This presentation reports on a self-study of practice (S-STEP) focused on the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in graduate-level online teaching and learning. As an educator teaching at three different institutions between 2022 and 2025, I have observed firsthand the rapid development of AI tools and the accompanying shifts in institutional policies governing their use in academic work. The central research question guiding this inquiry is: How has the development of policy around AI use in academic courses impacted my practice of teaching and assessment? The study employs self-study methodology to critically examine how my teaching practices have adapted in response to both student use of AI and the emerging policies regulating it. Data sources include a policy analysis of AI-related guidelines and academic integrity policies across three post-secondary institutions, alongside personal reflective journals documenting my experiences, challenges, and adjustments in course design and assessment. Dialogues with a critical friend served as an additional method of analysis, providing a collaborative space to interrogate assumptions and explore the implications of AI for professional practice.Findings suggest that AI policy is a moving target in higher education, requiring educators to remain adaptable and informed. As an online professor in education, I find myself continually navigating the balance between academic integrity, innovation, and equitable student learning experiences. This presentation will share practical strategies for integrating institutional policy shifts into teaching practice while supporting student learning in an AI-influenced academic landscape.

Authors:
Georgann Cope Watson, Yorkville University, Canada

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Georgann Cope Watson is a retired faculty member who continues to teach part time in Canada in an M.Ed.Program. Her current project is a self-study on how AI Policy in higher education impacts pedagogy and practice.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

Bookmark