AI in Education

AI in Education: How the College of Education is Adapting to a Changing Landscape

Shannon Eastep teaches a course in the NKU College of Education called “AI in Education.” Eastep says this course “looks at the intersection between artificial intelligence and the field of education,” noting that educators have been having conversations since ChatGPT came out in 2022 about what has changed in the field based on artificial intelligence. “How should we be changing to adapt to this new world? What should it look like for us as educators? What should it look like as students?”

In this course, the students jump into a variety of topics including large language models, prompting, the use of AI as an educator and as a student, using music and images from AI, and Eastep says, importantly, the ethics and policies that surround the use of AI.

One of her favorite things about the course is that it is a 500-level course. This means it is open to students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to take.

“We have folks that are working in the field in education, whether that’s K-12 or higher education, and everybody brings a different perspective and lens to the class, and I love those different perspectives,” Eastep says.

Dean Ginni Fair discusses how this course is shaping the field of education. "Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept—it is already shaping how students learn, create, and access information. Dr. Eastep has created a timely course that helps educators understand how to use AI responsibly to support instruction while still developing learners’ thinking and creativity.”

Eastep invites anyone who is interested in engaging with the idea of artificial intelligence and education to take this course; she says whether you’re a student or a working professional, this class is for you.

“By learning how to work with AI, our graduates enter today’s classrooms prepared, confident, and ready to guide students in a technology-rich world,” says Dean Fair. Find out more about this course, and College of Education programs here: nku.edu/coe