Mapping the Course: Data, Discovery, and Innovation with Lee Rainie

04/25/25 • 32 min

In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Lee Rainie, Director of Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, to explore the transformative impact of AI on higher education.

They delve into groundbreaking research on how AI is reshaping teaching, learning, and academic integrity, uncovering surprising divides among educators—half of whom see AI as a tool for creativity, while the other half view it as a threat to critical thinking.

From redefining cheating to navigating the "Wild West" of AI governance, Lee shares insights on how institutions can adapt, the rise of "prompt literacy," and why "show your work" might be the mantra of the future. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the promises and pitfalls of AI in education.

Key Takeaways

AI’s Disruptive Potential: 95% of academic leaders believe AI will disrupt traditional teaching models, with half calling it a "major disruption."
Cheating vs. Creativity: Administrators are split—50% say using AI for assignments (e.g., generating outlines) is acceptable, while 50% consider it cheating.
Positive Outcomes: AI is expected to enhance learning, research skills, writing, and creativity—but only if integrated thoughtfully.
Risks: Concerns include academic integrity, student dependency on AI, digital inequities, and declining attention spans.
Governance Challenges: Schools lack clear policies, leaving faculty to navigate AI use case-by-case. "Show your work" is emerging as a key accountability standard.
The Future of Work: AI demands new skills like "prompt literacy" and shifts the focus from content creation to critical evaluation.

Conversation Rundown

Intro (00:00)
Lee Rainie’s Background and the AI in Higher Ed Study (02:29)
Key Findings: Disruption, Cheating, and Student Outcomes (04:28)
Academic Integrity: Defining Misuse in the AI Era (07:20)
Why Coding Embraces AI But Writing Resists It (10:48)
AI as a Creative Ally: The Power of Prompting (12:45)
Institutional Challenges: Governance and Faculty Preparedness (15:22)
Digital Governance: Bridging Gaps in AI Policy (19:10)
AI vs. Past Tech Revolutions: Adoption and Social Impact (23:55)
Emerging Questions: Mastery, Testing, and Human Purpose in an AI World (27:29)

Dig Deeper

This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and education, offering a deep dive into the trends and challenges shaping the future of higher education.

Tune in to learn how AI is quietly revolutionizing education data—without displacing humans.

Find Lee Rainie here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrubenstein/

Elon University

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-rainie-866742/

Explore More on EdTech Connect

For more insights on innovative teaching strategies, the role of technology in education, and the future of learning, visit EdTech Connect. Subscribe to stay updated on the latest trends and conversations in educational technology or visit https://edtechconnect.com.

Key Takeaways

AI’s Disruptive Potential: 95% of academic leaders believe AI will disrupt traditional teaching models, with half calling it a "major disruption."
Cheating vs. Creativity: Administrators are split—50% say using AI for assignments (e.g., generating outlines) is acceptable, while 50% consider it cheating.
Positive Outcomes: AI is expected to enhance learning, research skills, writing, and creativity—but only if integrated thoughtfully.
Risks: Concerns include academic integrity, student dependency on AI, digital inequities, and declining attention spans.
Governance Challenges: Schools lack clear policies, leaving faculty to navigate AI use case-by-case. "Show your work" is emerging as a key accountability standard.
The Future of Work: AI demands new skills like "prompt literacy" and shifts the focus from content creation to critical evaluation.

Conversation Rundown

Intro (00:00)
Lee Rainie’s Background and the AI in Higher Ed Study (02:29)
Key Findings: Disruption, Cheating, and Student Outcomes (04:28)
Academic Integrity: Defining Misuse in the AI Era (07:20)
Why Coding Embraces AI But Writing Resists It (10:48)
AI as a Creative Ally: The Power of Prompting (12:45)
Institutional Challenges: Governance and Faculty Preparedness (15:22)
Digital Governance: Bridging Gaps in AI Policy (19:10)
AI vs. Past Tech Revolutions: Adoption and Social Impact (23:55)
Emerging Questions: Mastery, Testing, and Human Purpose in an AI World (27:29)

Dig Deeper

This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and education, offering a deep dive into the trends and challenges shaping the future of higher education.

Tune in to learn how AI is quietly revolutionizing education data—without displacing humans.

Find Lee Rainie here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrubenstein/

Elon University

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-rainie-866742/

Explore More on EdTech Connect

Previous Episode

From Google to Doowii: Making EdTech Data Actually Useful with Jeff Rubenstein

In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Jeff Rubenstein, Chief Product Officer at doowii and a seasoned leader in educational technology with experience at Google, 2U, and Kaltura.

They dive into the transformative power of AI-driven data analytics in education, exploring how doowii’s platform turns fragmented student data into actionable insights—without requiring a team of data scientists.

Jeff Rubenstein shares his journey from early LMS development to tackling one of higher ed’s biggest challenges: democratizing data access across institutions. They discuss:

Why most schools struggle with "data culture" when only a handful of people can access insights.
How AI-powered virtual data analysts can empower admissions, student success teams, and faculty.
Real-world examples, from predicting dropout risks to integrating labor market data for career pathways.
The future of edtech infrastructure as institutions shift toward skills-based learning and employment alignment.

Whether you’re a CIO, IR leader, or educator, this episode offers a roadmap for breaking down data silos and putting AI to work—without the buzzwords.

Key Takeaways

The Data Democracy Problem: Most schools call themselves "data-driven," but only 4–5 people can actually access or interpret the data.
AI as a Force Multiplier: doowii’s platform acts as a virtual data scientist, letting non-technical users explore trends (e.g., engagement by ZIP code, first-gen student performance) without IT tickets.
Beyond Dashboards: Traditional tools like Tableau are powerful but static. AI enables dynamic, conversational analytics (e.g., "Show me chronically absent students" → AI defines "chronic absence" contextually).
Predictive Analytics Made Practical: Schools are using doowii to identify at-risk students and link external data (e.g., neighborhood power outages) to retention strategies.
Integration Flexibility: doowii works standalone and embedded in systems like Canvas LMS and Salesforce, adapting to schools’ existing tech stacks.
The Future of EdTech: Rubenstein predicts a shift from generic LMS/SIS architectures to skills-based systems tied to employment outcomes.

Conversation Rundowns

Introduction & Jeff’s Journey (0:00)
The Student Data Problem (03:53)
Predictive Analytics in Action (10:24)
Integration: Standalone vs. Embedded (15:51)
The Future of EdTech Infrastructure (20:10)
Who is doowii for? (25:41)
What Current EdTech Trend Will Be Remembered? (27:19)

Dig Deeper

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrubenstein/

doowii

https://www.doowii.io/

Explore More on EdTech Connect

Next Episode

Revolutionizing Higher Education Through Performance TV with Jennifer Lonchar

In this episode of EdTech Connect, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Jennifer Lonchar, founder of AmbioEdu, to explore how streaming TV is revolutionizing higher ed marketing. Jennifer shares her journey from traditional digital marketing to pioneering performance-based TV advertising for colleges and universities.

Discover how AmbioEdu ‘s cutting-edge platform targets households with unskippable commercials, tracks enrollment attribution, and supercharges traditional digital campaigns. Jennifer also weighs in on the "perception cliff" facing higher ed, why video is the future of student engagement, and how schools can stand out in an increasingly noisy digital landscape. Tune in for actionable insights on modernizing your marketing strategy with streaming TV!

Key Takeaways

Streaming TV is the New Frontier: Higher ed lags behind other industries in adopting streaming TV ads, but it offers unskippable, measurable, and highly targeted opportunities to reach students and parents.
Full-Funnel Marketing: Unlike traditional TV ads, streaming campaigns can track engagement from awareness (top of funnel) to conversions (applications, deposits) by linking ad exposure to household IP addresses.
Emotional Storytelling Wins: Schools must move beyond generic taglines and create emotionally resonant 15-30 second spots that make students say, "I can see myself there."
The "Perception Cliff": Beyond demographic declines, higher ed faces a crisis of perceived value. Jennifer advocates for industry-wide efforts to promote lifelong learning and combat skepticism
Diversify or Fall Behind: Relying solely on crowded digital channels (e.g., social media, Google Ads) is no longer enough. Streaming TV complements existing strategies and boosts performance across platforms.

Conversation Rundowns

Introduction (00:00)
Jennifer’s Journey from Carnegie to AmbioEdu (02:04)
Why Streaming TV? The Untapped Opportunity in Higher Ed (04:22)
How It Works: Targeting Households and Measuring ROI (08:25)
Creative Strategy: Crafting Ads That Resonate with Students and Parents (09:25)
Challenges and Opportunities in the Industry with New Technology (13:03)
Beyond Undergrad: Streaming for Grad Programs, Stopouts, and Fundraising (18:35)
Industry Shifts: Short Tenures, Vendor Consolidation, and Innovative Startups (24:26)
Final Advice: Diversify Your Strategy and Lean into Video (29:39)