North East Association for Institutional Research
Googling to Guided Learning: AI as a Learning Partner in IR
Date/Time
7/24/2026
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Eastern
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Eastern
Event Registration
Event Type(s)
Workshop Webinars
Event Description
In this interactive workshop, participants will explore how conversational AI can serve as a practical learning partner in institutional research. Rather than replacing IR expertise, AI can support day-to-day work by helping users understand tool logic, translate technical concepts, troubleshoot errors, and refine how findings are communicated.
Designed for AI-curious IR professionals, this session offers approachable, low-barrier strategies for integrating AI into everyday workflows—no prior experience required. Participants will learn core concepts, best practices, and ethical considerations for responsible AI use, followed by hands-on application through real-world scenarios.
The workshop includes a live demonstration using IPEDS admissions data to build a stakeholder-facing dashboard with help from AI. While the demo will be conducted in Tableau, participants are encouraged to follow along using their tool of choice, such as Power BI, Excel, or others. Interactive group activities and guided exercises will provide opportunities to practice, collaborate, and apply concepts in real time.
Participants in this session will be able to:
The workshop will include a live demonstration in Tableau using an IPEDS Admissions dataset provided in Excel format. Participants who choose to follow along should be able to open and work with Excel files (e.g., view data, sort/filter, and create basic charts or tables). No advanced features or add-ins are required.
Format: This is an Interactive Workshop: Participants will be able to interact with presenter and one another; these are not recorded.
Cost: $40 - Member; $100 Non-Member
Presenter: Megan Yosko, Rice University
Friday, July 24, 2026; 10:00 - 11:30
Designed for AI-curious IR professionals, this session offers approachable, low-barrier strategies for integrating AI into everyday workflows—no prior experience required. Participants will learn core concepts, best practices, and ethical considerations for responsible AI use, followed by hands-on application through real-world scenarios.
The workshop includes a live demonstration using IPEDS admissions data to build a stakeholder-facing dashboard with help from AI. While the demo will be conducted in Tableau, participants are encouraged to follow along using their tool of choice, such as Power BI, Excel, or others. Interactive group activities and guided exercises will provide opportunities to practice, collaborate, and apply concepts in real time.
Participants in this session will be able to:
- describe how conversational AI can function as a learning partner to support the development of IR technical skills, without replacing professional expertise or judgment.
- practice crafting effective, learning-oriented prompts to use AI for troubleshooting, sense-making, and refining analytical outputs.
- apply AI to explore IR-related workflows, including working with public IPEDS data, making visualization decisions, and supporting analytical reasoning.
- identify key ethical considerations when incorporating AI into institutional research work, including data sensitivity, accuracy, and appropriate use. Intended
- have a general understanding of institutional research workflows (e.g., working with data requests, creating reports, or building dashboards for stakeholders)
- be able to work with data in at least one tool such as Excel, Tableau, Power BI, or a similar platform (e.g., creating basic charts, filtering data, or building simple tables)
- have a basic familiarity with IPEDS and general awareness of Admissions Survey data elements (e.g., applicants, admits, and enrollment counts)
- be comfortable following a live demonstration and optionally replicating steps in their tool of choice
The workshop will include a live demonstration in Tableau using an IPEDS Admissions dataset provided in Excel format. Participants who choose to follow along should be able to open and work with Excel files (e.g., view data, sort/filter, and create basic charts or tables). No advanced features or add-ins are required.
Format: This is an Interactive Workshop: Participants will be able to interact with presenter and one another; these are not recorded.
Cost: $40 - Member; $100 Non-Member
Presenter: Megan Yosko, Rice University
Friday, July 24, 2026; 10:00 - 11:30
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