee and Copilot. Click here to register.
Oct. 17, noon-1 p.m. — AI in Higher Education: Integrating Innovation without Sacrificing Integrity. Click here to register.
Oct. 21, 9-10:30 a.m. — Coffee and Copilot. Click here to register.
Dec. 8-11 — AI Learning Academy at the AI2 Center at the University of Florida. Registration is now open. Click here to register.
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