Artificial Intelligence in Online Graduate Professional Education: Integration, resistance, and reconciliation of AI podcasts and tutor chatbots

In a masters-level asynchronous seminary course, I integrated generative AI (genAI) in ways aimed at providing some of the benefits of synchronous discussion. With Notebook LM, I created podcasts that discussed primary historical documents. And with a chatbot of their choice, students engaged in  tutoring sessions with genAI. Some students resisted genAI, but overall discomfort decreased over the first few weeks. Many students testified to the benefits of genAI for their understanding of historical documents. Future iterations will communicate more clearly the technical components and pedagogical rationale

Successful Teacher Education Models to Address Teacher Shortage and Retention

Colleges and schools of education are tasked with preparing the students who enroll in their programs and meeting the needs of school districts that depend upon their graduates. Faced with the current teacher shortage, critical discussions between teacher preparation programs and local communities attempt to provide stop-gap measures to move teachers into classrooms more quickly while maintaining rigorous professional standards. The examples provided in this program description include paid residencies, allowing students to return home to student teach, and course redesign to give paraprofessionals opportunities to earn certification while remaining in the classroom

From Clickologists to Critical Thinkers: Reimagining learning in an introductory business statistics course

As artificial intelligence and courseware platforms infiltrated higher education, they promised efficiency, adaptability, and seamless integration. However, this reflection on an undergraduate business statistics course reveals a troubling transformation: students once trained in logic and analysis became “clickologists,” mechanically navigating automated systems rather than engaging in genuine intellectual exploration. The shift from textbooks to digital courseware, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, conditioned students to follow prescribed digital pathways rather than critically engage with learning materials. In response, a bold course correction emerged, abandoning courseware, reclaiming textbooks, and reintroducing fundamental study skills. Through structural and instructional shifts, educators began re-centering learning on student inquiry, textual engagement, and cognitive ownership. This narrative is not about rejecting technology but rather about striking a balance: acknowledging AI’s presence while ensuring that education remains a space for thinking, exploring, and reclaiming the soul of learning

Lifting Weights with a Forklift: Redesigning assignments for personal growth in Anatomy and Physiology

I outline two sample STEM assignments that help students use AI to learn more about course topics: "Explain [course topic] in the style of..." and "Ask me three times..."&nbsp

Enhancing Chrome-free Leather Quality through Enzymatic Bating Technology: Ying Song, Lixiang Zhang, Yue Yu, Ya-nan Wang, Bi Shi and Yunhang Zeng

Environmentally friendly chrome-free tannages are receiving increasing attention in the leather industry. However, their application is limited due to the generally inferior properties of chrome-free leathers compared to chrome-tanned leather. This study presents an effective method to improve the sensory and physical properties of chrome-free leathers. Three types of representative chrome-free tanned leathers, namely, vegetable-tanned leather (VTL), chrome-free metal-tanned leather (MTL), and aldehyde- tanned leather (ATL), were bated with proteases to improve the leather quality. Catalytic activity assays demonstrated that the vegetable tanning agent (ME) considerably inhibited the protease activity, whereas the chrome-free metal tanning agent (TWLZ) and aldehyde tanning agent (PAT) had no negative impact. Fluorescence and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy analyses revealed that ME reduced the hydrophobicity of tyrosine and tryptophan residues, while TWLZ and PAT only slightly influence the conformation of protease, which may account for the observed changes in the protease activity. Influenced by the isoelectric points of protease and leather, as well as the bating pH, protease transferred slowly in the MTL, but rapidly in the VTL and ATL. The three enzymatic bated chrome-free leathers resulted in increased dye and fatliquor uptake, higher yield, enhanced softness, tensile strength, and tear strength, while maintaining the intact natural pattern and causing moderate collagen damage. These results indicate that enzymatic bating is a promising approach for improving the quality of chrome-free leather and broadening the application of chrome-free tannages

Crowding Impairs Recognition of Framed Icons

Pictograms are graphic symbols designed to function within limited space. They are characterized by overlapping elements within a frame, which can lead to visual crowding, where neighboring objects merge and become indistinguishable. While visual crowding has been extensively studied in reading and vision research, its impact on pictograms remains underexplored. This study aimed to measure the effect of spacing between two icons and between icons and an outline frame on icon recognition. Using Auckland Optotypes to construct fictive pictograms, we conducted an experiment within an object recognition experimental paradigm, involving 25 participants. Results showed significant interaction between the effects of icon-frame distance and the spacing between the two icons, with the most limiting factor for recognition being two icons overlapping or placed in close proximity to each other. Strategic spacing adjustments within framed pictograms can reduce the impact of crowding on recognition, particularly when icons are not overlappin

When the Paper Writes Itself: Rediscovering the value of the writing process in First-Year Writing courses

This personal essay reflects on how the rise of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, has transformed my teaching practices in humanities and communication courses. Initially drawn to AI for its utility in streamlining personal and professional tasks, I quickly realized the pedagogical implications when students began outsourcing entire writing processes to AI. What began as a fascination evolved into a serious concern about the erosion of critical thinking and student voice. In response, I redesigned my courses to center the writing process within the classroom, developing assignments that require students to compare their work with AI-generated outputs. This shift has helped students recognize the limits of AI and the value of their own thinking. The essay argues that teaching students to use AI reflectively, rather than passively, is key to continuing to develop critical thinking skills in higher education

How AI Helped My Students Understand Procedures and Summarize Information in Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

Students often view laboratory procedures as isolated processes, lacking the context to see broader methodologies. Traditional assignments aimed at bridging this gap, such as analyzing primary literature, did not instill a deeper procedural understanding. A revised approach incorporated AI tools to help students conceptualize general synthetic methods. Additionally, AI was used to aid in interpreting Safety Data Sheets (SDS), leading to increased student engagement with laboratory safety. The AI-integrated assignments proved more effective in enhancing students’ comprehension, preparedness, and critical thinking.  AI can aid in students\u27 development as independent, safety-conscious laboratory practitioners

A Teacher\u27s Paradox: Balancing learning and integrity in undergraduate biology

The core value of AI lies not in its ability to info dump but in the low-stakes practice it affords for foundational competencies—precise question formulation, goal-directed problem solving, and rigorous evaluation of its outputs. The pedagogical challenge is to channel its imperfections into durable discernment.