Designing and Teaching an International AI in Education Course: Lessons from ODU’s BRIDGE Initiative
Abstract/Description/Artist Statement
This presentation reflects on the design and implementation of ODU’s BRIDGE “Introduction to AI in Education” course, a synchronous international program connecting learners across countries, disciplines, and levels of AI experience. The course was structured around three core aims: building foundational AI literacy, developing practical skills through hands-on experimentation, and cultivating critical evaluation of the ethical, cultural, and instructional implications.
Over seven weeks, participants engaged in live discussion, structured activities, tool testing, and iterative project development. The culminating assignment required learners to design a short AI-enhanced learning activity grounded in their own educational context, with explicit attention to responsible use, bias, privacy, and cross-cultural adaptation.
This presentation examines key instructional decisions, including scaffolding AI experimentation for beginners, managing diverse expectations about AI’s role in learning, addressing overreliance and hallucinations, and facilitating dialogue across cultural perspectives. We will also reflect on student project outcomes, with attention given to the challenges and affordances of teaching AI in a live, international environment where access, norms, and prior exposure vary widely.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Patricia Schiaffini-Vedani
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Email
pschiaff@odu.edu
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
International Collaborations
College/School Affiliation
The Graduate School
Student Level Group
Graduate/Professional
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Designing and Teaching an International AI in Education Course: Lessons from ODU’s BRIDGE Initiative
This presentation reflects on the design and implementation of ODU’s BRIDGE “Introduction to AI in Education” course, a synchronous international program connecting learners across countries, disciplines, and levels of AI experience. The course was structured around three core aims: building foundational AI literacy, developing practical skills through hands-on experimentation, and cultivating critical evaluation of the ethical, cultural, and instructional implications.
Over seven weeks, participants engaged in live discussion, structured activities, tool testing, and iterative project development. The culminating assignment required learners to design a short AI-enhanced learning activity grounded in their own educational context, with explicit attention to responsible use, bias, privacy, and cross-cultural adaptation.
This presentation examines key instructional decisions, including scaffolding AI experimentation for beginners, managing diverse expectations about AI’s role in learning, addressing overreliance and hallucinations, and facilitating dialogue across cultural perspectives. We will also reflect on student project outcomes, with attention given to the challenges and affordances of teaching AI in a live, international environment where access, norms, and prior exposure vary widely.