Hospitality and Courage in the Age of AI
The Brave Classroom: Why Hospitality Matters in a Time of AI
In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the true challenge in higher education is not about tools or technology. It is about people.
At Lipscomb, we believe that for faculty to thoughtfully and ethically integrate AI into their teaching, they must first be invited into a space of hospitality. This means more than training sessions or how-to guides. It means building a culture where curiosity is welcomed, vulnerability is honored, and risk is safe.
Drawing from the work of bell hooks and Parker Palmer, we understand that transformational learning requires spaces where we can be brave and vulnerable with one another. These are spaces where faculty can question long-held assumptions, admit uncertainty, and explore new ways of thinking without fear.
This academic year, we’ve seen remarkable growth through simple but powerful practices:
Our weekly AI Tips from our AI Faculty Fellow, Sarah Gibson, were designed to invite rather than overwhelm
The Faculty AI Design Lab gave faculty a place to collaboratively design and test AI-integrated assignments in a supportive, nonjudgmental setting, giving each other the chance to say “I don’t know how to do this,” and then wrestle with the idea and learn together
Our Canvas AI course module offered practical resources while modeling a growth mindset
At our annual Christmas celebration, we featured a game using AI that encouraged faculty to play together, creating images, songs, and poems about one another’s accomplishments
When I introduced the theme of our opening faculty meeting in August, Flourishing on the Brink of Change: Navigating the Future with Timeless Wisdom, I know some faculty were skeptical. I admitted to the faculty in that meeting that we are all approaching this brink together, and that, as their Provost, I was committed to walking alongside them on this journey of learning. At the end of the day, many of those skeptics came and told me how much they had learned. I’ve seen some of those faculty members who were most cautious about using AI become regular attendees at our sessions in the Center for Teaching and Learning, and they are now advocating for AI literacy tools so they can serve their students more fully!
As we walk this journey together, we are reminded that the first step toward innovation is always hospitality. It is the practice of making room for others, and for ourselves, to grow, to change, and to reimagine.