AI in education is often met with either wide-eyed enthusiasm or skeptical side-eye. Some believe it is the ultimate teaching assistant, while others fear it might replace human instructors altogether. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how much grading you have left), I feel AI is nowhere close to replacing us. However, it can make teaching and learning more engaging, personalized, and—dare I say—fun.
At Suffolk, I have been experimenting with AI to create more immersive learning experiences for students. Here are some of the ways I have used AI in my classroom—sometimes pushing the boundaries just a little.
Talking Syllabi: Because Reading is So 2020
In academia, we love to say, “The syllabus is a contract.” We also love to make that contract about as readable as a mortgage agreement. While we tell students that the syllabus is their best friend, let us be honest—no one enjoys reading a 15-page document filled with deadlines and policies.
So, in SBS 298: Tackling Global Wicked Problems, I decided to try something different: an interactive syllabus. Instead of passively reading, students can now chat with the syllabus, listen to it as a podcast, and even ask it questions. Want to know when the next assignment is due? Just ask. Confused about a policy? The syllabus will explain—without judgment (unlike certain professors).
Is this a bit excessive? Maybe. But if we can make learning more engaging, why not?
Try it out for yourself: Interactive Syllabus.
Podcasts Over PDFs: AI-Generated Listening Experiences
If turning the syllabus into a podcast is pushing the limits, then let us push a little further. Using NotebookLM and AI-powered summarization, I have been creating interactive podcasts that synthesize multiple sources into one coherent discussion.
Take, for example, food security — our “Wicked Problem” for Spring 2025 term. Rather than asking students to read three separate articles from The New York Times, I fed those articles into the AI tool, which identified key themes, linked ideas, and generated an insightful podcast episode. Now, students can listen to a structured discussion instead of spending a few hours piecing things together themselves.
Of course, the original articles are still available, but this AI-generated summary provides a useful entry point for students who may be short on time (or attention span).
Check out the podcast here: AI-Generated Food Security Podcast
Custom Quizzes for Every Student: Because Not All Classes Are Created Equal
Let us be honest—not all students learn at the same pace, and not all cohorts are the same. One semester, your students might breeze through a concept; the next semester, they might struggle with the basics.
AI now allows us to customize quizzes based on the difficulty level needed for each class.
For example:
• Honors section: 50% hard questions, 30% medium, 20% easy
• Regular section: 30% hard, 40% medium, 30% easy
Even better, AI can adjust the difficulty of individual questions. Want the same multiple-choice question but slightly more challenging? AI can modify the answer choices to make students think harder. Want a quick check-in quiz? AI can generate the desired mix of questions based on your lecture slides in seconds.
This level of customization means that students are assessed in a way that matches their skill level, making learning more effective and less frustrating.
Making Slides More Accessible—Without Extra Work
We all know that good slide notes improve comprehension, but manually adding them? That is time-consuming. With multimodal AI, faculty can now take a screenshot of their slides and instantly generate detailed speaker notes. These notes can then be provided to students, making class materials more accessible for everyone.
This simple AI trick enhances inclusivity while saving valuable prep time—a win-win for both students and faculty.
AI as a Teaching Partner, Not a Replacement
At the end of the day, trust me, AI is not here to replace us. (If it were, I doubt it would be dealing with syllabus formatting issues.) What it can do is enhance our ability to teach by making materials more engaging, personalized, and accessible.
The future of AI in education is not about automation—it is about augmentation. By using AI creatively, we can free up time for deeper discussions, more interactive learning, and, perhaps, even a little fun.
What do you think? Are you ready to make your syllabus talk? Let us experiment and learn together!
