Fulshear-Katy Community Guide 2025-26

need to be equipped with in order to be successful. That’s why we look to engage with our business and industry partners so they can tell us what they need from their employees. That means new skills (hard and soft), new technologies, incorporating experiential learning in order to ensure students are career ready. That is a big part of the success story. Having said that, one challenge (and opportunity) will be with artificial intelligence. We need to find ways to partner with this new technology so that it becomes a tool for success and not something feared or avoided. — Dr. Jay Neal, Associate Vice President for the UH Katy and Sugar Land Campuses With the plethora of changes and adjustments in the classroom due to technological advances, it can feel overwhelming for parents and students. After reading so many responses from teachers, parents can feel reassured and comforted these advancements are for the betterment of education. Learning teachers are using these tools and technology to better serve the various needs of their students, brings a sense of relief that children are excelling more than ever. With technology as an aide, educators continue to do their jobs guiding and enlightening future generations.

learn to interpret what they’re seeing, evaluate accuracy, and use A.I. as a thoughtful tool for research, creativity, and problem-solving—not just a shortcut to answers. — Nathan Dube, M.F.A. in Studio Art/Metalsmithing & Jewelry at Houston Community College Q: If you could recreate the perfect classroom environment, what would it include? A: The perfect classroom environment is one that supports instructor strategies and student learning. We currently have second and third generations of Active Learning Classrooms that include multiple stations with whiteboard tables and individual monitors for collaborative work, podiums in the center of the room; furniture that allows for flexibility for team activities, and state of the art technologies such as HD projector displays and video conferencing systems. — Dr. Jay Neal, Associate Vice President for the UH Katy and Sugar Land Campuses Q: What do you think schools are doing well to adapt to modern challenges? A: As academics one thing we do well is not assume we know what all the modern challenges are. If our job is to prepare the next generation of leaders and innovators (and it is), we first need to understand what these future leaders

must keep up with the changing world. Two local professors weigh in on what they see at their level of teaching and the ways it prepares students for their futures. Q: How has technology improved your ability to teach and connect with students? A: Affordable and accessible tools like 3D printers and laser cutters have dramatically changed how my students and I work. These technologies allow us to rapidly prototype and refine ideas, turning sketches into physical works in a fraction of the time. This kind of hands-on experimentation empowers students to iterate, take creative risks, and truly understand the process from concept to final product. — Nathan Dube, M.F.A. in Studio Art/Metalsmithing & Jewelry at Houston Community College Q: Have technological advances changed the way students engage with transformative change has been the rise of A.I. Students now have a universe of information at their fingertips—day or night. They can explore topics in dozens of ways, immediately. But that instant access also demands discernment and skepticism. My job is to help them learning? How has this helped? A: Without a doubt. The most

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FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2025-26 ISSUE 67