Editorial
I am a college professor who teaches about 15 courses a year. Some of my courses are online, some are onsite and some are hybrid.
The experience of teaching during the early years of The Age of AI (or however we’re branding it these days) has certainly been an interesting one. Here is how I’d describe it, using a very labored simile:
Teaching right now is like building a plane as you fly it, while you are surrounded by an ongoing storm and other planes (also being built) fly around you. So, at any given time, you need to shift your immediate focus, while not completely ignoring the other factors at play. At the same time, people below are shouting at you with megaphones.
Some are shouting “It’s easy. You just need to [insert your favorite all-encompassing solution].” Others are shouting “Just slow down and think carefully.” Still others are shouting “Speed up or you’re going to die!” You can also hear a last group whispering into their megaphones, “It’s really not your fault. It’s a problem with how planes are built. It’s a systemic issue, really.” All the while, you think wistfully about those people on solid ground yelling at you. You think, “It must be nice. How do I get on solid ground? And where did everyone get those megaphones?”
This is what I mean…
The Plane
As educators, we’re constantly being told — both implicitly and explicitly — that now is the time of disruption and innovation. And maybe it is. Maybe it is time to rethink how our courses are designed around extrinsic instead of intrinsic motivation. Maybe it is time to rethink what and how we teach.
But at some point, I need to roll things out for my students.
By Wednesday, I need to finish uploading assignments to my college’s Learning Management System. Many of my colleagues will need assignments and resources to share in class.
Teaching brings with it very specific deadlines. As I adapt, I need to constantly tell myself “that’s good enough” and hope that the plane still flies.
The Storm
Everyday, seemingly, brings some new advancement in the world of AI. (Whether or not this is true, this is what marketers and CEOs tell us.)
So, as we are trying to rethink how we teach while hitting our specific deadlines, we need to watch out for the AI storm. Teaching right now is an act of triaging. I’m constantly asking myself, “What do I need to do right now to make my course relevant to the world?”
The answer is constantly shifting. Sometimes, the most pressing need is to work on my course design. Sometimes, I need to focus on something big that just happened.
(“What’s that, you say? Google just made Gemini Advanced free for college students? Many of my students use that. I should look into it.”)
Figuring out what needs my attention today is getting harder and harder.
Related Article: 5 AI Case Studies in Education
Those Other Planes
We are basically all in the same planes, with some exceptions. We’re figuring things out as we go along, trying to identify what changes are good enough for the moment and which ones will cause the plane to crash, either to the ground or into other planes.
I am personally experimenting with process-oriented assignments and alternative assessment, hoping that they’ll help me push against the transaction model of education. Some of my friends are restructuring their courses around debates and oral presentations.
Those approaches can stay pretty separate, especially given how siloed individual professors can be. But sometimes they do run the risk of colliding with each other, especially in departmental and college-wide meetings, when it becomes very clear how different our approaches are.
Those People With Megaphones
I wish I could be confident. I really do.
When I read articles online or talk to others about AI and the future of education, I often run into people who have 1-2 solutions that would, ostensibly, solve many of the problems and move education forward.
It’s difficult for me to feel so uncertain about the path forward, while also seeing others seem so certain about what we should do. I sometimes wish I could pick a line and shout it into a microphone. But it’s hard to do that when you’re in the thick of it.
I have also learned to be skeptical of “simple abstractions,” which seem so simple at first but which are extraordinarily complicated once you dig into them. I agree that Project-Based Learning is a great path forward. But that’s just one one approach — and an approach that needs quite a bit of scaffolding, creation of student buy-in and so on. I also agree that we need to rethink the college essay. But are we really ready to get rid of it completely? There are many skills that students learn by writing essays that I want them to have, even if the essay itself seems a bit outmoded.
Is There Something Wrong With The Plane?
When I talk to people about AI and the future of education, there seems to be almost universal agreement. There’s a problem with the educational system.
Sure. I think I’d grant that, mostly.
But from an educator’s perspective, that’s yet another wrinkle to account for. As I’m trying to fix the plane while flying it — sticking to the rules that come with the system I operate within — I need to consider the fact that the plane itself might be flawed and that eventually I may need to fly another plane. Or maybe I’ll just move on from planes altogether. Or maybe I’ll need a jet ski.
Webinar
Sep
25
CMS Briefing: A Live Look at What’s Next in AI-Driven Platforms
Learn how leading organizations are using AI‑driven tools to publish faster, personalize smarter and stay secure.
Register
Webinar
Oct
15
Agentic AI Playbook Real-World Customer Service Use Cases You Can Deploy Now
Boost self-service by 30% and slash call volume by 63% with agentic AI.
Register
Webinar
On demand
Ready or Not: How Data-First Organizations Are Unlocking Agentforce Potential
Learn how to cut through the noise, activate Agentforce and build a Salesforce AI strategy that actually delivers.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
AI in Customer Service: Faster Resolutions, Happier Customers
Don’t let rising demand burn out your team. See how to build a smarter, more resilient support org.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
From Hype to High-Impact CX Strategies That Actually Scale
Turn buzzworthy AI and outsourcing trends into measurable CX wins with fresh 2025 data.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Insights to Action Rethinking the Contact Center for Real Business Impact
Join our exclusive webinar to hear CX executives share their innovative strategies for transforming service delivery.
Watch Now
Forget it. I’m just taking the bus. Let someone else drive. I’m sure they’ll be fine.
Related Article: Rewriting the Curriculum: How AI Is Changing What and How We Learn
Final Thoughts
Believe it or not, this doesn’t stress me out. I’m used to it. I’m used to looking through the headlines and asking myself “What does this mean for the world my students are in?” and “What does this mean for teaching?”
To be honest, I hate that I’m used to it.
I hate that companies have so much influence over my classroom. I hate that I need to stay abreast of whatever is happening in the world of AI, as I design my courses. I’d love to just focus on the eternal truths of teaching. And to a certain extent, I do. But I also need to stay informed so that I can help guide my students through this world as much as I can.
Teaching right now is quite the experience. But I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
Now, sorry. I have to go. I have a deadline to hit today. So, it’s back to grading for me. And after that, I’ll think about whether grading is even still relevant or if I just wasted my time.
Learn how you can join our contributor community.
