Fulbright Faculty Put Student Learning First in Conversations About AI

Fulbright College faculty put students' learning first as they explored artificial intelligence in the classroom, starting not with what AI can do but with a more fundamental question: What do they want students to learn?

That question guided "AI as a Learning Partner: Innovative Teaching Ideas," a recent Fulbright Learning Community event where faculty explored practical ways emerging technology can support teaching while preserving the curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and human connection at the heart of learning.

Led by Lynn Meade, teaching associate professor and faculty facilitator, the session encouraged faculty to begin not with the technology itself, but with the people using it and the skills, experiences and outcomes they want students to carry forward.

"Instead of beginning with, 'I want my students to use AI,' we begin the conversation with, 'I want my students to engage in critical thinking. What are ways I can accomplish that?'" Meade said. "Once we identify the value and the learning objective, then we can ask whether AI has a role in supporting or supplementing that learning."

Starting With What Matters

Meade engaged faculty in discussion using the Analog Inspiration card deck, a tool she learned about at the Lilly Conference on Evidence Based Teaching and Learning. The card desk is the creation of Carter Moulton, an academic developer, speaker, facilitator and media researcher who serves as faculty for the Association of American Colleges and Universities' Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum. The cards are designed to spark human-centered conversations about teaching and learning in the age of generative AI.

During the session, faculty used the cards as conversation starters, reflecting on their own teaching, exchanging ideas with colleagues and considering where AI could contribute to learning and where it might interfere. Participants evaluated AI based on what it contributes to students' education rather than adopting a tool simply because it is new or available.

"Beginning with the end in mind is not a novel concept, but one we should continue to ask ourselves even in this world of AI and new technologies. Teaching our students how to think is even more paramount, in my opinion, with all the new technology that is surfacing," said Romona West, assistant dean of Student Success and Strategic Initiatives. "Our goal is to keep the student at the center, support student learning and help equip students so they can thrive in this ever-changing world."

New Ideas for the Classroom

For Rocio Paez, teaching associate professor, the session provided both practical possibilities and new questions to carry back to her own teaching.

"I always leave these presentations excited to try new things and pondering about many others especially as I continue to learn more about AI," Paez said.

In the session, faculty had an opportunity to think together about how technology might serve different disciplines, courses and learning goals. Ultimately, the conversation about AI returned faculty to a familiar question: What will help students learn? Keeping that question at the forefront gives faculty a framework for adapting as technologies continue to change.

The Fulbright Learning Community is a faculty development initiative designed to strengthen teaching effectiveness, encourage collaborative engagement and promote student success within the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. The next program is Oct. 28 from 11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m., on Building Community in the Classroom.

Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences is the U of A's largest and most diverse academic unit, home to world-class research, innovative programs and hands-on learning across the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Fulbright prepares students with the durable skills, global perspective and creative confidence to thrive in a changing world.