AI Conference Schedule of Events

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WKU Student Perspectives on AI

Student Panel

We talk a lot about how students are using AI and how we would like them to use (or not use) AI, but what are they really doing? What are they thinking about AI? Join us for a conversation with a panel of students who will share their perspectives and experiences with AI as well as their thoughts on how they think AI is impacting their learning. In addition we will share preliminary results from a recent survey of  WKU students asking about their perspectives and usage of AI. This survey was administered as part of a study from a group of faculty participating in the AAC&U Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum.

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From Experience to Credit: Using AI to Design Personalized Departmental Exams (15 minute session)

Rheanna Plemons

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The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: My Experience Teaching with AI, so far (15 minute session)

Eric Knackmuhs

Recently, I invited the fox into the henhouse by incorporating ChatGPT into my classroom. In this session, I will share the in-class activities and assignments I’ve created to teach students how to use ChatGPT as a tool to improve their research, writing, and oral presentations. I will discuss the lessons I’ve learned so far, which have ranged from the good (improved writing), the bad (students feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information), and the ugly (cheating).

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Use of AI Conversations in a Large STEM Classroom to Provide Personalized Learning Experience (15 minute session)

O.E. Mansour, Gracie Fenno, Gabriel Jerdon, and Josie Musec

In this session, a group of students from Dr. Mansour’s SEAS 325 Building Systems class at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will share their experiences using AI-driven conversations to enhance learning in a large classroom setting. They will discuss how AI provided immediate feedback, supported personalized learning, and improved engagement. The presenters will highlight key insights on AI’s role in addressing student queries and adapting to individual learning needs. Attendees will learn how AI tools can facilitate adaptive learning, making education more interactive and efficient in a large classroom. Join us to hear firsthand experiences and discover how AI is shaping the future of classroom learning!

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Teaching Our Students Smart Job Hunting: Using AI to Optimize the Resume, Cover Letter, and the Job Search Process

Dana Henson

In today's competitive job market, leveraging Artificial Intelligence can provide our students a competitive edge with employers. This session equips you with the tools to teach students how to leverage AI for job search success. You will learn how to guide students in using AI to create tailored resumes, craft compelling cover letters, and optimize their applications for applicant tracking systems (ATS). You will leave with a lesson plan, a resource sheet, and skills to deliver a mini-training session on the topic.

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WKU Faculty Perspectives on AI

Faculty Panel

Generative AI has been with us now for over 2 years and while it is impossible to capture and share all faculty perspectives in a 55-minute session, in this panel we will share a variety of perspectives on the place of AI in higher education. The panel will discuss the strengths, concerns, resources for gathering information on AI use, as well as the preliminary results from a recent survey of WKU faculty on their perspectives and usage of AI. This survey was administered as part of a study from a group of faculty participating in the AAC&U Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum.

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Building the Sandbox: Creating a Productive Space for In-Class AI Explorations (15 minute session)

Brooke Gross

In this workshop, participants will learn how to build a sandbox activity centered on generative artificial intelligence that allows students to experiment with this technology in a way that enhances their academic experience. The presenter, who has a chapter in ACRL's forthcoming AI and Library Instruction Cookbook on this topic, will present a template for developing in-class activities that can be tailored to specific disciplines or AI areas of interest. The session will cover the planning, implementation, and reflection/assessment stages of building an AI sandbox activity while allowing time for participants to build and discuss their own sample activities.

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Integrating AI Technologies to Boost Classroom Participation and Save Time: A Guide for WKU Professors

Erin Margarella

Designed for WKU faculty at all AI proficiency levels, this session explores advanced applications of AI tools like Diffit, ShortAnswer AI, Brisk, and Notebook LM to enhance teaching practices. Participants will learn how these technologies can streamline feedback, lesson design, and student engagement, improving workflow. Through real-world examples and interactive demonstrations, attendees will discover how to integrate AI to boost efficiency while maintaining high-quality outcomes. This session is ideal for faculty aiming to elevate their AI usage.

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Before You Jump In: AI's Ethical Concerns and Student Considerations (15 minute session)

Ericka Russell

In this session we will consider the benefits of addressing AI from the beginning of class as well as discussing ethical concerns and considerations before introducing AI into the classroom. Questions we’ll consider include: Who’s responsibility is it to educate students on the ethical and environmental implications of AI use? What is AI’s impact on the job market? How should we address AI on the first day of class? What skills should a student understand or “perfect” before using AI? Can assignments be done with and without AI? What messages are we sending students with our AI policies?

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AI as a Reflection Partner: Enhancing Student Metacognition Across Disciplines (15 minute session)

Angela Nagel

AI can act as a powerful scaffold for student reflection, prompting deeper analysis and metacognitive engagement. This session will demonstrate how AI-generated Socratic questioning can improve student reflection responses across disciplines. Attendees will see AI generate reflection prompts, analyze AI-assisted feedback on student reflections, and discuss how these tools can support—but not replace—critical thinking. Participants will leave with ready-to-use AI prompts and strategies to guide meaningful student self-assessment. The session will also address ethical considerations in AI-assisted reflection and strategies to ensure students maintain ownership of their learning.

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Speculating and Social Dreaming About AI (15 minute session)

Leah Spalding

In this interactive session, participants will investigate a spectrum of futures and explore current questions surrounding AI. We’ll ideate possibilities that exist within our specific disciplines and possibilities that could exist at WKU.  This session is inspired by speculative design, a branch of design concerned with exploring preferable futures, questioning current affairs, and generating discussions among diverse audiences. Speculative design isn’t about offering negative commentary without solutions, or attempting to predict the future accurately; it’s about planning the future we want, and in doing so, better understand the present.

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Ethically Leveraging AI for Systematic Curriculum Development and Alignment

Stacy Leggett, Laura Hudson, Marguerita Desander

Presenters will demonstrate how artificial intelligence supported the systemic alignment and design of program curriculum. Participants will explore the use of AI in creating standards-aligned curricula, from creating initial cross walks to designing sample syllabi. Through practical examples, they will share their processes in ethically leveraging AI for developing learning outcomes, designing assessments, and identifying curricular gaps. This hands-on presentation showcases AI as a pedagogical thought partner. The content will be relevant to faculty interested in redesigning individual courses and program working on programmatic revisions.