Using AI to drive innovation in digital teaching and learning

At EdPlus, innovation is a driving force behind Arizona State University’s digital teaching and learning initiatives. The EdPlus Instructional Design and New Media (IDNM) team has leveraged their expertise in instructional design, technology, multimedia and AI to develop a suite of tools that are transforming how educators teach and engage students. These AI-powered tools offer practical solutions to real-world challenges faced by instructors across the globe.

From Quiz Enhancements to Comprehensive Solutions

Michael Arseneault, manager of learning technology implementation at EdPlus, played a key role in developing these tools. It all started with a single idea: creating a tool to make quiz questions more engaging. However, as the team began to explore the broader educational challenges—academic integrity, rising workloads, and accessibility—they realized there was potential for something much bigger.

“We initially focused on generating questions that encouraged deeper thinking,” Arseneault explained. “But soon we saw opportunities to address other pressing needs, like accessibility and reducing the administrative load on faculty.”

By leveraging EdPlus’ expertise in instructional design and technology, the IDNM team developed several tools, each designed to solve specific educational problems while keeping the student experience at the center.

AI-Powered Innovation for Faculty and Students

The suite of tools developed by the IDNM team addresses a range of educational needs, from enhancing assessments to improving course accessibility. In keeping with ASU’s charter focus on public good research, these tools were built using OpenAI’s API platform and are available to educators and staff across the country:

• Question Generator: This tool helps faculty create quiz questions that push students to analyze, evaluate and apply knowledge. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, the tool generates questions that require higher-order thinking, making it more difficult for students to rely on AI for answers.
• ClipGist Access: By transforming video content by generating summaries, study guides, questions, and chapters from Wistia videos or uploaded transcripts, this tool simplifies the creation of learning resources and increases student interaction.
• Image Accessibility Tool: Ensuring accessibility is a priority at ASU, and this tool generates detailed descriptions for images, helping students with visual impairments engage more fully with course content.
• Rubric Generator: Faculty input their rubric requirements and assignment details, and the tool automatically generates a comprehensive grading rubric, saving time and ensuring consistency in grading.
• Learning Objective Creator: Faculty can streamline their course planning by using this tool, which helps them design clear, effective learning objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
• Script Voiceover: Faculty can easily create high-quality voice overs for instructional videos or standalone audio readings, enhancing multimedia content and saving production time.

These tools not only solve immediate challenges but also create opportunities for faculty to innovate in their teaching.

Enhancing the Learning Experience

Wesley Fleming, senior learning technology specialist at EdPlus, emphasized that accessibility is a key part of the university’s mission. “Our goal is to ensure that all students can fully participate in their courses,” he explained. The Image Accessibility Tool has received positive feedback from faculty and students alike, especially those needing visual support. Jacob Bunch, the Sr. Program Coordinator for Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services (SAILS) Alternative Format, uses this AI tool to better support students and staff workflow. “The Image Accessibility Tool is particularly helpful with very complex course content for which we are not content experts, and has allowed us to streamline the way we produce alternative text. The tool gives us a solid baseline output which we can then review and tweak as needed. The tool has been a transformational support in timeliness, preciseness and scalability of alternative text creation. Using this tool to support our processes, we have been able to educate within the ASU community about how to leverage AI such as this to support accessible content creation.”

By introducing AI-driven tools like ClipGist and the Script Voiceover tool, the IDNM team has also enhanced the multimedia learning experience. Faculty can now create engaging, interactive content with minimal effort, freeing them up to focus on more meaningful interactions with students.

“The tools we’ve developed streamline tasks that would otherwise take up much faculty time,” Fleming said. “That gives teachers more opportunities to connect with their students and create impactful learning experiences.” By automating certain tasks, these tools empower faculty to focus creatively on their subject matter, benefiting both them and their students.

Equipping Students and Faculty for Success

These tools don’t just make life easier for faculty—they’re helping students, too. The Rubric Generator provides clear grading guidelines, ensuring students understand what’s expected of them. The Question Generator challenges students to engage with course material at a deeper level, promoting critical thinking and academic integrity.

Looking ahead, the team is exploring how to integrate the tools into Canvas and other platforms to make them even more accessible to faculty. “Our work is never done,” Arseneault said. “We’re constantly evolving these tools based on feedback from faculty and students, and we’re excited about where we can take them next.”

Innovating Education for Tomorrow’s Learners

At EdPlus, AI-powered tools represent more than just technological advancements—they reflect ASU’s mission to innovate and improve education for all students. By streamlining tasks for faculty, promoting academic integrity, and making content more accessible, these tools empower educators to focus on what matters most: student success.

As EdPlus continues to innovate in digital teaching and learning, the AI tools developed by the IDNM team are one example of how leveraging technology can drive education forward, preparing both students and faculty for the future of learning.

The IDNM AI tool suite is available for everyone’s use. IDNM also offers professional and development resources on a variety of topics including AI. Leaving feedback allows EdPlus to further improve tools and resources.