AI and Teaching

It is generally recommended to communicate your own approach and expectations to the students. How should students approach their studies using AI? To provide guidance for the students, clearly outline your teaching and learning objectives in this regard. The first class session is an ideal time to do this, combined with information on formalities such as the exam format, course requirements, the declaration of independent study, the course schedule, etc.

Planning Lessons with AI

  • How does the availability of AI tools change the learning objectives in my course?
  • To what extent does “AI” affect the “selection of course material” for my course?
  • How does “AI” affect my choice of assessment format? 
Image: KI-generiert

AI tools can assist you with many aspects of planning your course: from defining learning objectives to selecting content and methods, all the way to determining the format of the exam.

Prompt example for formulating learning objectives

You are a teaching assistant in higher education and are assisting me with planning my course [Title]. Please create a list of appropriate learning objectives for me based on the attached materials. Please take the following information into account: The course is a [course type]. The course consists of [number] sessions. Each session lasts [number] minutes. A maximum of three learning objectives per session.


What learning objectives should my students achieve?

Course planning begins with defining and selecting the learning objectives or competencies that students should acquire by the end of your course. These form the basis for further planning across semesters, including coursework and exams.  
An AI tool can assist you here, lighten your workload, and serve as a “discussion partner” available 24/7.
Based on the information youprovide and the materials submitted (e.g., readings, course catalog description, excerpt from the module handbook…), an AI tool can generate suggested wording for learning objectives.

Developing AI-Supported Teaching Methods

  • How does the availability of AI tools change my students’ learning activities?
  • What do I want, and what role should AI play in the specific methodological design of my course?
  • What are my students’ prerequisites for using AI tools?
  • Do all students have cost-free access to the AI tools I want to use?

The key to your students’ successful learning lies in their learning activities. But what teaching method will help you foster meaningful learning activities for your students? Curipod, a tool designed specifically for teaching, generates suggestions for interactive methods for entire lessons. Generative AI systems like Gemini or ChatGPT also provide helpful ideas.

Image: AdobeStock

Generate Ideas for Methods

Prompt example:
"I am planning a 90-minute teaching session on [topic] for my seminar. The seminar has the following key details: [degree program], [semester], [number of students], [learning objectives].
Please suggest effective teaching and learning activities and methods that facilitate active learning and deepen understanding through discussion and reflection. The learning activities and methods should be suitable for achieving the stated learning objectives."

Stages of Reduction

Prompt example:
"Attached you will find a list of possible course content and my intended learning objectives for my course [Title]. With these learning objectives in mind, please suggest ways to gradually narrow down the content to only those topics you consider particularly important.

For a) 15 sessions of 90 minutes each, b) ten sessions of 90 minutes each, and c) five sessions of 90 minutes each.
List the content you have reduced and explain your decision."

Reduce the amount of fabric

The content to be covered is derived from the defined learning objectives. You know far more of this material than can be covered in a single semester!
This is where AI can help condense “the material” to a pedagogically appropriate level based on the objectives and methods. To do this, provide the AI with contextual information about your course as well as a list of your content, and use the “Seven Principles of Reduction” to generate suggestions for condensing the material based on the importance of each topic. 

Image: KI-generiert

Exam Format

Written exam, oral exam, portfolio, essays? Does the course catalog give you flexibility in designing the exam format? If so, an AI tool can provide you with suggestions for designing the exam format. The most important basis for the prompt is the learning objectives, so that the suggested assessment formats can be aligned with achieving those objectives.

Image: AdobeStock

Select the exam format in the dialog box

Prompt example:
"Please provide me with three suggestions for competency-based exam formats. Before making your suggestions, ask a maximum of five specific questions about the context and resources that are crucial for viable suggestions. Then use my answers and provide a rationale for why each suggestion is a good fit."

  • How is AI changing the way I create learning materials?
  • Which AI-generated multimedia formats for learning materials can add value to my course?
  • How is AI changing the way my students engage with learning materials?

Visualizing with Napkin AI

Napkin AI, for example, visualizes your content on slides that you can easily edit further in Napkin AI or PowerPoint. By using appropriate prompts, you can generate visualizations of processes, relationships, or comparisons.

Prompt example:
"Create a comparison of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on learning."

AI tools can help you, for example, create informational texts, assignments, explanatory videos, visualizations, or podcasts. You can create a wide variety of learning materials in no time at all using AI tools—including materials that most educators would not have been able to produce without AI. 

Image: AdobeStock

AI-Powered Feedback and Support

  • How much AI do I want to allow in the feedback I give my students?
  • Which aspects of supporting my students can be handled by AI?
  • How does AI-generated feedback change the way we reflect on learning processes and outcomes?

You provide feedback on your students’ learning outcomes and learning processes. AI can assist you when providing feedback on learning outcomes through formative “assessments for learning” or through detailed written feedback. 

Image: AdobeStock

Constructive Feedback

Sample prompt on the logic of argumentation:
"Analyze the logical connections between the arguments in the attached text. Suggest up to three specific instances where further clarification would be desirable."

Example prompt for follow-up questions:
"Based on the students’ reflections, formulate two open-ended follow-up questions that encourage the students to go beyond the scope of their previous reflections."