OLC Volunteer Spotlight: A Conversation with Lisa Hassler
Leading with Purpose: Building Bridges Between K–12 and Higher Ed Dr. Lisa Hassler’s professional journey reflects a deep commitment to educational equity and meaningful change. With a background that spans elementary teaching and leadership roles in both public and private schools, she brings a nuanced perspective to today’s evolving learning environments. In addition to holding […]
Beyond the Chatbot: Building AI Game Bots That Teach, Coach, and Simulate Real Life
You’ve seen AI write emails, generate lesson plans, and quiz questions, but have you seen it play? Now, imagine students stepping into a learning game with AI as a responsive player that adapts, reacts, guides, and challenges. For the past couple of years, educators have been experimenting with generative AI tools like OpenAI to speed […]
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 […]