Purdue University Northwest / Center for Faculty Excellence / Programs and Services / Teaching and Learning with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Teaching and Learning with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

See below what the Center for Faculty Excellence is offering in AI Programming!

Fall 2025 Community of Practice

Are you ready to explore new teaching methods in the context of generative AI? Participate in the CFE Community of Practice, “Enhancing Courses with Generative AI,” and discover how to harness the potential of AI to enhance learning outcomes and foster critical thinking. This Community of Practice, facilitated by AI Faculty Fellow Mark Mabrito, Professor of English, explores the skills and knowledge needed to integrate Generative AI into the curriculum seamlessly.

Earn digital micro-credentials (badges) for your active participation in each Community of Practice meeting and a certificate for attending all four meetings. The digital badges can be displayed on professional profiles, such as LinkedIn and included in CVs or resumes to showcase your commitment to continuous learning and innovation in your teaching and research practices. 

Expectations of Participation

  • You will complete the Auburn University’s Teaching with AI course prior to the first meeting. The course takes approx. 5-7 hours to complete.
    • Registration for the course will be paid for and managed by the CFE. Those selected to join the Fall 2025 Community of Practice will be automatically enrolled in the Teaching with AI course. There is no need to submit a separate application for course enrollment.
  • It is strongly encourage for you to attend or view the recordings of the Fall 2025 “Playing with AI” sessions.
  • You will bring your own input/information/challenges/things you’d like to have changed in your course as a catalyst for your efforts in the CoP.
  • We will meet every two weeks starting Sept. 22, and at each meeting we will bring in the Auburn course’s guidance along with our own experiences to shape the CoP. The expectation is that you will attend all four (4) meetings.
    • September 22nd (12:30 to 1:45 p.m.) – virtual
    • October 6th (12:30 to 1:45 p.m.) – virtual
    • October 20th (12:30 to 1:45 p.m.) – virtual
    • November 3rd (12:30 to 1:45 p.m.) – virtual

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Apply by Aug 29!

Participation is limited, and the application above is a required step to be considered. Please respond thoughtfully and thoroughly — your responses will be used to determine eligibility and ensure a good match between participant goals and the CoP’s focus.

Learn more about the Community of Practice

Here’s what you can expect to learn and discuss at the meetings:

  • September 22, 2025 Meeting Objectives:
  • October 6, 2025 Meeting Objectives: 
  • October 20, 2025 Meeting Objectives: 
  • November 3, 2025 Meeting Objectives: 
    • Present AI-enhanced assignments and accompanying rubrics for peer evaluation
      • Participants will share their draft assignments, including prompts and assessment criteria, with colleagues for constructive review.

Throughout the meetings, you’ll have access to various resources, including handouts, examples and practical exercises. By the end of the Community of Practice, you’ll have enhanced a course of your choosing with GenAI.

Fall 2025

“Playing with AI” is a series of interactive virtual sessions designed to introduce faculty to innovative AI tools and applications that can enhance teaching and research practices. Led by AI Faculty Fellow Dr. Mark Mabrito, Professor of English, each session features hands-on exploration of AI tools, with guidance on how to effectively incorporate them into your academic work. These sessions provide a unique opportunity to experiment with cutting-edge technologies in a supportive, collaborative environment.

Active participants will earn digital micro-credentials (badges), which serve as a recognition of their engagement and proficiency in utilizing AI tools. These badges can be displayed on professional profiles, such as LinkedIn and included in CVs or resumes to showcase their commitment to continuous learning and innovation in their teaching and research practices. 

REGISTER TO ATTEND A PLAYING WITH AI SESSION!

  • Monday, Sept 8, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.,  AI and Prompt Crafting
  • Thursday, Sept 25, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Use AI to Find Research
  • Wednesday, Oct 8, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., AI Resources for the Classroom
  • Tuesday, Oct 21, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Leverage AI (Large Language Models) for “Deep Research”
  • Thursday, Nov 6, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Leverage AI for Critical Reading and Interacting with Source Material
  • Monday, Nov 17, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., AI and Teaching (TBA)

For more information on each session, including the tools featured, logistics and digital micro-credentials (badges) visit the Playing with AI – Fall 2025 Google document.

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot are transforming higher education. Whether you’re enthusiastic about the opportunities or concerned about the implications for academic integrity, course design, and student learning, AI is pushing us to reexamine what we teach and how we teach it.

To support thoughtful engagement and pedagogical innovation, the Center for Faculty Excellence is offering access to Teaching with AI, an award-winning, self-paced online course developed by Auburn University’s Biggio Center.

This asynchronous course—designed specifically for higher education instructors—combines critical reflection, practical experimentation, and peer engagement. It takes approximately 5–7 hours to complete and has been recognized nationally for its quality and impact.

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TEACHING WITH AI AUBURN COURSE

Apply by Aug 29!

Space in the course is limited. Faculty interested in participating will need to apply to be enrolled. Enrollment is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you’re selected for the Fall 2025 Community of Practice, we’ve got you covered — you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Teaching with AI course and don’t need to apply separately.

What to Expect:

  • Flexible and interactive modules. Each module includes structured activities, readings, and discussions that connect course concepts to your own teaching practice.

  • Badging and feedback. You can earn a digital badge for each module by completing all activities and participating in that module’s discussion forum. These discussions are designed to help you reflect on how AI might be used in your classroom, while also giving you the chance to exchange ideas with peers in higher education.

  • Personalized feedback. Your submissions will be reviewed by a staff member of the Center for Faculty Excellence. If needed, you’ll receive feedback and have the chance to revise and resubmit.

  • Capstone recognition. Participants who complete all five modules and earn each individual badge are eligible for the AUAI Experimenter badge by participating in a final capstone discussion. This discussion synthesizes what you’ve learned across the course and is also reviewed with the opportunity for revision if needed.

Added Benefit: Public Recognition
Participants who complete the course and earn the AUAI Experimenter badge will also be recognized at the Center for Faculty Excellence’s Celebrating Excellence event in the spring.

By completing this course, you will:

  • Explore AI and its implications for teaching, learning, and academic integrity

  • Reflect on your own pedagogical values and the role of AI in your teaching philosophy

  • Evaluate examples—strong and flawed—of courses redesigned with AI in mind

  • Redesign assignments using AI tools, receive structured feedback, and iterate

  • Access an evolving repository of research and best practices for teaching with AI

  • Connect with peers to consider AI’s role in higher education more broadly

  • Promote alignment and consistency across your program by discussing AI use with colleagues

Recognition and Quality:
This course received the 2024 Outstanding Program: Noncredit Award from the University and Continuing Education Professional Association (UCPEA) and has been featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed for its timely design and relevance to faculty across disciplines.

If you’re ready to think critically about AI, test out tools, or simply learn what all the buzz is about, this course offers a supportive, high-quality path forward.

REGISTER TO ATTEND A FACULTY DIALOGUES ON AI SESSION

The Gray Area: Faculty Dialogues on AI is a virtual conversation series for faculty who are wrestling with what artificial intelligence means for our classrooms, assignments, and pedagogical values. Rather than offering definitive answers, this space invites open, informed dialogue about the complex and often conflicting implications of AI in higher education.

In each session, we explore a timely topic related to generative AI through shared readings, reflective questions, and facilitated discussion. Whether you’re experimenting with AI tools, concerned about academic integrity, or just curious about what all the fuss is about, this series creates room to think together about how AI is reshaping how we teach, learn, and assess.

Session 1

Topic: AI Detection & the Pedagogy of Trust

Date and Time: September 19, 1 to 2 p.m. (virtual)

Pre-Dialogue Readings:

As generative AI becomes a common tool in academic writing, educators are grappling with how (and whether) to detect its use in student work. Join us as we explore the promises and pitfalls of AI detection tools, drawing on recent research and classroom approaches.

We’ll discuss the reliability of current detection technologies, consider their pedagogical implications, and reflect on whether building a culture of transparency and trust might be more effective than relying on surveillance. What does it mean to teach with AI or against it? What do you say?

Session 2

Topic: Rethinking Reading & Writing in the Age of AI

Date and Time: October 31, 10 to 11 a.m. (virtual)

Pre-Dialogue Readings:

Join us for a conversation on how generative AI is transforming the foundational practices of reading and writing in higher education. What’s worth preserving, what’s ripe for reinvention, and how can we help students navigate this rapidly evolving landscape with integrity and agency?

Whether you’re curious, cautious, or cautiously curious, come ready to rethink what writing, reading, and research might look like next.

Learn (more) about the many uses and perspectives on Artificial Intelligence from PNW students, faculty and staff in this series of virtual events. The AI Afternoon Insights series explores the diverse applications and viewpoints of Artificial Intelligence (AI) around PNW.

2025 Afternoon Insights Sessions

Check Back for Future AI Afternoon Insights Sessions

Previous AI Afternoon Insights Sessions

Spring 2025 Sessions

  • Tyler Lennox Bush, Visiting Instructor of Communication and Creative Arts, discussed his experiences using Generative AI in Communication and Creative Arts. He shared insights on how GenAI tools such as Adobe Firefly, DALL-E and Midjourney have potential for teaching creative development, visual communication and interdisciplinary integration while also addressing accessibility, ethical considerations and challenges associated with these technologies

Fall 2024 Sessions

  • Farai Gombedza, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Vanessa Quinn, Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences & Professor of Biological – In this event, Farai Gombedza and Vanessa Quinn discussed their experiences using AI in teaching STEM disciplines. They shared insights on integrating AI in the classroom and its implications for student success and learning.

  • Chun Liu, Assistant Professor of Social Work – In this particular event, Chun Liu discussed his experiences using ChatGPT in the field of Social Work. He provided an overview of AI, specifically ChatGPT, explored ethical aspects of AI usage and shared his insights on how professors could utilize AI for teaching and research.
  • PNW Writing Center Tutors – In this particular event, PNW Writing Center Tutors discussed their experiences using AI both as students and as Writing Tutors. They provided an overview of AI and its resources and shared their insights on how students are utilizing AI, aiming to expand the dialogue on AI usage at PNW.

Check Back for Future AI Tool Speed Dating Events

This event was held as part of the Celebrating Excellence: Taking Pride in Our Teaching event on April 18, 2025.

Curious about how AI can enhance teaching, learning and productivity? Join us for AI Tool Speed Dating, a fast-paced and interactive event where you’ll get a whirlwind introduction to a variety of AI tools. In each round, presenters will have just 3 to 5 minutes to showcase an AI tool, demonstrate its key features and highlight its practical applications. After several rounds, you’ll have the chance to revisit the tools that caught your interest for deeper discussions. Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting with it, this event is designed to spark ideas, foster connections and help you find the right AI tools to support your work.