Higher Education
Welcome to ACSI Higher Education
Institutions of Christian higher education have a crucial role in training future leaders, educators, and workers for service worldwide. They commendably fill this role and continue to meet the critical need for well-trained, biblically sound teachers, administrators, leaders, and others.
As colleges and universities seek to be effective in preparing young hearts and minds for their vocations, ACSI desires to assist in that process and partner with higher education institutions worldwide. ACSI membership offers Christian colleges and universities
the opportunity to engage their EE–12 colleagues in a variety of settings. ACSI member colleges cooperate in the Distinguished Christian High School Student Program and the Higher Education Accreditation Program.
Higher Education Accreditation Program (HEAP)
The Higher Education Accreditation Program (HEAP) is offered to currently accredited ACSI member Christian liberal arts colleges, universities, and Bible colleges. Colleges and universities seeking to participate in the program must give evidence of a commitment to preparing teachers and administrators to serve in Christian schools and must show they are encouraging their graduates to prayerfully consider serving in Christian schools around the world.
Resources
Christian School Educators Embrace AI Risks, Benefits
OTTAWA, ON & COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – A new study finds that around 38% of Christian school educators use artificial intelligence (AI) at least sometimes at work. An almost equal proportion (37%) reports never using AI. Those findings come from "Navigating AI in Christian Schools," a report published by think tank Cardus based on an Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) survey of educators (teachers and leaders) at its member schools.
The report also found that:
-
70% of educators report being at least somewhat familiar with AI
-
87% of educators agree that AI can help teachers save time and effort
-
60% of educators agree AI can help teachers create more effective curriculum and lesson plans
-
Only 18% of educators indicated their school banned students’ use of AI
ACSI President & CEO Dr. Larry Taylor believes educators’ faith should inform how they leverage AI.
“I believe AI has tremendous potential, but it’s imperative that we exemplify how to use it in a Christ-like, biblically honoring way,” he shared. “This report is extremely timely as we navigate the new norms that AI has already brought into the world of education.”
Despite educators’ familiarity with and use of AI, they’re also concerned about the potential downsides of the technology for students. Many worry that AI could lead students to cheat, stunt their critical thinking skills, invade privacy, or even undermine students’ faith. In fact, educators’ top use of AI is to detect student plagiarism. They also use it to find teaching ideas and resources, or to prepare emails and lesson plans. Dr. Lynn E. Swaner, a report co-author, President - US at Cardus and ACSI Senior Fellow, says many Christian schools are only just starting to come to grips with how widespread AI has become.
“Ever since ChatGPT exploded onto our screens in 2022, Christian schools have had to navigate their way toward finding the appropriate place for AI,” Swaner said. “Hopefully, our study will help educators see the big picture of how Christian schools are finding their way through the world of AI and spark conversations about how AI fits within their school’s mission and values.”
ACSI Director of Research Rian Djita echoed Swaner’s sentiment, stating, “This ground-breaking research, the first of its kind in Christian education, positions ACSI as a leader in navigating the potential of AI in Christian schools."
"Navigating AI in Christian Schools" is freely available online and is the first of many conversations ACSI and Cardus will provide Christian education leaders on this new technology in the coming months.
Media Inquiries:
Caitlyn Harding
ACSI – Corporate Communications & PR Manager
613-899-5174 719-867-0243
media_inquiries@acsi.org
Daniel Proussalidis
Cardus – Director of Communications
media@cardus.ca
About The Association of Christian Schools International
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
About Cardus – Imagination toward a thriving society
Cardus is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, the ways in which society’s institutions can work together for the common good.