VIRTUAL FACULTY DEVELOPMENT EVENT

Date: Friday, January 29, 2027

Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. (Central Time)

Location: Virtual Event via Zoom

Rethinking Learning in the Age of AI

As generative AI changes how students approach assignments and assessments, how can educators create learning experiences that emphasize what makes us human? Join author and educator John Warner for a thought-provoking talk and interactive workshop exploring how we can move beyond concerns about AI outsourcing and focus on meaningful, human-centered learning. Together, we’ll explore how authentic assignments, thoughtful assessment, and purposeful learning experiences can help students develop the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind that make learning valuable.

Meet the Speaker: John Warner

John Warner is a writer and educator whose work explores writing, learning, and the changing role of generative AI in education.

His book, More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI, encourages educators to reconsider what matters most in teaching and learning.

Visit John Warner’s website to learn more.

About the Event

PART ONE | AUTHOR TALK

Being Human: Your Best Defense (and Offense) in a World with AI

Generative AI has introduced powerful tools that can complete many traditional academic tasks. But what does this mean for education?

John Warner will examine how educational systems can unintentionally encourage the outsourcing of work and what educators can do to renew their focus on human experience, intellectual growth, and meaningful learning.

PART TWO | INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP

The Experiences of Learning: Designing Assignments and Assessments Resistant to AI Outsourcing

How can we design learning experiences that students find meaningful and that encourage them to engage in the work of learning?

In this interactive workshop, participants will consider their own disciplines and teaching practices through the lens of building a “practice”—the skills, attitudes, knowledge, and habits of mind that help learners become adaptable and independent thinkers. Faculty will explore approaches to assignment design and assessment that align with their disciplinary goals and teaching values.

What You’ll Explore

The opportunities and challenges generative AI creates for teaching and learning.
Strategies for designing meaningful assignments that emphasize the learning process.
Approaches to assessment that encourage authentic student engagement.
Ways to cultivate disciplinary thinking, adaptability, and intellectual independence.
A practical framework for rethinking assignments and assessments in your own teaching context.