Meet Joanne Roxburgh, a PhD student in technology-enhanced learning from the UK. Joanne had heard about the growing potential of artificial intelligence in her industry and wanted to learn more. She didn’t have a coding background, but as soon as she found the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate on Coursera, she was able to start learning AI concepts and applications. Read Joanne’s full story below to see how she’s integrating AI applications into the education industry, and why she recommends this program for anybody interested in how AI can be used to make a positive impact in the world.

My name is Joanne Roxburgh. I am a PhD student in technology-enhanced learning, and I do educational consulting work in online learning. I have almost 30 years of experience working in the education industry. Before I started working on my PhD, I was VP of academics at a multinational education company.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic in education. However, because technology companies and education institutes have different points of view on AI’s value and uses, I felt like I was getting lost in the middle. Everybody’s argument was compelling, but I did not know what an AI-enabled solution could mean for the education industry. As I was in a leadership position in my organization, I felt I needed to develop a perspective. 

I started taking online courses in AI, but the first courses I tried, though informative, were not really helping me form my own opinion and point of view. I needed to find out what AI was, and how it could be applied in the education industry.

That’s when I discovered the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate on Coursera. It wasn’t just a “sit down and watch a few videos” kind of course—it was completely hands-on, it was practical, and it allowed me to see where AI-enabled solutions could make an impact.

When I started the program, I was a little worried, because I do not have a coding background; however, I quickly realized that coding experience was not required. I could still learn concepts and applications of AI without needing to do any heavy coding. My favorite part of the program was developing my own chatbot focused on education. I thought it was going to be a lot more technical and difficult, but instead, it was easy to develop and build.

One of my key motivations for obtaining the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate was to build confidence in communicating about AI using technical language, so I could speak to my clients with a strong knowledge base in AI skills. After completing the certificate, I felt prepared and ready to integrate AI applications into the education industry and build upon my skill set.

My learning on Coursera has helped me work more effectively with companies in the education industry. I can provide pedagogy and also cross over into technical arenas with the tools I acquired from a rigorous program that provided immediate feedback, support for learning, interactive learning strategies, and mentoring capabilities.

At the present time, I am working with the Blockchain and Climate Institute as their Principle Executive Officer for Learning. The IBM Applied AI Certificate program prepared me for any forthcoming challenges and provided me a strong foundation for moving forward with an AI focus and technology platform. 

I would recommend the program to anybody, really! I think anybody interested in how AI is going to affect their lives or affect their industry will benefit from the program.

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