Learn from the first-hand experience of developing an AI-focused course for instructors—discover the challenges, insights, and practical solutions. More than just a conceptual overview, this workshop will offer actionable strategies for those ready to introduce AI into their curriculum design. This idea started as an IELOL Project

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape various industries, its influence on higher education has become increasingly apparent. AI offers transformative potential for course design, instructional practices, and student learning experiences. However, many educators are either skeptical about the role of AI in education or feel unprepared to incorporate it into their teaching practices. To bridge this gap, it is essential to provide instructors with accessible pathways to understand AI and how it can be used effectively in the educational landscape.

This interactive session is designed to share our experience as instructional designers tasked with developing a course to introduce faculty to the basics of AI and its applications in course design. Aimed at faculty members who are AI novices, the course demystifies the technology and offers practical insights into how AI can be used to enhance teaching and learning. Using Brightspace, our university’s learning management system (LMS), we developed a course consisting of three key modules and a resource repository. Each module guides instructors through various aspects of AI in education, from understanding its fundamentals to integrating it into their course planning and classroom activities.

In this session, attendees will learn about the process of designing the course, explore its content, and participate in interactive activities that model the hands-on exercises used in the course. By the end of the session, attendees will have a clear framework for incorporating AI into their own teaching, along with resources and strategies to guide their efforts.

AI in Education: The Need for Instructor Preparedness

The rapid development of AI technology has placed it at the forefront of many discussions in higher education. Institutions are increasingly interested in how AI can support teaching and learning, whether through personalized learning experiences, automated grading, or innovative course design. However, the conversation around AI often divides educators: while some are eager to embrace the change, others are unsure about how to get started or are concerned about the implications of AI in the classroom.

In our institution, recognizing the need to equip instructors with the necessary knowledge and tools to work with AI, we embarked on the creation of a course that serves as a low-stakes introduction to the technology. Our goal was to create a space where faculty could explore AI’s potential without feeling overwhelmed or pressured to become experts. This session will detail how we, as instructional designers, approached the challenge of developing this course while simultaneously learning about AI ourselves.

Our Journey: From AI Novices to Course Designers

A key element of this presentation is the unique perspective we bring as instructional designers with limited prior experience in AI. Like many educators, we recognized the growing importance of AI but had little hands-on experience with the technology. One of our presenters, through their participation in an institute, was tasked with identifying a critical issue at the university and proposing a solution. The development of this AI course emerged as the solution. When tasked with creating a course to introduce AI to faculty, we understood that we first needed to immerse ourselves in the basics of AI before we could design an effective and meaningful learning experience for others

Our learning process involved deep research into AI’s functionality, its applications in education, and the ethical concerns surrounding its use. We collaborated with AI experts to ensure our understanding was accurate and that we could translate complex concepts into accessible course content for faculty. The result was a course that not only educates instructors about AI but also provides them with practical tools and strategies to start incorporating AI into their teaching.

This portion of the session will focus on how we navigated the steep learning curve, the challenges we encountered, and the solutions we developed to create a course that balances technical knowledge with instructional practicality. We hope that by sharing our journey, we can inspire other educators and instructional designers to feel more confident in engaging with AI, even if they start as novices.

The AI Course: Structure and Content Overview

The course we developed is structured around three main modules, each addressing a different aspect of AI in education, as well as a resource repository to support instructors as they begin to integrate AI into their work. In this session, we will provide a detailed overview of the course content and explain how each module is designed to scaffold instructors' learning and application of AI.

Module 1: “What is Generative AI?”
The first module introduces participants to the basics of generative AI, explaining how the technology works and why it sometimes produces unreliable results. This module emphasizes the importance of strong prompt engineering, as the quality of AI-generated content is directly related to the clarity and specificity of the input. Participants engage in practice activities where they experiment with prompt development, learning how to craft prompts that yield useful and accurate responses. This foundational module ensures that instructors understand the strengths and limitations of AI before attempting to integrate it into their teaching.

Module 2: “Instructional Applications: Designing a Course Plan with AI”
The second module shifts the focus to course design. Participants learn how AI can serve as a thought partner in the course planning process, assisting with tasks such as generating ideas for course activities, drafting lesson plans, or even providing feedback on course content. This module presents AI as a tool to enhance, rather than replace, the instructor’s expertise, and encourages participants to explore how AI can support their pedagogical goals.

Module 3: “Instructional Applications: Creating AI-Based Activities”
In the final module, participants dive deeper into the development of AI-based activities for students. This module provides specific examples of classroom activities where students can use AI to enhance their learning, from brainstorming essays to conducting research. Ethical considerations are emphasized, particularly the importance of teaching students how to use AI responsibly and critically. Participants are guided through the process of designing their own AI-based activities, which they can apply in their own courses.

Resource Repository
In addition to the three content modules, the course includes a resource repository containing university policies on AI use, academic articles, suggested AI tools, and department-specific recommendations. This repository serves as an ongoing support system for instructors as they continue to explore AI in their teaching.

Interactive Activities and Discussions

To make this session more engaging and practical, we will include two interactive activities that mirror the exercises used in our AI course. These activities are designed to give participants hands-on experience with AI and prompt them to think creatively about how they can use AI in their own teaching.

Activity 1: AI Prompt Development
In this activity, participants will experiment with prompt engineering using a basic AI tool. They will write and modify prompts to observe how different inputs produce different AI-generated responses. By analyzing the results, participants will learn how to craft effective prompts and gain insights into how they can use prompt development exercises with their students.

Activity 2: Brainstorming AI-Based Course Activities
In small groups, participants will brainstorm ideas for AI-integrated course activities. Each group will select a course or teaching scenario and identify areas where AI could enhance the learning experience. Groups will then present their ideas, and we will facilitate a discussion on best practices, potential challenges, and ethical considerations.

Conclusion: Empowering Educators to Embrace AI

By the end of this session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how AI can be integrated into course design and instructional practices. They will leave with a framework for incorporating AI into their own teaching, practical experience with AI tools, and access to a set of resources that will support their ongoing exploration of AI in education. This session will empower educators to confidently begin their journey toward integrating AI into their teaching, helping them to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education.

This idea started as an IELOL Project.