Advancing AI Literacy: A Faculty Course Refresh Institute at Indiana Wesleyan University

Why It Matters

Building faculty AI competence directly strengthens student preparedness for an AI‑driven workforce and offers a replicable pathway for institutions to embed ethical AI practices across curricula.

Key Takeaways

• Twelve‑week institute redesigns courses with AI literacy focus.
• 15 faculty completed first cohort; 100% plan future AI use.
• Custom AI bots and video tools support hands‑on redesign.
• Scale emphasizes ethical, spiritual dimensions of AI in education.
• Model offers scalable, low‑cost AI integration for other colleges.

Pulse Analysis

Higher education faces a pivotal moment as generative AI reshapes teaching and learning. While many institutions scramble to issue policy memos, the real challenge lies in equipping faculty with the confidence and critical perspective to weave AI concepts into everyday instruction. Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) recognized this gap early, leveraging its Office of Academic Innovation to move beyond one‑off webinars toward a sustained, people‑centered development model. By aligning with the EDUCAUSE AI literacy framework and infusing its faith‑based mission, IWU crafted a curriculum that balances technical skill‑building with ethical formation, setting a benchmark for responsible AI adoption in academia.

The AI‑Enhanced Course Refresh Institute blends data‑driven insights, custom GenAI bots, and multimodal video creation into a structured, twelve‑week journey. Faculty begin with raw student‑evaluation analytics, then use Boodlebox bots to pinpoint assignment redesign opportunities aligned with a five‑level AI Literacy and Integration Scale. Throughout the program, mentors, learning experience designers, and technology specialists provide individualized support, ensuring each participant produces at least four AI‑focused activities while also refreshing outdated content. This hands‑on approach not only demystifies AI tools but also embeds reflective practices that address plagiarism, bias, and spiritual considerations, fostering a holistic learning environment.

The institute’s early results—high satisfaction scores, full intent to reuse AI strategies, and a surge of applications for subsequent cohorts—signal strong faculty buy‑in and a replicable success formula. Other colleges can adopt IWU’s model by establishing a dedicated innovation hub, curating low‑cost GenAI platforms, and developing a tiered literacy scale that reflects institutional values. As AI becomes integral to the modern workforce, such faculty‑led initiatives will be essential for producing graduates who can navigate, critique, and responsibly innovate with intelligent technologies.