Faculty Seminar: AI Literacy and Course Innovation
What is Faculty Seminar?
CTE’s Faculty Seminar gives faculty members an opportunity to develop teaching innovations and new models of practice in a collegial setting that offers peer review and support. The Fall 2026 seminar will involve four 90-minute sessions organized around the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning, with attention to AI literacy, academic integrity, privacy, sustainable course design, and assessment of student learning. Participants will engage in readings, workshop ideas, and develop plans to adapt their 2027 courses and assessments to generative AI.
CTE Student Partners will be available to help faculty test ideas and receive feedback before piloting changes in a course. Student Partners may review assignment designs, AI literacy activities, project instructions, or classroom AI policies from a student perspective.
Participants will be expected to:
- Attend seminar meetings and participate in discussion and workshopping. Meetings are scheduled for 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 15, Oct. 6, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1.
- Develop an AI-supported course innovation, including an AI literacy component, for either Spring or Fall 2027.
- Work with a CTE Student Partner, as appropriate, to gather feedback before implementation.
- Assess the impact of interventions on student learning and AI literacy.
- Share work through a poster at CTE's Celebration of Teaching in May 2027.
- After you teach the course, participants should submit either a brief final report on their assessment of course modifications, or build a teaching portfolio on CTE’s website. Participants choosing the portfolio option will receive an additional $500. Portfolios must be completed by Dec. 15, 2028.
Seminar focus areas
- Learning with AI: critical thinking, disciplinary reasoning, and core skills.
- Authentic assignments: hands-on work connected to real-world applications.
- Student partnership: co-created policies, rubrics, or project plans.
- Feedback and iteration: AI-supported revision while preserving human judgment.
- Conceptual clarity: activities that make difficult concepts more understandable.
- Assessment: evidence of student learning, engagement, critical thinking, and AI literacy.
Benefits to Participants:
In addition to what you (and your students) will gain from readings and discussions, you will also:
- Become part of an intellectual community of colleagues from across campus who are interested in AI literacy and innovation. Past participants in Faculty Seminar have become campus leaders in teaching innovation.
- Receive a $1500 stipend or professional fund.
Who is eligible?
Faculty, including teaching professors, teaching specialists, and lecturers with ongoing teaching responsibilities, from any department or academic program on the KU Lawrence or Edwards campuses may apply. Individual faculty members and collaborative teaching teams are welcome.
How do you apply?
Fill out an application form by Friday, Sept. 4. The application should include a document of 1-2 pages addressing the following:
- What course(s) do you propose to focus on, and why?
- What are your goals for participating in this program? For your students and their learning?
- Describe an example of something you have done in your teaching to improve your students’ learning.
- If you have previously received an AI innovation grant or other CTE funding related to AI integration, describe how you plan to build on those efforts in this program.
- Confirm your availability for Fall 2026 meetings scheduled for following Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m.: Sept. 15, Oct. 6, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. All meetings will be at CTE, 135 Budig Hall.
Questions?
Contact Doug Ward, CTE Associate Director at dbward@ku.edu.