AI in education is no longer a future-tense conversation. It is already in the classroom, in the syllabus, in student workflows, and increasingly in the questions instructors are asking about assessment, academic integrity, and what teaching strategies they’re supposed to use now.

In this episode of The What & Who of EDU, we explore AI in education and are counting down 10 teaching strategies and insights from college instructors about what’s actually working with AI, what is not, and what we’re still trying to figure out. From moving past fantasy bans to redesigning assignments that still hold up, this episode offers practical teaching strategies, real classroom stories, and a calmer way to think about AI without the hype or panic.

Episode breakdown + timestamps

(0:00) Kickoff: AI in Education & Teaching Strategies

(1:06) Tip 1: Stop Playing Pretend (Guided Use)

(3:21) Tip 2: Bring it Into the Open (Scaffolding)

(5:38) Tip 3: Don’t Make AI a Secret (Open Dialogue)

(7:55) Tip 4: Pick a Lane (Intentionality)

(9:47) Tip 5: Don’t Turn It Into a Gotcha (Mentorship)

(12:51) Tip 6: Swap Strategies, Not Just Opinions (Community)

(15:43) Tip 7: Use It, Don’t Worship It (Cognitive Agency)

(18:13) Tip 8: Ask What You’re Really Measuring (Certification)

(21:17) Bingo Bonus: Don’t Remove the Struggle Without Replacing the Skill

(22:31) Tip 9: Keep the Hard Part Hard (Skill Preservation)

(25:01) Tip 10: Redesign the Assignment (Creative Assessment)

(28:59) Closing: What We Learned Today

Featured Guests

Dr. Ryan Herzog is co-author of Economics and an Associate Professor of Economics, Program Coordinator, and Faculty Fellow at Gonzaga University, where he has been teaching for 16 years. His work focuses on macroeconomics, financial markets, and public policy.

Dr. Christin Monroe is an Educational Research Associate at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She previously taught Chemistry at Landmark College with a focus on supporting neurodivergent learners through inclusive and innovative teaching practices.

Jennifer Duncan is an Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College. Jennifer has been teaching English literature and composition for twenty-five years and specializing in online teaching for fifteen.

Betsy Langness is the Psychology Department Head at Jefferson Community and Technical College, where she has worked for more than 20 years. She teaches general and developmental psychology courses in a virtual, asynchronous environment.

Dr. Sara Lahman is Professor of Biology and STEM Outreach Coordinator at the University of Mount Olive.

Dr. Star Sinclair is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University. For 18 years, she has taught general psychology, lifespan development, behavioral statistics, and research methods in psychology to students of all backgrounds and preparation levels.

Dr. Daniel Look is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Mathematics at St. Lawrence University. He’s spent over 25 years trying to convince students that math is not only useful, but occasionally fun. He authored Math Cats, an illustrated exploration of mathematical ideas through the lens of cats.

Dr. Erika Martinez is a Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida, where she has taught economics for 14 years. She’s passionate about making economics accessible and engaging for all students and also teaches at UNC-Kenan Flagler Business School’s MBA@UNC online program and Santa Barbara City College.

Dr. Jennifer Ripley Stueckle has spent the past 17 years as a Teaching Professor and Non-Majors Biology Program Director at West Virginia University. She has taught introductory biology, immunology and human physiology. She also created biology courses offered through dual enrollment at West Virginia high schools.

Dr. Kendra Thomas is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hope College and co-author of The Developing Person Through the Life Span. She is a mother of two and partners with schools and community development organizations to apply developmental science to improve interventions.

If this episode gave you something to rethink in your syllabus, your assessment design, or that one assignment you’ve been side-eyeing since 2022, share it with a colleague. Text it, email it, or slide it into the department group chat like the pedagogical hot gossip it is. And follow the show so you don’t miss the next conversation

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