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Part of a systemwide initiative, two courses will use Adobe AI tools to improve students’ learning and academic success.
SDSU Imperial Valley faculty secured a $30,000 grant, part of a CSU systemwide Adobe-funded initiative, to integrate Adobe Express and AI tools into Statistical Principles and Practices (STAT 250) and Calculus I (MATH 150). This three-semester pilot program, starting in the spring, aims to significantly enhance student learning and academic success in these crucial mathematics courses.
The initiative specifically targets common difficulties students face in these required courses, particularly those from disciplines like nursing, criminal justice, and liberal studies. By shifting from a sole focus on equations to a more visualized, storytelling, and design-oriented approach, the project endeavors to make complex mathematical concepts more accessible and engaging for students.
In STAT 250, students will utilize Adobe Express and Firefly to transform raw data analyzed in Excel into compelling visual projects. For MATH 150, students will leverage Adobe Express Video and animation tools to create visual explanations, helping them grasp abstract calculus concepts such as derivatives and rates of change more intuitively.
The project is spearheaded by principal investigators Tingting Tang, who manages logistics and aligns the curriculum with workforce-relevant AI competencies, and Weichen Zhao, who designs the pedagogical framework based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Course instructors Huan Qin and Christopher Ryan are responsible for integrating the Adobe AI tools into the existing course structures. A key objective is to provide students with hands-on experience using industry-standard tools, thereby bridging a current gap in Adobe tool familiarity and enhancing their future career prospects.
To further refine their implementation strategies and stay abreast of the latest advancements, the project team plans to attend the CSU and Adobe for All Digital Literacy Summit at San José State University. This engagement underscores their commitment to continuous learning and effective integration of AI into the curriculum.