SACRAMENTO, CA – November 20, 2024 – The California Education Learning Lab is pleased to announce the recipients of the AI Grand Challenge: Leveraging AI for Teaching and Learning grants, aimed at fostering innovation in the use of AI to enhance curriculum and pedagogy within California’s public higher education system. This program underscores Learning Lab’s commitment to enhancing teaching and learning through technology-driven solutions, promoting equity, and preparing students for the evolving education and workforce landscape.
Nearly 75 institutions from the California Community Colleges, California State University, and University of California systems submitted 32 proposals. Five projects have been selected to receive grants of up to $1.5 million each, with funding distributed over 24 to 42 months. These projects will commence upon final agreement between the awarded institutions (listed below) and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, which is administering the grants on behalf of the State of California.
The awards were based on recommendations from Learning Lab’s 2024 Selection Committee for the AI Challenge, which represented expertise in multiple disciplines and industries such as computer science, data science, physics, chemistry, English and writing, theater, learning science, student success, distance learning, and open educational resources.
Estimated Impact
The awarded projects aim to create significant influence on teaching and learning experiences statewide and will strive to reach approximately 150,000 students and 13,500* faculty/instructors across California’s public higher education institutions and beyond. Along with the AI FAST Challenge, the total reach of these projects is roughly 200,000 students and 15,600 faculty.*
Awarded Projects and Institutions
The following institutions have been awarded AI Grand Challenge grants:
| Project Name | Host (in bold) and Partner Institutions | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Enhancing Academic Writing and Digital Literacy with an AI Coach | UC Irvine, California State University Fullerton, North Orange County Community College District | $1,500,000 |
| Peer & AI Review + Reflection (PAIRR) in Writing Instruction | UC Davis, CSU Bakersfield, Glendale College, Marin College, Sacramento State | $1,500,000 |
| Equitable AI Alliance: Empowering Students through Equitable AI Education | San Diego State, University of California San Diego; San Diego Community College District | $1,500,000 |
Across-the-curriculum AI-based personalized assistants to support student success in engineering | UC Riverside, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Norco College | $1,500,000 |
Improving student engagement and outcomes equitably with course-specific open-sourced AI-tutors | UC San Diego, CSU San Marcos, Palomar College, San Diego City College, and San Diego State University | $1,500,000 |
*Number of faculty includes project outreach to faculty participating in SDSU’s AI survey and needs assessment, including outside of the UC, CSU, and CCC systems. Learning Lab intends to broadly distribute effective tools, interventions and practices developed through these projects with its growing network of faculty and instructors interested in responsible AI for teaching and learning.