Artificial intelligence has become an essential tool for the higher education classroom. Well, perhaps it is just in my higher education classroom. I teach courses in the Communication Studies field and we’ve evolved our curriculum to include a focus on artificial intelligence. However, I’ve taken this approach one step further by integrating artificial intelligence across each of my courses.
This need for continued integration is especially important as the number of graduating students who are unable to find employment continues to increase. In fact, this is a global situation and was recently covered by BBC Global.
Higher education faculty and administrators need to continue to think of new and innovative ways to engage students and teach them the skills they need to survive in the work world. It is also important to determine how we can expose students to artificial intelligence and other skills through everyday situations (like class).
Here are ways that I currently integrate artificial intelligence in my courses:
- I require artificial intelligence (AI) as part of course assignments
- I introduce students in my classes to new artificial intelligence resources like (Gemini, Pi.Ai, Claude, CoPilot…everything except ChatGPT).
*The reason that I do not introduce or emphasize ChatGPT, but it seems like it is everyone’s default. Unfortunately, ChatGPT is utilized as a synonym for AI or LLM systems.
- I integrate AI industry resources into a micro-credentials resource directly into my syllabus. We utilize this resource instead of a textbook. I started doing this in the Spring 2025 and it received amazing reviews from students. Specially, I utilize the SkillsBuild credentials. Last semester, the graduate communication students received two credentials as part of their course experience.
My usage and knowledge of AI continues to evolve, but I am eager to integrate anything that I believe can help students become more successful.
- I use AI to craft grading rubrics based on a set of criteria focused on student learning outcomes and course/major requirements.
Faculty Members Can Use AI for Assignment Creation and Design
- Creating AI-Generated Prompts: Use an AI to generate a variety of essay, project, or discussion prompts for students to choose from. This can increase student engagement and allow for more personalized assignments.
- Crafting AI-Enhanced Case Studies: Have students use an AI to create a realistic case study or mock scenario (e.g., a mock legal case, a business problem, a historical debate) that they must then solve or analyze.
- Creating Collaborative AI Projects: Assign group projects where students must use different AI tools to complete different parts of the assignment, such as using one AI for data analysis, another for content generation, and a third for creating a presentation.
- Co-Prompting Engineering Assignments: Design assignments where the primary goal is for students to learn how to craft effective prompts to get a desired output from an AI. Students could then write a reflection on their process and the results.
- Using AI as a "Bad Example": Generate a poor-quality, AI-written response to an assignment and have students critique and revise it. This teaches critical thinking and helps them understand the limitations of AI.
- AI for Research and Synthesis: Assign students to use an AI to summarize a large body of text, like a research paper or a textbook chapter, and then have them evaluate the summary for accuracy and key takeaways.
- Data Analysis with AI: In a data-heavy course, have students use an AI tool like Julius AI to analyze a dataset and generate a report, allowing them to focus on interpreting the results rather than the mechanics of the analysis.
- AI as a Study Tool: Encourage students to use AI to create personalized quizzes or flashcards based on course content, or to role-play a Socratic dialogue on a complex topic.
- AI-Assisted Writing: Instruct students to use AI tools for brainstorming, outlining, or editing a draft, and then require them to submit both the AI-generated parts and their own work, along with a reflection on the process.
Teaching AI Literacy: Create assignments that require students to investigate how a particular AI works, including its potential biases, data sources, and ethical implications.
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Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Professor of Communication
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Additional Ways to Use AI in the Classroom
Also, I decided to use my favorite AI tool, Google’s Gemini to create the second part of this post.
Also, I decided to use my favorite AI tool, Google’s Gemini to create the second part of this post.
- Creating AI-Generated Prompts: Use an AI to generate a variety of essay, project, or discussion prompts for students to choose from. This can increase student engagement and allow for more personalized assignments.
- Crafting AI-Enhanced Case Studies: Have students use an AI to create a realistic case study or mock scenario (e.g., a mock legal case, a business problem, a historical debate) that they must then solve or analyze.
- Creating Collaborative AI Projects: Assign group projects where students must use different AI tools to complete different parts of the assignment, such as using one AI for data analysis, another for content generation, and a third for creating a presentation.
- Co-Prompting Engineering Assignments: Design assignments where the primary goal is for students to learn how to craft effective prompts to get a desired output from an AI. Students could then write a reflection on their process and the results.
- Using AI as a "Bad Example": Generate a poor-quality, AI-written response to an assignment and have students critique and revise it. This teaches critical thinking and helps them understand the limitations of AI.
Faculty Members Can Use AI for Student Learning and Skill Development
- AI for Research and Synthesis: Assign students to use an AI to summarize a large body of text, like a research paper or a textbook chapter, and then have them evaluate the summary for accuracy and key takeaways.
- Data Analysis with AI: In a data-heavy course, have students use an AI tool like Julius AI to analyze a dataset and generate a report, allowing them to focus on interpreting the results rather than the mechanics of the analysis.
- AI as a Study Tool: Encourage students to use AI to create personalized quizzes or flashcards based on course content, or to role-play a Socratic dialogue on a complex topic.
- AI-Assisted Writing: Instruct students to use AI tools for brainstorming, outlining, or editing a draft, and then require them to submit both the AI-generated parts and their own work, along with a reflection on the process.
Teaching AI Literacy: Create assignments that require students to investigate how a particular AI works, including its potential biases, data sources, and ethical implications.
Artificial intelligence can transform the way that we teach our classes and remain informed of new technologies that can enhance the student experience. What else would you add to the list?
- Jennifer Edwards
Post Description - Are you a higher education faculty member looking for new ways to engage students and prepare them for the modern workforce? Join me as I share how I've integrated artificial intelligence (AI) across all my Communication Studies courses—and why you should too. From using AI to create dynamic assignments and grading rubrics to teaching prompt engineering and AI literacy, discover practical, hands-on strategies to make AI a powerful tool for learning. I also explore how tools like Gemini, Pi.Ai, and SkillsBuild can transform your classroom and help students become more successful in their careers.
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Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Professor of Communication
Artificial Intelligence and Communication
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