Shaping the Mind of the Machine
The Emotional Charge of Language Since AI models burst onto the scene a few short years ago, researching them has left me both fascinated and unnerved. Talking to them and testing them is an adventure. Sometimes, their answers are so human and humane that I find myself choking up. Other times, they strike that uncanny […]
Avatars in the Classroom: New Frontiers and Ethical Frontlines in AI-Driven Learning Design
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is transforming the field of learning design in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Among the most groundbreaking developments is the ability to generate AI avatars—digital representations of real people that can deliver lectures, narrate course content, and simulate human interaction. With just a few photos, […]
Accelerating Possibility: Vision, Inspiration, and Transformation in Action
When we first sat down to plan the Accelerate 2025 program, we weren’t just building a conference schedule — we were sketching a vision for the next 30 years of digital learning. The proposals we read made one thing clear: our community is not waiting for change to happen; we’re building it, testing it, laughing […]
Data, Data, everywhere, nor any drop to drink…
“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink…” is a famous line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It appears when the mariner and his crew are stranded at sea, surrounded by salt water they cannot drink. It applies so well to data. Many institutions, including the one we work […]
From AI Curiosity to Course Design: Engaging Learners with Custom GPTs
How do we keep students engaged when they’re not in the physical or virtual (synchronous online) classroom, especially those who never intended to be asynchronous learners in the first place? Why Student Engagement Needs A “Rethink” As online and hybrid learning becomes more deeply embedded in higher education, more of our students find themselves in […]