Speaking of Higher Ed: Conversations on Teaching and Learning

42. Summer Shorts: Using AI to Support Practice, Feedback, and Engagement

AI can help faculty think beyond static course content and toward learning experiences where students practice, reflect, receive feedback, and connect ideas to their own interests.  For this June Summer Short, Andrew Everett revisits three conversations about AI and course design. Dr. David Wiley discusses how generative AI may change the future of open educational resources by creating more customized learning conversations. Dr. Rafael Pacheco shares how an AI-powered adaptive learning tool can provide immediate feedback and support students with different levels of preparation. Arthur Takahashi, Jeff Mastromonico, and Andrew also return to the idea of vibe coding and how faculty can start small with AI-assisted building through announcements, content pages, study guides, and other low-risk course materials.  Get free access to more of our content, including the Continuing the Conversation Activity, by visiting our show page [https://www.augusta.edu/innovation/sohe.php] for more.

41. Faculty Burnout and Recovery with Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson

Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson, also known as Dr. PBJ, joins Speaking of Higher Ed to discuss faculty burnout, recovery, and reconnecting with purpose. She explains how burnout differs from ordinary end-of-semester exhaustion, why productivity fixes often fall short, and how faculty can recognize signs of surviving, overwhelm, and burnout.  The conversation explores compassion fatigue, boundaries, guilt around rest, and how institutions can better support faculty well-being. Dr. Jackson also offers practical ways faculty can pause, recover, and reset their rhythm before the next academic year.  You can also request this episode’s free Continuing the Conversation Activity by visiting our show page [https://www.augusta.edu/innovation/sohe.php] and selecting “Request the Activity.”

40. Dr. Rafael Pacheco on Using AI to Personalize Learning

In this episode, Arthur Takahashi talks with Dr. Rafael Pacheco, associate professor and associate dean for digital technologies at the Dental College of Georgia, about how he is using AI to create more personalized learning experiences for students. Dr. Pacheco shares his path from dentistry and computer science to higher education, explains the teaching challenges that led him to build an adaptive learning tool for his courses, and discusses how immediate feedback, branching pathways, and confidence-based decision points can support student learning. He also reflects on using generative AI for smaller instructional tools through vibe coding and considers what great teaching may look like in a future where faculty increasingly serve as guides for critical thinking and human judgment. You can also request this episode’s free Continuing the Conversation Activity by visiting our show page [https://www.augusta.edu/innovation/sohe.php] and selecting “Request the Activity.”

39. Bringing Gamification into Your Courses with Monica Cornetti

In this episode of Speaking of Higher Ed, Jeff Mastromonico talks with Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia Gamification, about what gamification really means in higher education. You will hear why meaningful gamification goes beyond points, badges, and leaderboards, how safe failure and visible progress can support learning, and how narrative and role-based design can help students engage more deeply with course content. Monica also shares practical ideas for starting small and bringing gameful design into your own courses. You can also request this episode’s free Continuing the Conversation Activity by visiting our show page [https://www.augusta.edu/innovation/sohe.php] and selecting “Request this Activity.”

38. Vibe Coding in Higher Ed: Practical Course Builds with AI

We are seeing more generative AI in higher ed, but what does it look like when we use it to actually build course elements? In this visual episode, you will hear how we use “vibe coding” (coding by conversation) to create interactive learning materials in D2L Brightspace while still relying on the basics: alignment, accessibility, and thorough testing. You will also see real examples, including a gamified misinformation activity, a simulation built from faculty-provided content, and a simple HTML announcement you can try right away. Watch the video version on Spotify or the Augusta University YouTube channel for the demos. Visit our show page [https://www.augusta.edu/innovation/sohe.php] for free access to more content, including the Continuing the Conversation Activity, plus full episodes and additional resources.