Episode 04 - Nikolas McGehee

Episode 04: Dr. Nikolas McGehee

Self-efficacy and AI adoption, AI as a facilitator, building a culture of AI exploration

Enjoying the Show?

Subscribe. Send Us Feedback. Share.

Dr. Nikolas McGehee is a data scientist, professor, and entrepreneur who thrives on turning complex problems into practical solutions.

At Michigan Virtual, he leads research on how AI is reshaping education, from predictive models to engagement tools that drive student success. He also teaches doctoral students at Trevecca Nazarene University, guiding future leaders in research and AI analytics. As founder of Capstone Solutions, Nikolas consults across education, academia, software, healthcare, and AI—helping organizations harness data and innovation to grow. His work blends rigor with impact, always focused on making research usable in the real world.

Outside of data and consulting, Nikolas is a lightweight MMA champion and a creative D&D dungeon master, bringing strategy and storytelling into every arena.

Episode Highlights

Self-efficacy drives AI adoption: Nikolas' meta-analysis of 60 studies found that an educator's belief in their ability to use AI successfully is the strongest predictor of adoption: "He who says he can, and he who says he can't. Both are usually right."

Show usefulness and ease of use first: To overcome educator resistance, McGehee emphasizes demonstrating practical applications: "Teachers have to be shown, number one that this is useful and here are the use cases... once they understand how useful it is and what all it can do for them letting them actually experiment with the tools and see how easy it can be."

AI as facilitator vs. tool makes the difference: Students who used AI as a learning facilitator (like tutoring or explaining concepts) scored 4 points higher on average than those who used it simply as a content generator - foreshadowing the benefits now seen in study modes.

Build a culture of experimentation: Real AI adoption requires ongoing support beyond one-day workshops: "You have to build a culture of experimentation... you need more than a day, even if you have a highly interactive presentation where you show and you tell, and then you allow them to do."

Personal use drives professional adoption: McGehee's research shows educators who experiment with AI tools at home develop greater familiarity and positive perceptions, leading to higher workplace adoption.:"The more familiar you are and the more you use these tools generally, the higher your perception, the more positive your perception of these tools are."