TDNet Discover

The purpose of this mixed-methods case study is to investigate the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize information technology (IT) operations management for faculty, staff, and students at Miami Dade College (MDC). For the utility of this study, AI-driven IT optimization will be generally defined as the use of intelligent systems—such as predictive analytics, automated incident triage, and machine learning algorithms—to enhance service desk management, datacenter monitoring, cloud resource allocation, and cybersecurity resilience. The theory guiding this study is Sociotechnical Systems Theory, as it emphasizes the interdependence between technical innovations and organizational processes, supporting the alignment of AI integration with human workflows and institutional culture. This study will employ a mixed-methods action research design to capture both quantitative and qualitative perspectives on AI adoption in higher education IT settings. Quantitative data will include IT service desk logs, cloud utilization reports, and cybersecurity incident response times, while qualitative data will consist of structured interviews with IT staff, focus groups with faculty and students, and reviews of internal IT governance documents. Data analysis will apply descriptive and inferential statistics to the quantitative datasets and thematic coding to the qualitative materials. The setting for this study is Miami Dade College, one of the largest and most diverse community colleges in the United States, serving over 100,000 students annually. The sample will include IT staff, faculty, and student users representing diverse perspectives on IT service delivery. Through a comprehensive analysis of both performance metrics and stakeholder experiences, this capstone study seeks to determine how AI-driven tools can reduce incident resolution times, strengthen institutional resilience, and improve user satisfaction. The abstract provides the framework for understanding the problem of practice, the theoretical lens, the methodological approach, and the significance of the study, while results will be presented in the final capstone document.