Duke Center for Teaching and Learning

Can AI help students enjoy forming teams? Steven McClelland, Executive Director at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, explored this question in a compelling lightning talk focused on using AI to strengthen student’s teamwork and communication. McClelland and his team researched how AI could help students become better teammates, rather than replacing team interactions. AI's potential to support more effective collaboration, strengthen communication, and create better team experiences for students, was the focus of their work. Three simple AI tools were created to support collaboration: A reflection tool to help students identify their strengths and working styles. An AI-generated team charter that students revise and own as a group. A check-in tool that coaches students on addressing team challenges constructively. The discussion emphasizes assisting teams in launching efficiently, establishing common expectations, and fostering effective communication.  The goal wasn't to add more technology, but to make teamwork more intentional and effective. A great reminder that some of the most meaningful applications of AI aren't about doing the work for us. They're about helping us work better together. Missed the AI in Education at Duke Summit? Watch this session and other presentations here: https://lnkd.in/e-ZJ7ceD #AI #GenerativeAI #HigherEducation #Teamwork #Collaboration #StudentSuccess #DukeUniversity #Innovation

We're #hiring! Our faculty development team is seeking a Senior Consultant of Teaching Excellence and Academic Innovation to help advance teaching excellence and educational innovation across the university. As a trusted consultant and educator, you will work directly with faculty across disciplines to strengthen teaching effectiveness, support pedagogical innovation, and enhance student learning experiences. You'll help translate current research in teaching and learning into practical strategies, resources, and programs that support instructional excellence in undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Learn more about the role and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eGi2x-7a

Can AI generate a new language? That was the interesting question posed by Debmalya Panigrahi, a Duke Computer Science faculty member in his lightning talk, "When Can a Model Generate a Language?" One surprising takeaway: AI may be able to generate content from a language without actually being able to identify that language. The research was carried out alongside undergraduate students Yannan Bai, Fan Wei, and Ian Zhang, giving them the opportunity to take part in substantial research alongside faculty. The talk also challenged the assumption that AI can do everything. The real question may not be capability alone, but what AI can and cannot do efficiently when resources such as time, memory, and energy are limited.  He concluded with a question for the audience to pose to their students: What can AI models do or not do in a resource limited world? This shifted the focus from simply using AI to critically examining its limitations. Understanding the limits of AI may ultimately be just as important as understanding its potential. Panigrahi's talk was one of several at the AI in Education at Duke Summit. Watch the recordings and explore key takeaways from the Summit here: https://lnkd.in/e-ZJ7ceD #AIinEducation #HigherEd #GenerativeAI #TeachingAndLearning #DukeUniversity #AIResearch #StudentResearch #EdTech

Sometimes a classroom experiment takes the conversation somewhere unexpected. In her lightning talk at the AI in Education at Duke Summit, “Student-Customized Chatbots in a Writing Classroom,” Kerry Ossi-Lupo shared how students in her environmental writing course moved from using an AI chatbot to challenge their arguments to designing chatbots of their own. What began as a side activity opened up deeper conversations about the assumptions and value judgments embedded in AI - from questions of voice and environmental impact to what it means for a chatbot to evaluate something as subjective as a job candidate’s “vibes.”

How can we ensure that AI-enabled innovation starts with people and purpose, not just technology? In his lightning talk, “Sensemaking the Loop: How We’re Making Sense of AI-Enabled Academic Innovation,” Remi Kalir, PhD shares how our faculty development team is approaching AI innovation with a focus on human judgment, practical wisdom, and real needs. His “Sensemaking the Loop” design method emphasizes creating AI-enabled projects that are elegant, useful, and transformative — from Pressing Prompts, an open-access experiment about AI ethics, to new tools supporting faculty development and AI guidance at Duke. #AIinEducation #TeachingAndLearning #AcademicInnovation #GenerativeAI #FacultyDevelopment #DukeUniversity

Great teaching changes lives, and learning can keep enriching them at every stage. With no tests, grades or degrees, OLLI at Duke's nearly 250 annual courses and programs invite more than 2,100 members each year to learn simply for the joy of discovery. That spirit of curiosity is central to what we value at the CTL: transformative learning isn’t confined to a particular classroom, discipline, or moment in life. It happens wherever great educators create opportunities for people to discover, connect, and grow. OLLI also reminds us that teaching itself can be a lifelong pursuit. Duke faculty and staff can participate not only as learners, but also as instructors, sharing their knowledge with an engaged community eager to learn.

The Emerging Pedagogies Summit is back—and registration is now open! The 2026 Emerging Pedagogies Summit: AI and Teaching Futures brings Duke University faculty and instructors together to explore a question that feels more urgent than ever: What futures for teaching and learning are we willing to build? The Summit isn’t about prescribing a single vision for AI in education. Rather, it’s a space for curiosity, honest dialogue, and practical exploration—whether you’re an enthusiastic adopter, a thoughtful skeptic, or somewhere in between. Participants will spend the day learning alongside colleagues through: 🔹 Hands-on workshops led by nationally recognized educators and pedagogy thought leaders 🔹 A Community Conversation featuring Duke students and instructors sharing perspectives on AI and education 🔹 Moderated reflections on the ideas, tensions, and possibilities that emerge throughout the day 🔹 And a closing happy hour infused with poetry and play, making space for connection, creativity, and hope Our goal is simple: that everyone leaves inspired, challenged, and motivated to play an active role in shaping the future of teaching and learning. Register now: https://epsummit.duke.edu/

Teaching writing in the age of AI means helping students understand not just how to use AI, but what they may gain or lose when they do. In her lightning talk, “Teaching Writing in the Age of AI: A Process Informed Pedagogy,” Hannah Taylor shares how she helps students approach AI more critically by comparing their own brainstorming process with AI-generated ideas. By making the writing process visible, students can better recognize the value of curiosity, critical thinking, and working through friction.

In some cases, AI can help educators reclaim time for what matters most. In her lightning talk, "AI for In-Class Assessment," Suzanne Crifo shares how she uses ChatGPT to generate new assessment questions that she then reviews, revises, and curates. The result isn't less instructor involvement, it's more time for meeting with students, collaborating with colleagues, and reflecting on how to improve teaching and learning. Suzanne's talk was part of the AI in Education at Duke Summit, where Duke educators shared practical approaches to teaching and learning with AI across disciplines. #AIinEducation #HealthcareEducation #TeachingAndLearning #HigherEd #GenerativeAI #DukeUniversity

How should healthcare education evolve as AI becomes part of clinical practice? In her lightning talk, "AI in Healthcare Education: Preparing Students for Clinical Practice," Dr. Tomeico Faison explores how educators can prepare students to use AI critically, ethically, and responsibly. From AI-powered smart glasses that expand accessibility for people with low vision to assignments that help students reflect on leadership and translate their experiences into professional skills, her examples show how AI can augment - but not replace -clinical expertise. Tomeico's talk was part of the AI in Education at Duke Summit, where Duke educators shared practical approaches to teaching and learning with AI across disciplines. #AIinEducation #HealthcareEducation #TeachingAndLearning #HigherEd #GenerativeAI #DukeUniversity