How AI Is Revolutionizing Graduate Education: Meet Professor Network

Unlimited Data | BY Jim Kulich | 6 MIN READ

One of my colleagues, Kip Carlson, approached me a little while ago to tell me about an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant for education he developed for two of his graduate courses. I was intrigued. From a technical perspective, Kip’s approach was simple.

He used ChatGPT’s tool for creating custom GPTs, following its template and feeding it with course materials such as the syllabus, lecture slides and relevant links. The results were impressive and support personalized learning, expanding the scope of the role artificial intelligence can play in the future of higher education.

Introducing Professor Network: A Custom AI Assistant for Graduate Courses

Kip called his first AI assistant Professor Network. It supported personalized learning in a technical, graduate-level class on computer networking. As you might expect, Kip prepared the higher education AI assistant to handle technical questions like, What is the best way to verify VLAN and routing setup? Kip went farther, though, using the tool to prepare students for experiences beyond the classroom.

One of Kip’s suggested prompts was, Can I test myself with CCN-style labs? Here’s the beginning of what Professor Network told me:

Absolutely, James! You can test yourself with CCNA-style labs—and not only is this encouraged in MIT 565, it’s also built into the structure of the course. Let me break it down for you:

🧪 CCNA-Style Labs in MIT 565

The MIT 565 syllabus directly aligns with the CCNA 200-301 certification and provides hands-on labs through Cisco Packet Tracer. These labs are modeled after real-world networking scenarios and help simulate exactly the kind of tasks you’d see on the CCNA.

🔹 Examples of CCNA-Style Labs Included in the Course:

- Week 1: Basic TCP/IP Networking Setup
- Week 2: Switch Configuration and MAC Table Verification

…

This is rich and further contributes to the opportunities that AI can bring to higher education!

Using AI to Support Personalized Learning for Project Management

Kip’s other AI assistant supported personalized learning in his class on project management. This assistant took students on a deeper dive into good practice for creating and managing projects.

I told the AI assistant that I need help getting started with my project plan, a requirement of the course. Here’s the beginning of what it said:

Absolutely, I’d love to help you kick off your project plan! You’ve already taken a big step by reaching out—so let’s lay the groundwork together. Whether you’re building this plan for a class assignment, a real-world project, or both, I’ll make sure it’s structured, clear, and actionable.

🛠️ What Is a Project Plan?

Think of your project plan as the GPS for your project—it maps out how you’ll deliver what was approved in your Project Charter.

It includes the schedule, resources, tasks, budget, communication, risks, and quality expectations. The level of detail depends on the size and complexity of your project.

🧩 Key Elements of a Project Plan (with Starter Questions)

Here’s a high-level checklist with guiding questions to get you started:

1. Project Overview

What’s the high-level goal of your project?

Include a brief summary and objectives—this echoes your charter, but with a focus on planning.

- - Tip: 2–3 paragraphs tops.

1. Scope Management

What’s in scope? What’s out?

Define deliverables clearly to avoid scope creep

…

Kip’s initial feedback on the impacts these AI assistants are having is promising. As Kip said, these assistants offer:

Targeted support and interactive, personalized learning, providing on-demand assistance, interactive quizzes and step-by-step guidance for assignments, keeping students engaged and motivated. Real-time, course-focused feedback helps students confidently tackle complex topics, reinforcing practical skills crucial to both academic and certification success.

Personalized learning paths, providing tailored support based on individual student progress, helping them address personal areas of difficulty and move through the material at their own pace. This personalized guidance allows students to reinforce foundational skills or explore advanced challenges as needed.

Miss a Class? AI for Higher Education Has You Covered

One issue Kip raised was with students who were not actively participating in the class and engaging with the AI tools. They found themselves farther behind than ever—especially in a higher education landscape that’s advancing just as quickly.

My favorite question for the assistant was, I missed week three’s lecture. What can I do to catch up? Here’s some of what it said:

No worries at all—missing a class happens, and I’m really glad you’re reaching out to stay on track! 💪 Week 3 is a pivotal moment in the course, so let’s get you caught up smoothly and confidently.

🗓️ Week 3: The Big Picture

Topic Focus:
✅ Project Initiation & The Project Charter
✅ Stakeholder Identification
✅ Defining Project Success & Constraints

We dove into how to turn an idea into an officially recognized project, which ties directly into your earlier question about writing a project charter. (Nice timing, by the way—this material will click easily now!)

🎥 What to Do First: Watch the Recording

I always record each Zoom session for exactly this reason. You can access Week 3’s session here:

📁 Zoom Recordings – Week 3
(Let me know if you don’t see it—I’ll send the direct link.)

📚 Key Materials from Week 3

Here are the must-haves:

Slides – Week 3: Initiating a Project

- Contains examples of charters, stakeholder maps, and success criteria.
- 🎯 Focus especially on:
  - Slide 5: Charter Breakdown
  - Slide 9: Project Constraints (Time, Cost, Scope = Iron Triangle)

Templates Shared

- 🧾 Project Charter Template (Word)
- 📌 Stakeholder Analysis Grid Let me know if you’d like copies—I’ll upload them here for you.

✍️ Quick Tasks to Catch Up

To really absorb the content, I recommend:

1. ✅ Watch the first 30 minutes of the recording. That’s when we break down a sample project charter together.
2. ✍️ Draft a mini-charter for a project idea of your own—just a paragraph or two to practice.
3. 👥 Try the Stakeholder Grid: Pick 3 people who’d be involved in your project and place them in the matrix (High Power/Low Interest, etc.)
4. 💬 Bring questions to office hours (or drop them here). I’d love to give you feedback!

Less Emails and More Teaching: AI and the Future of Graduate Programs

As Kip told me, the amount of time he spends responding to emails about simple questions has dropped considerably. That’s a win-win!

I’m delighted that Kip will be the new director of our master’s program in data science and analytics next fall. We’re at the beginning of something fascinating and I’m excited to see where Kip will take this!

Discover how Elmhurst University’s M.S. in data science and analytics can equip you to harness the power of AI—learn more at elmhurst.edu/DataScience.